Applying for a PhD Studentship (non UK or EU students): Overseas students are those not from the UK or the EU. While we welcome applications from overseas students, please note that the fees are very high and that there are relatively few funding mechanisms.

About the organization: The London Centre for Nanotechnology is a UK-based multidisciplinary enterprise operating at the forefront of science and technology. Our purpose is to solve global problems in information processing, healthcare, energy and environment through the application of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Founded in 2003, the LCN is a joint venture between University College London and Imperial College London and based at the Bloomsbury and South Kensington sites.

Research Areas

Here we provide a list of the subfields of nanoscience in which our researchers work.

Biomaterials
Biomedicine
Biophysics
Carbon Nanostructures
Device engineering
Liquid/disorder and Nanofluids
Magnetism and Spintronics
Nanomechanics
Nanoparticles
Nuclear materials
Organic and Molecular electronics
Photonics
Quantum Information
Semiconductors
Sensors
Superconductors
Sustainable energy
Thin films, surfaces and interfaces

Before you proceed, please consider the following questions:

  1.  Is my level of academic achievement sufficiently high? It will help to be at the top of you class in your home university.
  2. How will I be funded? The options are:

You can fund yourself

  • You can get an award from your home country, but make sure it pays fees as well as maintainence.
  • You can apply for a scholarship. Full details may be found here.

These scholarships are highly competitive. Is your academic record sufficiently strong that you will stand a good chance?

If you are quite confident of funding, this is how you apply:

Step 1: Please check out our Research Pages and identify research projects that interest you and identify the relevant supervisors. Make contact with potential supervisors by emailing them directly. It will help to send your CV.

Step 2: Once you have agreement in principal from at least one supervisor that he/she is happy to supervise you, please make a formal application for a Ph.D. by consulting the following web page.

On the form list all potential supervisors who have expressed an interest.

Step 3: It may take some time (a couple of weeks) to process your application. Once it is received by the LCN you must liaise with the supervisors to arrange a formal interview – probably by telephone. At this interview be prepared to talk about science – for example, your final year project. If you are successful you will be made a formal offer by post. At this stage you will need to decide on a particular supervisor or project.

Step 4: Once you have an offer, if necessary you may apply for a scholarship, as detailed above. You need both an offer and funding to do a PhD at the LCN so you cannot takje up a place unless you are funded.

Please note:

  •  Do not apply unless you can demonstrate a high level of academic achievement and you have the agreement of a potential supervisor at the LCN.
  •  Do not leave your application too late! Preferably liaise with supervisors October-December. Scholarship deadlines are typically in February.
  •  This page explains how to apply for a PhD studentship at the LCN at UCL . Information about applying to Imperial College London can be found in the Imperial Postgraduate Prospectus.

Further details: click here