How to Apply for a PhD Studentship

We are seeking highly motivated, ambitious and able scientists and engineers who want to conduct an industry-linked PhD research project as part of our CDT cohort training programme for future leaders in organ-chip technology and related fields. 
Applications for starting in October 2025 have now closed
See the step-by-step guide  to help complete your application.

This 4-year PhD training programme will give students the skills and experience to take up a wide range of exciting careers in this rapidly expanding area. Applicants should have an appropriate science or engineering degree or other relevant qualifications in areas such as biomedical engineering, natural sciences, biomedical science, engineering, biology, etc. We welcome applicants who have or are predicted an upper second or first class honours Bachelors degree as well as those with a Masters degree. 

Supervision of all PhD students will be led by staff within the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models which spans across the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry with individual PhD projects covering a broad range of research topics linked to our world leading research and industry partners.  For 2025/26,  the annual stipend rate, including London Allowance will be £21,795. Deadline for applications for the September 2025 cohort of PhD studentships was 09:00 Monday 6th January 2025.

Details of PhD studentship projects available for start in September 2025»

Application Process

Applying to this EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Organ on a Chip Technologies (COaCT) programme will be via our QMUL applications portal. See the step-by-step guide (PDF) to help complete your application.  Queries may be addressed to sems-coact-admissions@qmul.ac.uk .  You may contact individual supervisors for more details on their projects, but this is not part of the selection process.  Applications will be made for the CDT in Next Generation Organ on a Chip Technologies programme.

Queen Mary University of London is committed to making equality, diversity and inclusion an integral component of University life and strongly encourages applicants from all backgrounds, regardless of their personal circumstances. We particularly welcome applicants from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, as they are under-represented nationwide in STEM roles.  

Applicants will be reviewed on motivation, qualifications, experience, and potential to undertake a PhD. Stage 1 consists of completing the QMUL admissions application to inform us of your qualifications and relevant experience, your motivation for applying for a studentship in this Centre for Doctoral Training. Please see the step-by-step guide (PDF) for further information on the application process.

Please note that we are using an anonymous application process, which means at Stage 1 shortlisting, the review panels will not view any personal data on the candidate. This is so that reviewers will not be biased (intentionally or unintentionally) by knowledge of ‘protected characteristics’ for example your age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief.

Applications will be reviewed, and successful candidates will be contacted by email and progress through to online interviews (Stage 2) with selected academics, which will be held over the period of 30 January - 7 February 2025. Candidates who are to be interviewed will be invited to an optional visit day at Queen Mary, where they will have an opportunity to see some of the laboratories and meet existing PhD students on Thursday 23rd January 2025.

Final checks on academic qualifications, english language requirements and fee status will be made and your references will be requested before offers are made.

Final decisions will be made by mid-February.

Apply Now»

Eligibility

This guidance is for students who will be recruited to start from the 2025/26 academic year.  These EPSRC CDT studentships are fully funded providing a 4 year stipend and fees at the level set for UK home students.

UKRI's International eligibility criteria for funded studentships is as follows: To be treated as a home student, candidates must meet one of these criteria: 

  • be a UK national (meeting residency requirements)
  • have settled status
  • have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements)
  • have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If a candidate does not meet one of these criteria, they are treated as an international fee status student.

PhD student research