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Developmental and Stem Cell Biology (4 years) MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2025 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Developmental and Stem Cell Biology (4 years) MPhil/PhD (2024), click here

UK students International students

Study mode

Full-time

UK tuition fees (2025/26)

£6,215

Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)

£36,500

Duration

4 calendar years

Programme starts

October 2025

Applications accepted

All applicants: 14 Oct 2024 – 31 May 2025

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, or a recognised Master’s degree in an appropriate subject.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

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

This programme provides training at the interface between developmental and stem cell biology. It includes a first year with rotations in three laboratories, also active, small group training in key skills including good writing, experimental design, reviewing papers and many modern techniques.

Who this course is for

Embarking on a Developmental and Stem Cell Biology PhD offers an excellent opportunity to delve into the fascinating processes that govern cell growth, differentiation, and development. This field is at the forefront of scientific discovery, with implications for understanding diseases, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology. By joining our PhD programme, you'll gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge techniques, and contribute to ground-breaking research that can make a real difference in the world.

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

What this course will give you

This four-year programme comprises three lab rotations and a taught component in the first year, providing the basis for an informed choice and an excellent platform for progression in the research project in years two to four.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

UCL is an internationally recognised and respected institution. A graduate degree from UCL opens up numerous national and international employment opportunities. Our students work with renowned mentors and are immersed in research at the cutting-edge of basic and biomedical science, emerging well-trained and well-rounded with outstanding skills, poised to take up posts in leading groups around the world. Most of our graduate students pursue very successful careers in science and medicine. Two of our recent students have been awarded the Beddington Medal.

Employability

Many of our recent graduates have taken up postdoctoral positions, e.g. at UCL, the Francis Crick Institute, the University of Edinburgh and the Medical University of Vienna. Others have taken up analyst, consultant and specialist positions at Amazon, Costello Medical in London, and Bio-Techne Ltd.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 cohorts

Networking

UCL and its extended network of research institutes are located in the centre of London and are surrounded by numerous other research institutions, including the Francis Crick Institute and the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour. Students are encouraged to meet and collaborate extensively with members of these institutions.

You will have the opportunity to attend divisional seminars relevant to your research and participate fully in the activities of the research group to which you belong, including participating in meetings of the group and presenting data to the group as required.

You will also be encouraged to take advantage of subject-specific national or international meetings and conferences every year to showcase your work and to meet and discuss your work with your peers in related areas. These meetings provide a valuable way to make contacts for future career opportunities.

Teaching and learning

PhD students work closely with their supervisor and the research team, who are usually in daily contact. The considerable deepening of knowledge and understanding of the research area that is characteristic of PhD study requires constant self-directed study and participation in the discussion of research methods, data analysis and interpretation.

Throughout the PhD programme, regularly scheduled progression points are used to review academic progress. This will take the form of either a report or a meeting and is overseen by a Thesis Committee, comprised of a secondary supervisor and a thesis chair. The student is also expected to meet regularly with their supervisor and/or supervision team to oversee progress. Students are required to undertake training in statistics, transferable skills, research ethics, and skills appropriate to their studies. These are provided by the Faculty, or through the UCL Doctoral School.

The student would be expected to commit to a minimum of 36.5 hours per week, as consistent with a full-time post at UCL. This time frame also includes self-directed learning. The demands of a PhD may also necessitate additional out-of-hours work to accommodate a project’s need, e.g., data collection.

Research areas and structure

Cell fate determination and pattern formation
Cell migration
Cell signalling and signal transduction mechanisms
Early development (e.g. fertilisation, gastrulation, embryonic induction)
Evolution and development
Gastrulation
Induction, tissue interactions
Left-right asymmetry
Live imaging
Morphogenesis, tissue patterning
Neural development and neural cell biology
Regeneration and repair
Stem cell biology
Tissue engineering
Twins

Research environment

UCL is ranked 6th in the QS Rankings 2024 for biological sciences. This programme provides an exceptional setting, boasting one of the most extensive gatherings of developmental and stem cell biologists found anywhere globally.

This programme includes a first year with a taught component and rotations in three laboratories, providing the basis for an informed choice and an excellent platform for progression in the research project in years two to four. You will be trained in key skills including good writing, experimental design, reviewing papers and many modern techniques appropriate to the project.

First year: three rotations of three months each in different laboratories, and a weekly journal club, overseen by all supervisors on the programme. At the end of each rotation, you will be required to write a report and give a presentation.
Second year: thesis work starts in August/September of the first year. In the second year, an advanced modern microscopy course and an intensive workshop to develop writing and reviewing skills take place in parallel, with a small group of five to seven students. Upgrade from MPhil to PhD – write a report and give a presentation.
Third year: continue thesis research work, complemented with experimental design workshops.
Fourth year: complete research project, and write up your thesis. Workshops on funding, career planning and other skills tailored to each student. You will also give a final-year presentation.

During your programme, you will have regular meetings with your supervisors and graduate tutor, and are required to complete a number of progress points which are recorded in the mandatory Graduate Research Student Log.

You will have access to the Doctoral Skills Development Programme which offers free practical skills training courses and workshops to give you the opportunity to expand your research and transferable skills in order to support your research, professional development and employability. You are expected to take full advantage of the training on offer and should be aiming to participate in the Doctoral Skills Development Programme and/or other appropriate activities equivalent to two weeks of training per year.

You will have the opportunity to be employed as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant to assist in the running of undergraduate student tutorials and practical demonstrations. This not only counts towards your skills development, but is a valuable addition to your CV.

The PhD programme is expected to be completed within four years. If you are not ready to submit at the end of the fourth year, you may be able to go onto Completing Research Student status – up to one year free of fees.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26)	£6,215
Tuition fees (2025/26)	£36,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme 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

Your research degree may be subject to an Additional Fee Element (AFE). The AFE (also known as bench fees) is an additional cost, incurred by yourself or your sponsor. It is levied to cover the costs related to consumables, equipment and materials etc which are not included in the tuition fee. As each research project is unique in nature, the AFE is calculated on a student-by-student basis and is determined by your academic supervisor.

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 £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. 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

Applications from self-funded candidates are welcome. Please note that there is no funding attached to this programme, but you may apply for a UCL scholarship.

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

Next steps

This programme commences in October each year. The application deadlines are usually mid-December for candidates applying for a UCL Scholarship, and the end of May for self-funded candidates. For more information please see our department's website.

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

This programme 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.