The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research. We are widely regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in Europe, consistently placed among the top 50 leading universities in the world*, and ranked 20th in the 2020 QS World University Rankings.
We are one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 83% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.
Research conducted here led to the discovery of chloroform anaesthesia, the Higgs boson particle and in-vitro fertilisation. Our academics, students and alumni discovered carbon dioxide, led the Scottish Enlightenment laying the foundations of contemporary thought, developed a genetically engineered vaccine against Hepatitis B, and Dolly the sheep – the first mammal to be genetically cloned from an adult somatic cell.
We are associated with 19 Nobel Prize winners, who are alumni of the University of have been members of academic staff here and have long enjoyed a spirit of innovation and collaboration and continue to do so today. We are proudly open to everyone, bringing people with new outlooks and perspectives together in an international community that is establishing the data capital of Europe, tackling climate change and paving the way for new fertility treatments. Our scientists are seeking cures for cancer, repurposing drugs to improve treatments for the Covid-19 Coronavirus and contributing to the global search for a vaccine.
Joining the University as a student provides you with a unique opportunity to work with some of the most influential academics in your chosen field. At Edinburgh, you will develop your specialist skills, deepen your understanding and gain new insights and perspectives to equip you for your career ahead.
The University of Edinburgh is one of the largest and most diverse universities in the UK. We host more than 40,000 students from some 156 countries studying across more than 150 academic disciplines. All our postgraduates benefit from our inspiring research culture.
The academics involved in your teaching and learning are leaders in their field, and the University is dedicated to delivering high quality, innovative teaching. Your study will be enhanced by a wealth of resources and opportunities including:
Our ambitious internationalisation strategy aims to provide world-class experiences for students and ensures the teaching and research we deliver offers global benefits.
We collaborate with a host of world-leading institutions in fields as diverse as e-science, engineering, life and medical sciences and arts and culture. We’re also a member of the global research network Universitas 21, and the European networks COIMBRA group, as well as UNICA, LERU, and UNA Europa. Our students are crucial to our continued success and development and, along with our staff, they forge research links through regular travel and overseas exchanges. We take pride in our partnerships with other institutions such as the California Institute of Technology, University of Copenhagen, University College Dublin, the University of Melbourne, Peking University, the University of Delhi and Zhejiang University– to name but a few.
We are ranked in the UK’s top 10 universities and in the world’s top 100 universities for the employability of our graduates.**
Our Careers Service are dedicated to developing our already strong links with employers from all sectors.
We were one of the first UK universities to develop commercial links with industry, government and the professions, and our commercialisation office, Edinburgh Innovations, has helped launch over 500 companies since 1967.
* Times Higher Education World Rankings
** Times Higher Education, Global Employability University Ranking 2019
The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at The University of Edinburgh is an international leader in basic-to-clinical translational research. Our approach ranges from molecules to man, from bench to bedside, and from process to population. Our interdisciplinary groups, centres and institutes bring together basic and clinical academic staff in broad, thematic research concentrations encompassing basic sciences, translational and clinical research. Research within the College explicitly links biomedicine and veterinary medicine, in promotion of the concept 'One Medicine'.
Our research centres are clustered within contemporary research Institutes, located next to hospitals on three major translational research campuses. Whether working at one of our two major human medical campuses or at our veterinary campus, research students benefit from our 'lab bench to bedside' approach, whereby patients are seen in the same location as the fundamental research that's taking place. This results in strengthened collaboration between basic scientists and clinician scientists.
In the College’s submissions to the Research Excellence Framework 2014, Veterinary Medicine was ranked 1st in the UK, Medicine was ranked in the top 5, Neuroscience was ranked 3rd, and Social Work and Social Policy was 3rd.
The University of Edinburgh is a leading postgraduate teaching and research centre, ranked 19th in the QS World Rankings 2016/17, 7th in Europe, 5th in the UK and 1st in Scotland.
The University of Edinburgh is the top rated Chemistry Department for teaching and research in Scotland. In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, we achieved a 5A rating in recognition of the international quality of our research.
Chemistry at Edinburgh is looking to the future. We are building on our excellence in teaching and research to generate the best possible environment for staff, undergraduates and research students to realise their full potential. Strategic appointments have strengthened traditional areas such as organic synthesis. Newer fields are also vibrant at Edinburgh, particularly biotechnology, materials chemistry and nanotechnology. In these areas, our work provides the fundamental understanding at an atomic and molecular level to underpin many major interdisciplinary R&D projects. Our ongoing programme of facilities development is not just about ensuring we have the most modern research laboratories possible. Rather it aims to create an environment which will inspire new ideas, support innovation and unconventional approaches to problem solving and help us build a band of adventurers in chemistry who are devoted to discovering the future
The Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews have established a new joint Research School of Chemistry. EaStCHEM is the premier Research School for Chemistry in Scotland and is funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, The Office of Science and Technology and the parent Universities.
Edinburgh's School of Informatics brings together research in Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Computational Linguistics and Artificial Intelligence and provides a fertile environment for a wide range of interdisciplinary studies. Formed in 1998, the School of Informatics is the largest, longest established and highest quality research group in informatics in the UK, with an excellent record of achievement in both research and teaching. We offer taught and research postgraduate study programmes spanning the field of Informatics.
The School of Physics at The University of Edinburgh is a world-class research centre, with a grade-5 Research Assessment Exercise rating and the 5th largest body of active researchers in the United Kingdom.
Our main research areas, are Astrophysics, Condensed Matter, Fluids&Acoustics, Molecular & Optical Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Particle Physics.
Each year, we admit approximately 25 PhD students, with funding from Research Councils, the European Union, industry, and University of Edinburgh Scholarships. We are committed to ensuring that the best candidates are able to able to come to Edinburgh with full funding, irrespective of nationality.
Recently the Department has joined forces with five other physics departments in Scotland, forming the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA). This is one of the largest academic research organisations in Europe. A major component of this is the SUPA Graduate School, dedicated to enhancing the training of postgraduate physics training. All postgraduate students are automatically members of this body.
Based in the central campus at the University of Edinburgh, the Business School seeks to set the agenda across a wide range of business disciplines, with our research areas staffed by teams whose work has real influence in business, government, and the public sector.
The University of Edinburgh was ranked as 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, 2019), and the Business School has significant research expertise across six subject areas (https://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/research/areas):
Accounting and Finance
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Management Science and Business Economics
Marketing
Organisation Studies
Strategy
We aim to provide a highly dynamic and supportive research environment for our large and diverse graduate community, ensuring that Business School PhD students have the resources required to make the most of their individual projects. This is evidenced by our positive student feedback in national surveys such as the PRES 2019.
In addition, the Business School has received full research training accreditation both from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), and holds the Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of the positive work the School has done to promote diversity and gender equality.
Never miss an opportunity
Get the latest funding news
Hear about upcoming events
