Why a PhD in Philosophy at Edinburgh?

Our fully-funded PhD Scholarships offer an excellent opportunity to join an internationally renowned department within a world-class university

Why a PhD in Philosophy at Edinburgh?

• Philosophy research at Edinburgh ranks 2^nd in Scotland and 7^th in the UK, in the Times Higher Education ranking by subject of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014
• Our research environment is rated as 100% conducive to producing world-leading or internationally excellent research (REF 2014).
• You’ll be studying in one of the most highly regarded philosophy departments in the country, we are currently ranked 6th in the UK and 20th in the world for philosophy (QS World University Rankings by subject 2021).
• With one of the largest philosophy departments in the world, we offer you a diverse range of research topics, expert supervision and a supportive learning environment.
• The Philosophy Society organises social events and attracts high profile speakers from across the globe.
• The department is based within the School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences (PPLS) and is a thriving, vibrant hub of intellectual and cultural life.

What do our PhD Scholarships cover?

The PhD Scholarships, funded by the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences (PPLS) cover the full-time tuition fee (UK/international level) with an annual stipend of approximately £15,700 for three years (pro rata for part-time students).

In which research areas do staff offer supervision?

We can offer expert supervision across a wide range of topics including:

• Ancient Greek and Medieval Islamic Philosophy
• Epistemology
• Ethics
• European Early Modern and Enlightenment Philosophy
• Existentialism and Phenomenology  
• Logic and language
• Metaphysics and Ontology
• Mind and cognition
• Philosophy of science
• Social and Political Philosophy

Entry requirements and how to apply

Successful applicants will typically have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in philosophy.

Your application will also be considered if you have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in another subject and a postgraduate masters level degree in philosophy.

To be considered for this scholarship you must apply online for the PhD Philosophy programme by Monday 22 November 2021. There is no need to apply separately for the Scholarship. Your application will be automatically considered.

To find out more and apply, please visit our website:

PhD Programme in Philosophy

Please get in touch with our Postgraduate Office should you have any questions about applying to the PhD Programme: pplspgoffice@ed.ac.uk

Follow us on social media

Keep in touch with us and find out more on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Find out more about our research on the Forward Thinking Blog.