The MLSystems CDT studentships are regulated by the UKRI Training Grant Terms and Conditions. This section is provided as generic summary and advice, but it does not constitute a formal instruction. If there turns out to be any discrepancy between this advice and the UKRI conditions or the University regulations and requirements, those latter conditions, regulations and requirements hold, not this advice.
All applicants are eligible to apply for a fully-funded UKRI studentship, regardless of their citizenship or fees status, as long as they comply with the Higher Education Institution’s entry requirements for a PhD (see second section on this page for the University of Edinburgh’s PhD entry requirements).
However, there are some specificities for international students, please read on.
International students are eligible to apply for a UKRI-funded postgraduate studentships. The studentships include stipend to support UK living costs, UK-rate Home tuition fees and research costs to support the project as relevant. The UKRI-funded studentships do NOT include visa’s costs, the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge), flights and other costs incurred by moving to the UK.
The University of Edinburgh will cover the difference between Home fees and International fees for CDT International applicants who will be offered a CDT Mlsystems studentship at the end of our recruitment process.
However, it is important to note that UKRI restricts the number of international students that CDTs can take on board to a maximum of 30% of their overall students’ number. For the CDT in Machine Learning Systems, this represents a maximum of 3 international students per annual recruitment round (based on a total cohort of about 12 students).
International applicants | The University of Edinburgh
Part-time study is possible but only available for students who do NOT need a Visa to come study in the UK. Students who would like to consider part-time studies are encouraged to discuss with the supervisor of the project(s) they are applying for as this will require their full approval.
For an indication of the different fees status categories applicants can fall in, please refer to the below table.
Please note that this as an indicative table only as fees statuses can vary and depend on a number of parameters and personal circumstances. The final fees status will be confirmed by the University of Edinburgh when you submit your EUCLID application.
If you are unsure of which fees status you are likely to get after looking at the below table, please get in touch.
| You are… | Indicative fees status |
|---|---|
| a UK national, AND will have been ordinarily living in the UK/EEA/Gibraltar/Switzerland for at least the last 3 years before 1 August 2024. | Home Fees |
| an Irish national, AND will have been ordinarily living in the UK or in the Republic of Ireland for at least the last 3 years before 1 August 2024. | Home Fees |
| an EU (except Irish), EEA or Swiss citizen living in the UK who has obtained settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, AND will have been living in the UK/EEA/Gibraltar/Switzerland for at least the last 3 years before 1 August 2024. | Home Fees |
| a non-EU citizen living in the UK, who has obtained Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or Indefinite leave to enter (ILE), AND will have been living in the UK for at least the last 3 years before 1 August 2024. | Home Fees |
| in none of the above categories.All other situations include but are not limited to:- UK nationals living outside the UK/EEA/Switzerland/Gibraltar, not meeting the above UK/EEA 3-year residency requirement;- Irish citizen living in the EU, outside the Republic of Ireland, not meeting the above UK/Ireland 3-year residency requirement;- EU/EEA/Swiss citizen with pre-settled or settled status, not meeting the above UK/EEA/Gibraltar/Switzerland 3-year residency requirement;- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens without pre-settled or settled status and/or currently living outside the UK, in a EU/EEA or in a non-EU country;- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens living in the UK under a Visa;- Non-EU citizens living outside the UK;- Non-EU citizens currently living in the UK under a Visa. | International Fees |
There are exceptions for migrant workers, family of UK nationals, dual UK/EU nationals, asylum seekers and refugees and further guidance on the definition of a UK absence for UK nationals. See Annex B of the UKRI Training Grant Guidance document.
The majority of the PhD students we accept to the CDT have a first class undergraduate degree, but by no means all (others have demonstrated excellence in other ways). As a rule, we would normally require all applicants to have a minimum of 2.1 undergraduate degree or equivalent. However, we may take relevant work experience and/or a Master’s degree into account.
The CDT aims to recruit PhD students from a diverse range of backgrounds. Our selection process looks at both academic and professional experience, and though a Master’s degree can provide valuable experience towards a PhD, we do not consider a Master’s degree a requirement for application to a CDT studentship.”
International applicants should refer to our Postgraduate Entry Requirement by Region directory to find out about international/UK degree equivalences.
All PhD applicants must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of their English language ability.
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country then your degree must be no more than 5 years old at the beginning of the degree programme.
Your English language qualification must be no more than 3.5 years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than 2 years old.
We don’t need to see English Language Tests results at the time of the application but if we don’t have it by the offer stage (end of February), we will only be able to issue a conditional funding offer. You will then be given a maximum of about two months to provide a suitable English Language Test certificate.
Applicants who already have an English Language Test fitting the above requirements can add it to their application when they submit but we recommend those who don’t have a test yet to wait until the outcome of their application is known (early March) before booking a test.
English language entry requirements | The University of Edinburgh
Approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries | The University of Edinburgh
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.