Frequently Asked Questions

Accommodation is not provided as part of the fellowship. However, Imperial offers some summer accommodation. More details about Summer accommodation at Imperial can be found here: Summer in halls

Note that you may be asked to pay for the accommodation before you receive your stipends.

You may also wish to consider private accommodation.

There will be multiple in-person events in London every week during the fellowship. We therefore expect fellows to be in London (or nearby) for the majority of the fellowship. 

We expect the fellows to be working roughly full time on the fellowship for the duration of the 10 weeks (except any pre-agreed holidays).

We expect the fellowship to be your main occupation during the 10 weeks. You may do some part time work as long as this does not interfere with your ability to engage with the fellowship. We recommend a maximum of 10-15 hours of part time work per week, with a hard upper limit of 20 hours per week. Failure to comply with this may require repayment of (some of) your stipend.

To get the most out of your fellowship, we expect you to be working on your project for the majority of the 10 weeks. If pre-agreed with your supervisor and the program director, you may take a maximum of 2 weeks holiday during the fellowship. This includes time off to attend graduation ceremonies etc. Failure to comply with this may require repayment of (some of) your stipend.

To be eligible for this programme you must identify as a woman who will be undertaking the final year of a masters degree (integrated or stand-alone) in the academic year 2024-2025. Your degree will likely be in mathematics, statistics, or a closely related subject such as physics or computer science, and you will be interested in exploring the possibility of undertaking a PhD in mathematics or statistics (broadly defined). You will be on track to receive at least upper second class honours (or equivalent), with a strong preference for candidates on track for a first class degree.

The fellowship will be conducted entirely in English. Therefore, we expect a good level of English. The English language competency level required for the Mary Lister Fellowship is Standard. Details on the requirements to meet the level can be found on the Imperial College language requirements webpage here: English language requirements. 

It is not necessary to be studying in the UK already. Fellowships are not restricted by nationality or fee status, however it is also not possible for Imperial to sponsor visas under this programme. 

You will receive a stipend of £410 per week during the fellowship (for summer 2025) to cover accommodation and living costs etc. This is typically paid in two instalments, the first about a week after the start of the programme and the second about halfway through. 

Stipends may be considered to be tax-free when certain conditions are met. To find out more, check the Legal and tax basis for student bursaries section on the webpage here: Bursary administration