Information for students
Postgraduate Courses in Astrophysics
Applications for 2010 entry are now open and should be made online via the Postgraduate Prospectus. You are strongly encouraged to contact our staff members to discuss potential projects before making your application. Answers to frequently asked questions about study here and the application process can be found via the links on the right of this page.
The deadline for applications to study for a PhD in the Astrophysics Group for 2010 entry was Friday 19 February 2010.
Funding
A PhD normally takes 3.5 years to complete. We accept around 4-5 PhD students each year, of which 2-3 will be funded by STFC.
The number of STFC-funded studentships for 2010 entry is yet to be announced. Please see the STFC website to check your eligibility for these.
If you are not eligible for STFC funding, there are some scholarships available for UK, EU and overseas students through Imperial College. Applications for these are made in the same way via the Postgraduate Prospectus; please check the scholarships page for deadlines.
Further information on other scholarships can be found on the Registry website.PhD projects
Astrophysicists at Imperial College London are engaged in research involving everything from our own sun to the most distant galaxies and "the primordial Cosmic Background" Radiation left over from the Big Bang. Our work uses some of the most powerful and sensitive astronomical instruments ever built, including several of the largest telescopes on Earth, and the Hubble, Spitzer and Chandra Space Telescopes.
Elsewhere on this site you will find details of the main areas of research that we cover. These are: black holes and matter in extreme conditions, cosmology, formation and evolution of galaxies, and stellar and planetary astrophysics. The major projects within the group include AEGIS, EGAPS, Herschel, Planck, UKIDSS, and XEUS. There are staff members named under each topic and you are welcome to contact them to discuss possible projects.
A list of projects on offer for 2010 entry, and past projects, can be found via the links on the right.
Undergraduate Summer internships IN ASTROPHYSICs
Opportunities are available for summer internships in the astrophysics group. However, the group is unable to provide funds for this from its own resources. Imperial College, UK and EU students may apply for money under the college Undergraduate Research Opportunities scheme, more details of which can be found on the College UROP pages.
For more information on placements please contact Dr David Clements or, if there is a particular project and supervisor you have in mind, you can discuss possibilities directly with them.