To apply:
Step 1: Find a supervisor
- View our departmental supervisor profiles to learn about their research interests.
- Identify your 1st and 2nd supervisor, before emailing them directly with a description of your intended research project. Applicants are expected to contact academics directly.
Step 2: Arranging funding: Unless you are applying for a studentship or can self-fund your studies, you will need to arrange for funding before you make the application.
Take a look at our Graduate Funding Database for details on funding support.
Read tips and advice from our students who have been awarded NIHR and MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowships, particularly regarding the interview stage.
Step 3: Make an online application:
Submit an online application. This application will be assessed by the Admissions team to assess your references, fee status as well as your eligibility in terms of education and experience.
Step 4: Submit a Project Approval Form:
The project approval form (PAF) is used to assess your project in terms of planning, feasibility and appropriateness for a PhD. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the form is completed but it is recommended that applicants work closely with the supervisors.
Make sure you complete all sections, answering all questions fully, and signatures from all supervisors and student are included. There is no need to collect the signatures from the Head of Department/Business Manager and Sub-Committee Chair at this point.
We strongly advise the submission of your application as early as possible to ensure that you can begin with your desired intake. If your application is not processed in time you run the risk of a deferral to the subsequent intake.
We advise Home students to submit their online application and PAF at least two months before their desired registration date, and EU and Overseas students to submit their online application and PAF at least three months ahead of their desired registration date, although the earlier the application submission the better. This is to take into account any English Language tests you may need to take and await the results of, and any visa applications that you may need to make.
It is typical that the process from the receipt of your online application and PAF through to offer letter stage (which includes the arrangement of the PhD interview) takes approximately six weeks.
Please note that the deadlines listed below are for both the online application and Project Approval Form (PAF) which is to be submitted in Microsoft Word format to ioppn.educationsupport@kcl.ac.uk.
Download a copy of the Project Approval Form (PAF).
The final deadlines for applicants with Home, EU or overseas (international) fee status are detailed below. Please note that funding applications deadlines may be earlier. We will open applications for the corresponding intake in 2022 after the same intake has passed in 2021.
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February 2021 entry – 23rd October 2020 for international applicants and 23rd November 2020 for Home/EU applicants
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June 2021 entry - 12th April 2021 for international and Home/EU applicants
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October 2021 entry – 30th July 2021 for international/EU applicants and 27th August 2021 for Home applicants
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February 2022 entry – 12th November 2021 for international/EU applicants and 6th December 2021 for Home applicants
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June 2022 entry – 1st April 2022 for international/EU applicants and 11th April 2022 for Home applicants
Applications for 2022/23 academic year will open from October 2021.