Programme criteria
• Applicants must hold, or be expected to achieve, a first or high upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (e.g. BA, BSc) or a Master’s degree (e.g. MRes, MSc), or the overseas equivalent, in a relevant subject. 

• All students whose first language is not English must be able to provide recent evidence that their spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programme according to UCL requirements. Applicants must achieve the level of ‘good’.

Studentships criteria
• The fully funded 3- and 4-year PhD studentships are only available to applicants eligible for home fee status (i.e. UK nationals, Irish citizens, and those covered by withdrawal agreements with settled/pre-settled status that meet the residence criteria).

Self-/ external funded places
We welcome applications from candidates (UK, EU, overseas) who are either self-funding or in receipt of an alternative funding source.

Please note that UCL cannot currently confirm the fee status for EU applicants with pre-settled and settled status.

The programme can be studied in either a 3- or 4-year programme.

4-year programme

The 4-year programme includes a rotation year wherein students undertake 3 rotations in their first year before choosing their PhD project. There is a pool of projects (which will be updated annually) to choose from and students have time in induction to meet with potential supervisors and decide on what they would like to do. In the 2-4 year, students will follow the 3-year programme as outlined below.

 For the 4-year programme you are not required to provide a research proposal nor to decide on your supervisor at this stage.

3-year programme
Students select a primary and one or more secondary PhD supervisors and write a short project proposal as part of their application to the programme. Students will be based in the home department of their primary supervisor.

Please note that for the 3-year programme you need to have a clear idea on your supervisor and research project at this stage and we encourage you to get in touch with prospective supervisors as soon as possible.

 A list of potential supervisors is available here and describes the Ecological Brain research carried out in different labs at UCL.

All applications are for a September 2021 start. All applicants must complete Sections A and B of the application form below and send to ecologicalbrain@ucl.ac.uk.  Files must be sent in a single email but attached as separate documents (i.e. do not attach your application as a single document).  Please ensure you read the checklist on Section A and attach all the requested documents to your application.

• EcoBrain-Application_Section-A_confidential
• EcoBrain-Application_Section-B

All applicants request references from 2 referees (referees may use either the form below OR send a standard letter reference) and request that they send their completed references to ecologicalbrain@ucl.ac.uk by the application deadline.  It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that references are received on time.

EcologicalBrain-Application_Reference

E-mail your application to ecologicalbrain@ucl.ac.uk

DEADLINE for online applications: 22th of Feb 2021

• It is highly recommended to submit your application 3-4 days before the deadline to avoid delays;
• Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

INTERVIEW DATES: March 2021 – TBC

• We will contact selected applicants via email shortly afterwards;
• At the interview you will be expected to answer some questions about your previous research experience and potential for an academic career;
• The interview panel will include min. three Executive Board Members.

ADMISSION:

The results of the interviews will be announced informally via email within three weeks time. A more formal letter from UCL will be sent anytime afterwards. If accepted for admission, the program will start at the end of September 2021.

For more information please email us on ecologicalbrain@ucl.ac.uk