Publisher
source

Lars Chittka

11 months ago

PhD Position: Cognition in Insects (CSC Scholarship) Queen Mary University of London in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Neuroscience

Funding

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Deadline

Expired

Country flag

Country

United Kingdom

University

Queen Mary University of London

Suggested scholarships

Publisher
source

Mojtaba Soltanlou

University College London

Country flag

United Kingdom

🎓 Fully funded PhD opportunity at University College London (UCL) in the Learning Brain Lab through the UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership . This opening is aligned with developmental neuroscience , cognitive neuroscience , and educational neuroscience , with a strong focus on learning and brain research. The studentship is described as fully funded and includes tuition fees plus an annual maintenance stipend . Eligibility: both home applicants and international applicants may apply. Home applic...

Education
Psychology
Biology
+3 more

1 month ago

Publisher
source

University of Oxford

Country flag

United Kingdom

[Fully funded studentships; stipend not less than £22,460 per annum (tax-free), plus support for conference attendance and consumables.] The University of Oxford Department invites applications for DPhil Studentships starting in October 2027. These fully funded doctoral studentships support research in internationally renowned programmes focused on the causes and treatments of psychiatric illness, spanning the translational spectrum. Projects may sit within any of the department’s research domai...

Psychology
Cognitive Science
Neuropsychology
+3 more

Posted Yesterday

Publisher
source

University of Leeds

Country flag

United Kingdom

Leeds Access to Research Scholarship 2027 (PGR-F-474) is a doctoral funding opportunity at the University of Leeds for prospective postgraduate researchers from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups. The scholarship is available for PhD / research degree study across all Faculties in Session 2027/28. This is a scholarship/studentship rather than a job opening. It supports applicants who are eligible for Home (UK) fee status or who have refugee/asylum seeker/humanitarian protection sta...

Computer Science
Education
Psychology
+3 more

3 weeks ago

Publisher
source

University of Sussex

Country flag

United Kingdom

Fully funded PhD opportunity in Neuroscience at the University of Sussex (UK) through the Sussex Neuroscience 4-Year PhD Programme. This call is aimed at students interested in motor control , neural circuits , movement disorders , and the biological mechanisms underlying movement. The programme offers up to four funded places for September 2027 entry. Funding: full tuition fees are covered, including international tuition, plus a maintenance stipend of £21,805 per year at the 2026/27 UKRI rate....

Psychology
Biomedical Engineering
Biology
+3 more

2 days ago

Publisher
source

University College London

Country flag

United Kingdom

Fully funded PhD opportunity in computational and theoretical neuroscience at University College London (UCL) , through the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit PhD Programme . This is a strong fit for students interested in neuroinformatics , machine learning , neural data analysis, mathematical modelling, and computational approaches to brain research. The programme is based in London, United Kingdom and runs for four years . Funding includes full tuition fees for both home and international...

Computer Science
Cognitive Science
Mathematics
+5 more

2 days ago

Keywords

Neuroscience
Psychology
Cognitive Science
Biology
Energy Efficiency
Navigation
Vision Science
Pollination Biology
Social Behavior
Facial Recognition
Concept Analysis
Neuroinformatics
Memory Formation
Numeracy
Digital Tools
Consciousness Studies
Social Communication
Collision Avoidance
Insect Behavior

About this position

This PhD position at Queen Mary University of London, supervised by Professor Lars Chittka, offers an opportunity to explore cognition in insects through a China Scholarship Council (CSC) joint scholarship programme. The project scope is broad, encompassing any area within Prof Chittka’s expertise, such as insect cognition, social learning, communication, vision, neural computation, insect emotions, consciousness and its welfare implications, and pollination biology. The research investigates how the tiny insect brain achieves complex tasks like long-distance navigation, collision avoidance, face recognition, concept learning, numerical skills, tool use, and high memory capacity.

The lab leverages principles of energy-efficient computing in miniature brains, with potential applications in computer science and artificial intelligence. Both bottom-up and top-down attentional processes are studied, alongside neural-computational modeling to understand visual information processing in bees. The research environment is dynamic and international, with advanced technology and computing equipment. Students receive training in automated behavioural monitoring, psychological analyses, statistics, and scientific writing, benefiting from a supervisor with a strong track record of mentoring successful PhD students.

The scholarship covers full tuition fees (Queen Mary) and living expenses plus a return flight (CSC) for eligible Chinese applicants. Candidates must hold or expect a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s in a relevant field (biology, neuroscience, psychology), and meet English language requirements. Applications must be submitted online by January 28, 2026, with all required documentation.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed, and successful applicants will receive a conditional offer letter before applying to CSC for the scholarship. For more information, visit the lab and university web pages or contact admissions.

Funding details

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

What's required

Applicants must be citizens and permanent residents of the People’s Republic of China, hold a Chinese passport, and be applying for CSC funding. Candidates should have or expect to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in a relevant area such as biology, neuroscience, or psychology. Knowledge of behavioural experiments (especially with insects) or computational neuroscience methods is advantageous but not required. Applicants must meet the IELTS requirements for their course and upload evidence before the CSC application deadline, ideally by March 1, 2026. All required documentation, including CV, personal statement, English language certificate, academic transcripts, degree certificates, and references, must be submitted by the application deadline.

ApplyKite TwinLearns as you apply

Make your next move.

Prepare your application

Review drafts and confirm requirements with the provider.

Professors

Professor at School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences

University Name
Country flag

United Kingdom

Research Interests

Behavioral Neuroscience

Entomology

Animal Behavior

Insect Behavior

Swarm Intelligence