Programme

Applications for the 2025/26 academic year are now open.

This 4-year PhD training programme provides unique inter-disciplinary training in infectious disease epidemiology, mathematical modelling and statistics, genetics and evolution, and computational methods.

Based within the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC GIDA), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology within the Faculty of Medicine's School of Public Health, the programme provides an opportunity to learn, in a supportive and stimulating environment, from leaders in the field who are actively engaged in research and advise leading public health professionals, policy-makers, governments, international organisations and pharmaceutical companies, both nationally and internationally, on a range of diseases include pandemic influenza, HIV, TB, malaria, polio and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Programme Outline
The programme begins with a 1-year specialist MRes course, during which students undertake core training one day each week, including technical training and generic skills training. Alongside the taught courses, students undertake two 5-month attachments in departmental research groups. At the end of the 1^st year students develop their PhD proposal to be undertaken in years 2-4.

Eligibility and funding
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, a first or upper second-class degree in a relevant subject which includes all of those from the quantitative and life sciences – including biology, zoology, genetics, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, economics, mathematics, physics, statistics.

This opportunity is open to students eligible for the UK home fee rate only, providing a tax-free stipend to cover living expenses at the UKRI minimum rate, £21,237 (inc. London weighting) for the 2025/26 academic year.  

If you are an international student and would like to apply for a PhD in the department please refer to the international scholarship page and President’s scholarship.

Additional studentships may become available over the course of the admission process - all eligible candidates will be considered without needing to submit any further details.

Additional self-funded places on the 1-year MRes course only will also be available.  If you are interested in this option please apply via the MRes Biomedical Research website.

Application procedure
Applications should consist of 2 parts, combined single PDF document:

• A CV which should NOT include your name, gender or email (for anonymised shortlisting) but should include your degrees (BSc, MSc, MBBS etc), degree class awarded or marks/grades to date, subjects, place of study and university awarding the degree, and the names, mailing addresses and email addresses of at least two academic referees.
• A one page statement indicating why you want to join this PhD programme.

Applications should be submitted via our application form. Transcripts of degrees are not required at this stage. For full details of the programme and application procedure please visit the programme website.

Deadlines
Closing date for applications: Sunday 12th of January 2025.
Interview dates: February 2025 (tbc).

Further Information
Informal enquiries can be directed to ide-phd@imperial.ac.uk

Start date
Studentships are available for 2025/2026 entry, with a start date in Autumn 2025.