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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

1.8 Rounds average
Average Typical difficulty
85.1% Positive experience

Candidate interview experiences

First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Imperial College London.

Showing 3 of 68
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Imperial College London

PhD Student

Research · nearly a year ago

Intern Difficult Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Background check Offer
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral

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.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • Could you walk me through your research, either the one you're doing now or one you've done before?
Imperial College London logo
Imperial College London

PhD Student

Research · nearly a year ago

Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Technical screen
Interview formats
Technical Coding Behavioral

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.

Confirmed questions3 questions
  • Tell me about your coding background.
  • What's your approach when facing research setbacks?
  • Describe what you'd do if simulation results conflicted.
Imperial College London logo
Imperial College London

PhD Student

Research · a year ago

Entry Difficult Negative experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Presentation Group
Interview formats
Presentation Group Behavioral

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.

Confirmed questions7 questions
  • 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?

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What kind of journal are you aiming to get your research published in?

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Could you explain the main message of a figure of their choice from the paper?

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What influenced your decision to study in the UK rather than the US?

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Can you summarize the paper and highlight its strengths and weaknesses for the study?

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Regarding method x, which is used as a surrogate for simplification, what are your ideas for improvement?

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Can you explain the foundational theory behind the staff member's papers in more detail?

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What motivates your interest in Imperial College London and this specific program?

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Can you explain your interest in machine learning and its potential as a surrogate model?

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Formats, difficulty and experience

Across all 68 Imperial College London interview reports.

Interview formats

Behavioral 38.1%
Technical 33.3%
Presentation 24.5%
Coding 1.4%
Group 1.4%

Interview difficulty

Easy 11.8%
Average 60.3%
Difficult 27.9%

Candidate experience

Positive 85.1%
Neutral 10.4%
Negative 4.5%