CRUK CoL Centre MBPhD studentships
The CRUK CoL Centre is able to fund 3-year MBPhD studentships as part of the UCL and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) MBPhD programmes starting in September 2023. This is a unique opportunity for talented and exceptional MBBS students who have an interest in cancer research to kick start their clinical academic career.
As a CoL Centre MBPhD student you will join the CoL Centre PhD programme alongside the other CoL Centre trainees (PhD students and Clinical Research Training Fellows). You will be able to participate in various activities, many with a cancer focus, including an induction week, multidisciplinary training, seminars, events and courses that are run by the four CoL Centre partners.
As MBPhD student registered at UCL or QMUL you will also have access to their clinical teaching programme designed to keep students’ clinical skills and knowledge up to date, alongside specialist cancer modules provided by CoL Centre faculty. Visit the UCL website for information on the UCL clinical teaching programme. For more information on the QMUL MBPhD programme visit the website.
Your contacts with the CRUK CoL Centre will not end when you complete your PhD – you’ll still be able to participate in seminars and workshops, keep in touch with your CoL Centre colleagues and receive mentorship from the Centre’s faculty. We will also inform you about opportunities within the Centre for later in your clinical academic career.
Supervisors and projects will be chosen once you have been selected for a CRUK CoL Centre studentship. The projects could be based at either UCL or Barts/ QMUL but you might spend time at any of the other sites across the Centre. You will directly apply to the MBPhD programme at either UCL or QMUL. Details on the application process can be found on the UCL MBPhD or QMUL MBPhD websites.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the CoL Centre MBPhD studentship, you need to be accepted on to the UCL MBPhD Programme or the QMUL MBPhD programme. You will need to have completed at least 2 pre-clinical MBBS years plus an iBSc. As a requirement of the UCL MBPhD programmes you will also need to be enrolled in the University’s medical school and have completed the 4th integrated clinical care year at the University before starting your PhD.
The funding for this studentship covers students with UK home tuition fee status only. For more information on home tuition fee status please visit the UKCISA website. Please note that we will only be able to offer studentships to candidates that have UK home tuition fee status or provide evidence that they can fund the international portion of the tuition fee from external sources (i.e. not self-funded).
Applications for the UCL MBPhD programme are now closed. Opportunities at the QMUL MBPhD programme will open soon. To be eligible to join this programme, you must currently be enrolled on a full five-year Primary Medical Qualification (MBBS, MBChB or equivalent) at a UK Medical School. Applicants must have at the point of entry to the programme completed at least the first two years of a full five years’ primary medical qualification and achieved an upper-second or first-class honours degree (or iBSc).
If you are interested in starting your PhD in September 2026 as part of the MBPhD programme, you should be a third year iBSc MBBBS student at UCL in the academic year 2024/25. Please apply to the UCL MBPhD programme indicating that you are interested in carrying out cancer-based PhD project. Applications will open in Spring 2025.
Opportunities are also available at the QMUL MBPhD programme and will be published in Spring/ Summer 2025. To be eligible to join this programme, you must currently be enrolled on a full five-year Primary Medical Qualification (MBBS, MBChB or equivalent) at a UK Medical School. Applicants must have at the point of entry to the programme completed at least the first two years of a full five years’ primary medical qualification and achieved an upper-second or first-class honours degree or iBSc.
- Duration 3 years
- Stipend £23,000 pa
- Home tuition fees and a consumables budget will be covered by the award
- Repayment of your undergraduate student loan, up to the sum of £45 000, subject to successful completion of each year of your PhD
For questions about CRUK CoL Centre MBPhD opportunities, please contact: iris.lueke@crick.ac.uk