Clinical Brain Sciences PhD

Level: Postgraduate research

Subject: Medicine

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Part-time
  • PhD | 6 years | Start date: multiple dates
Full-time
  • PhD | 3 years | Start date: multiple dates

Key facts

Programme website
PhD by Distance

Not available

School location

Edinburgh BioQuarter

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About the degree programme

This programme integrates laboratory and clinical research to study the causes, consequences and treatment of major brain disorders.

Research strengths

Our major research strengths are:

  • cerebrovascular disease including stroke and small vessel diseases
  • neurodegenerative diseases: multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, dementias
  • neuroimaging
  • psychiatry, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression; autism, neurodiversity and learning disability
  • Prion diseases
  • synaptic biology & disease
  • epilepsy
  • neonatal development and the effect of premature birth
  • neuro-oncology / Translational Neurosurgery
  • functional disorders
  • sleep medicine

Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences

The Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences (CCBS) combines laboratory and clinical research to study the causes, consequences and treatment of major brain disorders.

The Centre comprises 58 Principal Investigators, including 19 Chairs. 70% of our Principal Investigators are NHS clinicians.

CCBS has approximately 55 postgraduate students across its two programmes: Clinical Brain Sciences and Psychiatry. It is particularly strong in PhD training for clinicians.

CCBS subscribes to Edinburgh Medical School’s “One Health” vision. Laboratory scientists, clinical academics and informaticians work alongside one another. This encourages the free-flowing exchange of ideas, an efficient use of clinical data and joint academic/health service delivery.

CCBS is part of Edinburgh Neuroscience, an umbrella organisation that facilitates interaction among researchers working at all levels of neuroscience.

For more information on our specialist centres and research, visit our website:

Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences

Study options

The programme is on-campus and 100% research-based.

You can choose to study full-time (3 years) or part-time (6 years), with an additional year at the end to allow you to complete the writing-up and submission of your thesis.

I have learned how to work with very large datasets and developed my understanding of statistics. I’ve also had the chance to develop my presentation skills, and learned to work in a team with people from different scientific backgrounds (e.g. healthcare, statistics, databases, project management).

Tim Wilkinson PhD Clinical Brain Sciences, graduated 2020

How to apply

To apply for a PhD with CCBS you need to:

  1. identify a primary supervisor
  2. identify a research project

Applying for a CCBS research degree

You must not apply before identifying a primary supervisor and a research project.

If you apply without completing these required first steps, CCBS will not be able to accept your application.

Further information on making a research degree application can be found on the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine's website:

How to apply for a research degree

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
There is no EUCLID data available for this programme.

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.

Applications can be accepted throughout the year as there are no programme-wide deadlines. However, individual funded projects may have an application deadline, which will be stated on the project advertisement.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

and, if applicable:

  • your research topic
  • details of any published work

You will also need to provide some or all of the following supporting information and documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit two referees' contact details or two references with your application.

Interview

You will be formally interviewed, either in-person or online.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

Funding

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

Funded studentships

A funded PhD project studentship will generally provide:

  • a stipend, to cover modest living costs
  • tuition fees
  • additional funds for research consumables
  • travel funds

The amounts provided do vary depending on the project and its funding source, so please check the provision carefully.

Other sources of funding

If the PhD project is not already funded, it is your responsibility, in conjunction with your supervisor, to secure sufficient funds.

There are many funding opportunities available, however securing a scholarship can take some time. We recommend that you make funding applications well in advance of your intended PhD start date.

Your supervisor is likely to be the best initial source of information about funding opportunities for your particular project.

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Part-time
Full-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

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

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • 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.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We 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

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

Research profile

Research excellence

In the Research Excellence Framework (2014), Edinburgh was ranked 3rd out of 82 submissions in Neuroscience and the research environment was given the maximum possible score of 100% and classified as ‘world-leading’.

Specialist centres

The CCBS also has a strong record of attracting philanthropic donations to establish specialist centres of excellence:

Our research community

We are extremely proud of our internationally renowned research community.

The Centre has attracted £42 million in grant funding over the last three years. Our 400+ members collaborate widely and lead international clinical trials.

Our research generates significant and measurable impact on patient health and wellbeing, NHS policy and public awareness.

The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Research and Surveillance Unit is a World Health Organisation Reference Centre for Human Prion Disease.

Two of our Professors are Chairs of the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh.

You will join a diverse community of researchers and clinicians. PhD meetings and the annual Centre Away Day provide valuable opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Programme structure

The programme is on-campus and 100% research-based. There are no compulsory taught components, however you can sometimes enrol on relevant courses after discussion with your supervisor.

There are formal assessment points at Week 10 and annually, together with regular meetings with the supervision team.

The standard 3-year (full-time) and 6-year (part-time) PhD programmes have an additional one year at the end to allow you to complete the writing-up and submission of your thesis.

Support

As a postgraduate research student, you will be mentored and supported by at least two supervisors and receive long-term guidance from your Thesis Committee.

The Thesis Committee comprises your supervision team and at least two independent members (a Chair and a minimum of one External Expert).

There are many opportunities for you to attend seminars and take courses in a wide variety of transferable or specific research skills. This includes opportunities to become involved in science communication and public engagement.

Facilities

The Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences is located at Edinburgh BioQuarter, next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Clinical research and trials

Direct clinical links, Specialist Centres of Excellence, well characterised patient cohorts, national biobanks and disease registers permit detailed phenotyping for surveillance, clinical epidemiological studies and trials.

Find more information on the research centres:

The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic provides an interface between patients and researchers and space to conduct studies.

We also have expertise in meta-analysis and systematic review (for example, CAMARADES, and the Cochrane Stroke Group).

Neuroimaging

CCBS is part of Edinburgh Imaging, which provides state-of the-art imaging for preclinical and clinical studies.

Facilities include:

  • 1.5T research MR scanner
  • 3T MR scanner
  • PET MRI
  • PET-CT
  • 7T animal MR
  • image analysis suites including fMRI compatible EEG

Edinburgh Imaging

Neuropathology

We are experts in detailed pathological analysis of post-mortem human brain tissue. We run the Edinburgh Brain and Tissue Banks, part of the Medical Research Centre UK Brain Banks Network.

The Edinburgh Brain Banks include:

  • CJD
  • HIV
  • stroke
  • motor neurone disease
  • dementia
  • sudden death

Edinburgh Brain and Tissue Banks

Laboratory research

Our laboratories are fully equipped for molecular biology, protein biochemistry and cell biology research. This includes large-scale studies, for example, molecular analyses of multiprotein complexes at the synapse.

CCBS researchers use patient-derived (induced pluripotent) and human embryonic stem cells to model disease processes using:

  • confocal microscopy
  • electrophysiology
  • Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)
  • biochemistry

Translational neurosurgery

An emerging area of interest for CCBS, this research aims to inform, enable and accelerate the translation of advances from the laboratory to the operating theatre, with a focus on neuro-oncology.

CCBS research methodologies

Career opportunities

A PhD in Clinical Brain Sciences provides an excellent springboard for a career in academic or clinical research in all aspects of the brain.

Most of our graduates progress to postdoctoral positions in top academic labs in Scotland, other regions of the UK and worldwide. Many of our graduates also go on to complete clinical academic training.

Graduates who do not wish to pursue an academic career have found employment in other sectors, for example in

  • industry
  • managerial roles at universities
  • science communication and public engagement
  • charities

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

Postgraduate Administrator

Contact us

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