Imperial College London's President's PhD Scholarships are fully funded doctoral awards. They pay tuition for the length of the PhD, give you an annual living stipend for London, and add a consumables budget for research costs. They cover all departments and research areas, and they are open to both Home and Overseas fee-paying students, which means a Pakistani applicant paying overseas fees is in scope. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing before going through this guide.
This is a PhD-only award. If you are looking for master's funding, it is the wrong scholarship. It also suits a particular kind of applicant: someone who already knows what they want to research, can write that down as a proper proposal, and is willing to spend weeks talking to a potential supervisor before the application goes in. If your plan is to send one generic application to ten universities, this one will not reward you.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Level | PhD |
| Fields | All departments and research areas |
| Country | United Kingdom (London) |
| Deadline | March (specific dates vary by year) |
| Opening date | Varies, confirm on the official site |
| Official site | Imperial College London scholarships |
Three kinds of money in one package
The award has three parts, and it helps to think of them separately because each one solves a different problem.
The first is tuition. The scholarship covers full tuition fees for the duration of the PhD. For an overseas student this is the largest single cost of a UK doctorate, so having it covered for the whole programme (not just the first year) is what makes the award fully funded in a real sense.
The second is the annual living stipend. Imperial describes it as set at a competitive rate so that scholars can concentrate on research without taking outside work. No fixed stipend figure is given here, so do not plan your budget around a number you saw on a forum. Check the current amount on the official scholarships page for the year you are applying in.
The third is the consumables budget. This is research money, not personal money. It is meant for things like laboratory materials, specialised software or other equipment your project needs. For a lab-based PhD this matters a lot. For a desk-based project it still helps with software and similar costs.
On top of the money, scholars get access to Imperial's research facilities and support services and join a cohort of other President's scholars. That is pleasant, but the funding is the reason to apply.
What "high-achieving" means in practice here
The eligibility list is short, and most of it is not about grades on paper. You need to:
- be a high-achieving student with significant research potential
- have secured a supervisor at Imperial College London
- have a well-developed research proposal
- meet the general entry requirements for your PhD programme
- be either a Home or an Overseas fee-paying student
Two of those five points are about preparation rather than past results: the supervisor and the proposal. Selection is based on academic excellence and research potential, and candidates are typically expected to have both in place before applying. That is where many applicants from Pakistan fall short. They have strong CGPAs and good publications, but they apply without a supervisor who already knows their project. Under this scheme that is a weak position.
The general entry requirements for the PhD programme are set by the department, not by the scholarship. Check your department's page for the specific degree and English language requirements, since the scholarship listing does not spell them out.
The supervisor comes first, the form comes last
The application route is simple on paper. There is no separate scholarship form. You apply for a PhD place and mark your interest in the scholarship inside that application.
- Identify a potential supervisor in the relevant department at Imperial College London.
- Develop your research proposal in consultation with that supervisor.
- Submit your PhD application through the official Imperial College London application portal.
- Indicate your interest in the President's PhD Scholarship within the application form.
- Wait for the department to notify you of the scholarship outcome.
Steps one and two take most of the time. A cold email to a professor saying "I am interested in your research, please accept me" rarely goes anywhere. A short, specific email that names one or two of their recent papers, explains in a paragraph what you want to work on, and attaches your CV has a much better chance. If they reply, the conversation about your proposal starts there.
Notice that the decision comes back through the department. That is another reason the supervisor relationship matters: the people who know your proposal best are the ones closest to the selection.
The paperwork
The documents listed for this scholarship are:
- research proposal
- academic transcripts
- letters of recommendation
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- proof of English language proficiency
For Pakistani applicants, transcripts and degrees usually need to be in order well before the deadline, and some universities also ask for attested copies. Our documents checklist for international scholarships covers the general preparation, and the IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains how attestation works if your department asks for it.
Recommendation letters deserve more thought than most applicants give them. Pick referees who can talk about your research ability: a thesis supervisor, a PI you worked under, a co-author. A letter from a head of department who barely knows you says very little about whether you can carry a PhD project.
Working back from a March deadline
The application deadline is listed as March, but specific dates vary by year, and the opening date also varies. Treat March as the latest point, not the target. Departments can have their own deadlines that differ slightly from the general scholarship timeline, so check the department page as well as the main scholarship page.
A sensible plan for a Pakistani applicant looks roughly like this. Spend the autumn finding supervisors and writing to them. Use the following months to shape the proposal together and line up referees. Submit well before March, with your English test result already in hand. Then keep checking the official page for updates on the 2026/27 academic year, as Imperial itself advises.
Where applicants usually go wrong
The most common mistake is treating the proposal as a formality. The scholarship is awarded to people who show they can contribute something real to their field, and the proposal is the main evidence. Spend serious time on originality and impact. Say clearly what question you are answering, why it has not been answered yet, and what you will do in practical terms.
The second mistake is applying too late in the cycle. Supervisors get many emails, and those who start early simply get more attention.
The third is weak references. Letters that only confirm you were a good student do not help much when everyone in the pool was a good student.
The fourth is assuming that a scholarship automatically makes visa paperwork simple. You still need to prepare the visa application carefully. Our article on student visa rejection reasons for Pakistani students is worth reading once you have an offer.
If this award does not fit your plans, look at our list of all United Kingdom scholarships for other options.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the President's PhD Scholarship?
Yes. The scholarship is open to both Home and Overseas fee-paying students, and Pakistani applicants would normally fall in the Overseas category. You still need to meet the PhD entry requirements of your department.
Is there a separate scholarship application?
No. You apply for a PhD place at Imperial and indicate your interest in the President's PhD Scholarship within that application.
Does the scholarship cover living costs in London?
Yes. It includes an annual living stipend. Confirm the current figure on the official website before you build a budget around it.
Do I need a supervisor before I apply?
Candidates are typically expected to have secured a supervisor and developed a research proposal before applying. Applying without one puts you at a clear disadvantage.
Is it available for master's degrees?
No. The eligible level is PhD only.
When is the deadline?
The deadline falls in March, but exact dates vary by year and departments may set their own. Confirm the date for your cycle on the official portal.
Before you start writing to supervisors, check the current cycle on the Imperial College London scholarships website and keep the full scholarship page handy for the key details.