Biomedical Sciences (Based in China) PhD

Study is by supervised research. Individual students are integrated within their supervisor’s research group and participate fully in activities such as journal clubs, group meetings and seminar programmes.

You will be expected to complete a piece of original research, directed towards solving important, novel and open questions that contribute to our understanding of human health and disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

You will join the expanding postgraduate international student community at the Zhejiang-Edinburgh Institute (ZJE) on the Zhejiang University International Campus in Haining, China.

You will have access to local student services at the ZJE Institute and on the International campus and University of Edinburgh online student services.

You will carry out your studies within a research group under the supervision of an academic staff member (your ‘principal’ supervisor). The principal supervisor will normally be a member of the ZJE faculty.

Thesis committee

You will also be assigned a personal PhD thesis committee. This comprises:

• your principal supervisor
• an assistant supervisor from the University of Edinburgh
• a thesis committee chair

The committee provides advice and mentoring, and monitor progress. Supervisors maintain the highest standards of research training with a strong research output in leading international journals.

Courses and seminars

You will have the opportunity of participating in relevant taught courses either on campus or online as appropriate.

You will also attend research seminars and can attend online research skills training courses provided by the Institute of Academic Development at University of Edinburgh.

Postgraduates also have the opportunity to act as demonstrators for undergraduate teaching.

Presenting your findings

All students are encouraged to present their findings at national and international conferences and to publish their findings in international journals, in advance of submission of their PhD theses for examination.

You will have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment for all aspects of modern biomedical sciences to facilitate their research objectives. These are located at our new International Campus in Haining, China.

Extensive collaborations exist with the wider biomedical and clinical communities helping ensure students are supported in a world-class research environment.

The programme prepares you for a career in related research, industry and healthcare sectors.

You will gain advanced skills transferable to a broad range of careers in:

• research methodologies & data management
• strategy, project planning and management
• ethics and research integrity

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject. You should have some research experience and be able to demonstrate that you have a good understanding of the field you propose to study.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss national, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate in order to study this programme.

• Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Tuition fees

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
PhD	Biomedical Sciences	3 Years	Full-time	Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding