Research at King's Business School
Learn more about our research opportunities.
Key information
Award:
MPhil
PhD
Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Campus:
Strand Campus
King's Business School invites applications for full-time and part-time students in Management Studies, to start in October 2025. We welcome applications from those who qualify as Home or International for fees purposes and seek to attract talented and enthusiastic students who aspire to be future leaders in their academic fields of study.
King's Business School welcomes applicants in any of our areas of research expertise.
- Accounting & Financial Management
- Banking & Finance
- Economics
- Human Resource Management
- Marketing
- Public Services Management & Organisation
- Strategy, International Management & Entrepreneurship
When completed, your award would state, PhD in your subject area, relating to the relevant Academic Department, e.g., “PhD in Economics,” “PhD in Marketing” and so on.
All students on the doctoral programme are registered for an MPhil in the first instance. At the beginning of the programme you will work with your supervisors to assess your individual training needs. You will use this to develop a personalised training schedule that draws on foundational and advanced courses made available to you through the School, the King’s Centre for Doctoral Studies and the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP). These courses will hone your academic skills and prepare you for the demands of your specific research project.
After around 12 months (or the part time equivalent), you will demonstrate that you are ready for formal upgrade to the PhD programme. This involves the examination of a substantial document that shows (i) you have identified an original and interesting research problem and (ii) you have the skills and expertise to tackle it within the time available.
You will be supported throughout your PhD by two academic supervisors, who will provide expert advice and guidance on your progress and your project. Your project will culminate in the submission of a thesis of up to 100,000 words in length. Full-time students must submit their thesis within four years of the start of their registration. Part-time students must submit within seven years.
What to expect
The School recognises that research training is fundamental to any successful PhD and to professional development beyond the doctorate.
In their first year, students undertake a series of short courses relevant to their project which are led and assessed by specialists. Students are also able to take additional courses in their specific areas of interest, drawing on a range of MSc-level modules available through the School. Research students are active participants in frequent school and research group seminars given by external speakers.
King’s Business School is part of the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP). The LISS-DTP offers a wide range of foundational and advanced research modules which are open to all doctoral students.
In addition, the King’s Centre for Doctoral Studies provides support to doctoral students across the university and runs a variety of training courses and research development opportunities, including courses on careers, academic writing, and project management, to help students fulfil their full potential in their research and beyond.
Deadlines
The final deadlines for applicants with Home or Overseas (international) fee status are detailed below. Please note that funding application deadlines may be earlier.
- October 2025 entry –Recruitment will proceed in two rounds.
Round 1 application deadline: 1st December 2024 (Home and Overseas)
Round 2 application deadline: 1st June 2025 (Home and Overseas)
Please note, any application received after 1st December 2024 will automatically be considered for the second round entry.
1. Check that you meet our entry requirements
Academic standards
You should hold, or be completing, a Master's degree with a Merit or higher (or overseas equivalent) and have achieved a 2:1 Bachelor's degree (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant subject.
International applicants can check the equivalence of their degrees. If you can't find your country or qualification in the list or would like to check the status of your institution with us, please contact the Admissions Office for further advice.
King’s does not require standardised tests such as the GRE or GMAT, but some supervisors may request these scores for information.
English language requirements
If you are a native English speaker or have been awarded a degree within the last five years from one of the countries listed here, you may not be required to take an English language test. English language competency is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If your first language is not English you must be able to provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programmes for which you have applied. Check our English language requirements here (Band B). You can use our pre-sessional English calculator to check if your language scores meet our requirements.
Please note, we cannot review individual eligibility before you apply and are only able to consider complete applications which include all supporting documents.
2. Finding a Supervisor
Support from a supervisor with the right expertise for your project is essential to success in your doctoral studies. In order for your application to be considered you must identify a lead supervisor who shares an interest in your proposed area of research.
You are required to contact potential supervisors to discuss your proposal before applying. It is essential that a supervisor has indicated willingness to supervise your research project before you submit your application.
You will work closely with your lead supervisor for several years, so it is important to ensure that you have similar research interests and aims for the project. Before approaching a potential supervisor, read some of their publications on their Research Profiles to see if they undertake work in an area relevant to you. This will help you to decide whether they are the right fit for you and your project. When approaching a potential supervisor, it is important to show an appreciation of their research expertise and interests.
Details of research undertaken within the School can be found by exploring our departments and academic staff pages. Our faculty members are research active and the majority of them are available to supervise doctoral students.
When you have identified a supervisor you would like to work with, please email them, and include the following information in your message:
- A short message explaining your background, research interests and why you are interested in undertaking a PhD
- An explanation of why you think they are the right supervisor for your project, demonstrating your familiarity with their research work
- A copy of your CV
- An early draft of your research proposal. Have a look at our PhD Admissions Guide for details on what to include in your proposal.
If you do not send this information you may not get a response to your email, as without these details it will not be possible for a supervisor to assess whether they will be able to supervise your project.
It is fine to send queries to more than one supervisor, but please do not send blanket email requests to more than four academics at a time. These are unlikely to receive a response.
If you do not receive a response from your preferred supervisor after a week, then feel free to send them a reminder. If a supervisor is interested they will invite you for an interview and all applications are reviewed at School level. Please note that a supervisor’s agreement to supervise you does not guarantee entry to the programme. You must submit an online application with all of the required documents before the School is able to make a full assessment of your suitability.
3. Write your personal statement
We ask that you also write a short supporting statement (c. 500 words) explaining:
- Your motivation for applying for a PhD
- Why you are well suited to undertaking a PhD (appropriate expertise, personal skills, etc.)
- What you are hoping to do after you complete your PhD
- Why you have selected your preferred supervisor(s)
- Why King’s Business School is the best place for you to undertake your project
4. Apply online
Submit your application via King’s Apply, our online application portal. Select either Management Studies Research MPhil/PhD (Full Time) or Management Studies Research MPhil/PhD (Part Time) depending on your preferred mode of study. Please note that only applicants for Full Time study are eligible for a King’s Business School studentship.
Your application requires the following:
- Research proposal of 1,500 words, to be uploaded on the portal
- The name of your preferred supervisor
- Personal statement of 500 words, to be pasted in the ‘Supporting Statement’ box
- One academic reference which is recent and valid. You can invite your referee to upload their reference directly or you can upload copies of the reference letter to the online application form
- A sample of your previous written work (typically, your Master’s dissertation)
- English language test certificate, unless you meet the criteria for an exemption.Valid degree transcripts for both undergraduate and master’s degrees, which include marksheets showing all modules taken and marks received. If your transcripts are not in English, please provide an official translation
- Details on how you will fund your studies. If you are applying for a King’s College London studentship you must enter the scholarship code details in the online form
5. Apply for funding
Most PhD students require funding to support their studies. To increase your chances of securing funding, we strongly encourage you to apply to all studentship competitions for which you are eligible.
A variety of competitions are open to students accepted to the King’s Business School PhD Programme and a comprehensive database of studentships is available through the Centre for Doctoral Studies. Some of the key competitions include:
King’s Business School Studentships
Open to all full-time applicants to the PhD Programme, regardless of fee status, King’s Business School studentships pay fees in full and an annual stipend. Applicants to the King’s Business School studentships are expected to also apply to any other King’s studentships for which they are eligible. The competition opens in early October each year.
London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP) Studentships
These studentships, funded by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council, are available to Home and International students (including EU students). The deadline is 26 January 2024.
King’s Postgraduate Research International Scholarships
More information about this scheme will be updated in the above link.
Open to Overseas applicants only, these studentships fund international fees and a stipend. To apply mention the relevant scholarship code when you submit your online application to King’s Apply.
King’s China Council Scholarships
Open to citizens and permanent residents of the People’s Republic of China, these scholarships provide international fees, an annual living allowance and visa application fees. To apply mention the relevant scholarship code when you submit your online application to King’s Apply, and fill out the CSC application form (available online).
6. Application Deadlines
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed. We may need to request further information from you during the application process.
There will be two application rounds for the single starting point of October 2025. The deadlines for both application rounds are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time).
Round 1
- October 2025 entry – Application deadline for all applicants: 1 December 2024
Round 2
- October 2025 entry – Application deadline for all applicants: 1 June 2025
Please note, any application received after 1 December 2024 will automatically be considered for the second round.
Applications submitted by the 1 December 2024 will have 7 days to ensure that their application is complete including references. Applications with items outstanding after this time will also be considered for the second round.
UK Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £6,168 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,084 per year
International Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £22,410 per year
Part time tuition fees: £11,205 per year
UK Tuition Fees 2025/26
Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,300 per year
International Tuition Fees 2025/26
Full time tuition fees: £25,500 per year
Part time tuition fees: £12,750 per year
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Base campus
Strand Campus
Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
Located in Bush House, in the heart of London, King's Business School is one of the UK’s most prestigious academic centres for the study of management and business with an outstanding reputation for the quality of our research and teaching. It has been ranked top in London for Business & Management studies (The Complete University Guide 2019) and the Business School’s research output is ranked in the UK’s top 10 in Business and Management according the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.
The School is a member of the innovative, multi-institutional LISS-DTP group (London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership), which draws together doctoral training opportunities at some of London’s top institutions: King’s, Imperial College London and Queen Mary, University of London. Supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), this partnership offers doctoral students excellent opportunities to develop their research skills and experience and to work as part of an interdisciplinary community of researchers.
Our research is built around a number of strategic research centres and groupings, which conduct both theoretically-driven and applied research. These groups are inclusive and active, encouraging cross-group membership, interdisciplinarity, and collaboration with members of the School and other researchers across the College. In addition, we have strong links with leading scholars from across the world, as well as with researchers and practitioners in private and public sector institutions in the UK and abroad.
Key benefits
International profile: The school has a renowned international profile in our core areas of research. Our academic staff work at the cutting edge of business and management research and make a major contribution to the shaping and development of management theory and practice in the UK and beyond.
Location: King’s Business School is located in Bush House in Central London and is close to the city’s world-leading and vibrant business, political and cultural hubs. Therefore, students at King’s Business School are ideally placed to make the most of what London has to offer, professionally and academically.
Research income: The Business School’s world-leading research attracts a substantial amount of research income, from the UK’s research councils (ESRC, EPSRC, AHRC) as well as from other major funders such as the Leverhulme Trust, EU, CIPD, CIMA, RPSGB and government bodies.
Postgraduate Research environment
Postgraduate research students are a vital part of the School’s life and community. Doctoral students have access to dedicated workspaces, computing and printing facilities, and receive financial support for conferences and specialised training. Each year we hold a two-day PhD symposium where all doctoral students present their work to the School and receive feedback from peers, supervisors, and other academics.
UK requirements
- Master's degree with a Merit
- and a Bachelor's degree with 2:1 in a relevant subject
Equivalent International qualifications
English language requirements
English language band:
B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
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. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
1. Check that you meet our entry requirements
Academic standards
You should hold, or be completing, a Master's degree with a Merit or higher (or overseas equivalent) and have achieved a 2:1 Bachelor's degree (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant subject.
International applicants can check the equivalence of their degrees. If you can't find your country or qualification in the list or would like to check the status of your institution with us, please contact the Admissions Office for further advice.
King’s does not require standardised tests such as the GRE or GMAT, but some supervisors may request these scores for information.
English language requirements
If you are a native English speaker or have been awarded a degree within the last five years from one of the countries listed here, you may not be required to take an English language test. English language competency is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If your first language is not English you must be able to provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programmes for which you have applied. Check our English language requirements here (Band B). You can use our pre-sessional English calculator to check if your language scores meet our requirements.
Please note, we cannot review individual eligibility before you apply and are only able to consider complete applications which include all supporting documents.
2. Finding a Supervisor
Support from a supervisor with the right expertise for your project is essential to success in your doctoral studies. In order for your application to be considered you must identify a lead supervisor who shares an interest in your proposed area of research.
You are required to contact potential supervisors to discuss your proposal before applying. It is essential that a supervisor has indicated willingness to supervise your research project before you submit your application.
You will work closely with your lead supervisor for several years, so it is important to ensure that you have similar research interests and aims for the project. Before approaching a potential supervisor, read some of their publications on their Research Profiles to see if they undertake work in an area relevant to you. This will help you to decide whether they are the right fit for you and your project. When approaching a potential supervisor, it is important to show an appreciation of their research expertise and interests.
Details of research undertaken within the School can be found by exploring our departments and academic staff pages. Our faculty members are research active and the majority of them are available to supervise doctoral students.
When you have identified a supervisor you would like to work with, please email them, and include the following information in your message:
- A short message explaining your background, research interests and why you are interested in undertaking a PhD
- An explanation of why you think they are the right supervisor for your project, demonstrating your familiarity with their research work
- A copy of your CV
- An early draft of your research proposal. Have a look at our PhD Admissions Guide for details on what to include in your proposal.
If you do not send this information you may not get a response to your email, as without these details it will not be possible for a supervisor to assess whether they will be able to supervise your project.
It is fine to send queries to more than one supervisor, but please do not send blanket email requests to more than four academics at a time. These are unlikely to receive a response.
If you do not receive a response from your preferred supervisor after a week, then feel free to send them a reminder. If a supervisor is interested they will invite you for an interview and all applications are reviewed at School level. Please note that a supervisor’s agreement to supervise you does not guarantee entry to the programme. You must submit an online application with all of the required documents before the School is able to make a full assessment of your suitability.
3. Write your personal statement
We ask that you also write a short supporting statement (c. 500 words) explaining:
- Your motivation for applying for a PhD
- Why you are well suited to undertaking a PhD (appropriate expertise, personal skills, etc.)
- What you are hoping to do after you complete your PhD
- Why you have selected your preferred supervisor(s)
- Why King’s Business School is the best place for you to undertake your project
4. Apply online
Submit your application via King’s Apply, our online application portal. Select either Management Studies Research MPhil/PhD (Full Time) or Management Studies Research MPhil/PhD (Part Time) depending on your preferred mode of study. Please note that only applicants for Full Time study are eligible for a King’s Business School studentship.
Your application requires the following:
- Research proposal of 1,500 words, to be uploaded on the portal
- The name of your preferred supervisor
- Personal statement of 500 words, to be pasted in the ‘Supporting Statement’ box
- One academic reference which is recent and valid. You can invite your referee to upload their reference directly or you can upload copies of the reference letter to the online application form
- A sample of your previous written work (typically, your Master’s dissertation)
- English language test certificate, unless you meet the criteria for an exemption.Valid degree transcripts for both undergraduate and master’s degrees, which include marksheets showing all modules taken and marks received. If your transcripts are not in English, please provide an official translation
- Details on how you will fund your studies. If you are applying for a King’s College London studentship you must enter the scholarship code details in the online form
5. Apply for funding
Most PhD students require funding to support their studies. To increase your chances of securing funding, we strongly encourage you to apply to all studentship competitions for which you are eligible.
A variety of competitions are open to students accepted to the King’s Business School PhD Programme and a comprehensive database of studentships is available through the Centre for Doctoral Studies. Some of the key competitions include:
King’s Business School Studentships
Open to all full-time applicants to the PhD Programme, regardless of fee status, King’s Business School studentships pay fees in full and an annual stipend. Applicants to the King’s Business School studentships are expected to also apply to any other King’s studentships for which they are eligible. The competition opens in early October each year.
London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP) Studentships
These studentships, funded by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council, are available to Home and International students (including EU students). The deadline is 26 January 2024.
King’s Postgraduate Research International Scholarships
More information about this scheme will be updated in the above link.
Open to Overseas applicants only, these studentships fund international fees and a stipend. To apply mention the relevant scholarship code when you submit your online application to King’s Apply.
King’s China Council Scholarships
Open to citizens and permanent residents of the People’s Republic of China, these scholarships provide international fees, an annual living allowance and visa application fees. To apply mention the relevant scholarship code when you submit your online application to King’s Apply, and fill out the CSC application form (available online).
6. Application Deadlines
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed. We may need to request further information from you during the application process.
There will be two application rounds for the single starting point of October 2025. The deadlines for both application rounds are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time).
Round 1
- October 2025 entry – Application deadline for all applicants: 1 December 2024
Round 2
- October 2025 entry – Application deadline for all applicants: 1 June 2025
Please note, any application received after 1 December 2024 will automatically be considered for the second round.
Applications submitted by the 1 December 2024 will have 7 days to ensure that their application is complete including references. Applications with items outstanding after this time will also be considered for the second round.
UK Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £6,168 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,084 per year
International Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £22,410 per year
Part time tuition fees: £11,205 per year
UK Tuition Fees 2025/26
Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,300 per year
International Tuition Fees 2025/26
Full time tuition fees: £25,500 per year
Part time tuition fees: £12,750 per year
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Base campus
Strand Campus
Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
Located in Bush House, in the heart of London, King's Business School is one of the UK’s most prestigious academic centres for the study of management and business with an outstanding reputation for the quality of our research and teaching. It has been ranked top in London for Business & Management studies (The Complete University Guide 2019) and the Business School’s research output is ranked in the UK’s top 10 in Business and Management according the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.
The School is a member of the innovative, multi-institutional LISS-DTP group (London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership), which draws together doctoral training opportunities at some of London’s top institutions: King’s, Imperial College London and Queen Mary, University of London. Supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), this partnership offers doctoral students excellent opportunities to develop their research skills and experience and to work as part of an interdisciplinary community of researchers.
Our research is built around a number of strategic research centres and groupings, which conduct both theoretically-driven and applied research. These groups are inclusive and active, encouraging cross-group membership, interdisciplinarity, and collaboration with members of the School and other researchers across the College. In addition, we have strong links with leading scholars from across the world, as well as with researchers and practitioners in private and public sector institutions in the UK and abroad.
Key benefits
International profile: The school has a renowned international profile in our core areas of research. Our academic staff work at the cutting edge of business and management research and make a major contribution to the shaping and development of management theory and practice in the UK and beyond.
Location: King’s Business School is located in Bush House in Central London and is close to the city’s world-leading and vibrant business, political and cultural hubs. Therefore, students at King’s Business School are ideally placed to make the most of what London has to offer, professionally and academically.
Research income: The Business School’s world-leading research attracts a substantial amount of research income, from the UK’s research councils (ESRC, EPSRC, AHRC) as well as from other major funders such as the Leverhulme Trust, EU, CIPD, CIMA, RPSGB and government bodies.
Postgraduate Research environment
Postgraduate research students are a vital part of the School’s life and community. Doctoral students have access to dedicated workspaces, computing and printing facilities, and receive financial support for conferences and specialised training. Each year we hold a two-day PhD symposium where all doctoral students present their work to the School and receive feedback from peers, supervisors, and other academics.
UK requirements
- Master's degree with a Merit
- and a Bachelor's degree with 2:1 in a relevant subject
Equivalent International qualifications
English language requirements
English language band:
B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
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. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Key information
Award:
MPhil
PhD
Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Campus:
Strand Campus
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