Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship
⚠️ This Award Does Not Pay Your Fees — It Reduces Them to the UK Rate
This is the single most misunderstood scholarship in this series, and getting it wrong wastes months of planning.
Each scholarship covers the difference between the tuition fee for a UK/EU graduate student and that chargeable to an overseas graduate student. The awards do not cover maintenance expenses.
The award covers the gap between UK/EU doctoral tuition and the higher overseas rate, bringing your cost down to the domestic level.
You still pay UK-rate tuition. You still fund all your living costs.
What the scholarship removes is the international premium, the extra amount Edinburgh charges overseas students above what a British student pays.
What That Means in Real Numbers
UK PhD tuition typically runs around £5,000–£6,000 per year. Overseas PhD tuition at Edinburgh typically runs £25,000–£35,000 per year depending on discipline (laboratory sciences cost far more than humanities).
| Item | Approximate |
|---|---|
| Overseas PhD tuition | £25,000–£35,000/year |
| UK/EU rate | ~£5,000–£6,000/year |
| What the scholarship covers | ~£19,000–£29,000/year |
| What you still pay in fees | ~£5,000–£6,000/year |
| Living costs (Edinburgh) | £13,000–£16,000/year, ❌ not covered |
So the award is genuinely substantial often £60,000–£90,000 across three years but you must still fund roughly £18,000–£22,000 per year yourself.
This is not a fully funded PhD scholarship. If you need full funding, the Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships (covered below), Commonwealth, Clarendon or Gates Cambridge are the routes to pursue.
The Award
The Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship is the University of Edinburgh’s main funding award for international doctoral students. Each year, 30 scholarships go to overseas students starting a PhD in any field the university offers.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Awards per year | 30 |
| Level | PhD (research degree) |
| Field | Any offered by the University |
| Covers | Difference between UK/EU and overseas tuition |
| Does NOT cover | ❌ Maintenance / living costs |
| Duration | Up to three years, subject to satisfactory progress |
| Value | Varies by programme, depends on your discipline’s fee rate |
The scholarship amount changes depending on the course chosen by the student.
Because the award is the gap between two fee rates, its cash value depends entirely on your subject. A laboratory-based PhD with high overseas fees receives a much larger award than a humanities PhD.
Eligibility
The awards are open to overseas nationals commencing a PhD in any field of study. Applicants must be liable to pay tuition fees at the rate applicable to overseas students and must have applied for admission to a full-time PhD research programme of study. Applicants must be of outstanding academic merit and research potential.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Overseas national, any country |
| Fee status | Must be liable for overseas tuition rates |
| Level | Full-time PhD research programme |
| Stage | Commencing your PhD (first year of study) |
| Field | Any discipline at Edinburgh |
| Selection basis | Outstanding academic merit and research potential |
It Is Merit-Based, Not Need-Based
This scholarship lets the university pull in strong research talent from anywhere in the world, regardless of financial background.
Unlike UCL’s Global Master’s award, your household income is irrelevant here. You are assessed on academic record and research potential alone.
⚠️ Two Separate Applications — and the Order Is Enforced by the System
You must first submit a PhD admission application through Edinburgh’s admissions portal, then separately complete the scholarship application through MyEd. The two are linked but require independent submissions.
The Critical Mechanic
Once your admission application is on record, access the scholarship form through the MyEd portal. You cannot open the scholarship form until your admission application exists in the system.
The scholarship form is physically inaccessible until your admission application has been processed. This is not a guideline, the system will not let you in.
Give Yourself Five Working Days
Get your admission application in at least five working days before the scholarship deadline so it can be processed in time.
Edinburgh’s own guidance suggests a five working day buffer. Submit your PhD admission application at least a week before the scholarship deadline, ideally two.
Your Admission Documents Do Double Duty
Make sure all supporting materials for your PhD application (transcripts, references, research proposal) are in before the scholarship deadline. These documents link automatically to your scholarship application and go to the selection panel.
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.
Your admission transcripts, references and research proposal are what the scholarship panel reads. There is no second set of documents.
This means:
- Your research proposal is your scholarship application in practice
- Your referees must submit before the scholarship deadline, not the admission deadline
- Weak admission documents cannot be fixed at the scholarship stage
Step-by-Step Application
Step 1: Contact a potential supervisor Edinburgh PhD admissions, like all UK research degrees, run on supervisor fit. Email academics whose research aligns with yours, with your CV and a short research summary.
2: Submit your PhD admission application Through Edinburgh’s online admissions portal. Include transcripts, references and your research proposal.
⚠️ At least five working days before the scholarship deadline.
Step 3: Ensure your referees have submitted Your references feed the scholarship panel. Chase them early.
4: Access the scholarship form via MyEd Only possible once your admission application is on record.
Step 5: Complete every section thoroughly Fill out every section thoroughly.
Step 6: Submit before the scholarship deadline
Deadlines
The Global Research Scholarship has historically closed in late January or February.
Eligible applicants should complete an online scholarship application by 23:59 GMT 17 February.
Get your admission application in at least five working days before the scholarship deadline (by about 24 January 2026).
| Stage | Expected Timing |
|---|---|
| PhD admission application | ~late January 2027 (5 working days before scholarship deadline) |
| Scholarship deadline | ~late January – February 2027, 23:59 GMT |
| Results | Spring 2027 |
| Study begins | September 2027 |
⚠️ Confirm exact 2027 dates at ed.ac.uk, deadlines shift between cycles, and individual schools may set earlier admission deadlines.
We encourage applicants who wish to apply for this scholarship to make contact with their academic school regarding any admission deadlines.
Your school may have its own, earlier admission deadline. Contact the department directly.
Related: Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships
If you need full funding rather than a fee reduction, this is the award to target.
The University will offer PhD scholarships for students starting their PhD research at the University in the 2026-2027 academic session. Funding for this award has yet to be confirmed for Academic Year 2027/28. Please continue to check this webpage for updated information.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Open to | UK and overseas students |
| Stage | First year of study for an on-campus research degree |
| Mode | Full-time or part-time, on campus or distance PhD study |
| Prerequisite | Must have already applied for admission |
| 2027/28 status | ⚠️ Funding not yet confirmed, monitor the page |
⭐ Edinburgh Explicitly Widens Access
The University of Edinburgh 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 embeds EDI across all its policies and works to widen access to postgraduate study for traditionally underrepresented groups.
The Doctoral College scheme is explicitly designed for applicants from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds.
⭐ English Test Results Can Follow
You can apply before receiving your English language test results, but upload them as soon as they are available.
You do not need your IELTS or TOEFL result in hand to apply. Upload it as soon as you have it. This is unusually flexible and removes a common blocker.
Other Edinburgh Funding Worth Knowing
GREAT Scholarships — £10,000, Master’s
The University of Edinburgh is offering GREAT Scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year, each worth £10,000. The scholarships are available for all full-time postgraduate taught master’s programmes. The deadline for applications is 1 May 2026.
In partnership with the British Council and the GREAT Britain Campaign, The University of Edinburgh is offering 3 scholarships to students in Thailand, Mexico and Ghana applying for one-year postgraduate courses.
⚠️ GREAT country lists change every cycle. For 2026-27 Edinburgh’s GREAT awards were tied to Thailand, Mexico and Ghana. Check the current list before assuming eligibility.
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Edinburgh
For African students, Edinburgh runs a separate, far more generous Mastercard Foundation programme with on-campus and online tracks covered in its own ScholarWing guide.
AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award
The University of Edinburgh is one of 50 leading institutions to receive an AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award, supporting the strength of its arts and humanities research environment.
Arts and humanities PhD applicants should ask their school about AHRC-linked studentships alongside the Global Research Scholarship.
About Edinburgh
Edinburgh ranks consistently in the global top 20 and offers doctoral programmes across sciences, engineering, arts, humanities, and social sciences.
With over 49,000 students from over 160 countries, The University of Edinburgh has one of the largest and most vibrant international communities in the UK.
Founded in 1583, Edinburgh is one of the world’s great research universities and Scotland’s flagship institution. Living costs run roughly £13,000–£16,000 per year, below London, above Sheffield and Coventry.
Who This Suits
✅ Good fit if you:
- Are applying for a PhD and can fund UK-rate fees plus living costs
- Have family support, savings, a loan, or partial home-country funding
- Have a strong research proposal and a supervisor who wants you
- Are in a high-fee discipline (where the fee gap and so the award is largest)
❌ Poor fit if you:
- Need full funding target Edinburgh Doctoral College, Commonwealth, Clarendon or Gates Cambridge
- Are applying for a Master’s, look at GREAT Scholarships instead
- Cannot fund roughly £18,000–£22,000 per year yourself
Quick Reference
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship |
| University | University of Edinburgh, global top 20 |
| Level | PhD only |
| Awards | 30 per year |
| Field | Any offered by the University |
| Covers | ⚠️ Difference between UK/EU and overseas tuition only |
| Does NOT cover | ❌ Maintenance / living costs |
| You still pay | UK-rate tuition (~£5,000–£6,000/yr) + living costs |
| Duration | Up to 3 years, subject to satisfactory progress |
| Value | Varies by discipline (the fee gap) |
| Nationality | Any overseas national |
| Fee status | Must be liable for overseas rates |
| Selection basis | Merit, academic record + research potential |
| Applications | TWO, admissions portal, then MyEd |
| Critical mechanic | MyEd form locked until admission application is on record |
| Buffer advised | 5 working days minimum |
| Documents assessed | Your admission transcripts, references, research proposal |
| Deadline | ~late January–February, 23:59 GMT |
| School deadlines | May be earlier, contact your department |
| Related full funding | Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships |
| Related Master’s | GREAT Scholarships, £10,000 |
| Official site | ed.ac.uk / registryservices.ed.ac.uk |
FAQ
Does this scholarship cover my full tuition?
No. Each scholarship covers the difference between the tuition fee for a UK/EU graduate student and that chargeable to an overseas graduate student. You still pay the UK rate.
Does it cover living costs?
No, the awards do not cover maintenance expenses.
How many awards are there?
30 scholarships each year, to overseas students starting a PhD in any field.
How long does it last?
Up to three years, subject to satisfactory progress.
Is it need-based?
Financial background plays no role — the award is based purely on academic merit and research potential.
How do I apply?
Submit a PhD admission application through Edinburgh’s admissions portal first, then separately complete the scholarship application through MyEd.
Can I apply for the scholarship before applying for admission?
No, you cannot open the scholarship form until your admission application exists in the system.
Which documents does the scholarship panel see?
Your PhD application transcripts, references and research proposal link automatically to your scholarship application and go to the selection panel.
Do I need my English test result first?
You can apply for the Doctoral College Scholarships before receiving your English language test results, but upload them as soon as they are available.
Free Application Tools
- Motivation Letter: Motivation Letter Generator
- SOP / Study Plan: SOP Generator
- CV: Free CV Builder
- Reference Letter: Reference Letter Generator
- MOI Certificate (if needed): MOI Generator
- Research Proposal (PhD): Research Proposal Generator