Scholarship Overview
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Overview
The Imperial College Business School Graduate Teaching Assistant Scholarship is a fully funded doctoral opportunity for exceptional candidates seeking to pursue PhD research at one of the world’s leading business schools. The programme combines a two-year Master of Research (MRes) with a 3-4 year PhD, providing comprehensive training in quantitative research methods and specialised business knowledge.
For African applicants from Zimbabwe and the SADC region, this represents a rare opportunity to join a highly selective programme—only approximately 15 students are admitted annually from around 200 applications worldwide.
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What the Scholarship Covers
The Graduate Teaching Assistant Scholarship provides comprehensive financial support:
- Full tuition fee waiver – covers Home/EU or Overseas fees (same rate applies to all students)
- Living stipend – £29,580 for 2026-27, reviewed annually and expected to increase for 2027-28 in line with Research Council UK rates
- Duration – up to five years, with potential sixth-year funding considered case-by-case
- Tax-free payments – stipends are not subject to income tax
Additional funding sources may be available through EPSRC and ESRC for candidates meeting Research Councils UK’s academic and residential eligibility conditions. These are discussed during the MRes year.
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Eligibility Requirements
Academic Qualifications
Applicants must demonstrate exceptional academic achievement:
- UK graduates: Upper Second Class Honours undergraduate degree plus Master’s with Merit or Distinction, including a strong dissertation
- International applicants: equivalent qualifications per the University’s Country Index (Business School may require higher grades than University minimum)
- Exceptional cases: strong First Class Honours undergraduate degree without Master’s, supported by outstanding references, CV, and personal statement
Standardised Test Scores (Compulsory)
GMAT or GRE is mandatory and must be submitted before application review:
- GMAT Exam: preferred total 700+; 90th percentile roughly equals 50/60 quantitative, 39/60 verbal, 6/6 analytical writing, 8/8 integrated reasoning
- GMAT Focus Edition: preferred total 655+; 90th percentile required in Data Insights, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning
- GRE: 90th percentile roughly equals 165/170 quantitative, 163/170 verbal, 5/6 analytical writing
Test preferences by pathway:
- No preference (GMAT or GRE accepted): Management & Entrepreneurship, Marketing
- GRE preferred: Finance, Economics & Public Policy, Analytics & Operations
Scores valid for five years. Imperial’s GRE code: 0121.
English Language Requirements
Automatic exemption if degree taught entirely in: Australia, Canada, Guyana, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, USA, or West Indies.
Otherwise, acceptable qualifications include:
- IELTS (Academic): 7.0 overall, minimum 6.5 in all elements
- TOEFL iBT: Before 21 January 2026: 100 overall, minimum 22 in all elements. After 21 January 2026: 5.0 overall, minimum 5.0 in all elements. Both accepted for two-year transition period.
- Duolingo: 125 overall, minimum 115 in any band
Scores valid if less than two years old on programme start date. TOEFL Institution Code: 0891.
Prerequisite Knowledge
All applicants must possess foundational knowledge in:
- Calculus (functions, limits, differentiation, integration, Taylor’s theorem, sequences and series)
- Matrix Theory/Linear Algebra (matrix algebra, eigenvalues, vector spaces, linear transformations)
- Statistics (probability theory, hypothesis testing, regression, ANOVA)
- Programming: R, STATA, MATLAB, or Python (applicants lacking confidence should complete online courses before enrolling)
Exception: Management & Entrepreneurship qualitative research applicants may join without quantitative experience, subject to individual review. Quantitative training during MRes is still required.
Application Process
Step 1: Start Your Application
Submit through Imperial’s online application system. Search for “Business” and select Business (MRes 2YFT), then choose your pathway:
- Management & Entrepreneurship (sub-pathways: Innovation & Entrepreneurship, or Organisational Behaviour & Strategy)
- Finance
- Economics & Public Policy
- Marketing
- Analytics & Operations
Provide a brief outline of primary research interest and indicate a potential supervisor.
Step 2: Submit Supporting Documents
Upload before deadline:
- Current CV
- Statement of purpose (1-2 A4 pages)
- Complete degree transcripts
- Two academic referees’ contact details
- Valid GMAT/GRE score report
- English language qualification (if required)
Step 3: Interview
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by faculty panel. Overseas candidates attend online.
Step 4: Admissions Decision
Results notified by email post-interview, followed by official notification via Imperial Gateway. Final Registry review takes up to three weeks from Business School recommendation.
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 2 December 2026 (midnight UK time)
- Programme start: September 2027
- Programme duration: 4-6 years full-time
Statement of Purpose Requirements
Your statement must articulate:
- Motivation for undertaking MRes and PhD
- Possible research areas and fit with Imperial
- Faculty members aligned with your interests
- What interests you most about your field
- Relevant past study or research projects (especially faculty-collaborated work)
- For Economics & Public Policy: detailed specific research idea
Important Restrictions
- No part-time or distance learning options—full-time attendance required
- No transfers from other doctoral programmes
- No visiting student applications accepted
- No deposit required—all places fully funded
- Part-time work permitted only if visa/scholarship conditions allow
Contact Information
General enquiries: doctoral@imperial.ac.uk
English language documents: business.admissions@imperial.ac.uk
Official scholarship page: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/phd/admissions/
You apply directly with the provider. We never charge for applications or ask for payment details. How we verify scholarships
