Linguistics MScR Level: Postgraduate research Subject: Linguistics Year of entry: 2026 Study options Full-time MScR | 1 year | Start date: September 2026 Part-time MScR | 2 years | Start date: September 2026 Key facts School School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 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 This programme offers you the opportunity to focus on a chosen area of the subject, while still being able to take some taught courses. It is intended for those who already have a good background in linguistics, typically from undergraduate study.This is one of two MSc by Research programmes offered in Linguistics and English Language. You should choose this programme if you wish to specialise in an area of linguistics within our research area.MScR English LanguageExplore our MScR English Language programme if you wish to specialise in an area of English language or English linguistics.MScR English Language Thinking about an MSc in language sciences? Hear from staff and students at the University of Edinburgh and find out more about our vibrant community. Rankings Ranked 3rd in the UK for Linguistics and English Language by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). Applying How to apply Before making your application, we encourage you to look at our research interests and check whether your proposed research topic fits with our research expertise.Our research areas When to apply We operate a gathered field approach to applications for this MSc by Research programme.This means that all complete applications that satisfy our minimum entry requirements will be held until the nearest deadline and the admissions panel will meet to consider all applications received together after that date.To be considered as having met the deadline, your application must include transcripts and an academic reference.Supporting documentation and refereesApplications must be complete with all supporting documentation to be passed on for consideration. This includes references. Please ensure that you inform referees of any deadline you wish to meet.Round Apply by Receive decision byRound 110/11/2531/01/2026Round 213/04/202631/05/2026Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding.You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline. 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. Research ProposalYour research proposal will be used to consider whether supervision can be provided for the research that you propose, so it is important that your basic aims and area of investigation are clear. For MSc by Research applications, we are looking for a short proposal of around 500 words.We do not expect substantial detail, but you should explain the area which you plan to research in as much detail as possible. The MSc by Research degrees are in part intended to provide any research training that you might need in order to be able to carry out higher level research. If you know that you have specific research training needs, you can explain this in your proposal. If you plan to continue to study for a PhD after an MSc by Research, you could also briefly explain how you hope that your MSc work will prepare you for PhD research. 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 -MScR Linguistics (1 year)MScR Linguistics (2 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 Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding.You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.Featured fundingScottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities FundingScottish Graduate School of Social Science FundingCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research AwardsEdinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships 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 MScR Linguistics (1 year) tuition fees Part-time MScR Linguistics (2 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 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in English language, linguistics, or a related subject. Your application will also be considered if you have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in another subject and a postgraduate masters level degree in English language or linguistics. Your academic achievements will be assessed by a panel of academics along with the research proposal submitted as part of your application. 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 each component 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 each component 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 each component. Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components. Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 7 in each component. Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 145 in each component. 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 Our research community The School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is home to a large, supportive and active student community, hosting events and activities throughout the year which you can join. As a postgraduate student, you will have access to a range of research resources, state-of-the-art facilities, research seminars and reading groups.Find out more about our community Programme structure The main part of the programme will involve you writing a dissertation, and you should have an idea of the topic or area that you would like to write about when you apply.You are given support in developing this topic during the year by an appointed supervisor and by dedicated training in research methodology.Teaching will typically be in small groups, and supervision is organised on the basis of one-to-one contact with one or a small number of expert supervisors. Find out the aims and structure for each year of study on this programme. Full-time MScR Linguistics (1 year) (2025-2026) We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative. Taught courses You are advised to take two taught courses, which are offered from the wide range of subjects taught at Masters level within Linguistics and English Language.Further courses may also be attended, but not for credit. Careers 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 PPLS Postgraduate OfficeDugald Stewart Building3 Charles StreetCentral CampusEdinburghEH8 9AD pplspgoffice@ed.ac.uk Phone:+44 (0)131 651 5002
