Funding for EU students
Funding for EU students
Applicants
Information for prospective postgraduate students who are from the EU should follow the link below where information can be found on studying in the UK post-Brexit i.e. fees and funding, travel and visas, etc.
Research Council Studentships
For 2025 entry, 30% of the studentships funded by UKRI (STFC and EPSRC) are available to international students. Research Council studentships are awarded by the School of Physics and Astronomy on receipt of an application for a PhD place through the online system and satisfactory interview, and do not require a separate application. Further information can be found at the individual research council links below. The initial application deadline is 6th January 2025 for Astronomy applicants and 17th January 2025 for Condensed Matter, Nuclear Physics, Particle Physics applicants. Applications reached after the deadline will continue to be considered until all the positions are filled. To ensure your application gets to the correct people and won't be held up please ensure you indicate which Institute you are applying for: Astronomy, CM (hard) or CM (soft), NP, PPE, PPT.
Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships
Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships are open to UK and overseas students applying to start their first year of study for an on-campus research degree in 2024-25
. Three Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships are available for a PhD student starting their PhD research in the School of Physics and Astronomy in the 2024/25 academic year.
The Scholarship covers the University tuition fee as well as a stipend equal to the UKRI minimum rate, for the relevant academic year of study, approximately £19,237 per year (2024/25 rate). Subject to satisfactory progress, the Scholarship is offered for 4 years. Applicants should indicate on their application to study for a PhD that they wish to be considered for this Scholarship. To ensure your application gets to the correct people and won't be held up please ensure you indicate which Institute you are applying for: Astronomy, CM (hard) or CM (soft), NP, PPE, PPT.
Doctoral Training Schemes
There are two doctoral training schemes open to UK/EU students: the Soft Matter and Functional Interfaces Centre for Doctoral Training and the Mathematical Modelling, Analysis and Computation (MAC-MIGS) Centre for Doctoral Training
Higgs Prize PhD Studentships in Theoretical Physics
Applications are invited for up to three international Higgs Prize PhD Studentships across theoretical physics, starting September 2025. We are particularly interested in recruiting students with a strong mathematical background who are passionate to study and explore the fundamental laws of Nature.
The Prize will cover fees and a tax-free four-year stipend, matching the level of the UK Research Council Maintenance Allowance rates (£19,237 per annum (24/25 rate), as well as research funds of £1.2k per annum to cover books, computing and conference costs.
Applications are open to all students with no conditions on nationality. Furthermore, we value diversity, and strongly encourage female candidates and underrepresented groups to apply.
Before applying, interested candidates should get in touch with a supervisor from the Higgs Centre (a theoretical physicist who is an academic member of staff in the School of Physics and Astronomy) to support their application.
Applicants are advised to include in their application a statement of interest regarding the Higgs Prize PhD Studentship under the ‘Research Proposal’ category (there is no need to write a detailed research proposal, just a brief description of the general topic agreed upon with the supervisor). The selection panel will take into account supporting statements from the prospective supervisors.
Students who have already applied and wish to submit a statement of interest for this Studentship are welcome to send their statements by email to: gradschool.physics [at] ed.ac.uk
Note, if you are not able to meet the deadline, please get in touch with us.
Further funding opportunities
The University Scholarships and Student Finance pages may contain information on further funding opportunities.