The University will offer PhD scholarships for students starting their PhD research at the University in the 2024-2025 academic session. Applications for this funding opportunity are now closed. Access The University has been working for some time to embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in its activities and to widen participation (WP) for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. The Doctoral College is committed to embedding EDI in all of its policies and processes, and by widening access to postgraduate study to traditionally underrepresented groups, including BAME students and those from the most deprived communities in Scotland and the rest of the world. The Doctoral College wishes to attract the greatest diversity of applications to this scheme and will ensure that recruitment processes are robust and unbiased. Award Each scholarship covers the University tuition fee as well as a stipend equal to the UKRI minimum rate for the relevant academic year of study (for reference, UKRI rate for 2023/24 is £18,622). Subject to satisfactory progress, the scholarship is offered for 3 and a half years (or pro-rata for part time). Eligibility The awards are open to UK and overseas students applying to start their first year of study for an on campus research degree in 2024-2025. Applicants must have already applied for admission to a full-time or part-time on campus PhD research programme of study at the University. We encourage applicants who wish to apply for this scholarship to make contact with their academic school regarding any admission deadlines. Distance PhD candidates are not eligable to apply. Please check the Entry Requirements for your proposed programme of study for details of other acceptable English language qualifications. You may apply for the scholarship prior to obtaining the necessary English language test results but the results should be uploaded as soon as possible. These awards cannot be held concurrently with fully-funded scholarships but can be held with partially-funded scholarships and will be reduced pro-rata. Criteria Applicants must be of outstanding academic merit and research potential. Candidates must have, or expect to obtain, a UK first class or 2:1 honours degree at undergraduate level or the international equivalent. Other factors such as financial status, nationality and the proposed field of study are not taken into account. The University will not generally consider candidates who have already obtained a PhD, or formal equivalent, as a result of direct research training. Training Undertake a package of training and development which will help them to develop the necessary skills required to meet their career choices and offer them a breadth of development opportunities in areas such as teaching, public engagement, entrepreneurship, data science, and research. Terms and conditions Duration The scholarships are awarded for three and a half years (or pro-rata if taken on a part time basis) and subject to the award holder’s satisfactory progression at annual review. Termination The award will be terminated when the thesis is submitted, if the programme of study is changed and the new programme is not eligible for the scholarship, if the student is excluded or withdraws. Suspension The award may be suspended if the student is on Authorised Interruption of Study. In some circumstances the stipend may be continued, see 7 and 8 below. Level of stipend The level of stipend awarded to eligible Students will be at least equal to the UKRI minimum rate for the relevant academic year (approx 18,622 for 2023/24). The precise value will be determined by the School/Institute or Deanery. Extensions The period of a Student’s support can be extended in line with the UKRI Terms and Conditions, to offset a period of absence for maternity leave, shared parental leave, adoption leave, absences covered by a medical certificate and extended jury service. The total period of an agreed extension should not normally exceed 12 months during the lifetime of an award. Early Submission Students may submit their thesis prior to the end of their award in line with the UKRI Terms and Conditions. Where the Student continues to undertake work that is directly linked to their thesis, it is permissible to continue their funding until the end of the quarter in which the thesis is first submitted. Where the Student submits on or after the original end date of their award, funding must cease on the original award end date. Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Parental Leave Students are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity or shared parental leave in line with the UKRI Terms and Conditions. The first 26 weeks should be paid at full stipend rate, pro-rated as necessary for part time Students. The following 13 weeks should be paid at a level commensurate with statutory maternity pay. The final 13 weeks are not paid. Partners are entitled to up to 10 days paid Ordinary Paternity Leave on full stipend. Partners may be entitled to up to 50 weeks of Shared Parental Leave; this may include paid and unpaid leave, depending on the individual circumstances, any paid leave should be at full stipend. Adoption leave should be granted on the same basis as maternity leave. There is no qualifying period for maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave. Additionally, their Studentship end date should be updated to reflect the period of leave. Sick Leave Payment of a Studentship must continue for absences covered by a medical certificate for up to thirteen weeks within any 12 month period in line with the UKRI Terms and Conditions. If the illness lasts for more than thirteen weeks the Studentship will be suspended for the period beyond the thirteen weeks. Annual Leave Research students are entitled to a maximum of eight weeks annual leave each calendar year. Students must seek approval for vacation leave from their supervisor and the School Postgraduate Office. Visa restrictions may also apply in the case of International students. The Postgraduate Degree Programme Regulations apply (Regulation 46). Intellectual property The default position is that the student will automatically own all intellectual property rights to work done and results created by them during their research project / studentship. The University Policy on Student Intellectual Property Rights applies. Training All students are expected to undertake training in both Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as well as Responsible Research. Applying The deadline for School applications is 23:59 GMT, 1 February 2024. In order to gain access to the scholarship application system applicants must have applied for admission to the University of Edinburgh. Please note that, following the submission of an application for admission, it can take up to ten working days for all system checks to be completed and for access to be granted. The online scholarship application form is located in EUCLID and can be accessed via MyEd our web-based information portal at https://www.myed.ed.ac.uk When logging in to MyEd, you will need your University User Name and password. If you require assistance, please go to http://www.ed.ac.uk/student-systems/support-guidance Completed PhD admission applications must have been made by 23:59 GMT, Monday 13th November 2023 in order to be eligible to apply for this scholarship. Selection procedure The University will use the information you provide on your scholarship application form together with the information contained in the supporting documentation (reference and academic transcript) which you submitted as part of your application for admission to administer and assess your scholarship application and to select successful applicants. Shortlisted candidates should expect to be invited to attend an interview which will take place either in person or by telephone.
