How to Apply - E5 Doctoral Training Partnership

2. Prepare your application documents 

      Before applying, prepare the required documents and save them as PDFs. You will need to upload the following to the E5 application portal. 

Mandatory documents: You can download the required forms at the bottom of this page. The EDI form must be completed online, as explained below

• E5 Studentship form
• Academic CV (no more than 2 pages) - guidance can be found here

• Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form (EDI) - Once you have completed the EDI form: 

  • Copy and paste the EDI Response ID into your Studentship Form
  • Download a copy of the completed form and save as a PDF
  • Upload the PDF to the E5 application portal

  Academic supporting documents 

  Please provide the following documents, where applicable: 

• Final undergraduate transcript
• Final undergraduate certificate
• Final postgraduate transcript
• Final postgraduate certificate

• Interim transcripts if you are still studying (request these as early as possible, as these can take several weeks to obtain)

  If your documents are not in English, you must also provide Official English translations. Combine each original document and its corresponding English translation into a single PDF before uploading.

  Immigration-status evidence

  Applicants with the following immigration statuses should provide evidence as part of their application:

• EU, EEA or Swiss citizens with settled or pre-settled status: Upload a screenshot of your online UKVI status, which is accessible from this link:  View or prove your immigration status.
• Evidence of Immigration Status for applicants with Indefinite Leave to Remain or Indefinite Leave to Enter - Please upload a screenshot of your eVisa, or other evidence of your immigration status. You can access your eVisa through: eVisas 
• We do not require to see any supporting documentation for International applications.

• Valid English Language test results, if applicable - this is only required if offered a place (see the University of Edinburgh's English Language requirements).

All forms and supporting documents should be completed and submitted as PDFs, as other file types (e.g., Word) are difficult to read and may affect the review process.

3. Contact your referees early 

All applications must provide two referees, which may be academic or professional. Your proposed PhD supervisor or a member of the supervisory  team cannot act as a referee. 

Contact your referees well before the application deadline to make sure they are available to have the time to complete the official E5 reference form. This is particularly important if you have not been in touch with them recently. 

Reference letters are not accepted - Referees must use the official E5 DTP form and submit it using an official institutional or company email address. Personal emails such as Gmail or Yahoo are not accepted. 

You can download the reference form and share it with your referees in advance.  When you add their details to the application portal, this will trigger an automatic email with instructions for submitting their reference. 

It is your responsibility to contact your referees in plenty of time. 

Applications must be submitted through the E5 DTP recruitment portal.   

• Supervisor led projects:  click “Apply for this project" at the  bottom of your chosen project.    

• Student led projects – Once your project is approved, the Admissions Team will provide you with a personal link to submit your application. Student led projects that have not been pre-approved will not  be considered. 

  You can create your portal account and prepare your application in stages. Once your account is set up, you can upload your documents at any time before the application deadline.    

In the E5 portal you can: 

• Upload your documents in PDF format.
• Enter your referee details.  Add them as early as possible so they have the time to complete and submit their reference.  
• Update and track the status of your application.  

Important information

• You must submit your application by 12 Noon GMT on 2 December 2026. Applications that are not submitted by the deadline will not be considered. 

You are responsible  for ensuring that all required documents, including references, are received in time for your application to be complete.

You may apply for one project only (either supervisor-led or student-led).  Multiple applications will not be considered and automatically rejected.  

Uploading  your  documents does not submit your application. Once  you have checked that everything is complete, your must click 'submit your application' in the portal. If you do not click this button, your application will not be submitted and cannot be considered, even if all documents have been uploaded. Once you have submitted your application, you will not be able to make any changes.  

6. Selection and Interviews 

Applications will be reviewed after the deadline, and shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview. 

Interview arrangements:  

Interviews take place during the last week on of February.

• In person interviews: Applicants who are resident in the UK will be invited to attend an interview in person at the Kings Buildings Campus in Edinburgh. The recruitment days also offer an opportunity to visit the campus and facilities and meet current students.  If you are unable to attend on a particular day, please let us know as soon as possible so we can take this into account when scheduling your interview. Interview times may also be scheduled according to your current residence location where appropriate.
• Online interviews: Applicants who live outside of the UK will be offered an online interview. Online interviews may also be considered in exceptional circumstances for UK-based applicants. 

E5 can contribute up to a maximum of £100 towards travel and subsistence costs incurred when attending an in person interview, including a maximum of one night accommodation where required. Expenses must be fully itemised and receipts must be provided.