Frequently asked questions

See also Gatsby Unit PhD programme and GCNU-SWC joint PhD programme.

No. Students are admitted to the Gatsby Unit programme and the joint PhD programme at the start of each academic year in September/October.

Yes. Students have examinations in the first year, and they must pass all examinations to progress to the next phase of the programme.

(Gatsby Unit PhD programme only)

Yes. In principle, any honorary or affiliate faculty member of the Gatsby Unit can be your Subsidiary Supervisor if they are UCL-based. During your PhD, your Subsidiary Supervisor has an advisory and supportive role. Subsidiary Supervisors may provide scientific input, but this depends on how proactive students are in getting them involved.

All three PhD programmes overlap extensively, allowing the students to build the foundations for long-lasting collaborations and friendships.

The first-year course 'Systems and Theoretical Neuroscience' is a joint course with the SWC, and you will have lectures and journal clubs with SWC students. You are also strongly encouraged to interact closely with the SWC community and actively participate in SWC activities (including SWC seminar series, SWC lab meetings and joint tea hours on Fridays). There are also joint Research Culture Working Groups, which you are more than welcome to join and contribute!

Visit this page for key differences between the three PhD programmes.

See also Gatsby Unit PhD programme and GCNU-SWC joint PhD programme.

Applicants should have a strong analytical and mathematical background, a keen interest in neuroscience and/or machine learning, and a first degree in relevant fields such as Computer science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Neuroscience, or Cognitive Psychology. Many applicants to our programme will have a Master’s degree, but this is not essential. Each application is assessed on its individual merits.

Candidates offered a place on our programme will be required to meet UCL's standard admissions requirements (including the English language proficiency requirements for international applicants). Minimally, entry to UCL requires a relevant first degree awarded with first or upper second-class Honours or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Where the US/Canadian marking scheme is used, a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 is required. As entry to our programmes is highly competitive, successful applicants have typically achieved higher marks than indicated by UCL’s minimum requirements.

Our research relies heavily on mathematical analysis, so a solid foundation in mathematics is essential. Successful applicants usually have first degrees in mathematics, physics, electrical engineering or similar fields, but some may have demonstrated their analytic skills by undertaking a mathematically intensive research project.

References are required as testament to academic excellence - a key component of our shortlisting process. Academic references are more beneficial to your application, as they are more helpful for us. We ask the referees specific questions and to assess your intellectual capability in relation to a typical PhD student in their departments.

Please scan/take a photograph and upload them. If this is not possible, you may post them. Please contact admissions@gatsby.ucl.ac.uk in advance to let us know; the documents must reach us by the application deadline.

No. There is no application fee.

No, once you submit the application from the Declaration page you will not be able to make any changes.

You cannot replace or add additional documents once you have submitted your application. You are required to submit all application materials by the deadline via the application portal. Late information would not be considered, as this would make the process unfair to others.

Yes. If you want to have one of our faculty members as your primary advisor (i.e., you will be mainly based in the Gatsby Unit during your PhD), you must apply to the Gatsby Unit PhD Programme in parallel by our deadline (note that this can be different from the ELLIS deadline).

Yes. We do not admit students without interview. If you are shortlisted for an interview, you will have the opportunity to chat with current PhD students prior to your interview about their experience and ask them questions. If you require a visa to travel to the UK, we will provide the necessary documentation and reimburse any fees. We will accommodate any delays caused by factors outside your control.

It is as important for you to meet us as it is for us to interview you.

Yes. We will either book travel on your behalf or reimburse reasonable travel expenses based on evidence of expenditure. All travel should be in standard/economy class. We will arrange hotel accommodation and contribute to subsistence costs. Assistance is provided for all shortlisted candidates irrespective of the distance to be travelled.

We aim to notify all applicants of the outcome by late March. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual feedback due to the high volume of applications.

No, you only need to apply to us via the Gatsby Recruitment Applicant Portal in the first instance.

Only after being offered a place on the programme (be it the Gatsby Unit PhD programme or the joint PhD programme), you would seek formal admission from UCL. Successful applicants will receive guidelines from us on how to do. Please note that at the formal UCL admission stage, all candidates will require official transcripts (in English), and international students will need to meet and provide evidence of meeting UCL’s English language requirements. Translations of transcripts must be verified by the issuing university, a solicitor or official translation service (e.g., the British Council service) and must be accompanied by a certified copy in the original language. See here for information on application and entry to UCL, including UCL’s entrance requirements and information for international applicants.

We ask candidates to consider whether the Gatsby Unit PhD programme or the SWC PhD programme is a better match given their interests/profile and apply for the best match. Fom either path you can choose whether you also want to be considered for the GCNU-SWC joint PhD programme.

See also Gatsby Unit PhD programme and GCNU-SWC joint PhD programme.

The studentship covers the cost of tuition fees for both home and international students and provides an annual tax-free stipend. Each student also receives an annual travel budget to be spent in consultation with their PhD supervisor(s).

The studentship is awarded for four years subject to satisfactory progression. Satisfactory progression includes passing all examinations in Year 1, successful upgrade from MPhil to PhD status, and a firm commitment to intellectual development, including active participation in our seminar series, journal clubs, and other unit-wide activities.

See also Gatsby Bridging Programme.

Current PhD students may apply. Please note however that the programme requires a full-time commitment for seven weeks (Monday-Saturday, typically 10AM-5PM). Please ensure that you have the approval of your PhD programme/supervisor(s) before applying. If your application is successful, we will ask for a written confirmation of your supervisor's approval.

The programme is not for you,

• If your undergraduate/master's degree covers 50% or more of the topics taught in the programme (syllabus).
• If you don’t have an equivalent of A-level mathematics (grade A minimum) and don’t know or are unfamiliar with the prerequisite materials, particularly univariate calculus. If you think you have an equivalent qualification (school- or university-level), please go through the list of A-level subject content for maths to see if you have covered (at similar level) all prerequisite topics. This is an intensive, fast-paced programme, so you must demonstrate that you have done well in mathematics in the past.
• If you want to do a summer research project or to gain hands-on computational experience.
• If your primary interest is in applying AI/ML (to genomics, finance, etc).
• If you want the flexibility to pick and choose what to attend in the programme and/or cannot attend the programme full-time for the entire duration of the programme.

No.

After submitting your application, you should be directed to a screen with the text starting with "Thank you for submitting your application to the 2026 Gatsby Bridging Programme..." This acknowledges the receipt of your submission, and we will not send a separate confirmation email. To print a copy of your response, please click the three-dot icon on the top right corner and select ‘Print response’.

Applications open in January, with a deadline in February. Note that applications may close earlier if the number of applications exceeds our capacity to review. We aim to communicate the outcome in April; deadline for offer acceptance is 1 week after notification.

We will notify you via email. Please ensure that you enter your email address correctly in the application form.

Unfortunately due to the high volume of applicants we are unable to provide feedback on an individual basis.

We already operate a waiting list and you will have been told if you have been selected as a reserve.

If you require a UK Standard Visitor visa to attend the programme, we will provide an invitation letter as a PDF copy via email to support your visa application as soon as we receive your confirmation accepting the offer. 

Please be aware that a visa can take several weeks to apply for and receive - you are strongly advised to initiate the visa application process as soon as you accept the offer.

There are no programme fees, but participants are expected to cover their own costs associated with attending the programme. Below is a list of what you may wish to include in your budget:

• Flight/train to and from London at the beginning/end of the programme. As the programme takes place in summer, expect the cost of the ticket to be on the higher end.
• Commute cost: Depending on where you choose to stay in London, you may need to take into account the cost of commute to and from the programme venue (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre building, W1T 4JG). See Transfport for London for information.
• Accommodation: You may wish to look into UCL Summer Residences or University of London halls, both open to the general public during the student vacation period in summer. The YMCA Indian Student Hostel (if eligible) is within five minutes walking distance. London Metropolitan University also has a list of summer accommodation options on its website.
• Food: Meals are not provided.
• Travel insurance: Non-UK-based participants are advised to have travel insurance to account for any incidents during their stay. The insurance should cover cancellation, baggage loss, and most importantly, accidents and health issues while you are away from home.
• Visa application fee (if applicable): The fee for UK Standard Visitor visa application is £127 (as of 27 Jan 2026).