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Please Note: Applications are now closed for 2026 Entry

The Barts Charity DTP 4-year PhD studentships will be advertised from December each year (through findaphd.com and other media) with the programme commencing in September of the following year. For 2026 the closing date for applications is Monday March 16th, 23:59 (GMT), with interviews scheduled for on Friday 17th April. Interviews will take place online via MS Teams.

Applicants will be asked to give a short presentation before the interview, based on a research topic they have studied, prior to interview by a panel of 4-5 people including members of Programme committee.

Writing an application for the Barts DTP programme is much like applying for a job, but you’ll want to really highlight any research experience you’ve had and explain why the goals of the programme interest you, to show your motivation to study for a PhD through this programme.  

Use the tips listed in the Supporting Applications section to help you tailor your CV and personal statement to good effect.

Eligibility

The DTP will cover a student's fees at the 'home' fee rate. The programme will accept overseas students, but they must self-fund the overseas portion of the fee. To be considered a Home student you must be ordinarily resident in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the programme in the relevant residency area, have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay, hold UK citizenship or required permission, and the sole purpose of your residency must not be full time education. For further details see: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/policies/feestatus/

The normal minimum entry requirement for the programme is a UK upper second-class (2:1) BSc honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. An MSc is not an absolute requirement but will be considered a positive as will other relevant experience (e.g., having worked in research).

The Barts DTP is committed to inclusivity and strongly encourages applicants from all backgrounds and regardless of their personal circumstances. We will select those who display the potential to become, or to support, the world-leading biomedical researchers of the future based on their application and performance at the time of interview. However, we particularly welcome applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds, as they are under-represented nationwide in STEM roles.

How to Apply

To apply for the Barts Charity DTP we require you to complete two separate online forms:

1. Apply through QMUL’s standard online application portal for our PhD Programme.

2. Complete an anonymised application form specific for the Barts Charity DTP.

There is some duplication between the two online forms, but it is essential you complete both fully. Also, you will be asked to write a personal statement in both applications. We therefore recommend that you prepare your statement in a word processing programme, (e.g., Microsoft Word), and then copy and paste it into the relevant fields of the application forms.

Complete the standard application first. This can be accessed through the following link: Barts Charity DTP Application Form 1

Complete the Research Proposal section as follows:

For Proposed supervisor - write Paul Chapple (this is to solely to bring your application to the Course Directors attention rather than select Prof Chapple as a supervisor)

In the Proposed project title/ studentship title box write – you do not need to select a project title or provide a research proposal, simply write Barts Charity DTP

In the Research group box write – Barts Charity DTP

For What is your proposed start date select - 30/09

Complete all other sections and submit.

Important – please note the Unique Application Identifier Number that was generated for you after completing the standard QMUL Application Form. 

Now complete the Barts Charity DTP anonymised application form. This can be accessed through the following link: Barts Charity DTP Application Form 2. This is an anonymised form so avoid including any information that identifies you, where you have been educated/worked, or individuals you have worked with.

Supporting applications

Please note, some of the links are available only to Queen Mary University of London students; if you are studying currently at another university, be sure to make good use of the Careers Service where you are.

Writing your CV

  • Use headings well to highlight the most recent and relevant experience you’ve had
  • Provide well-chosen detail to give more information about research projects you have undertaken as part of your previous university courses or employment.
  • Split out your research skills – e.g., handling lots of information, lab skills, coding or data skills, project management skills: these are the skills that are really important in a PhD.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing self-development, an important part of many PhD programmes, by showing what research methods or other training you have taken.
  • Show how you have contributed to your current degree programme or employment – e.g., organising department events such as journal clubs or something social – a PhD programme isn’t all research!

Writing your Personal Statement

  • Use this structure to create at least three good paragraphs:
  1. Why are you interested in this PhD programme?
  2. Why do you want to come to Queen Mary University of London and join the Barts Charity DTP?
  3. Why do you think they should be interested in having you on their programme? This is where you get to mention some of the great things you have on your CV.
  • Demonstrate the research you’ve done into doing a PhD, and into this programme. For example, mention that you’ve spoken to existing PhD students about their experiences, or how you’ve looked at some of the researchers’ work online.
  • It’s important to be aware that moving into academia after a PhD is not guaranteed and this programme will train people for multiple types of careers that utilise research skills. Use your personal statement to show how becoming a really effective researcher with excellent transferable skills is important to you.
  • Use enthusiastic and active language (‘developed’, ‘created’, ‘initiated’, ‘learned’) in your statement.
  • If you can, tie your personal statement to what the PhD programme is specifically looking for. For example, if they are asking for ‘motivated students that can handle a lot of data with attention to detail,’ explicitly provide examples of where you have demonstrated motivation, and where you have been successful in spotting errors or checking your work.
  • Do NOT use generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to write the entirety of your personal statement.

Other resources

Contact us

Please direct all enquiries to bartsdtp@qmul.ac.uk

 

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