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Biochemical Engineering MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2026/27)

£6,400

£3,200

Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)

£34,700

£17,350

Duration

3 calendar years

5 calendar years

Programme starts

October 2026

February 2027

May 2027

Applications accepted

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but should be submitted at least three months prior to your preferred start date.

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree, or a UK Master's degree, in life or physical sciences or engineering, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Relevant industrial experience can also be considered.

The English language level for this course is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g. Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance. This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place. Please note that ATAS processing times can take up to six months, so we recommend you consider these timelines when submitting your application to UCL.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Become an expert in the biotechnologies that are reshaping our society and improving outcomes across a diverse range of sectors, from healthcare and pharmaceuticals to sustainability.

As a doctoral researcher working at UCL Biochemical Engineering’s dedicated Industrial Doctoral Training Centre, you’ll benefit from a wide range of research degree opportunities, many of which are funded by UKRI and the EPSRC.

Our research centres are partnered with more than 80 different bioprocess companies and organisations, including Cytiva, AstraZeneca, 3M, Lonza, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Lilly, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, and Unilever, among others. This allows our doctoral researchers to collaborate with leading bioindustry professionals to address strategically significant issues, often working as part of an international research team.

With a strong emphasis on the translation of scientific advances through to commercial application, you’ll pursue your PhD projects in alignment with the following research areas: environment and sustainability, harnessing genomics, affordable therapeutic outcomes, the processing of complex biological materials, and improving the precision and rate of process development.

Who this course is for

This research degree is ideal for graduates in engineering, life sciences, or related disciplines who are passionate about interdisciplinary biochemical engineering research. If you are keen to tackle major global challenges, from healthcare and food security to sustainable bioprocessing and climate resilience, this programme will equip you to lead in both academic and industrial environments.

Read about what it takes to become a UCL graduate research student

What this course will give you

This degree offers you the following benefits and opportunities:

UCL is ranked in the top 10 globally (9th in the QS World University Rankings 2025), offering you a prestigious, internationally recognised qualification that is highly valued by employers around the world.
UCL Biochemical Engineering established the UK’s first department in the field and is home to one of the world’s largest academic bioprocessing research communities.
In REF2021, 97% of our research was rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, highlighting the quality and impact of our work.
You’ll join a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment with over 100 researchers working across healthcare, sustainability, energy, and food systems.
You’ll carry out research in state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities at UCL Bloomsbury and UCL East, gaining hands-on experience with the latest robotic systems and near-industrial scale bioprocessing equipment.
You’ll benefit from close supervision by internationally recognised academics, and have opportunities to collaborate with industry, policymakers, and global research partners.
Many research projects are co-developed with industrial collaborators, offering valuable insight into real-world challenges and potential routes to impact.
You can also access professional development opportunities through the UCL-accredited Modular Training for the Bioprocess Industries (MBI®) Programme. Delivered in partnership with industry and included at no extra cost, these short courses provide valuable insight into the commercial, technical and regulatory realities of modern bioprocessing.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

The majority of doctoral graduates from UCL Biochemical Engineering progress into highly skilled roles in industry. Recent graduates have taken up positions as scientists, process engineers, R&D specialists, and commercial analysts across the biopharmaceutical, cell and gene therapy, and sustainable biotechnology sectors. Employers include leading companies such as GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lonza, MeiraGTx, and PwC. Others continue in academia with postdoctoral research roles at UCL and other top institutions (Graduate Outcomes survey 2021-22).

Employability

Completing this programme means you’ll be well placed to pursue an academic career in postdoctoral research or university lectureship, either here at UCL or at any number of universities across the world.

As part of your studies, you’ll also participate in the Modular Training for the Bioprocess Industries Programme (MBI).

Attended by more than 1,500 participants from over 300 companies since its inception, the MBI programme is designed for students from a range of disciplines across UCL to work alongside industrialists looking to upskill and harness our bioprocessing expertise.

Delivered by UCL faculty members in collaboration with over 70 industrial experts, including Barry Buckland (BiologicB), Oliver Hardick (M Ventures), Derek O' Hagan (GSK), and Sabine Gaillard (Sanofi), MBI cohorts often include group leaders, senior-level directors, and executives keen to gain insights into current trends in new therapy areas, regulatory affairs and cutting-edge research.

Networking

You’ll have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your PhD.

Attend tailored events facilitated by UCL Careers, the Office of Vice Provost Advancement (OVPA), and UCL Innovation and Enterprise at the faculty and departmental levels.
Participate in and organise student-led events, such as industry visits or guest lectures, with a focus on specific industrial sectors relevant to your studies.
As a PhD student, you’ll attend major international biochemical conferences such as local events like The Syn Bio conference and The Chemical Engineering Day UK Conference and global events such as The ESBES (European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences) and Metabolic Engineering Conference, and enjoy opportunities to promote your work.
If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, connect with like-minded innovators and successful entrepreneurs through UCL’s innovation hubs and startup incubators.

Teaching and learning

Researchers may take a range of taught modules to support their research and fulfil any taught course requirements. Many are taken together with industrial delegates as part of the Department's MBI Training Programme.

PhD students at UCL do not take any credit-bearing modules. Instead, you will have to complete training courses for which you receive “Roberts points”. The Roberts points system provides opportunities for you to do generic and transferable skills training as part of your programme. The training courses or workshops are provided by UCL or its affiliated member institutions. The training is free of charge and there is a wide variety of useful courses available. See more information on the Doctoral Skills Development programme’s website. You receive Roberts points for all core and optional modules as well.

PhD students in our department have several “core” training courses/modules to complete and have relative freedom to decide what to choose as optional ones, as long as it is in agreement with the supervisor. We would expect this to be a discussion between you and your supervisor as part of the first few supervisory meetings where a training plan should be agreed and recorded on the Research log. You have to complete 20 points worth of skills courses to be eligible to attempt upgrade from MPhil to PhD candidacy and 60/80 points to be eligible to submit your thesis/be awarded a PhD degree (20 points per year).

The core training skills courses for students on the Research Degree: Biochemical Engineering course are listed below. You must complete the assessment for all core modules and pass in order to satisfy the training requirements and receive Roberts points for them.

Year 1

Pilot Plant Unit Operations (BENG0057), - one week intensive module on campus, in the Pilot Plant
Design of Experiments for Bioprocess Optimisation (BENG0077) – 3.5 day intensive course

Year 2

Pilot Plant Project (BENG0056)

Optional modules can be chosen from the list of training courses on the Doctoral Skills website. With the approval of the Departmental Graduate Tutor, you may enrol on any other postgraduate (Level 7) module listed in the UCL Module catalogue. The majority of our students enrol on several MBI courses, which are short courses that we offer to people in industry and research students. Once you agree with your supervisor which modules you are doing in the next academic year, please email the MBI Manager for availability and registration. You will normally receive Roberts points for attendance only on optional modules but some module leads may ask you to submit an assessment as well.

Typically these are full-time research programmes that will draw upon the expertise in the department, equivalent to a full-time research position.

Research areas and structure

UCL Biochemical Engineering is a world leader in bioprocess research. Our researchers create novel engineering solutions to underpin future biomanufacturing operations across a range of sectors that support health, well-being and sustainability.

Our research focuses on two major application areas:

Biological Medicines: including therapeutic proteins, cell and gene therapies, and vaccines
Green Industrial Biotechnology: including circular bioeconomy solutions, biorefining with biocatalysts, and cultured meat

These are underpinned by the following research domains:

High Throughput Bioprocess Design and Scale-up: accelerating development using automation, scale-down models and smart experimentation
Process Analytical Technologies and Data Analytics: applying real-time monitoring, control systems, and AI and machine learning for data analytics and process optimisation
Engineering Biology: building efficient biological production systems through protein, vector, and cell engineering
Decisional Tools: developing models for process economics, life cycle assessment (LCA), and digital twins to inform decision-making and the best route to robust, scalable and sustainable processes.

Our projects often involve close collaboration with industry or the public sector to develop real-world solutions to challenges in health, food security and climate change.

Visit UCL Biochemical Engineering's research website for more.

Research environment

The department offers a range of research degree opportunities; many supported by EPSRC awards, and by industrial sponsors. The projects draw upon the expertise within the department and the multidisciplinary research linkages of the department. Many of the PhD projects are collaborative with leading bioindustry companies and all address strategically significant issues, frequently on a truly global scale.

In our department you are able to make full use of over £30m of investment into comprehensive and unique facilities. All our leading-edge facilities are underpinned by state-of-the-art analytical equipment and experiences obtained from these world class facilities make students from the department much sought after. Facilities and labs include:

Fully equipped pilot plant;
Micro-engineering and lab-on-a-chip facility;
Cell therapy bioprocessing labs;
Responsive bioprocessing facility

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 3 years for full-time and 5 years for part-time.

In your first year, you are registered for the MPhil award initially; the upgrade process is put in place to assess your progress and ability to complete a PhD. As a full-time student, your upgrade normally takes place in your first year. As a part-time student, whose programme of study is typically 5 years, your first upgrade attempt usually takes place in Year 2. You will be examined by an internal examiner other than your supervisors and your secondary supervisor at an upgrade viva. Additionally, you are expected to complete 3-4 compulsory, non-credit bearing modules run by the department during the first year (see below).

By the end of the second year of training, you should have completed all compulsory, non-credit bearing elements, including a fourth or fifth one, which the department also runs. Emphasis at this stage is on the status of the scientific paper, which represents the essence of the original research work carried out by you. In addition, your supervisory team expect that you provide evidence that you have developed project management skills as demonstrator and also as a leader of an undergraduate/MSc research project. Demonstratorship normally takes place in Year 2 and 3 of the training.

In the beginning of third year of training, you are expected to give a comprehensive talk in the departmental seminar series in term one. It is preferable that all practical work should cease three months before the end of the final period of MPhil/PhD registration (e.g. end of June for October starters).

After you complete your third year of studying you may register as a Completing Research Status (CRS) student which lasts for up to one year (two years part-time) while you write up your thesis. The thesis must be submitted at latest by the end of the CRS period. Note: Students funded for 4 years are not normally eligible for CRS and are required to submit their thesis by their funding end date.

Year 1 compulsory modules:

BENG0077 - Design of Experiments
BENG0057 - Pilot Plant Unit Operations

Year 2 compulsory module:

BENG0056 - Pilot Plant Project

The programme is full-time, but students may request to move to part-time if on a case-by-case basis as agreed with their supervisor.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27)	£6,400	£3,200
Tuition fees (2026/27)	£34,700	£17,350

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

The programme may be subject to an Additional Fee Element (AFE). The AFE (also known as a bench fees) is levied to cover the additional costs related to consumables, equipment, materials, attending conferences etc. As each PhD project is unique in nature, the AFE is calculated on a student-by-student basis and is determined by the academic supervisor. The AFE is banded into four fixed amounts: £1,000, £2,500, £5,000, £10,000 with one further band for variable sums over £10,000.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

The Department receives a range of UKRI funding that students may be considered for.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

: China Scholarship Council - UCL Joint Research Scholarship

NOW CLOSED FOR 2026/27

Value: Fees, maintenance and travel (Duration of programme)

Criteria Based on academic merit

Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

Applications are considered throughout the year. Deadlines and start dates are usually dictated by funding arrangements so check with the department or academic unit to see if you need to consider these in your application preparation. In most cases you should identify and contact potential supervisors before making your application. For more information see our How to apply page.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This course requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.