
Imperial College London Phd Student Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 68 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Imperial College London.
PhD Student
The application was quite thorough but felt fair. It involved a lot of steps, including asking for two references, a detailed plan for my research, my academic CV, and a cover letter. Then there were two interviews: one was a technical interview with the person who might be my supervisor, and the other was with someone from an industry partner. I got a conditional offer, and then they officially checked my qualifications.
- Could you walk me through your research, either the one you're doing now or one you've done before?
PhD Student
I discussed my undergrad thesis on finite element simulations. The interviewer asked follow-up questions to gauge my understanding of the basics. He then showed a diagram of a B-pillar crash and asked about modeling the dynamic response and optimizing for crashworthiness. I shared my thoughts on using surrogate models and mentioned some drawbacks.
- Tell me about your coding background.
- What's your approach when facing research setbacks?
- Describe what you'd do if simulation results conflicted.
PhD Student
You'll present your idea and show why you're passionate about the project. You need to show you have the expertise to work with your supervisor. There will be an in-person meeting with other supervisors. You'll present your work findings and show that you have funding availability and any relevant experience. Lastly, explain why you.
- Why should we pick you
- Present your idea and explain your passion for the project
- Demonstrate your expertise and ability to work with the supervisor
Imperial College London Phd Student Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Imperial College London interview reports.
“Could you explain how you'd make a fixed point operator handle the entire dynamic range of a floating point operator?”
Read reports →“What kind of journal are you aiming to get your research published in?”
Read reports →“Could you explain the main message of a figure of their choice from the paper?”
Read reports →“What influenced your decision to study in the UK rather than the US?”
Read reports →“Can you summarize the paper and highlight its strengths and weaknesses for the study?”
Read report →“Regarding method x, which is used as a surrogate for simplification, what are your ideas for improvement?”
Read report →“Can you explain the foundational theory behind the staff member's papers in more detail?”
Read report →“What motivates your interest in Imperial College London and this specific program?”
Read report →“Can you explain your interest in machine learning and its potential as a surrogate model?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 68 Imperial College London interview reports.