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The decisive factor for our CDT’s success is the quality of the students we recruit and admit to our programme.
Recruitment and Admissions
The EPSRC and BBSRC CDT in Engineering Solutions for Antimicrobial Resistance is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. Our goal is to enable applicants to perform at their highest potential by making our application and interview process completely transparent. As part of our recruitment strategy, we will prioritise these three key goals: research excellence, fit to programme, and diversity.
Please read the information below for everything you need to know about our application process.
2025 Application Timeline
Applications for our 2025 cohort are now closed but a PDF version of the online form is available for download 
here
You can view PhD research projects available to our 2025 student cohort by clicking on the links for our three Research Themes below. You will need to specify which project/s you are interested in in your application.
- Preventing infections (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/london-nano/cdt-amr/research-themes/preventing-infections)
- Diagnostics & surveillance (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/london-nano/cdt-amr/research-themes/diagnostics-and-surveillance)
- Antimicrobials & vaccines (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/london-nano/cdt-amr/research-themes/novel-therapies)
Pre-Application Stage
- The CDT will typically provide at least one optional online Open Day session on Microsoft Teams in October/November.
- The CDT managers will offer at least one optional online application workshop via Microsoft Teams, normally in November/December.
- Dates and registration details for both events will be clearly stated in all adverts and will also be posted well in advance on our webpage.
Application Process
- Most candidates will apply through our online application form, typically by late December/early January. When needed, we will provide a suitable alternative to applicants with disabilities.
- The application form includes questions about your highest degree subject and grade, your institution, research experience, and/or work experience.
- As part of the application, we want to know about your motivation for studying on the CDT and why you think to be a good fit for the programme. Emphasis should be put on evidence of independence, maturity and initiative, and ability to overcome setbacks.
- You will express your preference for the CDT PhD research projects in the application form.
- Please, make sure you address the specific questions on the form. Providing specific questions to guide our applicants is aligned with our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policy goal of increasing diversity.
Shortlisting Process
- All applications are reviewed for eligibility. Eligibility criteria include:
- holding a first or upper second-class honours degree or a Master’s degree in a relevant subject.
- relevant subjects include degrees in physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, mathematics, and related sciences.
- two references will need to be provided.
- Applicants not meeting these minimum requirements will not be included for shortlisting.
- Eligible applications are anonymised by the CDT managers, who do not take part in the selection process. This means that any information on protected characteristics is removed before eligible applications are handed over to the Selection Panel for shortlisting.
- The Selection Panel will be formed by a diverse group of experts consisting of the CDT team and prospective supervisors.
- The Selection Panel reviews applications and shortlists candidates for interview on the basis of academic ability, research experience, and motivation to study on the CDT. In the shortlisting, emphasis will be given to evidence of independence, maturity and initiative, and ability to overcome setbacks.
Invitations to interview
- If you are shortlisted, you will receive an email invitation to interview in February. This email will outline both pre-interview step as well as the dates and times of your interviews.
- Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview with approx. two weeks’ notice
- Interviews are expected to take place online via Microsoft Teams or Zoom and in person, depending on what is logistically possible.
- The CDT managers will offer at least one optional online interview workshop via Zoom, normally in January/February.
- We will ask candidates to indicate any adjustments at the interview due to a disability or impairment. Requests will be accommodated where possible, such as allowing extra time for presentations, providing breaks between questions, and typing questions in the chat function.
Interviews
- Two interviews will be held with two Interview Panels on two separate days. Interviews will typically be held in February.
- We will have two diverse Interview Panels, each comprising 3-4 experts from different backgrounds, consisting of the CDT team and prospective supervisors.
- During your first interview you will also be asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation on a research topic of their choice, for example their Master’s research or final year undergraduate research project. You will then be asked some questions about your research experience, skills and interests, your application form, your motivation for applying to the CDT in Engineering Solutions for AMR and your fit to the programme.
- As the pre-interview step before your second interview, you will be provided with an original research article a few hours before the interview. You will be asked to read the article, summarise it in a 200-word text and prepare a 5-minute pitch on it to start the interview. You will submit the 200-word summary by email one hour before the interview. When needed, reasonable adjustment will be made for applicants with disabilities.
- During the second interview you will present the 5-minute pitch on the research publication you prepared pre-interview, you will then be asked some questions about your pitch and 200-word summary. We will also ask you some questions about your application form and to assess your critical thinking and problem solving.
- The interviews will last for 30-45 minutes.
Interview Feedback and Offers
- Offers will be made by email to the top performing candidates within 1 week of the interview.
- Unsuccessful candidates will be emailed within 1 month of the interview.
- Upon request, feedback will be provided to all interviewed candidates via the CDT Managers.
EDI Data collection
- In this context, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) data refers to all protected characteristics under the Equalities Act.
- EDI data is collected at the application stage for reporting and analysis, as mandated by our funding agencies and to inform our EDI Strategy. We strive for each year group to achieve gender balance and have 35% BAME representation. Analysing this data will help us continuously review and improve our processes to meet this goal.
- EDI data will be extracted and analysed after the recruitment process has closed.
- EDI data will be stored and then deleted in accordance with GDPR regulations: Applications will be retained for up to 12 months and deleted at the beginning of the next academic year.
- EDI data will be maintained anonymously, ensuring that no published data can identify any individual. Anonymized EDI recruitment data will be kept throughout the CDT program to assess the effectiveness of our EDI policies and processes.