Climate and environmental change, featuring the increase in abnormal weather events, such as prolonged and more extreme heat and pollution events (Ofremu, 2024), has become one of the most urgent global issues in recent years with far-reaching impact on human physical health. A more recent finding is that air pollution and extreme heat can also have profound negative effects on mental health, but this is under-researched – less than 1% of 54,000 papers on climate change published before 2020 mention mental health (Bansal & Arih, 2022). However, three recent reports from The UK Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP 2022; UK Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022) and the Physiological Society in 2024 identified that there is a sparsity of life course evidence between air pollution, extreme heat and mental health which hinders policies and healthcare interventions that could improve population mental health and wellbeing and reduce associated high healthcare and social costs. Benefiting from collaborations within King’s College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and University College London who can provide access to data on temperature and air pollution and routinely collected mental health records (e.g. Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) network), this project aims to systematically explore associations between rising temperatures, air pollution and population mental health and mental health service use. Throughout the project, the PhD candidate will use a range of advanced Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and state of the art statistical techniques and epidemiological designs (under main supervision of IB) to gain a deep understanding of how climate and environmental stressors could affect population mental health and mental health services and the potential mechanisms and moderators (under main supervision of CM).
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The impact of climate and enviromental change on population mental health and mental health services: A population-based natural experiment
We are now accepting applications for 1 October 2026
How to apply
Candidates should possess or be expected to achieve a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in a relevant subject including the biosciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, chemistry, physics, and be enthusiastic about combining their expertise with other disciplines in the field of healthcare.
Important information for International Students:
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa. Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study. Further detail can be found under the International Students tab below.
How to apply
Closing date: 12 January 2026 (23:59 hrs GMT)
Create an account with King’s Apply.
Apply to the EPSRC DRIVE-Health: Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health MPhil/PhD (Full-time).
Please ensure you read the full information required on our Apply page, particularly relating to Personal Statement and Supporting Information.
Complete the following sections of the application with all the relevant information.
- A PDF copy of your CV should be uploaded to the Employment History section.
- A 500-word personal statement is required outlining your motivation for undertaking postgraduate research with the CDT, and you only need to choose one way to provide it. You can either type it directly into the application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or upload it as a separate document if you have a longer statement (maximum two pages).
- Please nominate up to 3 projects of particular interest by quoting the project codes in the research proposal section of the online application form.
Funding:
Please choose Option 5 “I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London” in the funding section.
Under “Award Scheme Code or Name” enter “EPSRC DRIVE-Health 2026”.
Failing to include one of these codes might result in you not being considered for funding.
Questions marked * are mandatory and you will not be able to submit without answering.
Non-EU international applicants are advised that ATAS may be required. While there is no charge to apply for ATAS, processing can take up to 3 months. Please read the Important Information for International Students.
Funding
Enhanced Studentships to Attract Top Talent
Each studentship is fully funded for 4 years.
This includes tuition fees, a stipend and a generous allowance for project consumables.
Tuition Fees: these will be covered for both Home and International students.
Stipend: students will receive a tax-free living allowance of £25,403.40 per year (current projection for Academic Year 2026/27).
Research Training Support Grant (RTSG): up to £20,000 over 4 years for research consumables and attending national and international conferences.
International
Important Information for International Students
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa.
Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study.
Additionally, depending on your chosen project, some nationals may need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a visa. The ATAS application process can take up to 3 months and so it is essential that you apply for this early. Please note the following:
• If you need to apply for a student visa, you cannot submit your visa application until your ATAS certificate has been issued.
• If you are applying for any other visa, you cannot enrol at King’s and start your programme unless your ATAS certificate has been issued.
• If you apply late, you may not be able to join on the expected entry point and your registration may be postponed
Please review the following article for further information on the ATAS certificate and how to apply:Do I need ATAS clearance before I start my course at King’s?
For further advice, please contact the Visas & International Student Advice as soon as possible.
Eligibilty
Academic Requirements and Eligibility
We welcome eligible Home and International applicants from any personal background who are pleased to join diverse and friendly research groups.
Open to Home and International applicants.
Applicable level of study: Postgraduate research.
English Language Requirements (Band D)
Based on the IELTS test scoring system, this programme requires that successful candidates achieve the following level of English before enrolling. Successful applicants’ offer letters will include information about when they must have achieved this standard.
Overall: 6.5
Listening: 6
Speaking: 6
Reading: 6
Writing: 6
Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.