physics phd london

UCL Department of Physics and Astronomy

• PhD Research

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCL has one of the broadest bases for research in Physics of any UK university. A UCL Physics PhD provides evidence of the type of problem-solving skills which are an ideal qualification for a further career in research or the wider job market.

The Physics Department is composed of 5 research groups. Details of currently available studentships are available from the research groups web pages, on the Doctoral Training Centre web pages or on UCL job opportunities .

Each of these research groups has its own admissions tutor - see names above. You should contact at least one of these admissions tutors, using the email addresses given above. You should also follow the application procedure procedure for the relevant group by following the links above.

If you are interested in doing a PhD in the nanotechnology area, you will find it useful to look at the website of the London Centre for Nanotechnology , which carries out cross-disciplinary research in the areas of physics, materials, chemistry, engineering and biomedicine.

The Mullard Space Science Laboratory also offers PhD opportunities in space science, further details of these can be found at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mssl/study/phd-opportunities

Admissions (MPhil/PhD) 

How to Apply

• Applications should be made online:  UCL Prospective Graduate Applications website
• Read the on-line checklist before applying.

Identify a Supervisor : Interested applicants should firstly select their chosen Research Group  (from this group selection using the People tab at the top of the page all academic staff will be listed - click on each academics name, this will bring up contact details and then click on the full research profile on UCL profiles which will then give you the publications and expertise and experience for that selected academic) from this list you can identify a member of academic staff within Physics & Astronomy who has the appropriate specialization and you should approach them well in advance of the application deadline (and any funding deadlines) to discuss your application. 

• Choose department as Physics & Astronomy , and programme group as postgraduate research.  The study type and start year should be chosen according to your circumstances.  
• Follow the instructions on the webpage and finish the on-line application form.  Note that you will need to upload an electronic copy of your academic transcript and a personal statement.
• For PhD applications to the HEP group please follow the additional instructions outlined here :  http://www.hep.ucl.ac.uk/postgrad/apply_now.shtml  
• Independently funded students for the Department of Physics & Astronomy entry dates for 2024-2025 will be 1 October 2024, 1 February 2025 and 1 May 2025. To apply, view the list of our group leaders to review their research and decide which suit your area of interest and email them to discuss potential projects.

The UCL Admissions and General Enquiries Office can be contacted by telephone on  +44 (0)20 8059 0939 .  For further information about contacting them, please see:  https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/admissions-enquiries .

For general enquiries about the Physics and Astronomy PhD program, please email our Postgraduate Administrator, Nadia Waller .

Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Dat a Intensive Science (DIS)

DIS encompasses a wide range of areas in the field of 'big-data' including the collection, storage and analysis of large datasets, as well as the use of complex models, algorithms and machine learning techniques to interpret the data. The Centre primarily carries out research in STFC's flagship Data Intensive Science projects, in High Energy Physics and Astronomy, which have been at the forefront of DIS research for several decades and provide the ideal training ground for DIS. More information can be found at

https://www.hep.ucl.ac.uk/cdt-dis/studentships.shtml

Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs)

UCL has a large number of students funded through Doctoral Training Programmes (DTPs) and Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs).

These multi-disciplinary centres bring together various areas of expertise and offer unique opportunities and a dynamic environment for PhD student training.  

Programmes are usually funded for four years. These positions are usually only open to applicants resident in the UK for at least three years prior to their application. Requirements do vary, so please check individual centres. The first year typically includes taught elements for developing research and transferable skills as well as a research element to explore potential PhD-level topics. 

Funding Each group has a specific application procedure and possible sources of funding so for more more detailed information see the individual group pages via the links to the Research Groups above.

• For Astrophysics (Astro) and High Energy Physics (HEP)  the main source of funding is from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
• For Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Positron Physics studenship  (AMOPP) and Condensed Matter and Material Physics (CMMP) it is from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Collaborative Training Account (CTA) awards with an external partner are also available.

General Information

UCL Scholarships and funding

UK citizens 

Are eligible for a research council award which covers tuition fees and maintenance. For information about tuition fees see: www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/money

EU citizens

• If you completed your degree at a UK university you are eligible for the same research council award.
• EU citizens who did not undertake their degree at a UK university are eligible for a tuition fees-only award, and must find maintenance money from another source.
• UCL has a limited number (around 25) graduate scholarships which will cover both fees and a maintenance award.

Overseas (not EU)

• Students are not eligible for any Research Council awards and must find independent funding to cover tuition fees and maintenance. See: www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/money

Other sources of funding for Overseas students:

• UCL Graduate School Research Scholarships (GSRS) provides limited funding for non-UK citizens or EU citizens who did not graduate from a UK institute are. They cover both fees and cost of living.
• Students can also apply for an Overseas Research Scholarship ORS award.
• Details of each, along with other possibilities can be found at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/scholarships

Research-intensive University departments, of which UCL Physics and Astronomy is one, are constantly on the look-out for applications of their existing expertise and for new and challenging problems. Knowledge Transfer is the umbrella under which we disseminate our research, in ways which encompass standard routes in the scientific community such as publications and conferences, as well as consultancy work and large-scale collaborative programs with industry. We aim to develop lasting partnerships with industry, business, government and the public sector. Practical applications of our research can contribute to the economic competitiveness of the UK, to the effectiveness of public services and policy, and to the quality of the environment. Examples include:

• EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD Studentship with BOC: Ammonia as a Solvent for Nanotechnology (Neal Skipper)
• NERC Industrial CASE PhD Studentship with Schlumberger Cambridge Research: Asphaltene aggregation in the presence of clay surfaces (Neal Skipper)
• EPSRC EngD Studentship with CCLRC: Nanostructuring of hydrogen storage materials (Neal Skipper)
• Industrial CASE studentship with CDT (Cambridge Display Technology) 2001-2004 (Student: Vladimir Bodrozic) (Franco Cacialli)
• EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD Studentship with UKAEA (Culham): Including electronic effects in radiation damage simulations of fusion materials (Dorothy Duffy)
• EPSRC EngD Studentship with Sematech (USA): Modelling of the atomic processes in gate oxides responsible for breakdown in CMOS devices (Alexander Shluger)

Application guidelines

International students.

Information for international students interested in studying in London at UCL. We have 18,000 students from outside the UK and many of our tutors are world-leading academics in their field.

All applicants

A comprehensive guide to the application process for UCL’s research programmes, including useful links and downloadable guides

Step-by-step guide to applying for a research programme at UCL

Physics and Astronomy MPhil/PhD

Apply - choose your programme

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In this section

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• Research groups
• Abdus Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics
• Postgraduate study

PhD programme

A PhD degree in Theoretical Physics enables outstanding students to pursue fundamental research at the forefront of theoretical physics. The  research interests are diverse but possible topics include string theory, M-theory, quantum gravity, foundations of quantum theory, thermal field theory, cosmology and particle physics.

There are about 20 PhD students in theoretical physics at any one time, including both UK and non-UK citizens. Competition for places is intense, so successful candidates require outstanding academic records and/or must demonstrate excellence in other ways.

For some applicants, our MSc Course can provide a more appropriate route to PhD study, though it does not guarantee a PhD place.

General information about postgraduate study and student life at Imperial can be found in the online  postgraduate prospectus . International applicants may also want to look at the online guide for  international students .

More information

• Applications

Applications should be made online via the postgraduate applications system My Imperial .

The Theoretical Physics Group is part of the Universe Community. In the Proposed studies section of your application, under  Proposed stream/pathway choose Universe. In the Research Details section of your application, you are asked for your proposed research group. Please write Theory.

The form asks to provide a Proposed research topic and Proposed research supervisor.  Please note we do not expect you to know what you will be working on, you may suggest a general area and several possible supervisors you may be interested in.

The official application asks for a personal statement. This is an opportunity to talk about your research interests. We do not expect any kind of lengthy or detailed reasearch proposal, it is sufficient for you to describe what you find most interesting in physics and which area or areas you might like to do research in. This will help in terms of pairing you with a potential supervisor. Also, it is not necessary for you to contact a prospective supervisor directly, you can simply indicate potential names of supervisors you may interested in working with. Flexibility is encouraged. See also the information about staff members and their research interests on the Theory Group website.

The official Imperial application form allows applicants to specify only two different research fields or two different courses (e.g PhD and MSc). However, some applicants are interested in more than two research fields. If so, please indicate this in the supervisor field of the application form (and also in the personal statement). Administrators processing the form will then forward it appropriately. For example, many students applying to do a PhD in Theoretical Physics may also interested in Astrophysics, Climate, Particle Physics, Plasma, Space, Light or Matter.

We usually have a very large number of applicants for a small number of places (last year over 180 applicants for just 4 places). In the past successful applicants have generally had a  strong first class four-year degree from a UK institution in physics or applied mathematics (or an equivalent level from abroad). It is very unlikely that we will shortlist any applicants not close to this level of performance. It is also a significant advantage to have done an MSc course in theoretical physics or the Cambridge Part III but this is not a pre-requisite.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview before being accepted. This provides an opportunity to discuss possible supervisors and research projects. Due to the large number of applicants we do not interview all candidates.

Theoretical physics held an open day on Wednesday 27 November 2024 in Huxley Building, Room 311 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. If you are planning to attend in person or online please register interest here .

This includes an overview talk about PhD applications and then have faculty and current students available to answer questions.

• Postgraduate open day

Our main funding for PhD students is from the UK research councils, STFC and EPSRC.

This coming year we expect to have 2 funded research council studentships, all of which will be awarded to the best eligible applicants. For Home  ( UK citizens , and  EU settled status) citizens these studentships pay both your fees and your living expenses. Overseas applicants (including other EU citizens) are eligible for research council funding however STFC rules restrict the number of studentships that can be offered to overseas students, and you are advised to look carefully at their funding situation before applying. We typically take several overseas students who have scholarships from their home country, or in some cases are self-funded.

Additional scholarships that both Home and Overseas students are eligible for are the Imperial Presidents scholarships . These are very limited in number and we can only put forward at most one student per round, these are therefore very competitive. Only students with an unusually strong academic profile are put forwards for them.

To apply for one of these scholarships, all you need to do initially is tick the box on the PhD application form to indicate interest but DO NOT attempt to secure provisional acceptence from a potential supervisor at that stage nor should you attempt to prepare a specific research proposal for these scholarships unless you have confirmation from the PhD admission lead that your application has been selected. (Note that these instructions may be contrary to those you receive from elsewhere in the college but you must follow the instructions given here).

Imperial scholarships have three deadlines throughout the year. The first one is very early in the year, usually in November, and has considerably fewer applicants than the later deadlines so there is some advantage in getting your application in early. A map of the Process for Imperial PhD Scholarships 2017-18 ‌‌ is available.

Note that for students currently doing an MSc course, if the College offers one of their scholarships it will be conditional on a distinction. The College are very strict about this - there is no negotiation if this condition is missed very narrowly.

Please indicate in the application whether you will be able to accept an offer from us if we are unable to provide funding. Read more about  fees and funding at Imperial .

The  postgraduate prospectus  also details certain funding that may be available depending on your country of origin. For example, US applicants are eligible to apply for Fulbright scholarships. Bear in mind that  different application deadlines and procedures may apply , as detailed in the prospectus.

Our application deadline is ***  1 February 2025 *** each year. Please ask your referees to submit their letters (via the college website) by this deadline, or shortly after. Note however that the first round of Presidents Scholarships is in November and to be considered for the first round you need to apply by 6th November (including references).

Applications after the 1 February 2025 deadline  may  be considered if we still have PhD positions to fill at that time.

For general enquires about postgraduate study in physics and the application procedure contact:

Ms Loli Sanchez The Physics Postgraduate Secretary Department of Physics, Imperial College London SW7 2AZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 7512 Fax: +44 (0)20 7594 7777 Email:  [email protected]

For enquiries directly related to study in the Theoretical Physics Group contact Professor Andrew J. Tolley  but please read this website carefully first since it addresses most common questions. Note also that due to the time required to process the very large number of applicants it may not be possible to answer all email queries in any detail.

Theoretical physics held an open day on Wednesday 27 November 2024 in  Huxley Building, Room 311 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. If you are planning to attend in person or online please register interest here .

This includes an overview talk about MSc and PhD applications and then faculty and current students are available to answer questions.

Copies of PhD theses are available in Spiral, the College's open access repository.

• Physics theses in Spiral