• CS Admissions Procedure
• Applications Reviewing System
• Supervisor / Student Numbers

PhD admissions in Computer Science is currently functioning as a collective involving all research groups in a system of admissions panels.  Though we continue to accept applications throughout the year it was decided after a review of the department's admissions procedures in 2009 that they should only be considered and assessed at certain points of the year; the aim being to allow not only the greatest transparency between research groups but also between applications themselves, ensuring we take only the strongest candidates and providing a greater pool of applicants from whom to choose UCL scholarship and Department studentship nominations.  NB: this system does not include applications to the DTCs (EngD and FC), which have their own admissions procedures. 

The Admissions Panels (formed of a representative from each research group, normally the Head) have been scheduled to meet at the following times of the year:*

* All meetings have been scheduled to take place in room 6.12 at 3.00pm (unless otherwise notified).

In between each panel interviews with suitable candidates will be organised.  Please see here for more information on how this process will work.

The Graduate Tutor and Deputy Graduate Tutor will make the final decision on whether an applicant is accepted on rejected once the interview has taken place.

It is expected that all applications received will be discussed at the admissions panel meetings.  However, exceptions to this will be considered in certain situations:

1. applications for those project studentships that are in danger of expiration and must be filled before the next deadline or meeting of the review panel; in these cases reviews from other group members will still be requested to identify any strengths or weaknesses in applicants that may otherwise be missed);
2. when an applicant is considered truly steller and in danger of being lost to another institution. 
3. when a stellar candidate has an external funding deadline which is in danger of being missed.

In such cases an 'emergency' panel would be formed involving the Graduate Tutor, Deputy Graduate Tutor, the candidates potential supervisor or project supervisor and Head of the group in question to discuss the application(s). 

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All new applications are put up on the Department's reviewing system by the Research Student Administrator. You will be sent a password to log onto the system.  Please contact the Research Student Administrator if you are unable to access the site:

When a new application is added (applications will only be placed on the system if they have transcripts, references and a research proposal/statement of research interests) where you have been proposed as a supervisor or the applicant has research interests that are relevant to your research group, you will be sent a request to review the application.  Please then have a look at the application and give your feedback. We request that you give feedback even if you are not interested in the applicant - this is important if the Admissions Panel is to make an informed decision.  

You will be able to see all feedback from other supervisors underneath the application.

Accepting a student 

If the Graduate Tutor and the Deputy Graduate Tutor approve making an offer to a student, the proposed first and second supervisor will be sent an email from Prism, an admissions system that the Faculty of Engineering Sciences are currently piloting, asking them to confirm that they agree to supervise the student. The offer will then be processed by UCL Admissions.

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Each supervisor may supervise up to the equivalent of 6 full-time research students at any one time (this does not include those in CRS).

As a guide, the maximum number of students [based on a head count], whether full- or part-time, that may be supervised either as Principal or Subsidiary Supervisor is 9, using the following formula:

1. 1 Part-Time student = 0.5 for a Principal Supervisor
2. 1 Full-Time student = 0.5 for a Subsidiary Supervisor
3. 1 Part-Time student = 0.25 for a Subsidiary Supervisor

UCL regulations state that where a supervisor exceeds the maximum number of students under his/her supervision, the department must be able to demonstrate that there are mechanisms in place to ensure adequate contact with the student and appropriate support for the supervisor, such as a large supervisory team and/or a reduction in other workloads.

Part-time staff appointed as supervisors should supervise no more than 6 full-time research students on a pro-rata basis.

A list of the number of students in Computer Science (including DTC students) for each supervisor can be found here.

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