Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Pathology PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Pathology

Members of Edinburgh Pathology have major research interests in human cancer biology, cell and tissue injury, inflammation, fibrosis, transplant pathology, immunopathology, osteoarthritis, neuropathological disorders, and animal and cell models of disease processes.

Edinburgh Pathology has academic staff as key members of most of the centres and institutes within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, reflecting the collaborative and overarching role of pathology in translational medicine. There are also close links to research and development within the hospitals across Edinburgh. Edinburgh Pathology also includes the Centre for Comparative Pathology that studies animal models of disease.

The large diagnostic NHS histopathology service based in the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh and Western General Hospital, in which members of Edinburgh Pathology partake, makes it a favourable environment in which to combine fundamental cell biological and applied clinical studies of human disease.

Details of the research areas and centre/institute affiliations of members of Edinburgh Pathology can be found on the website:

Students will be registered and supported through the Research Centre their main supervisor is a member of. Students will also be trained in a range of transferable skills such as report writing, project planning and presentation of results delivered through the University's transferable skills programme.

There are excellent facilities for molecular and cell biology, immunology, image analysis and cell culture.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that 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 62 with at least 59 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:

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).

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. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
PhDPathology3 YearsFull-timeTuition fees
PhDPathology6 YearsPart-timeTuition fees

Featured funding

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.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre
  • Western General Hospital
  • Crewe Road South
  • Little France
  • Edinburgh
  • EH4 2XR

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

You must submit two references with your application.

Before making your application, you must make contact with a potential supervisor to discuss your research proposal. Further information on making a research degree application can be found on the College website:

You will be formally interviewed (in person, by video-conferencing or Skype).

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre
  • Western General Hospital
  • Crewe Road South
  • Little France
  • Edinburgh
  • EH4 2XR