Information about Applying

Informal enquiries about our Masters or Doctoral programmes are welcome at any time. Please contact pplspg@ed.ac.uk in the first instance. It helps if you can be as specific as possible about the Doctoral programme or Masters degree in which you are interested.

Below we detail some of the information which you need to know before you apply. Links to the University application forms are at the bottom of this page.

Qualifications

Entry to the Masters and doctoral programmes at Edinburgh requires a good undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. If your degree is in a different discipline or you already have a relevant Masters degree, please contact us to discuss your potential application.

English Language

The English Language requirements for Edinburgh University are explained here. It is important that you have a good command of spoken and written English. In particular, if you are not comfortable with writing academic reports in English, we recommend you to try to improve your skills before embarking on postgraduate study. There are courses offered by the University that run a few weeks before the term starts.

Costs and Funding

What are the fees for the course?
The fees are given in the postgraduate section of this page.

How much does it cost to live in Edinburgh?
The University has a page with up-to-date estimated costs.

How can I fund my study?
Ways in which students typically fund themselves include:

or a combination of the above.

Information on funding for psychology postgraduates is gathered together on the Postgraduate Funding page, which gives details of potential sources of funding and deadlines for applications. The University also offers a variety of scholarships to postgraduate students. For details, visit www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk, where you will also find a guide to other ways of funding your studies.

Other Questions

Full-time PhD students will be given their own desk space for a maximum of four years of study after which they will be moved to hot-desking facilities. If there has been a formal interruption of studies during their four years of study (e.g. as a result of maternity/sick leave), this period will be added onto the end of the four year period.

The University maintains an online copy of the postgraduate prospectus. If you have any further questions (for example on residency or accommodation), you may find what you are looking for here.

How to apply

Information about the application process can be found here.

If you are applying for a doctoral programme:
You should apply for the Masters Programme which you wish to follow in the first year.  Please start your personal statement (in the ‘programme’ tab of the EUCLID application system) with the words “I wish to be considered for the doctoral programme in XXX”, and continue with a research proposal (or attach a separate research proposal document if preferred).  Guidance can be found here (you should follow the guidance for Research Proposals).

If you are applying for a Masters programme:
Your application should be for the relevant Masters programme. You do not need to enter any special information in your personal statement; this should be a brief statement detailing your interest in the Masters course. Guidance on personal statements for Masters courses can be found here.