Postgraduate research

As a postgraduate student, you will be supervised by internationally renowned experts in their field with access to state-of-the-art laboratories. 

Our close contact with clinicians at The Royal National ENT, the largest ENT hospital in the UK allows for rapid translation of basic research to address clinically relevant hearing conditions. 

PhD Studentships

Studentships provide funding that covers UK tuition fees, student living expenses and some research expenses. Usually, they will have been awarded to specific supervisors or programmes. Studentships will be featured at the following pages that we recommend you, regularly check: 

• ‘Find a PhD.com’ is a comprehensive guide to PhD studentships and postgraduate research degrees
• UCL’s ‘Funded Research Opportunities’ page
• UCL’s ‘Scholarships Finder’ page

• Please also check the UCL Jobs page that some funded research degree opportunities are featured on

   

Speculative opportunities

If you do not find an existing funded project, you should approach a potential supervisor directly with a brief outline of your subject area and the project you would like to undertake. You will need to be proactive in identifying opportunities with UCL academics whose recent research closely matches your interests. The following pages will aide your supervisor search: 

• Ear Institute ‘Research Units’ page
• Ear Institute ‘Research Staff’ directory page* 

* A summary of the staff research interests can be found on the ‘profile’ webpage of staff members.

Once you have found a supervisor, who agrees to supervise, please visit this page with the key details about our research degree where you can also make an online application: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/research-degrees/ear-institute-mphil-phd.

You may also wish to: 

• Browse UCL’s online Graduate Prospectus to find centres of research in your area of interest (click through to the department or centre website to find staff profiles): https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply..
• Search our online research repository (UCL Discovery) where UCL’s research papers are published, subject to approvals. If you identify a research paper that particularly interests you, one of the authors may be a suitable research supervisor for your project.. 

If an academic is very impressed with your research experience and proposal they may be able to help you to identify sources of funding, including from their own, or departmental, research funds. They may also direct you towards relevant funding sources. 

 Our facilities

We contain a range of state-of-the-art facilities for high-quality research, the range and scope of which provides for considerable development in research capacity in future years. Facilities include: 

1. A dedicated molecular and cell biology laboratory equipped for a range of techniques including genotyping and real time PCR for gene expression analysis.
2. A tissue culture suite incorporating six independent rooms that include two ‘category 2’ laboratories.
3. An imaging unit, including scanning and transmission electron microscopes, multi-photon and confocal imaging, sample preparation and image analysis facilities for in vitro imaging in peripheral and central auditory structures.
4. A dedicated skills lab with specialist equipment for testing human auditory function including audiometric testing, impedance measurements and otoacoustic emissions. Additionally, the lab features amplification devices such as hearing aids and assistive listening devices along with the necessary equipment for validation and performance measures.  Psychophysics testing and facilities for examining auditory brain function by means of electro-encephalography (EEG) are also available.
5. An extensive range of modern equipment and laboratories for digital signal generation and sound testing that includes a range of electrophysiological recording rigs for in vivo and in vitro experimentation. 

Research Students