Child Health Research PhD Studentships in UCL GOS ICH 2026-27

About us

Up to five 3-year full time, funded PhD Studentships in the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH) funded by the Child Health Research CIO are available, commencing on 1st October 2026.

Project portfolio

The Child Health Research PhD studentship portfolio offers a broad range of PhD project proposals ranging from fundamental to translational studies. All projects are hosted at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH), in the UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences. Together with its partner, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, GOS ICH forms the largest concentration of children’s health research in Europe. The portfolio offers studentships in a very broad range of projects. This year, studentships will be funded on topics broadly related to the research of developmental biology, genetics, epilepsy, and paediatric surgery.

About the role

Eligibility

Applications are invited from committed individuals wishing to do basic, translational or clinical research for the benefit of child health. Applicants should have a good first degree (UK 1st class or upper 2nd class honours degree or equivalent from abroad) and/or will have a Master’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant discipline by the time of registration. Clinical graduates are also welcome to apply.

Following shortlisting and interview, successful applicants will then be required to submit a UCL graduate application and register on the Child Health PhD programme to take up the PhD studentship.

Successful applicants will receive a starting stipend of £23,466* per annum (including London weighting) and the studentships cover the cost of tuition fees based on the UK (Home) rate. Subject to confirmation, further funding will be available to cover Overseas fees for some places. Non-UK students can apply, but where not eligible for Home fees, may have to fund the difference between the Home and Overseas fees if further funding is not available. *See: Studentship budgets.

This is a prestigious and competitive scheme: in 2025/2026, 3% of applicants to this scheme were appointed to PhDs (33 applicants per studentship).

Application process

• All applicants are required to select a top choice project from the portfolio page above and contact the supervisor of that project. Applicants will be invited to select up to three projects in their application. Only one student can be appointed to each project.
• To apply, visit: GOS ICH Postgraduate PhD Studentships. Please read the application instructions carefully. All applications must be submitted through the Microsoft Forms form in the hyperlink above. Applications that are submitted without following the correct application process will not be considered.
  Closing date for applications: 17:00 GMT Tuesday 23rd December 2025
• Interviews will be held on 19th and 20th February 2026.

Please see: CHR PhD Studentships Application process for how to apply.

Applications that are submitted without following the correct application process will not be considered.

About you

Eligibility

Applications are invited from committed individuals wishing to do basic, translational or clinical research for the benefit of child health. Applicants should have a good first degree (UK 1st class or upper 2nd class honours degree or equivalent from abroad) and/or will have a Master’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant discipline by the time of registration. Clinical graduates are also welcome to apply.

Following shortlisting and interview, successful applicants will then be required to submit a UCL graduate application and register on the Child Health PhD programme to take up the PhD studentship.

What we offer

Research environment

The Institute has one of the largest communities of PhD students in UCL, with nearly 200 registered students. We are committed to high quality postgraduate education and the Institute has a strong track record of training and support for its postgraduates. A high level of interaction exists across the Institute between basic scientists, clinicians, and population health scientists.

Research in the Institute is grouped into the following five departments:

Developmental Biology and Cancer

Developmental Neurosciences

Genetics and Genomic Medicine

Infection, Immunity, Inflammation

Population, Policy and Practice

The great strength of UCL's research was reaffirmed in REF 2021. GOS ICH was part of a UCL return to the Clinical Medicine sub-panel 1, and Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care. 93% of UCL's research was rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent. In assessment of research power, UCL’s performance was top in the UK for research power in the main panels of ‘medicine, health and life sciences’ and ‘social sciences’. The NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), underpins all translational research at GOS ICH and GOSH.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.