The University will offer PhD scholarships for students starting their PhD research at the University in the 2026-2027 academic session. 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, 2025/26 stipend is £20,780 for full-time students, or the pro rata equivalent for part-time students). 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 or by distance research degree in 2026-2027.Applicants must have already applied for admission to a full-time or part-time on campus or by distance PhD research programme of study at the University. Completed PhD admission applications must have been made by 23:59 GMT, Monday 10th November 2025.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:teachingpublic engagemententrepreneurshipdata scienceresearch Applying 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.Completed PhD admission applications must have been made by 23:59 GMT, Monday 10th November 2025 in order to be eligible to apply for this scholarship.Scholarship applications must be submitted online by 23:59 CMT, Monday 2nd February 2026. 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.ukWhen 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 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.The University reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend or withdraw any of the advertised scholarships, without notice.
