Applying to StatML
How to apply
Applications for 2027 entry to StatML are now open at both Imperial College London and the University of Oxford.
Deadline: 12:00 GMT on Wednesday 6th January 2027
Non-technical interviews will take place on Friday 29th January 2027. Shortlisted candidates will be sent a list of available research areas prior to interview.
Technical interviews will take place during the week of Monday 8th February to Friday 12th February 2027.
2027 TechExpert Programme
StatML is pleased to be part of the TechExpert Programme in 2027, through which we expect to offer stipends of approximately £32,000 for students eligible for home fee status within the 2027 cohort.
The TechExpert Programme aims to strengthen the UK’s innovation pipeline and build a more inclusive, resilient, and high-impact research ecosystem. It will test whether higher stipends make doctoral study a more competitive and financially viable alternative to industry roles, helping retain and upskill talented graduates for future tech careers and supporting pathways back into research.
The programme is delivered by UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Do you have questions about StatML admissions? Join one of our upcoming online Q&A sessions with directors and current students:
Q&A Session 1
Tuesday 3rd November 2026
09:00 GMT
With Prof François Caron, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford
Register here
Q&A Session 2
Thursday 26th November 2026
12:00 GMT
With Prof Ed Cohen, Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London
Register here
Q&A Session 3
Tuesday 15th December 2026
16:00 GMT
With Dr Ciara Pike-Burke, Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London
Register here
Imperial admissions
For more details, consult the programme’s Imperial webpage here.
Applications should be submitted via My Imperial.
For applying to StatML, you should select “EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistics and Machine Learning (CDT) (PhD 4YFT)” (course code G1703.1).
If you have any general questions, including enquiries about part-time opportunities, please contact Trish Watson at statml.io.admissions@imperial.ac.uk
Oxford admissions
For more details, consult the programme’s Oxford webpage here.
If you have any general questions, please contact Eliza Williams at statmlcdt@stats.ox.ac.uk
Entry Requirements
The minimum requirement for applications is a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, engineering, or in a closely related subject. However, we expect the most competitive applicants to have achieved, or be on track to achieve, a relevant master’s degree at distinction level (or equivalent) and/or some experience working on a research project (which could be as part of your degree or a separate project).
We accept applications for both full-time and part-time study. We welcome applications from members of under-represented groups or with non-traditional career paths, including from those with established careers or caring responsibilities.
We are looking for a blend of potential, motivation, academic strength and enthusiasm for the CDT training model. We look at the candidates and their journey as whole. If this resonates with you, we are looking forward to receiving your application.
Funding
StatML only offers fully funded places, which includes:
- A minimum stipend set at the UKRI rate plus £2,000, adjusted annually for inflation (equal to £23,805 per annum from October 2026). StatML is pleased to be part of the TechExpert pilot in 2027, through which we expect to offer stipends of approximately £32,000 for students eligible for home fee status within the cohort starting in October 2027.
- Tuition fees
- Travel between Imperial College London and Oxford university
- A generous Research and Training Small Grant (RTSG) of £12,500 for the duration of the DPhil/PhD
This also applies to part-time students at the corresponding pro-rata rate.
Some of our studentships will be industrially funded. These studentships often come with additional benefits including interactions with the industrial partner, but are usually restricted to a specific research project. Such projects will be sign-posted in the booklet sent to shortlisted applicants.
While the majority of our funded studentships are available only to those who qualify for ‘Home’ student status (see FAQs), we offer a limited number of scholarships for overseas applicants.
Please note that the programme does not accept self-funded applications. Applicants who have obtained an external scholarship may still apply to StatML and should mention their funding in the application.
Timeline and Application Process
Application
Applications should be submitted to the admissions portal for Oxford and/or Imperial. The deadline to apply is Wednesday 6th January 2027, 12:00 GMT.
Supporting Documents
You will be required to provide supporting documents such as:
- Resume
- Up to date transcripts of all degrees studied
- Names and contact details of your referees. You should check that your referees are willing to write you a reference before listing them. They will then be contacted by the appropriate university and asked to provide a reference. The references should be submitted by the application deadline.
- Statement of purpose. You are not required to write a research proposal, only a statement of purpose. This should include information such as:
- Your motivation for wanting to do a PhD
- Your motivation for choosing to apply to StatML
- Explanation of which domains or questions in statistics and machine learning interest you the most and why. You may want to include any links between theses research interests and those of StatML supervisors.
- Anything we need to know to better understand your CV/transcript/references (e.g. if you had mitigating circumstances, let us know, but we do not need to know the details of the circumstances).
- Please read this statement guide for further guidance.
Questions?
See our FAQ page
Interviews
Shortlisted candidates will be sent a booklet of available research areas within the institution of interest. Each area will feature proposed research directions from available supervisors for the first mini-project, applicable to the 2027–28 entry. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to select their two preferred research areas.
Following this, shortlisted applicants are likely to have two interviews:
- a non-technical interview with members of the StatML management team, and,
- a technical interview for one or both research areas they are interested in.
The non-technical interviews will take place on Friday 29th January 2027 while the technical interviews will take place during the week of Monday 8th February to Friday 12th February 2027. Please make a note of these dates in your diary. We ask that candidates remain flexible with scheduling within these timeframes.
If you are successful in being shortlisted for an interview and require special considerations to be made, please advise us of these at the point of scheduling.
StatML welcomes applications from individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Offers
The first round of offers will be made towards the end of February. Shortlisted candidates who do not receive an offer at this stage are likely to be placed on a waiting list and may receive an offer at a later date should any studentship become available.
You can find out more about the admissions process here:
University of Oxford
For more details, consult the programme’s Oxford webpage here. If you have any general questions, please contact statmlcdt@stats.ox.ac.uk
Imperial College London
For more details, consult the programme’s Imperial webpage here. If you have any general questions, please contact statml.io.admissions@imperial.ac.uk