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Applications are only accepted via our online application. 

See the How to apply page for all necessary information about the application and selection process.

The selection process is overseen by the MultiSci Leadership Team, with an estimated timeline as follows:  

Early December: All applications which meet ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s academic eligibility criteria are redacted of personal information and reviewed by the HealthBRIDGE Leadership team. Initial evaluation will focus on confirming that your research interests match the research remit of HealthBRIDGE and the , and whether an applicant’s academic/employment journey so far indicates potential to complete a PhD.  A long-list of 70-90 applications proceed to the next stage of the process.

Mid December – mid January : Redacted applications still in the process are independently reviewed and scored by 3 ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ academics. Based on scores and comments, shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview.

Mid-Late February: Online panel interviews (usually 3 ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ academics and 1 current PhD student) take place. Based on scores and comments from all interviewers, up to 15 candidates are contacted by email in early March with an offer for entry to the HeathBRIDGE Studentship Programme.  

Please refer to the How to Apply pages for more information about the process.

Applicants should expect to know the outcome, whether unsuccessful or invited to interview, by the end of January . We aim to make offers to successful students in early March.

Yes, but the HealthBRIDGE application cannot be used to include an application for the President's PhD Scholarships. Please also refer to the full application process for the President's PhD Scholarship. 

It is not possible to hold a President’s Scholarship and a HealthBRIDGE studentship at the same time.

• We will need details of two referees in your HealthBRIDGE application form. If you are invited to interview, they will be emailed and asked to provide their references.
• Your application should include the name and contact details of two referees, at least one of which should be an academic referee. In selecting your referees, you should consider that those who have worked with/supervised you directly are most likely to be able to provide strong evidence of your suitability for PhD studies. You should also consider who will be able to return a reference for you without delay. 

No, HealthBRIDGE is a 4-year programme. The Foundatuion Year is a mandatory component of HealthBRIDGE that provides important foundational training to prepare you for undertaking a PhD at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. During this year, you will also participate in HealthBRIDGE cohort activities.

Lab rotations undertaken during the first year gives you the opportunity to try out different labs before deciding where to do your PhD. It also allows you to learn new skills and expand your academic network–which are invaluable as you develop your PhD project.  The skills and ways of thinking you develop through track-specific training will allow you to incorporate new perspectives into your PhD project.

No. HealthBRIDGE Foundation Year options have been designed to incorporate training which will support you in developing a PhD project that integrates the programme’s focus on biomedical research, innovation and entrepreneurship, and digital skills.

• Yes,  you can apply to a Master's programmes using the university's My ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ application portal. Please see the Admissions FAQs /study/help-centre/postgraduate-admissions/ 
• If you are in doubt about applying for other Master's programmes or you have other admissions process questions, we suggest that you contact the Admissions team /study/apply/contact/ 

• Yes. Your initial registration status will depend on the Foundation Year training track you select.  Following successful completion of the year and confirmation of your PhD project, we will transfer you directly to the PhD register. A separate application for your PhD at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ will not be needed.

• Please note: international students will be  required to apply for separate visas for the Foundation Year registration and the PhD registration.  

You may undertake teaching, demonstrating or other paid work, provided that: 

• You are legally allowed to do so: any work that a student undertakes must be formalised with a proper contract of employment covering the work the student is expected to do, and would need to conform to Home Office regulations regarding employment. Information for international students is available here. 
• It does not interfere with your studies: it would normally be expected that work takes place outside of core teaching/working hours, and we recommend that the total demand on time including time spent in preparation, does not normally exceed six hours a week. Any time away from your research should be discussed/agreed with your supervisor in advance.  

Please refer to the eligibility criteria. Please check carefully that you are eligible to apply before submitting an application. Please also refer to further on changes to EU and International Eligibility for UKRI funded studentships.

International applicants are welcome to apply, however places are restructed, and candidates should familiarise themselves with the HealthBRIDGE's eligibility criteria before applying.

If successful, international students will receive an identical funding package as home students which includes home level tuition fees at the UKRI level. 

Please note:- 

• Successful international candidates will be required to apply for separate visas for their Foundation Year and PhD registrations.  
• Unfortunately, the university cannot cover any of the costs associated with the separate visa applications. 
• Due to financial reasons, not all departments at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ are able to support international HealthBRIDGE students for their PhD projects. Therefore, there may be restrictions on what department an international student can do their PhD in unless they are able to fund the fees difference themselves or secure other sources of funding.
• If you have any questions regarding your fee status, or wish to appeal a given status, please follow the guidance on the fee status page. For visa guidance, please contact the International Office international@imperial.ac.uk.  

Like ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, HealthBRIDGE’s research remit is broad and encompass an extensive and wide range of research areas. HealthBRIDGE PhD projects must align with one or more of themes listed in the and integrate with existing expertise in the university. Inter-disciplinary research is encouraged, particularly in relation to disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

When applying, you will be asked to describe your research area of interest with key words or phrases – this will help us clarify its connection with the interests of HealthBRIDGE and ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ.

If you are made an offer for HealthBRIDGE, you will not be restricted to working within these areas – your research interests may evolve or change as you carry out project rotations in the Foundation Year of your studentship. 

No, we are not looking to recruit specific numbers to each research area. The programme aims to support up to 15 students in this cohort, with studentships awarded to the best students, who, under advice from the HealthBRIDGE Leadership Team, then go on to choose projects in one of the research areas indicated on their application form.

Probably!  The are broad and encompass an extensive and wide range of research areas. 

When applying, you will be asked to describe your research area of interest with three key words or phrases – this will help us clarify the connection between our research themes and your research interests.

If you are made an offer for HeathBRIDGE, you will not be restricted to working within these areas – your research interests may evolve or change as you carry out project rotations in year 1 of your studentship.  

Having chosen the research remit area which best aligns with your current interest, you should further define your area of interest by making use of the key phrases. Some examples are given below:

An interest in understanding how effective HIV therapy increases cardiovascular disease risk.

Key phrases: Anti-retroviral therapy; Cardiovascular disease; HIV.

Research remit: Global Health Research

An interest in discovering and validating new drug and vaccine targets for malaria.

Key phrases: Plasmodium falciparum; Drug and vaccine target research; Antimalarial resistance.

Research remit: Infections and Immunity.

An interest in understanding why therapies fail, how tumours adapt, and how resistance can be predicted.

Key phrases: Mechanisms of cancer evolution and resistance; Biomarker discovery and early detection; Engineering advanced biological and computational models.

Research remit: Molecular and Cellular Medicine.

An interest in how brain structure and function affect mental health outcomes.

Key phrases: Brain, mind and mental health; Multimodal imaging; Translational neuroscience.

Remit: Neurosciences and Mental Health.

An interest in identifying mechanisms that promote healthy aging and protect against age-related diseases such as neurodegeneration.

Key phrases: Environmental, metabolic, and lifestyle stressors; Epigenomics and transcriptomics; Alzheimer’s disease.

Research remit: Population and Systems Medicine.

An interest in identifying sub-phenotypes of sepsis to predict therapeutic response.  

Key phrases: Transcriptomics; Personalised medicine; Sepsis.

Research remit: Translational Research.

Details of projects undertaken by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ HealthBRIDGE DLA students will be made available after we recruit our first cohort!

No, applicants do not need to have a supervisor or PhD project lined up. During the Foundation Year, you will develop your project in collaboration with prospective supervisors. An idea of the area you intend to pursue may be beneficial to your application. 

• HealthBRIDGE does not provide a list of pre-designed PhD projects. Instead, students are supported in identifying research groups they would like to work with, and develop their own projects in partnership with prospective supervisors. The main ways in which HealthBRIDGE  students find out about potential PhD topics and labs are: 
  • Through their Foundation Year rotations: getting first-hand experience of working on a topic is a great way to find out if you want to do a PhD on it. However, it is not a requirement that you do your PhD in a lab you did a Foundation Year project in. 
  • Using their research and networking skills to explore the range of research being carried out at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. 
  • Discussing their interests with the HealthBRIDGE team, who provide a list of researchers at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ who are interested in working with a HealthBRIDGE student.  

• HealthBRIDGE PhD projects can be based in any Faculty at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, and at least 2 supervisors are required – providing a great opportunity for students to develop new inter-disciplinary collaborations. It is important to note the following regulations relating to primary supervisor eligibity: 
  • A primary supervisor would normally hold at least a Senior Lecturer post at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, and be experienced PhD supervisor (i.e. has led PhD students to completion). 
  • Anyone already holding the role of primary supervisor for an MRC-DTP or DLA studentship recipient is not eligible to be primary supervisor for a HealthBRIDGE student. 

• HealhBRIDGE PhD supervisors and research projects cannot be based within the (as this runs a separate MRC-supported PhD programme).

• All supervisors will be required to have completed the Cornerstone ‘Fundamentals of Supervising PhD Students’ online course, be up to date with ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Essentials, and undertaken and department-required training, before a HealthBRIDGE PhD project commences. 

The HealthBRIDGE studentship covers: 

1. Payment of tuition fees at   - international students should note that not all departments at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ will be able to accept them for their PhD due to the difference in fee levels required. 
2. A tax-free maintenance award, currently £23,805,  during the Foundation Year, rsising to £26,500 for the PhD years. 
3. A research training support grant (RTSG) of £5,000 per annum, paid to the primary supervisor for supporting the student’s training and research. During the Foundation Year, rotation supervisors may receive a smaller contribution to project running costs.
4. A conference fund of £300 per annum to facilitate registration and attendance at conferences and scientific meetings (not applicable for the Foundation Year). 
5. Supplement funds to support a wide range of research and training activities including internships, high cost training and outreach (not applicable in the Foundation Year).