Genomics and Experimental Medicine PhD, MScR

CGEM offers an exceptional, well-managed and well-equipped laboratory environment for cutting edge research and research training. Within CGEM there are ~25, and within the IGC over a hundred, PhD students, overseen by a well-established Graduate School structure.

Training sessions for PhD students are available in a wide variety of topics. These include: good research practice; experimental design; data analysis and statistics; student-supervisor working relationships; research ethics and assessment mechanisms, as well as lectures/workshops on specific wet and dry laboratory techniques.

There is a Postgraduate Studies Committee (PGSC) which is responsible for student training and assessment. Its role is to develop and implement guidelines for optimal student training, and to ensure best practice in monitoring and assessment.

Assessments are carried out by carefully selected thesis committees, who remain with the student throughout their PhD. The committees consist of the Supervisors, an External Member (with expertise relevant to the student’s project) and an experienced Chair. The students also have a thriving postgrad society which runs career talks, social events and an annual scientific retreat.

The IGC staff numbers approximately 500 and there are ~25 students within CGEM and ~100 within the IGC.

A principal aim of both CGEM and the IGC is to develop fully integrated, multi-disciplinary research programmes across the whole spectrum of basic, clinical and translational research. We have state of the art imaging, DNA sequencing and drug discovery units, a bioinformatics service and excellent lab facilities.

Funded PhD studentships in CGEM are advertised on findaphd.com. These are generally restricted to EU nationals, but we welcome applications from overseas students who have secured funding from other sources.

• Findaphd.com - University of Edinburgh

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	Genomics and Experimental Medicine	3 Years	Full-time	Tuition fees
PhD	Genomics and Experimental Medicine	6 Years	Part-time	Tuition fees
MScR	Genomics and Experimental Medicine	1 Year	Full-time	Tuition fees
MScR	Genomics and Experimental Medicine	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