Postgraduate Research at Barts Cancer Institute

If you have already secured your own funding and would like to register for a PhD with Barts Cancer Institute, please look at our research areas and contact some potential supervisors to discuss a suitable project.

If you are unsure, or require further academic assistance please contact Dr Angus James Cameron (Director of Graduate Studies), who will be able to advise you further.

Once you have identified a suitable project and supervisor please submit an online application. You will be required to provide the following supporting documents:

• Confirmation of funding for the duration of the PhD/MD(Res)
• Research Proposal
• Statement of Purpose (usually one side of A4)
• CV
• Degree transcripts
• 2 references (at least one of these must be an academic reference)
• English Language certificate (if applicable)

Funding

You will need to secure funding for:

• 3 years for a PhD (or part time equivalent
• 2 years for an MD(Res) (or part time equivalent)

Funding will need to cover:

• Tuition Fees
• Project consumables (to be agreed by the supervisor)
• Living costs (approximately £15,000 per annum)

For any general enquiries please contact the BCI Teaching Office.

Advertised studentships will include details of any specific entry requirements. General entry requirements for our research programmes are given below.

PhD

All applicants should have or be expecting:

• A first or upper second class honours degree in a relevant biological subject from a UK university or the international equivalent from a recognised institution. For international equivalencies please see Queen Mary International Office. Or;
• A medical degree from a recognised institution

Clinical Research Fellows

All applicants must have:

• A medical degree from a recognised institution
• Full GMC registration
• Clinical experience relevant to the post
• Research experience relevant to the project
• A national training number or to be eligible for one

English Language Requirements

Applicants for whom English is not a first language will also require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (with 6.0 in writing) or equivalent, unless their undergraduate degree was studied in, and awarded by, an English-speaking country. For more information on acceptable English language qualifications please visit the Queen Mary website.

PhD - Full Time
3 years research + maximum 1 year for writing up

PhD - Part Time
6 years research + maximum 1 year for writing up

MD(Res) - Full Time
2 years research + maximum 1 year for writing up

MD(Res) - Part Time
4 years research + maximum 1 year for writing up

If your application is successful you will receive an official offer from the Admissions Team.

• Enrolment takes place on the first working day of each month at the Mile End campus. You will receive an e-mail detailing what is required to complete this process
• You will have a brief induction with the BCI Teaching Office, your supervisor and the Centre Administrator of the research lab you are joining.
• The main induction takes place over 2 days at the beginning of the autumn and spring semester and counts towards your annual transferable skills.
• For any questions contact the Teaching Office: bci-cancercourses@qmul.ac.uk

At Barts Cancer Institute, you will find a rich social life, something which past and current students have noted as one of the highlights of the Institute. Within the laboratory, there is a strong sense of community, with the emphasis on group-driven research work creating a highly collaborative and sociable environment.

There is a dedicated social committee which helps to organise sporting events, pub quizzes and excursions throughout the year, helping you to make the most of this fascinating city in the company of fellow scientists from across the Institute.

It is difficult to imagine a more vibrant and exciting place to be a student than London. The Charterhouse Square campus is ideally placed for exploring the city, with underground and bus routes located nearby to roam further afield.

Barts Cancer Institute was formed in 2003 and is 1 of 7 Institutes within Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry is part of Queen Mary University of London.

Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry brings together two venerable teaching institutions: St Bartholomew's Hospital, which dates back to 1123, and The London Hospital Medical College, which was the first medical school in England and Wales, founded in 1785.

Today Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry is ranked 1st in London for Medicine (The Complete University Guide 2021 - subject rankings).