Genetics and Genomics PhD, MScR

Study is by supervised research.

Individual students are integrated within their supervisors group and school. You will 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.

Studentships are of 3 or 4 years duration and you will be expected to complete a novel piece of research which will advance our understanding of the field.

To help you in this goal, you will be assigned a principal and assistant supervisor, both of whom will be active scientists within the School. Your progress will be monitored in accordance with School Postgraduate regulations by a PhD thesis committee (which includes an independent external assessor and chair). There is also dedicated secretarial support to assist these committees and the students with University and Institute/School requirements.

All student matters are overseen by the School's postgraduate studies committee. Easter Bush also has a local postgraduate committee which will provide advice and support to students when requested. An active staff-student liaison committee and a social committee, which is headed by our postgraduate liaison officer, provide additional support.

You will be expected to attend a number of generic training courses offered by the Transkills Programme of the University and to participate in regular seminars and laboratory progress meetings. All students will also be expected to present their data at national and international meetings throughout their period of study.

The Roslin Institute, where the majority of our research is conducted, occupies a state-of-the-art building on the University of Edinburgh's veterinary campus at Easter Bush.

Our facilities include:

• rodent, bird, aquaculture and livestock animal units and associated lab areas
• comprehensive bioinformatics and genomics capabilities
• a range of bioimaging facilities including a major new large animal imaging facility, extensive molecular and cell biology labs, and a café and auditorium where we regularly host workshops and invited speakers

Through links with major technology and service providers, we have access to the latest genomics technologies, including:

• next-generation sequencing
• single-cell/single nucleus sequencing platforms
• SNP genotyping and microarray platforms
• large-scale phenotyping platforms

In addition, we have access to world-leading computing facilities through the Edinburgh Compute and Data Facility, the Edinburgh International Data Facility and a Data-Driven Innovation program. For large-scale analyses, we also have access to a dedicated HPE Superdome (800+ cores, 23TB RAM).

(Revised 26 October 2023 to include more information on facilities)

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.

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	Genetics and Genomics	3 Years	Full-time	Tuition fees
PhD	Genetics and Genomics	6 Years	Part-time	Tuition fees
MScR	Genetics and Genomics	1 Year	Full-time	Tuition fees
MScR	Genetics and Genomics	2 Years	Part-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

Featured funding

• College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine funding opportunities

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding