Imperial College London Global Development Fellowship 2025–26
- Omran Aburayya
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
If you’re a PhD student from a least‐developed or lower‐middle-income country (LDC/LMIC) seeking to deepen your research experience abroad, the Imperial College London Global Development Fellowship 2025–26 is now open for applications — a short-term placement that could mark a pivotal step in your career in international research. Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Fellowship Summary
Host Institution / Location: Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
Level: PhD students; short-term research placement (2 to 4 months) at Imperial.
Target Group: PhD students who are passport holders and permanent residents of a Least Developed Country (LDC) or Lower Middle-Income Country (LMIC) as defined by the OECD DAC list, and who are enrolled in their PhD in such a country.
Fields of Focus: Research that aligns with global development, and/or supports impact in LDCs/LMICs via the university’s Global Development Hub. While not restricted to one discipline, the focus is on development-relevant research.
Coverage:
Monthly stipend of £1,900.
One-off arrival payment of £200.
Economy-class return travel to the UK
Visa application fee & Biometric Residence Permit costs covered.
Duration: Placement duration of 2 to 4 months, must start in March 2026 and must be completed by 31 July 2026.
Application Deadline: Friday, 28 November 2025 (23:59 GMT) for the 2025–26 cycle.
Start Date: Placement must commence in March 2026.
📚 Fellowship Overview
The Global Development Fellowship offered by Imperial’s Global Development Hub provides an immersive research placement within the UK’s leading research university context. It is structured to allow you to spend between 2 and 4 months at Imperial, working under the supervision of a host academic in one of Imperial’s departments. You must first identify and secure the support of a host supervisor at Imperial, obtain a signed “Letter of Support” from them (signed by the Head of Department), and likewise obtain a “Letter of Recommendation” from your home PhD supervisor. Applications without this prior connection will not be considered.
During the placement period, you will engage in the planned research that complements your own PhD work, leverage Imperial’s research facilities and network, build global collaborations, and enhance your research capacity and professional networks. The placement is short but high-impact: being embedded at Imperial gives you exposure to top-tier research infrastructure, interdisciplinary teams, and international academic culture.
📖 Research Areas
The Fellowship supports research aligned with Imperial’s Global Development Hub focus areas, including:
Climate resilience and sustainability
Global health and equity
Clean energy and innovation
Sustainable urban development
Technology for social impact
🎁 Fellowship Benefits
Fees Covered & Financial Support: The fellowship covers travel (economy class return to the UK), visa application and Biometric Residence Permit fees, a one-off arrival allowance (£200), and a monthly stipend (£1,900) for the duration of the stay.
Living Costs: The monthly stipend is intended to support your living costs in London during your stay. Note that the placement requires you to arrange your own accommodation in London for the duration.
Professional Development: You gain access to global networks, research groups, laboratories, and mentoring by leading academics. You also enhance your research profile and open doors to collaboration, publication, and future career prospects in development-related research.
Research Impact: Because the fellowship emphasises development-relevant research (i.e., addressing challenges in LDCs/LMICs via ODA-compliant projects), your work may contribute directly to real-world impact in your home country or region.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Must be a current PhD student enrolled at an institution in an LDC or LMIC country, and more than 12 months into the PhD when the placement begins.
Must hold citizenship and permanent residence of an LDC or LMIC country (as defined by the DAC List of ODA Recipients). Upper-middle-income countries are not eligible.
Must secure in advance a host supervisor at Imperial and a signed letter of support from the Head of Department at Imperial. Also must provide a letter of recommendation from the home supervisor.
English proficiency: While formal proof (e.g., IELTS) is not required, the home supervisor must confirm that the applicant has sufficient English to undertake the placement effectively.
Not eligible if: the student holds dual British citizenship (or is a UK permanent resident outside an LDC/LMIC), or is studying their PhD in a country that is not an LDC or LMIC.
📝 Application Procedure
Make contact, before applying, with a potential host supervisor at Imperial whose research area aligns with your PhD – this is mandatory. Applications without this will not be considered.
Prepare your application form (accessible via Imperial’s Global Development Hub website) prior to the deadline. The form will ask you for your personal information (name, email, home institution, department and supervisor name, etc.).
Gather supporting documents:
A letter of support from your proposed Imperial host supervisor (signed by Head of Department).
A letter of recommendation from your home PhD supervisor, affirming your suitability for the placement and confirming your English proficiency.
A layperson summary of your PhD work (e.g., 200 words).
A description of what you will do during the fellowship, how it adds value to your PhD (e.g., 500 words).
A description of how you will use the opportunity at Imperial to build skills, competencies and networks (e.g., 250 words).
Submit the application by the deadline (28 November 2025). Make sure the supporting letters are emailed to gdhfellowsfund@imperial.ac.uk as required.
Await decision: Applications will be reviewed by the Fellowship Committee. Awards will be announced in early December 2025 (approximately).
If successfully awarded, you must plan your placement to start March 2026 and end by 31 July 2026 at the latest.
✨ Extra Tips & Considerations
Because you must identify a host supervisor before applying, start your outreach early: review Imperial’s departments and research groups to find a good match. Imperial encourages pre-existing links but it is not strictly required.
In London, accommodation can be costly and you’ll need to handle your logistics (visas, travel, lodging) early. Although many costs are covered, you may need some cash upfront (Imperial cautions applicants to have ~£200 or equivalent available upon arrival).
Ensure your research project is aligned with development and ODA-compliant criteria (benefits to LDC/LMIC context).
Remember your placement must begin in March 2026 and end by July 2026 — the timeline is fixed. Delays or extensions will likely not be permitted.
Utilize the experience for your doctoral progress: think how you will integrate your time at Imperial into your broader PhD thesis, how you will add new methods or networks, and how this helps your mid- and long-term goals.
Tailor your application documents (especially summary, plan, and skills/network questions) to show how this placement at Imperial will concretely contribute — this is not just mobility, it’s strategic enhancement of your PhD and research capacity.
