physics phd imperial

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• Theoretical Physics
• Research groups
• 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 is about twenty 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 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.

In the Research Details section of your application, you are asked for your proposed research group. Please write Theory.

The official college 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 short-list 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 29 November 2023 in Blackett Building, Lecture Theatre 2 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.

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 College Presidents scholarships  and the  Schrodinger scholarship . 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).

The College 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 2024 *** 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 2024 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.

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Physics PhD

Imperial college london, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Physics (General)

Course type

A research degree is a very individual experience, more so than an undergraduate degree. While the overarching structure will be identical or similar across the university, individual research projects, research interactions and assessment interactions will differ. This environment can provide a rich learning experience for student cohorts discussing their experiences.

A research degree has an exciting scope for collaborations and working as a team and as such, learning or enhancing your communication and people management skills. It is highly creative and can be more unpredictable than an undergraduate degree. A research degree is not simply about collecting results or data but also querying these and discussing them with others. Learning is continuous and poor experimental results can form part of research learning and success. Unlike a typical classroom experience of an undergraduate degree, a research degree will empower you to drive your own learning experience and expand your knowledge in a variety of ways.

PhD Opportunities within Physics can be found using the following links:

• Astrophysics
• Condensed Matter Theory
• Experimental Solid State Physics
• High Energy Physics
• Physics Education Research
• Plasma Physics
• Plastic Electronics CDT
• Quantum Optics & Laser Science
• Space & Atmospheric Physics
• Theoretical Physics

The vibrant and internationally-leading research programme within the Blackett Laboratory actively fosters the development of new knowledge and new areas of technology.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Students should hold or achieve a Master's degree in addition to a Bachelor's degree at UK Upper Second Class Honours Level.

PGCE Secondary Physics

University of east london, advanced physics msc, university of strathclyde, mres physics, phd/ mphil/ mres/ physics, pgce secondary science (physics) with qualified teacher status, sheffield hallam university.

Imperial College London High Energy Physics Group PhD Studentship Application Information Form (to be completed after the College Registry application has been submitted)

Please complete this information form if you are applying for a PhD studentship position at Imperial College High Energy Physics. If you have problems filling in this form, or any questions about postgraduate study in general, please email us at [email protected] instead.

NOTE: this form supplements, but does not replace, the formal application that must have been submitted at http://www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/admissions/howtoapplypg , and will allow the HEP group admission panels to process your application more quickly and efficiently.

Personal Details

Your surname (family name): *, your first names (given names): *, your title (please choose the closest title if not listed) *, year of birth *, nationality *, city/town and country of ordinary residence *, email address *, preferred contact telephone number, education and application information, current/last educational institution *, date of degree completion (expected if currently enrolled) *, average degree marks by year (optional), type of degree (msci, msc, bsc, ba etc) *, higher education institution(s) prior to that indicated above, are you eligible for "home-student" status *, other scholarship information (optional), without sponsorship or scholarship support, will you be able to support your proposed studies *, any further information.

¶ Welcome to the PhysWiki!

This is a student-led repository to provide notes for all students studying Physics at Imperial.

The Wiki is part of a collaboration with the ChemEng Wiki and the larger Imperial Wiki Initiative .

As these are student created notes there will be mistakes! We have tried to be as accurate as possible, but please correct any formatting or content errors you see. If you don't want to make the change yourself then flag the location to any member of the student developer team.

¶ Navigation

Use the links below to navigate

¶ Additional Resources

¶ Join the Team We are always looking for motivated undergraduates from all years to get more involved and help with the operation of the wiki! Please join the Imperial Wiki Discord and drop a message if you are interested. If you want to add any content, contact a member of the Student Team via email/Teams/Discord. This could be: Modifications/Corrections to the existing notes Adding new content from the module Creating brand new content ( can be anything !) You can also upload any content directly via this Google Drive . Simply upload a copy of your notes in any format and the team will get them up on the Wiki.

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Click here for a detailed Tutorial on using new Wiki platform. Please do not hesitate do contact a webmaster if you have any questions regarding the wiki. We are always available to help.

Physics Research MPhil/PhD

Key information.

We have a wide range of research opportunities in the Department of Physics, and so we recommend that you explore and identify research topics and academic staff in your area of interest.

You can explore research projects and potential supervisors on the Group Pages .

Applications are invited for research in the following areas:

• Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (click here for PhD positions in this area)
• Photonics and Nanotechnology
• Theory and Simulation of Condensed Matter
• Biological Physics and Soft Matter

Experimental Particle & Astroparticle Physics

Course intake.

Approximately 27

Partnerships

Our research groups enjoy strong collaborations with institutions around the world including Athens, Cambridge, CERN, Geneva, Imperial College, Jena, McGill, Nottingham, Oxford, Paris 6, Shanghai, Texas Tech, Trieste, Valencia, UCL and ETH Zurich.

There are also an exciting opportunity to gain a joint PhD with Hong Kong University.

Key information on the Department of Physics

Current number of academic staff: 44

Current number of postdoctoral research staff: 39

Current number of research students: over 100 PhD.

Group leaders

Head of Department - Professor Ruth Gregory

Biological Physics & Soft Matter - Professor Sergi Garcia-Manyes

Experimental Particle & Astroparticle Physics - Professor Francesca Di Lodovico

Photonics & Nanotechnology - Professor Anatoly Zayats

Theory & Simulation of Condensed Matter - Dr Joe Bhaseen

Theoretical Particle Physics & Cosmology - Professor Malcolm Fairbairn

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

For funding opportunities please explore these pages:

• List of funding opportunities
• External funding opportunities for International students
• King’s-China Scholarship Council PhD Scholarship programme (K-CSC)

UK Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees:

£6,540 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research)

£6,540 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research with University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £3,270 per year

International Tuition Fees 2023/24

£28 260 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research)

£28,260 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research with the University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £14,130 per year

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

£6,936 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research)

£6,936 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research with University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £3,468 per year

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

£30,240 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research)

£30,240 per year (MPhil/PhD, Physics Research with the University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £15,120 per year

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

• Study environment

Each of our research students is associated with a research group and supervised by a member of staff from this group. As part of this supervision you will take part in a monitoring exercise every six months. Your supervisor will help you learn the techniques you may need and advise on training/courses to attend.

We have excellent student facilities, including personal computers and office space for each of our graduate students. There is very extensive online access to journals and an excellent study environment in the College Library. Networking with other graduate students in the College is encouraged through the activities of the Graduate School.

Postgraduate training

All research students attend the School and College-based training in transferable skills. Training needs in specialised research techniques are assessed on an individual basis.

More about the Department of Physics

The Department has a distinguished history, with the study of Physics at King's College dating back to its foundation in 1829. The first Professor was Sir Charles Wheatstone, with other former professors including James Clerk Maxwell, who discovered the unified equations of electromagnetism while at King's, and four Nobel laureates. The seminal x-ray crystallography work by Wilkins and Franklin which led to the discovery of the structure of DNA, was performed in the Physics Department. The department today has a reputation as a friendly and supportive environment, with research in the department encompassing biophysics, materials science, nanotechnology, and theoretical particle physics and cosmology.

The Department has recently appointed international research leaders to head its three research groups: Professor John Ellis FRS, who has joined King's from CERN to lead the Theoretical Particle Physics & Cosmology Group; Professor Mark van Schilfgaarde, an expert in electronic structure theory, who heads the Materials & Molecular Modelling Group; and Professor Anatoly Zayats, a world-leader in the new field of plasmonics, who leads the Experimental Biophysics & Nanotechnology Group. Activities in biophysics enjoy strong links with the Randall Division for Cell and Molecular Biophysics in the School of Biomedical Sciences, and the molecular and materials modelling group is part of the London-based Thomas Young Centre for Theory and Simulations of Materials. Research in theoretical physics and cosmology has a particular focus on the interdisciplinary area of astro-particle physics and on LHC phenomenology, with strong links to CERN through an ERC Advanced Investigator Grant held by Prof Ellis.

• Entry requirements
• Research groups

Physics Education Research

The Physics Education Research (PER) group at King's College London was formed in 2021. Our group conducts evidence-based research on the delivery and learning of physics, including the student experience.

Biological Physics & Soft Matter

The Biological Physics and Soft Matter group aims to use bespoke technology and analytical methods borrowed from the Physical Sciences to address important fundamental questions in Biology.

Photonics & Nanotechnology

The research in the group involves the development and applications of advanced photonic technologies and of novel nanomaterials to address modern challenges in photonic and quantum technologies, new nanostructured materials, sensing, imaging and clean energy.

Theoretical Particle Physics & Cosmology

The research focus of the TPPC Group is on tests of new models of particle physics beyond the Standard Model, including supersymmetry, large extra dimensions and strings.

The aim of the EPAP group is to address some of the major open questions in our understanding of matter through the study of the nature of fundamental particles

Theory & Simulation of Condensed Matter

Research is focused on the theory of condensed matter, and in particular the development and application of advanced theoretical and modelling techniques suitable for the study of complex materials and molecular systems and processes.

Centre for Doctoral Studies

NMES Graduate School

A supportive and engaging environment for PhD students

Funding & Scholarships for PhD students

The Centre for Doctoral Studies helps secure funding for students...

NMES Graduate School: Virtual Open Event Session One

The NMES Graduate School Virtual Open Events for prospective postgraduate...

NMES Graduate School: Virtual Open Event Session Two

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.
• 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

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

UCL+ Graduate

Sign up for updates on your graduate study interests. Keep up to date on the latest news at UCL and join the UCL community

Register your interest in UCL

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Postgraduate Noticeboard

• College Events & Socials

PGR/PhD supervision consultation workshop – 19 April 2024

15 April 2024

Lunchtime 19 th  of April , in BLKT 113 (Lecture Theatre 2 in the Physics building). Food and drink provided!

• Discuss collective experiences with PhD supervision
• Brainstorm provisions to ensure that the quality of supervision is maintained between departments across Imperial
• Collaborate with Graduate School to improve supervision
• Please check the agenda from here .
• Please fill this form to join!
• IN PERSON ONLY (welcome walk-ins)
• Send to your PGR/PhD friends as well!