Application guidance

Understand more about the recruitment and enrolment process.

The application process has been simplified this year and is now via a single application (Microsoft Form) form that can be completed and submitted any time up the window closing at midday on Thursday 30 April 2026.

Application form

The application form will include details about yourself, your sponsor details (contact details), as well as your responses to 5 ‘to be assessed’ questions.

In relation to the information you provide about yourself, this is not shared or used any wider. It is purely for our records and for analysis purposes (for example, gender split in applications) and where it is not attributed to any individual in any reporting.

The 5 ‘to be assessed’ questions relate to your role, as well as your perceived suitability and motivations for wanting to undertake the programme (including consideration of measuring onward value through digital change). These questions are assessed - in isolation from any other information received - for each application.

Importantly, as the type of form we use does not allow the user the option to save and return to it, we recommend (if you wish to revisit and revise responses before submission) drafting responses elsewhere and inserting them into the form before submitting.

To help you with this, the 5 ‘to be assessed questions’ are:

Question 1

Describe your role and the scale of your responsibilities as a digital change leader in the NHS.

What is the scale/investment level of the change you lead? Why is DHLP crucial in supporting you in your role? 

Response: max 3000 characters including spaces

We are looking for applicants to demonstrate they are responsible - here and now - for directly leading significant change that brings/will bring real impact for end users and/or patients.

Question 2

Set out how you will demonstrate the direct impact/value the learning will have on measured change outcomes at an organisation and system level.  

How might we determine successful outcomes? What could your measurable impact plan look like? 

Response: max 3000 characters including spaces

To maintain the value and sustainability of DHLP and to assure the significant investment being made, we are looking for applicants to set out some measures of impact that relate to specific change they are leading, aligned to the learning from DHLP.

Question 3

Describe how you will be working directly with your sponsor and other influential senior people to ensure you can realise the best value possible from DHLP.

How will these people act as a potential enabler for you? How will they help make your measurable impact plan a success?

Response: max 2500 characters including spaces

We are looking for applicants to demonstrate clarity and assurance – regarding a strong link with their sponsor and influential people in their network and that they are confident their sponsor will be supporting them throughout – and after - in realising the value of the learning in their role.

Question 4

Describe the added value you will bring for the rest of the cohort through sharing your own experiences and perspectives, as well as for other NHS colleagues through onward sharing/application of learning.

How do you perceive your own role in making this cohort a success, supporting others in the group? Are you prepared to support others with learning, i.e. being part of an alumni teaching faculty?

Response: max 2000 characters including spaces

We are looking for applicants to show how they will personally contribute (give and take) to the dynamic of the cohort, as well as ensure the learning they take on board can be applied directly to others.

Question 5

Tell us what you expect to get out of DHLP from a personal and career perspective.

How will it cement your commitment to being a change leader in the NHS? Are there any specific parts of the programme content that really excite you?

Response: max 2000 characters including spaces

We are looking for applicants to demonstrate their understanding of DHLP itself (the broad content) and it’s fit to personal development and career goals.

As with previous cohorts, applications are open to any member of the NHS workforce in England who meet the employment and academic eligibility criteria and we don’t stop or restrict applications in any way (for example, by organisation, by grade/role, whether clinical or non-clinical). 

Assessment process

Following closure of the application window (30 April 2026), applications are collated and personal/sensitive information (including name) removed to ensure applications are as anonymised as possible, i.e. an assessor is only asked to assess/score based on the 5 ‘to be assessed’ questions. Only at the final stage of the recruitment process do we match up the assessed part with applicant details and then email with an outcome.

As with recent cohort recruitment, each application will be randomly allocated to two independent assessors. And if significant discrepancies are found between the two assessor scores, we bring in moderation through an independent third assessor.

We will hold a reserve list (applicants will be notified at outcome stage if they part of the reserve list) should anyone not be able to take up their offer of a place, which does happen on occasion.

A further point to note around oversubscription. We have 60 places available to fill on Cohort 9. In the past this number has been as high as 100, and even 110, so nearly twice the size. For Cohort 8, around 350 people applied which mean that around 1 in 6 were able to secure a place on the programme (for example, this figure was around 1 in 3 for Cohort 7).

Outcomes will be emailed to applicants on the same day. If unsuccessful, due to the volume of applications unfortunately we will be unable to provide detailed feedback on any individual application.

Sponsor

Where an application has been successful and an offer of a place has been made, we will then contact the nominated senior sponsor for that applicant to ask for that sponsor to provide a statement of support that backs up the applicant’s suitability as well as the direct impact and value they and their organisation will be looking to realise from the programme.

We do not assess (score) the sponsor statement – that wouldn’t be fair on applicants – but it is very important that it is in place to corroborate the application, and clearly getting the right sponsor is important as they play such an important role. Any offer made to take up a place on the programme will be dependent upon us receiving a satisfactory senior sponsor statement.

The sponsor requirements are covered in the Eligibility section above, however for clarity we would expect that the sponsor will be:

• Endorsing the application. The Digital Health Leadership Programme is usually over-subscribed. We therefore ask sponsors to carefully consider before endorsing an application to help ensure that the most suitable candidates are put forward and that they confirm that – in their knowledge – the learner meets the application criteria
• Confirming that they have a strong link to the applicant
• Confirming that they are happy and able to fulfil their key roles and responsibilities during the programme
• Meeting with the applicant to discuss, agree and support their Impact Development Plan

And throughout the programme the sponsor will:

• Have the capability and authority to provide the space and time required to focus on the programme. They must ensure that a learner can be released from their regular duties to attend experiential and live learning sessions
• Directly support the learner in successfully actioning the agreed Impact Development Plan
• Maintain regular contact with the learner and act as an advisor, connector and/or encourager
• Work with the learner to identify projects and opportunities aligned to organisation/system business strategy, so they can use their learning in practice
• Take an interest in academic life and support with pastoral care. Support with career plans and accelerating progression
• Help find solutions to barriers and challenges a learner may be experiencing on the programme
• Help the learner to develop their leadership style and equip them with support and sponsorship to lead through transformational change
• Be required to attend touchpoint calls between the learner and Imperial College London, as appropriate

Enrolment with Imperial

If you are successful in your application, you will begin your enrolment process with Imperial College London immediately following notification of outcomes (anticipated Friday 22 May 2026) prior to commencing the learning in September 2026.

It is important that you begin the enrolment process in good time to ensure everything is set up prior to starting the course.

You will need information referenced in the Imperial College London Application and Admissions process for enrolment. We advise all candidates to have this information collated as early as possible to ensure a smooth on-boarding process.

During enrolment you will need to:

• Demonstrate your capability for English Language (usually by demonstration that you have GCSE or equivalent in English, or that your degree was conducted in English)
• Upload your application form for the Digital Health Leadership Programme (to note, it is a good idea to save a copy of your application upon submission so can reuse where appropriate)
• Provide 2 referees
• Provide verified, physical copies of your highest qualifications if you have a UK Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) at 2.2 or equivalent. For this, you will need to locate your documentation. If you achieved your qualifications prior to 2000, please ensure you contact your university in good time
• Undertake an interview and written assessment if you do not have a UK BSc at 2.2 or equivalent - we do not want degrees to be a barrier to applying for this programme, so having a previous degree is not a pre-requisite

If you are an overseas applicant

If you are an overseas applicant, you will need to upload your passport and visa, or Indefinite Leave to Remain documentation - you must be able to demonstrate proof of right to study in the UK for the whole duration of the eligibility period for the cohort (that is, through to August 2027).

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Imperial College London team at [email protected] 

Inclusive recruitment

We are continuously improving our approach to developing our recruitment processes. We are guided by evidence and introduce initiatives which aim to encourage a diverse range of individuals to both apply and be successful in securing a place on the Digital Health Leadership Programme.