Program Overview

Pharmaceutical Discovery, Development and Use (Joint PhD with the University of Sao Paulo)

Key information

Award: PhD Study mode: Full time

A 4 year joint PhD programme in pharmaceutical sciences is offered between the Institute of Pharmaceutical (IPS) Science at King’s and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCP) at the University of São Paulo leading to a joint qualification from both universities.

The joint PhD degree is designed to capture the broad sweep of research undertaken in the IPS ranging from pharmacological and chemical studies that can identify novel drug targets and new chemical entities, through formulation and drug development, to clinical trials and the use of medicines by patients.

The FCP is considered the best academic teaching and research centre in pharmaceutical sciences in Latin America, with a particular strength in developing industrial processes to meet the market supply of medicines. The joint PhD programme will therefore have an all-embracing strategy allowing student exposure to all aspects of the medicines development pipeline, from the discovery and evaluation of novel medicines and new formulations, to the manufacture of these medicines that can be used by patients in the clinic.

How to apply

1. Application procedure

• Studentships will be advertised in findaphd.com, Naturejobs, the College’s Health Schools Studentships website or on
• All applicants are required to complete the KCL online application form.
• Short-listed applicants will be interviewed by at least two academics.
• Proposed research projects must be approved by the School Postgraduate Research Committee before an offer can be made.

2. Personal statement and supporting information

• Personal Statement: Yes, a personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages).
• Research Proposal: Yes, the proposal should explain in some detail precisely the field of study that you want to contribute to and current research gaps, what you want to do and how you propose to do it.
• Previous Academic Study: Yes, a copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required.
• References: Yes, two references are required with at least one academic. Professional references will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago.
• Other: Optional, you may also wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of your application.

3. Course intake

• Per academic year: 1 student registered from the home institution and 1 student registered from the partner Institution

4. Joint PhDs - Application advice

• Applicants for the Joint PhD programme must contact the relevant departments at both universities before submitting an application in order to discuss the suitability of their topic for the joint programme and to locate potential supervisors.
• Applications should initially be submitted to the proposed home institution only, ie where the student will start and finish their programme.
• Students should note that acceptance onto the programme may take slightly longer than for single-institution PhDs because of the additional steps involved.

5. Application closing date

• We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed.
• The final application deadlines are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time) and we will open for the corresponding intake in 2026 soon after the same intake has passed in 2025.
  • February 2025 entry – 20 October 2024 for Overseas fee status and 20 November 2024 for Home fee status
  • June 2025 entry – 20 March 2025 for Overseas fee status and 11 April 2025 for Home fee status
  • October 2025 entry – 25 July 2025 for Overseas fee status and 25 August 2025 for Home fee status
  • February 2026 entry – 20 October 2025 for Overseas fee status and 20 November 2025 for Home fee status
  • June 2026 entry – 20 March 2026 for Overseas fee status and 11 April 2026 for Home fee status

Fees or Funding

• Important notice: An obligatory component of this programme is a 12-18 month research placement at the partner university. Full fees must continue to be paid by King’s home students during their placement at the University of São Paulo.
• UK Tuition Fees 2024/25: Full time tuition fees: £6,936 per year
• International Tuition Fees 2024/25: Full time tuition fees: £30,240 per year
• UK Tuition Fees 2025/26: Full time tuition fees: £7,500 per year
• International Tuition Fees 2025/26: Full time tuition fees: £32,400 per year

Study environment

• Opportunities are available for graduate research in a wide variety of pharmaceutical subjects ranging from the discovery, design, analysis and formulation of drugs to drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicology as well as pharmacology, clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice.
• Graduating students will be in a unique position in having a PhD degree awarded by two of the most highly regarded centres in the World for postgraduate research training in pharmaceutical sciences.

Entry requirements

UK requirements

• Entry requirements: Minimum UK requirements
  • Bachelor's degree with 2:1 honours (or overseas equivalent) in biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, pharmacy/pharmacology, applied biology (e.g. biotechnology, biomedical science, nutrition, psychology), chemistry or computational science/bioinformatics, although further graduate study or appropriate work experience may also be taken into account.
  • A 2:2 degree may be considered only where applicants also offer a Masters degree with Merit or above.

Equivalent International qualifications

• Select a country to view equivalent international qualifications.

English language requirements

• English language band: D
• To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment.
• Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test.