How to apply for a PhD

Instructions on how to apply for a PhD studentship in the CIR

  1. If you are not applying for a specific studentship via FindAPhD, please contact potential CIR supervisors directly to discuss possible projects.  Email enquiries should comprise a CV and a brief outline of your research interests.
  2. If you are successful in securing a studentship with a potential supervisor please contact Amy Ma (CIR.postgraduate@ed.ac.uk) who will help arrange your interview. At interview applicants will be asked to give a 10 minute presentation about a relevant topic or a previous research project you have completed, followed by 10 minutes of questions from the interview panel. 
  3. Applicants who are successful at interview will be given instructions from the CIR Postgraduate Studies Administrator on how to complete an online application for entry requirement checks.
  4. Once the online application is successfully completed the College will make you an official offer.

Important things to note

  • The minimum entry requirement for our research programmes is an undergraduate degree, with an excellent or very good classification (equivalent to first or upper second class honours in the UK). For some non-UK applicants the entry requirement is a Masters degree. Please check the entry requirements by country.

        Postgraduate entry requirements by country

  • Applicants should not complete an online application without first securing a studentship with a supervisor or before interview.
  • An offer of a studentship will not necessarily be with the supervisor initially contacted, but with the most appropriate project and supervisor selected in conjunction with the CIR Postgraduate Studies Committee.