HPRU Climate Change and Health Security PhD Studentships at LSHTM 2025-2026

Are you ready to shape public health strategy in the face of climate change? The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), University College London (UCL), and the Met Office, is offering three fully funded PhD studentships focused on climate change and health security for the academic year 2025/2026. These opportunities are hosted under the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Climate Change and Health Security, funded by the NIHR. Read on for details.

🎓 Scholarship Summary

• Location: London, UK (based at LSHTM’s Faculty of Public Health and Policy, with placement opportunities at UKHSA and the Met Office)

• Host Institutions: LSHTM, in collaboration with UCL, UKHSA, and Met Office through the HPRU

• Study Level: Full-time, 3-year PhD program

• Target Group: Applicants eligible for Home fee status (UK/in-country fees; overseas candidates are not eligible)

• Fields of Research: Specializations across several timely topics, including climate-driven health hazards, environmental surveillance, and public health resilience

• Value & Coverage:

  • Tax-free stipend: £22,780 per annum (UKRI rate for 2025/26)

  • Full tuition at Home rate

  • Conference travel funds, plus training and placement opportunities through NIHR and partner institutions

• Duration: Three academic years (full-time)

• Application Deadline: 5:00 PM (BST), 20 October 2025 

• Start Date: Academic year 2025/2026

• Eligibility: Strong academic background, demonstrated research and communication skills, and keen interest in applied climate-health protection studies within the UK

📚 Studentship Overview

The HPRU studentships fuse academic vigor with real-world impact. You'll gain hands-on experience tackling climate-related health challenges while directly contributing to national public health policy. Key features include:

• Inter-Institutional Mentorship: Supervisory teams at LSHTM and UCL, plus access to resources at UKHSA and the Met Office

• Structured Training: LSHTM's rigorous academic environment combined with NIHR's extensive training framework

• Research Placement: Opportunities to conduct fieldwork and research in academic and public health settings across partner institutions

• Career Pathways: Students are equipped for careers in academia, public health, or hybrid research-practice roles, supported by LSHTM's transferable skills and career services

Project Topics & Supervisors

Applicants get to choose from a set of cutting-edge PhD projects, such as:

• Ambient heat, air pollution & acute kidney injury — exploring environment-triggered health risks using NHS and weather-linked datasets

• Green infrastructure & mental health resilience during climate hazards — assessing how urban greenery protects mental wellbeing under climate stress

• Climate and environmental change on arthropod-related healthcare burdens — analysing surveillance systems and environmental data to monitor health trends

(This is a snapshot—each project has distinct methodology and eligibility requirements.)

🎁 Benefits

• Tax-free stipend: £22,780 per annum (UKRI rate for 2025/26)

• Conference travel funds, plus training and placement opportunities through NIHR and partner institutions

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, candidates should demonstrate:

• A high-quality undergraduate and Master's degree (or strong bachelor’s with relevant experience)

• Attention to detail, independent work ethic, excellent communication, and commitment to applied climate-health research in the UK

• Home fee status eligibility (per LSHTM and UK government policies)

• Project-specific qualifications (e.g., quantitative methods, GIS, programming proficiency) depending on the topic chosen

📝 Application Procedure

Recommended Pre-Application: Contact your desired project supervisor informally to discuss fit and expectations. List of supervisors available here

Submit via LSHTM Research Degree Portal with these materials:

• Official transcripts (completed or interim)

• Two-page CV

• References

• Research proposal (max 500 words) for first-choice project—also indicate second and third choices

• Personal statement (under 300 words) articulating your suitability and motivation

• Clearly state "HPRU – Climate Change and Health Security" in the funding section

📆 Timeline:

• Deadline: 20 October 2025, 17:00 (BST)

• Shortlisting & Interviews: Shortly after submissions close

• Program Begins: Academic year 2025/2026

  
  

🔗 Official Link

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