Application Process

Please follow our application procedure to apply for an E5 DTP studentship.

For a more diverse E5 DTP

We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity within our applicant pool and recruited cohorts.  We actively encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds, particularly those from under-represented groups or with protected characteristics. To support this commitment, we have specific mechanisms in place under our widening participation scheme, to assist applicants who choose to disclose such information in their application.  For more details, please refer to our application process outlined below. 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | The University of Edinburgh

1. Find a project

We have 90+ supervisor-led projects available and also offer a student-led project route.

For more details on both options, please visit the E5 DTP Projects page where you will find guidance to help you choose a project and advice on contacting the supervisory team to discuss the project and your suitability.

Important Information for Applicants:

  • All candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the supervisory team of their chosen project before submitting an application.
  • International applicants MUST be pre-nominated by their prospective supervisor before applying.
  • Each candidate may only submit ONE application, either for a supervisor-led or a student-led project. Multiple applications will not be accepted.

2. Download the application forms

Download and carefully read the 3 forms listed below. 

Note: these are only available during the application period: November to beginning of January.

Application Form (41.52 KB / DOCX)
EDI form (21.81 KB / DOCX)
Widening Participation form (16.12 KB / DOCX)

3. Send your referees the E5 DTP reference form

Ask two referees to complete the E5 DTP reference form below and to upload it through their portal link which will be automatically sent to them once you have provided their details on your application portal (see step 5). The automatic email will include the reference form as an attachment but we recommend that you send it to them as soon as possible (and even before starting your online application) to give them time to complete it and be ready to submit it when they receive the email.

The referees must not be members of the supervision team of the project you are applying for.

It is your responsibility to ensure that both references are submitted by your referees via their portal, by the application deadline.  

We DO NOT accept reference letters or any other format of references sent to us. 

Reference form (28.33 KB / DOCX)

4. Prepare and complete your documents

Complete or prepare and save as a single pdf file each of the below documents, as relevant:

COMPULSORY DOCUMENTS (FOR ALL APPLICANTS)OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS (DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES)
1. The E5 Application Form, duly completed and with all the relevant boxes ticked5. the E5 Widening Participation Form: for applicants from an under-represented group, who wish to disclose to us in order to benefit from our WP scheme
2. The E5 Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form (completed or not)6. a proof of your Immigration Status: for applicants with EU pre-settled or settled status or non-EU applicants with UK Indefinite Leave to Remain (please check the UKRI Funding Eligibility)
3. An up-to-date Academic CV (not more than 2 pages) - Check our guidance on the CV in our FAQ section7. a valid English Language test: for non-English native speakers who already have a test result that fits the University's requirements.  Note that we do not require to see this at the time of your application but if you are invited to interview, we will require to see it by the interview stage (end of February).
4. Your Undergraduate and Postgraduate Certificates and Transcripts as relevant (including interim transcripts if available). Note that for documents that are not in English, you must provide an official English translation.    

5. Submit the above documents via the E5 application portal

Open the project you would like to apply for from our list of supervisor-led projects. At the bottom of the proposal, click on " Apply for this project". You will then be guided through the procedure of setting up your application portal.

Candidates who apply for a student-led project will be emailed the link to their application portal once their project is approved by the E5 DTP team.

Then, use the instructions below to create your E5 applicant portal, upload your documents and provide details of your referees.

You can go back to your application portal to update your application material and check the status of your application anytime before the application deadline(6 January 2025 at 12:00 noon, GMT), after that the link will become inactive.

6. Review and Outcome

We will review your application material as soon as possible and will communicate to you any relevant information via the application portal.

Note that you might not hear from us until after the application deadline depending on when you uploaded your application material.

We will email you with the outcome of your application by 15 February 2025 at the latest.

You can read about our selection process and indicative timing here.

Our interviews will be held in person on the 25, 26 and 27th of February 2025. Online interviews will be reserved to applicants who are not able to travel to Edinburgh.

All Candidates Please Read

  • Applications that do not include the compulsory documents by the deadline will be deemed incomplete and rejected (if you are awaiting transcripts from your university, please state this in the Application Note field on your portal). 
  • Applications that do not comply with our application procedure will be rejected (e.g. CVs longer than 2 pages, statements exceeding the words number limit on the application form, all incomplete application forms). 
  • Please do not upload or email us with any additional documents that are not mentioned above such as separate cover letters, papers, essays, thesis, additional references or any other kind of supporting document. They will not be included in the assessment of your application. If we require to see any other documents not mentioned in the application process we will contact you.

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