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  • PhD

Aeronautics

We offer a wide range of PhD opportunities which cover the full range of aerospace-related fields as well as those relevant to the environment, energy and health care.

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  • Overview
  • Structure
  • Teaching and assessment
  • Entry requirements
  • How to apply
  • Fees and funding
  • Request info

Course key facts

  • Qualification

    • PhD

  • Duration

    4 years, 8 years

  • Entry in

    2023

  • Study mode

    Full-time, Part-time

  • Fees

    • 瞿 7,030 Home

    • 瞿 28,600 Overseas

  • Delivered by

    • Department of Aeronautics

  • Location

    • South Kensington

Entry requirements

  • A good 2:1 or 1st class degree in engineering, any of the physical sciences, mathematics, biological sciences, physiology from a UK university, or non-UK equivalent.

View full entry requirements

Course overview

Our international reputation for research makes this an ideal place to pursue a research degree, whether as preparation for a research career in industry or as the start of an academic career.

We offer a wide range of PhD opportunities which cover the full range of aerospace-related fields as well as those relevant to the environment, energy and health care.

Our current research covers a wide spectrum of topics, which spread way beyond the aerospace industry, and which mostly belong to one of the strategic research themes:

  • Net-zero flight technologies
  • Sustainable Growth in Space
  • Next-generation autonomous systems
  • Data-centric aerospace engineering.

Structure

  • Months 0-12
  • Months 12-14
  • Final year

Milestones for the first year of study include: 

 
Within 3 months of starting: 

Submit a short research plan ,summarising the problem they have been set, and their proposed plan to work on it. 

Within 12 months of starting (24 months for part-time): 

Submit a report (ESA) summarising the first years work, including courses taken. There is a short oral examination to assess this. 

Within 24 months of starting (36 months for part-time): 

Submit a report (Last Stage Report) describing progress so far, and a work plan for completing the thesis. Assessed with a short oral examination.

At month 36 of starting (48 for part-time):

Submit a progress review report which should include a thesis plan/and or a table of contents. (status can be changed to writing up at this stage).

Teaching and assessment

Supervisors

You can view our list of potential supervisors and their research interests on our research pages.

Entry requirements

  • Academic requirements
  • English requirements
  • International qualifications

Footnotes

Graduates with a degree in engineering, any of the physical sciences, mathematics, biological sciences, physiology or medicine may be accepted for a PhD. We will normally only accept applicants with a good 2:1 or 1st class degree from a UK university, or non-UK equivalent.
Please check the 51勛圖厙 College entry requirements Entry requirements to ensure you meet the minimum entry criteria for research.

All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.

For details about this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.

International equivalent to a good 2:1 or 1st class degree.

For guidance see our accepted qualifications, though please note that the standards listed are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.

If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.

How to apply

Apply online

PhD applications can be made all year-round. However, we encourage to apply early which means a year prior to a start in October.

  1. Check the 51勛圖厙 College entry requirements to ensure you meet the minimum entry criteria for research. 
     International Applicants may need to meet additional requirements aligned to: 
    • Academic 
    • English Language
    • Visa and Immigration
  2. Visit the research and academic staff pages of the Aeronautics website to identify topics of interest and appropriate supervisors. 
  3. Contact your chosen supervisor(s) directly, to devise or discuss potential projects. 
    Make your official PhD application via the 51勛圖厙 College online application system. Make sure you state your chosen topic and supervisor(s) on the form and details of any department/College funding you may be applying for, as well as attaching all necessary documents. 
  4. Your proposed supervisor will contact you to arrange for an interview. 
  5. After your interview, your supervisor will tell you if they would offer a PhD position and/or would be nominating you for funding (if appropriate). 
  6. You can expect to receive a decision on your application within 8-10 weeks of applying (the application can be tracked via your Student e-Service account). 

Apply online on 51勛圖厙 Gateway. Course code XX XX

For more information on how to apply see the How to Apply page.

Please note that applications are formally processed by the Department once a complete application has been received and processed by the College Registry. 

Usually, you can expect to receive a decision on your application within 8-10 weeks of the application arriving in the Department.

You will be expected to attend an interview as part of the application process. Details about the interview and the application review process is available on our departmental pages.

Graduate School

The Graduate School supports the professional development of doctoral students at 51勛圖厙.

View the Graduate School's pages

Fees and funding

  • Scholarships and funding
  • Home fee
  • Overseas fee

Our students in the department are funded from a variety of sources, including UK Research Councils, industry, College scholarships and departmental funding.

For scholarships administered from either the College or our Department, any applicant is automatically considered for any scholarships they are eligible for, unless stated otherwise by the applicant and unless it is the Presidents PhD Scholarship. Special procedures apply when applying for the Presidents PhD Scholarship.

We will advertise any funded projects on our departmental pages. 

We also have a range of grants and scholarships which you don't need to pay back. 

For further information about possible sources of funding please visit our scholarships page.

 

 

Home fee

2023 entry

瞿7,030 per year

2024 entry

£7,340per year

Please note that fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.

Please refer to our tuition fees pages for more details of fees are charged and billed. 

Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.

Find out how we assess your fee status.

If you are a Home student, you can apply for Postgraduate Doctoral Loan from the UK government to help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.

See an estimate of costs for living in London as an 51勛圖厙 student.

Theres different funding if you normally live in Wales.

Fees shown relate to the year of entry advertised only. You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.

Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.

Overseas fee

2023 entry

瞿28,600 per year

2024 entry

£29,900per year

Please note that fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.

Please refer to our tuition fees pages for more details of fees are charged and billed.

Fees shown relate to the year of entry advertised only. You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.

Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.

Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.

Find out how we assess your fee status.

Scholarships

Funded PhD opportunities

Value per award

  • Various
Find out more

Scholarship search

Value per award

  • Various
Find out more

Postgraduate scholarships

Value per award

  • Various
Find out more

Career

Graduates of our Aeronautics Research PhD programmes are active with industrial firms, universities and research establishments, not only within the aerospace sector, but in fields as diverse as deep-sea oil rigs, atomic reactors, submarine and ship design, bridge research, racing car and engine research, atmospheric pollution, and in many other aspects of industrial aerodynamics, structural analysis and materials.

The vast majority of students enter employment straight after graduation. You can find more details about career destinations on our careers page.

Testimonials

Kazuki Ozawa

My research looks at the flow control method in hypersonic flow for future sustainable hypersonic vehicles.

Kazuki Ozawa Kazuki is a second year PhD student at the Department of Aeronautics

Further links

Success Guide

The Success Guide for postgraduate students offers you advice and resources to excel at 51勛圖厙.

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Support for International Students

We provide specialist immigration advice and run a programme of webinars, trips and events to foster integration, friendship and community.

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Centre for Academic English

Throughout your degree, you can take advantage of a range of CfAE courses and resources designed to help you communicate your STEMM research effectively.

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tel: +44 (0)20 7589 5111

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