Radcliffe Department of Medicine (RDM), University of Oxford - RDM Scholars Programme

What the RDM Scholars Programme gives you

At the University of Oxford, you receive a fully funded four-year PhD. A tax-free living allowance – in other words, money to live on – of approximately EUR 24,000 per year is paid (£20,780 at the 2025/26 UKRI rate). In addition, your full university and college fees are covered, either at the home or international rate. This is the main source of funding from the Radcliffe Department of Medicine (RDM) at Oxford for students in the basic sciences who are studying for a DPhil (as Oxford calls the doctoral degree) in medical sciences. You will spend all four years in a single research laboratory, rather than rotating between several. Funding is provided by the department, the Medical Research Council and the Clarendon Fund.

Who can apply

• Level: You are applying for a PhD (DPhil) in Medical Sciences at Oxford.
• Research area: You would like to pursue research in experimental or computational biology within one of the RDM’s specialist areas – cardiovascular research, diabetes and endocrinology, immunology, haematology or developmental biology.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• Grades: You hold a degree classified as ‘First Class’ or ‘Strong Upper Second Class’ (2:1), which corresponds to the standard entry requirements for a DPhil programme.
• English: You can demonstrate that you have the required level of English.

How to apply

The programme begins each September with the publication of the supervisors’ profiles; studies commence the following October. Applications are made online via the University’s ‘DPhil in Medical Sciences’ form. You may list up to three supervisors in order of preference and should contact them in advance. Apply by 2 December to be automatically considered for funding. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a virtual interview and will give a short presentation on their own research project.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is highly specialised. You must fit into one of the RDM’s research areas and secure a place with a supervisor there; essentially, it is a matter of aligning a strong background in the basic sciences with the right laboratory. As this is a PhD programme at Oxford open to applicants of all nationalities, it attracts high-calibre candidates, meaning that top marks and a clear research motivation are essential requirements. If you contact your preferred supervisor at an early stage and submit your application by the December deadline, you’ll have the best chance of success.