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Medical Physics and Bioengineering MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2026/27 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Medical Physics and Bioengineering MPhil/PhD (2025/26), click here

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 in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or another closely related discipline, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Knowledge and expertise gained in the workplace may also be considered, where appropriate.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2
Overall score of 7.0 and a minimum of 6.5 in each component.

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

Establish your expertise and pioneer life-saving new technologies, as a member of the UCL Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering.

Your work will bridge the gap between physics, engineering, clinical sciences and computing, harnessing the latest research from the Department’s different research groups to tackle real-world medical issues.

You will progress towards becoming an expert in your chosen field, guided and mentored by a supervisor chosen from over 100 clinical and non-clinical scientists across UCL.

You will also get opportunities to work closely with the NHS, through the department’s partnership with the UCLH NHS Trust, assisting healthcare professionals to find important uses for new technologies.

As a UCL doctoral candidate, you’ll help to shape a supportive, collaborative and inclusive research culture – one where talent and hard work are properly rewarded and the research community is celebrated, in line with the aims of our 10-year Research Culture Roadmap.

Who this course is for

This programme is ideal if you are interested in a career in academia, research organisations, government/public sector science or industrial R&D. The specialist knowledge and the transferable skills you will learn during your PhD are applicable across a wide number of sectors.

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:

Develop your skills alongside renowned academics across UCL’s Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering. UCL is a global leader, having been ranked 9th best university in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026) and 2nd in the UK for Research Power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
Explore and develop specialisms in radiation and radiotherapy physics, implanted devices, medical imaging, and laser and robotic surgery.
Enjoy extensive access to world-class facilities, fully equipped for radiotherapy, proton therapy, nuclear magnetic resonance, optics, acoustics, X-ray imaging, electrical implant development and robotic surgery interventions.
Join research groups and learn from experienced research staff in a close-knit community, with regular opportunities for networking and professional development.
Get a detailed insight into the latest research taking place globally in this field, in areas like X-ray imaging, implanted devices and ultrasound.
Be part of a world-leading hub for interdisciplinary research and collaborations between computer scientists, physicists, mechanical engineers, biomedical scientists and medical practitioners across UCL and its affiliated teaching hospitals.
UCL’s Bloomsbury campus is in the heart of a London district famous for its cultural and educational institutions.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

This PhD will secure your research career and open the door to postdoctoral opportunities, as you absorb perspectives and research methodologies from world-leading UCL researchers at the forefront of healthcare innovations.

With this doctoral degree, you’ll also be well positioned to pursue diverse careers and opportunities in industry. You’ll be a vital asset, ready to play an instrumental part in developing emerging technologies as part of a med-tech start-up or within multinational medical device companies.

Graduates from our Department have obtained employment with a wide range of employers and sectors, such as financial technology, medtech industries, hospitals, clinical settings and academia.

Find out more on our Meet our Alumni page.

Employability

This PhD programme offers a unique opportunity to master vital skills and increase the sum of knowledge available to a world-leading research department that works in partnership with Medical Physics in the UCLH NHS Trust.

As part of this diverse and influential group of world-leading academics and healthcare professionals, you’ll get the chance to make your mark and showcase your original research through publication, national and international conferences, and other UCL events. You’ll also build robust project management, communication and teamwork skills that will make you an asset to any organisation.

As a multi-disciplinary subject at the interface of physics, engineering, life sciences and computer science, our postgraduate students have a diverse range of options upon graduation. Many choose to continue in academia through the subsequent award of a fellowship or a postdoctoral research post.

Networking

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

Benefit from our national and international collaborations across the clinical, industrial and academic sectors. We have close links with many London hospitals, including University College London Hospital, Great Ormond St Hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospital, and Whittington Hospital. We also work with organisations like the National Physical Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear Medicine, and Institute of Neurology. A wide range of MedTech companies have spun out of departmental research.
Work within different research groups, and across UCL departments, to develop your knowledge and skills.
Benefit from supervision and mentorship from scientists, health professionals and engineers with a wealth of collaborative experience – both nationally and internationally – across clinical, industrial and academic sectors.
Network with external partners and present your research findings at international conferences, private industry events and clinical centres to potential employers.
Build your networks further (and socialise) through clubs and societies at UCL, such as the departmental Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Society and the UCL MedTech Society.

Teaching and learning

The way you spend your time on the programme will change as your PhD progresses. At the start of an experimental, lab-based project, you can expect to spend most of your time working with your supervisor or with other researchers.

As your knowledge and skills grow, you may find yourself working more independently – reading, writing and engaging with more self-directed activities.

It’s customary to meet with your supervisor on a weekly basis throughout the programme.

At the end of your PhD, you’ll complete a dissertation of up to 100,000 words (or up to 60,000 words for an MPhil).

In total, you’ll need to spend approximately 35-40 hours a week on self-directed study as a full-time student. Part-time study is also available.

Research areas and structure

UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering is a global leader in research and education. We foster close collaborations with clinicians, practitioners and scientists in major teaching hospitals, which enables our researchers to be at the forefront of healthcare engineering and for our research students to learn about the latest innovations from leading experts in the field. Research in our Department falls primarily into the following domain areas:

Biomedical optics
Biomedical Ultrasound
Computing, digital image processing
Continence and skin technology
Functional electrical stimulation
Implanted devices
Laser and endoscopic surgery
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy
Medical imaging including 3D graphics
Neurophysiology including electrical impedance tomography
Physiological sensing
Radiation physics

Visit UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering’s research website for more.

Research environment

UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering is one of the largest medical physics departments in the UK and has an outstanding reputation in research. Our doctoral students often work closely with clinical colleagues at the UCLH NHS Trust to develop new technologies for diagnosing and treating medical conditions and a PhD in this field offers the opportunity to conduct original research and receive high-quality supervision.

The programme also provides access to a supportive research community and funding for conferences and research activities.

The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) rated UCL Engineering as producing 97% "world-leading"(4*) or "internationally excellent" (3*) research. UCL was also ranked 2nd in the UK for research power.

Studying full time, your research degree programme will take a minimum of 3 years.

You’ll initially register for the MPhil degree. Within the first 3 months, you’ll work with your supervisor to agree the basic structure of your research project, your research methodology and a realistic plan of work. You’ll record this in your Research Log and submit a detailed outline of your research proposal to your supervisor.

In the second year, you are expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD, you are required to prepare a written report and pass an oral examination focusing on your preliminary findings and future plans.

If you choose to study part-time, you’ll have up to 5 years to complete your PhD.

Between 15 and 24 months into your studies, you are expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD, you are required to prepare a written report and pass an oral examination focusing on your preliminary findings and future plans.

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

There are no additional costs associated with this programme.

In some circumstances, an Additional Fee Element (AFE) may be requested from students' sponsors to cover additional costs for consumables, equipment and materials required for the student's research. As each PhD project is unique, the AFE is calculated on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of the research project. If an AFE is required for your research project, it will be agreed before you join the PhD programme.

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

Visit the website to find out more about the PhD studentships available in the department

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

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 all cases the applicant should identify and contact potential supervisors with a brief research proposal 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.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Research Degree: Medical Physics, Part-time

Research Degree: Medical Physics, Full-time

Year of entry: 2025-2026