Background
This call invites KTH faculty members to nominate talented KTH PhD students for a new mobility programme supporting extended research stays at the Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London.
The programme is made possible by a donation from Mr Björn Savén, which establishes a dedicated exchange between KTH and the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London. Each PhD student will be hosted by a faculty member in the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London and will undertake a 6- to 12-month research stay.
What the programme offers
- An opportunity for talented PhD candidates at KTH to gain international research experience at Imperial College.
- Strengthening the collaboration between KTH and Imperial College London.
- Fostering new research collaborations and exchange of ideas.
- Financial support of up to SEK 25,000 per month, for up to 12 months, to cover accommodation and flight tickets. The funds will be transferred to the student’s main supervisor at KTH.
Eligibility
PhD students at KTH from all academic disciplines with a strong academic record and a genuine interest in international research can be nominated by their supervisor
Nomination and application process
Digital Futures faculty members at KTH may each nominate one PhD candidate, who must have a confirmed host at Imperial College London.
Interested PhD students and their supervisors are encouraged to declare interest to call@digitalfutures.kth.se before submitting a formal application.
The KTH faculty member nominating the candidate is responsible for submitting the application. Applications must be submitted to call@digitalfutures.kth.se in a single PDF that includes all items listed below.
Required documents
- A research proposal (max 1 page excluding references) outlining the planned research to be conducted during the stay at Imperial.
- A motivation letter (max 1 page) explaining the applicant’s motivation, the connection of the visit with the candidate’s research path and the expected outcomes.
- A letter of support from the candidate’s KTH supervisor (max 1 page).
- An invitation letter from the confirmed host at Imperial College London (max 1 page).
- CV (max 2 pages) and publication list.
- A proposed budget for the visit period, specifying the length of the visit and possible dates.
Evaluation criteria
- Academic excellence
- Applicant motivation and growth potential
- Relevance and quality of the proposed research collaboration
Selection process
Applications will be reviewed by an evaluation committee. The recommended candidates will then be presented to the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London for final approval. Based on the committee’s recommendation and Imperial’s approval, Digital Futures will make the final decision on which candidates receive funding and how much. The final list of selected candidates will be shared with the donor.
Important dates
Submission deadline: 14 December 2026. Interested PhD students and their supervisors are encouraged to declare interest to call@digitalfutures.kth.se before submitting a formal application.
Expected decision: January 2027
Exchange period: 2027
Contact & Questions
Contact call@digitalfutures.kth.se for further questions. Please include “PhD exchange Imperial” in the subject of your email.