Earth Science and Engineering (Opportunities)

Description

The department admits about 40 PhD students each year. A full-time PhD at Imperial College will normally take 3-4 years. Most applicants apply to do a specific research project. Some projects are funded through research grants held by faculty members, others are funded from departmental studentships, some of which are funded by EPSRC, NERC, or STFC, and in some cases students bring their own funding in the form of scholarships from their employer or home government.

Departmental studentships cover fees (up to £4,000 per year) and pay a bursary of approximately £16,000 per year. Studentships funded through research grants may be available to overseas students in exceptional cases.

The Department is also participating in a number of newly established Centres for Doctoral Training, which offer additional studentships and scholarships to the Department-specific schemes described above. They also offer additional topic-specific education and training.

Regardless of the source of funding, interested students should begin the application process by contacting a faculty member to discuss the potential research topic. On-line applications should only be submitted after the potential academic supervisor has expressed sufficient interest in your application. In order to be eligible to compete for one of our department-funded studentships, the on-line application should be submitted before Friday 30th January 2015.

Contents

Departmental PhD projects and scholarships are available in the following areas:

• Alternative Energy Systems
• Computer Modelling
• Environmental Science and Engineering
• Geochemistry
• Geophysics
• Mineral Extraction and Processing
• Paleontology
• Paleoclimate
• Petroleum Engineering
• Planetary Science
• Remote Sensing
• Sedimentology and Surface Processes
• Structural Geology and Rock Mechanics

Requirements

As we are a multidisciplinary department, we do not require applicants to necessarily hold an undergraduate degree in the Earth sciences.

Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree in a field appropriate to the intended area of PhD research, with a classification of at least upper-second-class, or the equivalent.

How to Apply

• Examine the PhD Opportunities webpage and find a project in which you are interested
• Contact the supervisor to make an informal application
• If the supervisor is prepared to consider your application further, then proceed to submit an IC online application; applications for departmental scholarships must be submitted no later than Friday 30th January 2015

Funding

Students who are applying for a project funded by a research grant OR who have their own funding

• College acknowledges receipt of application and vets the applicant’s qualifications
• Application sent to department for consideration by prospective supervisor and Director of Postgraduate Studies
• Applicant will be interviewed (by phone, if necessary) by prospective supervisor and Director of Postgraduate Studies
• If application is accepted, a conditional offer will be sent to applicant by e-mail

Students applying for departmental scholarships

• College acknowledges receipt of application and vets the applicant’s qualifications
• Application sent to department for consideration by prospective supervisor and Director of Postgraduate Studies
• Applicants who pass the initial screening process will be invited to the studentship interviews in February 2015
• Applicant will be notified of outcome no later than 31 March 2015
• If successful, a conditional offer will be sent to applicant by e-mail

Students applying for a studentship linked to a funded research project

• College acknowledges receipt of application and vets the applicant’s qualifications
• Application sent to department for consideration by prospective supervisor and Director of Postgraduate Studies
• Applicant will be interviewed (by phone, if necessary) by prospective supervisor and Director of Postgraduate Studies
• If successful, a conditional offer will be sent to applicant by e-mail