UCL announces two fully funded PhD studentships open to Pakistani applicants

LONDON: University College London has announced two fully funded PhD studentships starting in October 2027, and Pakistani graduates are eligible to apply for both.

The first studentship, titled Compound Wind and Rainfall Extremes over Europe, combines climate modelling, extreme-value statistics and machine learning. It is being run in collaboration with Aon Impact Forecasting, with research links across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The second, titled Statistical Models for Extreme European Hail Events with Challenging Data Structures, sits in UCL’s Department of Statistical Science under the NERC UNRISK Centre for Doctoral Training. It focuses on the statistical modelling of extreme hail events, a field where data is sparse and difficult to work with.

Both positions cover tuition fees in full, include a living allowance, and come with a £6,000 research grant. The application deadline for each is January 13, 2027.

What the two fully funded PhD projects involve

The wind and rainfall project looks at compound extremes, where damaging winds and heavy rain strike together. The work blends climate models with statistical methods and machine learning, and the Aon partnership gives it a direct line into how the insurance industry prices catastrophe risk.

The hail project tackles a harder data problem: extreme hail is rare, localised and poorly recorded, which makes standard statistical tools struggle. The studentship will develop methods for modelling such events from challenging data structures.

How to apply

Both studentships start in October 2027 and share the January 13, 2027 deadline. Applicants will need a strong quantitative background, typically in statistics, mathematics, physics or a related field, and should apply through UCL’s doctoral admissions process for the respective department.

For Pakistani graduates, the funding package removes the biggest barrier to a UK doctorate: tuition and living costs are covered, and the £6,000 grant supports conference travel and research expenses.

The UNRISK Centre for Doctoral Training is funded by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council and trains researchers in quantifying natural-hazard risk, an area where Pakistan’s own exposure to floods and extreme weather makes the expertise directly relevant back home.

FAQ

What are the two UCL PhD studentships?

Compound Wind and Rainfall Extremes over Europe, and Statistical Models for Extreme European Hail Events, both starting October 2027.

Are Pakistanis eligible?

Yes. Both studentships are open to international applicants, including Pakistanis.

What is the deadline?

January 13, 2027, for both positions.