Entry and Eligibility criteria

E5 DTP studentships are fully funded and we welcome applications from candidates of all nationalities and across all fee status categories. Your eligibility is based on meeting the University of Edinburgh's PhD entry requirements. Links to the relevant pages are at the bottom of the page. 

What's included

• Stipend to support living costs in the UK for up to 4 years (currently £20,780 for the academic year 2025-26)
• Tuition fees
• Research costs to support your project

UKRI funded studentships do not include visa costs, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), travel (flights) and / or any other costs associated with moving to the UK.  

The University of Edinburgh will cover the difference between Home and international fees, so international students will not need to cover the funding gap. 

We welcome applications from international applicants, though it is important to note that UKRI limits the number of International students to 30% of the total DTP intake per year. 

Competition for a place on the E5 DTP is very high, and we encourage you to contact your chosen supervisor early to discuss your project interests and suitability. Each supervisor can only nominate a limited number of students per project.

Part-time study

Part-time study is available for students who do not require a visa to study in the UK.  Please discuss this option with your potential supervisor if this is something you are interested in. 

Entry Requirements

Academic Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must have a good Honours Degree (minimum of 2.1) or equivalent. We may also take relevant work experience and/or a Master's degree into account. 

The E5 DTP aims to recruit PhD students from a diverse range of backgrounds. Our selection process looks at both academic and professional experience, and we do not consider a Master's degree a requirement for an application to an E5 studentship.

If your degree is not from the UK, please check the University of Edinburgh's Postgraduate Entry Requirements by Region directory to find the equivalent in your country. 

English Language Requirements

All applicants must meet the University of Edinburgh's English Language requirements for postgraduate study. 

If your degree was taught and assessed in English, this may meet the requirement.  This includes degrees completed: 

1. In a majority English-speaking country or territory, as defined by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI).

or

2. At one of the approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries.

If your are not a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts. 

Expiry of qualifications

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins.  

Two year expiry

Three and a half year expiry

If you already hold an English language test result that meets the above requirements, please upload it with your application. 

If you do not currently have a valid test result, we recommend waiting until you know the outcome of your written application (in early February) before booking a test. 

You do not need to provide English Language test results at the time of application. However, if you are invited to interview and are subsequently made an offer, the admissions teams will issue a conditional offer until you provide an English language test certificate that meets the University's requirements. You will normally have around two months to submit this.