Applying for a Research Degree can be a lengthy process and requires some preparation. Please allow plenty of time between submitting your application and your intended start date – we recommend at least 12 weeks. If you require a visa to study in the UK, you should also allow at least an additional 4 weeks for the visa application process. It may take considerably longer. If you are applying for a funded studentship you may need to start thinking almost a year in advance.

If you are not applying for an advertised funded project, you may find the following guidelines helpful.

Check that you meet the entry requirements

Please check the entry requirement section. 

Decide which Research Degree programme you want to apply for

LSHTM offers different Research Degree options: MPhil, PhD, and DrPH.  Read the information online to help you decide which research degree is right for you. 

Clarify your research topic and research opportunities

There are two main types of research degree opportunities:

1. Studentships - Funded PhD studentships will be advertised on our Research Funding page. Each studentship will stipulate its own application process and entrance requirements. Many will be for specific research topics.
    
2. Jobs at LSHTM with opportunities to do a PhD - Some academic jobs will allow you to do a PhD alongside your work, if it is closely related to the work itself. This should be mentioned in the job details. Or, if it is not mentioned, and the job does not require the candidate to have a doctorate already, you could email the contact person to ask.
   All jobs at LSHTM are advertised.
    
3. PhD by Publication – Only available to existing staff members of LSHTM (see programme specification for details)
    
4. Speculative opportunities - Students, who meet the entrance requirements, are encouraged to be proactive to identify opportunities with LSHTM academics whose recent research closely matches their interests. Candidates who have a clear research topic are more likely to identify a suitable supervisor quickly.

You may already have ideas for how you could be funded, or this may be something that you could explore with a potential supervisor (see below).

Identify a prospective supervisor

You do not have to name a supervisor on your application, but it is more likely to be processed quickly if you already have one in mind and you have been in contact with them before you submit the formal application. Use the website to look at research taking place across the School and identify the members of staff who would be most appropriate for your area of interest. See Before you apply for information on finding and writing to a prospective supervisor.

Think about how your Research Degree will be funded

You will need to consider how the Research Degree will be funded – tuition fees, living expenses and project costs. The School website contains some further information on potential sources of funding. Some candidates apply for a place via studentships advertised by the School. Others manage to secure funding from elsewhere prior to applying, and some submit funding applications at the same time as applying for the research degree.

Draft a research proposal outline

Unless applying for a studentship with a project which has already been defined, applicants are expected to submit a research proposal with their application. Once you have a clear research topic, outline your proposal in a few paragraphs. This should include:

• Research / topic area
• Specific research question(s)
• Study design
• Data collection methods and analysis
• Research costs

Please be aware that the research proposal submitted with your application does not have to be the final research project: if and when you are offered a place, you will have the opportunity to refine your project through discussions with your supervisor.

The main purpose of the proposal is to demonstrate that you have the necessary critical thinking skills, an understanding of the relevant research area, and an appreciation of the demands of a Research Degree.

Submit a formal application

If you have been successful in identifying a prospective supervisor and have been encouraged to apply, please see the Research Degrees Application section online for further details about how to apply.

Please also read LSHTM's Admissions policies prior to submitting your application.

It is still possible to submit an application without a named supervisor, but please be aware that the application may take longer to process.

Paper application forms are available upon request and will normally incur an administration fee of £50. You must send a copy of the personal details and photograph page of your passport with all paper applications. Your application will not be considered until you have provided the above documents.