Imperial President's PhD Scholarship
The President's PhD Scholarship is Imperial College London's flagship doctoral award, established to attract the very best PhD candidates worldwide. Around 50 scholarships are awarded annually across all faculties (engineering, natural sciences, medicine, business school). The award covers full tuition at the international rate, a stipend that exceeds the UKRI standard, plus a consumables and travel budget — making it one of the most competitive UK PhD scholarships open to Sri Lankan applicants.
Imperial College London
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Annual Stipend
£25,000+/yr (tax-free)
Duration
3.5 Years
Extras
Full Tuition + £2,000 Consumables + Travel Allowance
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Outstanding Academic Record
Equivalent of a UK first-class honours degree in your subject — typically a first-class Bachelor's from a top Sri Lankan university or a strong international Master's.
Supervisor Nomination Required
You cannot apply directly. A prospective Imperial supervisor must agree to take you on as a PhD candidate AND formally nominate you for the President's Scholarship. Identifying and engaging a supervisor early is the critical first step.
Open to All Nationalities
Sri Lankan applicants are eligible on the same terms as UK and EU applicants. The scholarship covers fees at the international rate, removing a major barrier.
English Proficiency
Imperial's standard PhD English requirement — IELTS 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 in each component (Standard requirement). Higher for some departments.
account_tree Application Process
Identify and contact a supervisor
Browse Imperial faculty pages, identify potential supervisors, and email them in August-October with your CV, transcripts, and a 1-2 page research proposal. This is non-negotiable — without supervisor agreement you cannot proceed.
Apply for PhD admission
Submit the standard Imperial PhD application via my.imperial.ac.uk — transcripts, references, research proposal, English certificate. Note your supervisor's name and that you wish to be considered for the President's Scholarship.
Supervisor nomination
Your supervisor submits a formal nomination on your behalf to the department's funding committee by the round deadline (typically mid-November for round 1 or April for round 2).
Central review + decision
Faculty-shortlisted nominees go to Imperial's central President's Scholarship panel. Decisions are typically announced February (round 1) or June (round 2) for October entry.
Why Imperial?
Imperial is consistently ranked among the world's top universities for science, engineering, medicine, and business. The President's Scholars form a small, well-resourced cohort with annual symposium and networking opportunities with senior researchers across the college.
~50
Scholars / Year
#2
QS World Ranking 2026
£25k+
Annual Stipend
Similar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Warwick Chancellor's International Scholarship
University of Warwick
AA School International Postgraduate Fellowship
Architectural Association School of Architecture
Bournemouth University International Scholarship
Bournemouth University