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Submission and
Selection Process

The call for MRC DiMeN DTP studentship projects, starting October 2026, will be open 18th June 2025. 

SUBMISSION PROCESS

The application form consists of three parts, four for iCASE projects: 

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  1. Applicant information

  2. Project title and description (400 words max)

  3. Supporting statement: (500 words max)  

  4. iCASE only  - iCASE statement (300 words max) 

 

Proposals will be evaluated and scored by three independent markers against the following criteria,  which should be evidenced in your application: 

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  • Excellence and novelty of the research project.   
     

  • How the project will address MRC strategy and alignment to DiMeN disease-driven theme(s):Infection and Global Health; Cancer; Multimorbidity, Frailty and Diseases of Ageing.  A cross-cutting theme of Medical Technologies, Informatics and Quantitative Approaches aims to boost quantitative skills training and technology development across our partnership.
     

  • Quality and strength of supervisory team, including: subject knowledge and technical expertise; publication in relevant fields; lab funding; and supervisor career stage; access to facilities and networks; success in supervising students. 
     

  • Development culture: How the supervisory team will be supporting and developing the student; supervision and training plan; commitment to positive research culture.
     

  • Added value: How the MRC DTP student would add value to current research by building synergies, developing new collaborations, and opening up new areas of research. 
     

  • For iCASE projects:  The quality of the iCASE partner; fit to the project; commitment from industry/non-academic partner; training opportunities for the student.  

 

The overall project value and fit will be judged with scientific excellence, fit to the DiMeN themes, research environment and strategic drivers such as EDI indicators all taken into account.  In addition, we will maintain an overall balance between the number of projects in the different institutions across the DiMeN network and the standard/iCASE project split.

PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS

The DiMeN DTP does not allocate a set number of projects per institution and projects are scored on merit according to the above criteria.  Project proposals are reviewed anonymously without supervisor names or host institutions known to reviewers so please do not state your name or host institution within the application form unless requested to do so.  This is to eliminate bias and ensure the best projects are selected for advertisement to students.  

 

We advertise more project opportunities than we can support within the funding envelope and this is a competitive process. We expect to advertise a minimum of 16 iCASE projects and 84 Standard projects.  Last year we received nearly 250 project applications. We have approximately 40 studentships to award for 2026/27 starters.
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Student selection

Applicants to the DiMeN  DTP Students select two advertised projects at application stage to the DiMeN DTP.  Our academic panel anonymously scores and shortlists applicants, with the top 90 interviewed by a panel of academics from across the partner institutions.  The DTP is open to international candidates, up to the UKRI mandated cap of 30% per intake. International fee difference is not covered by DiMeN, but by institutions as per the DTP partnership agreement.  
 

New for this year:
In response to feedback, we have made changes to how we score student applications to involve supervisors at an earlier stage. When student applications close you will have access to your own project application statements and asked to rank with explanatory notes. The applicant may or may not have contacted you to discuss the project prior to putting in an application.  Applications will also be scored by two independent scorers in the usual way and both the scores and supervisor feedback will be taken into account when shortlisting for interview.  This is to ensure that we do not offer an interview place to applicants who would not thrive. Scoring or ranking done at this stage is based on application statements rather than full CV.   

 

Prior to interview, interview candidates are asked to arrange to meet with supervisors, either virtually or in person, to discuss the project and group in more detail.  Full applications including CV and references will be shared with you at this point, and supervisors will be asked to provide detailed feedback regarding student suitability for your project based on this and the meeting.  Prior to interview, candidates are given the opportunity to re-rank their project choices.  In 2025, over 80% of successful students were placed with their first choice project.

​The final selection of supported project/student combinations will be made on the basis of student quality by the DiMeN Management Board.

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Benefits of DiMeN DTP studentships

  • Financial support: Stipend (UKRI standard rate) for 4 years, £4125 per year Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG) and £300 per year travel/conference allowance. Enhanced stipend and RTSG for iCASE students. 

  • Students can access DiMeN flexible supplement funds for high quality external training, lab or industry research placements, internships or transition after PhD to first employment position.

  • Additional funding available for visits and placements across our partners institutions to encourage collaboration and sharing of expertise within the DiMeN community.

  • Students access tailored, cohort training events including, 'Media and Impact' and 'Bench to Bedside', and 'Quantitative Research Skills. 

  • Students and supervisors are part of a vibrant community of researchers across our partner institutions.

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