Economics PhD with Integrated Study Level: Postgraduate research Subject: Economics Year of entry: 2026 Study options Full-time PhD with Integrated Study | 4 years | Start date: September 2026 Key facts School School of Economics College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Programme website Economics PhD with Integrated Study PhD by Distance Not available School location Central Area Apply now 19 to 21 November 2025: Postgraduate Virtual Open Days Join us live to explore postgraduate taught and research study at Edinburgh and gain key insights before you apply. Register now Overview About the degree programme Our PhD programme enables you to pursue your academic interests, and learn the latest methods in research, while providing you with thorough training in modern economics. Rankings 25% of our research was judged world-leading in its originality, significance and rigour (Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021).A further 45% was judged internationally excellent (REF 2021). Applying How to apply See our supervisors and their areas of research:Economics staffBefore applying for a PhD with us, please send us an enquiry email so we can assist you and give you the best advice. When to apply Programme start date Application deadline 14 September 2026 1 August 2026 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. 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: a personal statementrelevant knowledge/training skillsand, if applicable:your research topicdetails of any published workYou will also need to provide some or all of the following supporting information and documents:a research proposalname of supervisor (if known)research project (if applying to an advertised project)copies of your degree certificates and academic transcripts that confirm your current or final marksreferencesevidence you meet the English language requirementscertified translations if your original documents are not in EnglishWhen you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide. ReferencesYou must submit two references with your application. Apply Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for. Select programme - Select a programme -PhD with Integrated Study Economics (4 years) After you apply Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.Checking the status of your applicationWe will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.Receiving our decisionWhat to do if you receive an offer:Receiving an offerAccepting an offerSubmitting supporting documents Funding, fees and costs 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 moneytaking out a loanfamily supportpersonal savingsincome from workemployer sponsorshipscholarshipsExplore sources of funding for postgraduate study Featured fundingWe offer funding for high-quality applicants, although we encourage you to try and obtain your own funding sources in the first instance.School of Economics scholarshipsUniversity of Edinburgh Scholarship Search 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. Full-time PhD with Integrated Study Economics (4 years) tuition fees 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:foodutility billstravel, clothes, books and stationeryrecreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)Living costsAccommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.University postgraduate accommodation options and costs Entry requirements 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 masters degree with distinction, or its international equivalent, in analytical economics. This degree should be equivalent to that offered by the Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics. Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics If you do not hold a masters, or if your masters is in another subject, you will not normally be admitted directly to the PhD. Our programme is designed to enable you to pursue your academic interests, and learn the latest methods in research, while providing thorough training in modern economics. As important as your topic is the ability to match your topic with our supervision team. We will not admit a student, where we cannot provide the very best supervision. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether your topic matches our research interests. During the application process, you will be asked to provide a research summary that briefly outlines your research interests and why you feel they fit with those of the School. The criteria we will use to decide upon admission will include:the quality and rigour of your training in core economics areas.your performance at undergraduate and postgraduate levelour ability to offer supervision in your chosen area of researchthe quality of your research summary and the strength of the match to the research priorities of the Schoolour assessment of any previous independent work (such as your masters dissertation or extended project) In exceptional cases, we may consider prior independent research experience as a positive factor for admission. International qualifications To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list. Where you studied - Select a country or region -AfghanistanAlbaniaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMacau-SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPacific IslandsPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanZambiaZimbabweMy country or region is not listed 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 testa degree that was taught and assessed in Englishcertain 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 7.0 with at least 6.5 in reading and listening, and 6.0 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in reading and listening, and 20 in speaking and writing. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in reading and listening, and 169 in speaking and writing. Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components. Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 7 in reading and listening, and 6 in all other components. Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 145 in reading and listening, and 135 in all other components. How old your English language tests can be Tests no more than two years oldThe 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 AcademicTOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)Trinity ISEOxford ELLTOxford Test of English AdvancedTests no more than three and a half years oldAll 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 countriesWe 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-MESCHow old your degree can beIf 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 Programme details Research profile Research rankingsWe have an impressive history of high rankings for our research.In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 25% of our research was judged world-leading in its originality, significance and rigour. A further 45% was judged internationally excellent.Academic staff profilesThere are 34 staff members and around 30 PhD students. Profiles of all our economics staff and students are available on the economics website:Staff and students at the School of Economics Programme structure The PhD programme is principally a research degree, but modern economics requires substantial training that exceeds the level of an MSc or other masters study.In Year 1, you will take 120 credits of advanced research-oriented coursework, with the opportunity to take field courses at the frontier of areas relevant to your research.Review and progressionSubject to passing an annual review at the end of Year 1, you will proceed to three further years of research, with the possibility of taking a fourth “writing-up” year. Find out the aims and structure for each year of study on this programme. Full-time PhD with Integrated Study Economics (4 years) (2025-2026) We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative. Support Academic supportYou will be supervised by two faculty members from the School, who will provide academic support and advice on the subject area, methodology and structure of your thesis. Facilities As a postgraduate student at the School of Economics you will be immersed in a rich academic environment and supportive community of staff and students.You with have all the practical facilities to ensure success in your chosen programme of learning or research. Careers Career opportunities Employment opportunitiesWhile many of our PhD graduates choose to remain in academia as lecturers and researchers, some pursue careers in other sectors.Recent PhD graduates have found employment as researchers and analysts with:Behavioural Insights TeamDanmarks NationalbankBank of Englandother private and public organisationsPost-doctoral opportunitiesRecent graduates have successfully attained post-doctoral positions at:University of OxfordKing's College LondonLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceEuropean University InstituteAs well as faculty positions at:Heriot-Watt UniversityPenn State UniversityUniversity of St AndrewsAarhus UniversityHeinrich Heine University DüsseldorfPractical careers supportOur PhD students benefit from the help of our Placement Director in looking for academic jobs.As well as offering advice and running information sessions, the Placement Director organises practical preparation sessions tailored to the academic job market, such as practice interviews and job talks. 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 strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisions Visit the Careers Service website Life at Edinburgh 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 programmeaccept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 Julystudy at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in SeptemberUniversity accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaWe also offer accommodation options for couples and families.Accommodation for couples and familiesIf 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.SocietiesSport 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 Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities that you might find useful day-to-day, including:sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) 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 adjustmentsHealth and wellbeing support services Disability and Learning Support Contact General enquiries Contact our enquiry team about your eligibility or how to apply. Contact us Phone:+44 (0)131 651 1795
