The Global Development Fellowship is an initiative of Imperial College London (ICL) for candidates from low-income countries. The ICL Global Development Fellowship provides a monthly stipend of £1,900, a one-off £200 payment on arrival in the UK, return economy class travel, as well as payment for the standard visa application.

Eligibility:
- Be a current doctoral student.
- Be a passport holder and be a permanent resident of a Least Developed (LDC) or Lower Middle Income Country (LMIC), as specified by the OECD ODA Recipients List. Please note, this does not include Upper Middle Income Countries. *
- Be currently studying for your PhD at in institution in an LDC or LMIC country.
- Be over 12 months into their PhD at the time the placement takes place.
- Have a Letter of Support from an academic host supervisor at Imperial. The supervisor should ensure that the Letter of Support is signed by the Head of Department.
- Have a Letter of Recommendation from their own supervisor.
The Letter of Recommendation from the applicant’s supervisor should include recognition that the student possesses a sufficient level of English to effectively undertake the placement.
Value:
Placements can be 2 to 4 months and must take place before 31 July 2026, in agreement with the host department/institute. Placements must start in March 2026.
The Fund will provide:
- A monthly stipend of £1,900
- A one-off £200 payment on arrival in the UK
- Return economy class travel
- Payment for the standard visa application and Biometrics Residence Permit
- Financial support for travel to the visa application centres.
Type: Postgraduate
Deadline: November 28, 2025
Host Country:
