East Asian Studies PhD

Level: Postgraduate research

Subject: Languages, Countries and Cultures

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

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

Key facts

School

School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

PhD by Distance

Not available

School location

Central Area

Apply now

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About the degree programme

Make an original, positive and lasting contribution to East Asian studies. A PhD is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise as part of an active research community making impact across the globe. Join us at the heart of Scotland’s capital and festival city.

Over the course of your PhD, you will complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of at least two supervisors. Your thesis will be around 80,000 words. Our programme includes access to skills training, including research methodologies specific to East Asian studies.

Having been established over 50 years ago, Edinburgh’s expertise in this area supports both in-depth and diversified, disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research on the political, cultural and economic factors shaping international relations in the East Asian region and, comparatively, across the globe.

We have particular strengths in:

  • ancient philosophy and religion
  • the comparative politics of East Asia
  • classical and modern literature
  • media and films
  • imperialism, colonial rule and decolonisation
  • political and economic transformation

We are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between East Asian studies and other disciplines, including:

  • comparative literature
  • film studies
  • translation studies

Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Our East Asian Studies Collection includes one of the largest collections of East Asian digital resources in the UK and Europe. 

Study options

There are two study options for this programme:

  • full-time
  • part-time - only available if you do not require a Student visa

If you take the full-time study option, you will aim to complete your PhD in three academic years. 

If you do not require a Student visa and opt to take the part-time study option, you will aim to complete your PhD in six academic years. 

Find out if you need a Student visa 

Two choices of start date

The majority of students start in September of the academic year, though you also have the option to start in January.

Rankings

  • 3rd in the UK for breadth and quality of research in Modern Languages and Linguistics (Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021)
  • 3rd in the UK for Arts and Humanities and Modern Languages (QS World Rankings by Subject 2025)*
  • 10th in the world for Arts and Humanities (QS World Rankings by Subject 2025)*
  • 13th in the world for Modern Languages (QS World Rankings by Subject 2025)*

*Rankings are based on research citations and the results of major global surveys of employers and academics

Why choose this programme

  • Develop your unique voice in East Asian studies
  • Share your passion and expertise with a supportive community
  • Gain further training in research skills and methods
  • Build a career in research and critical thinking
  • Study at the heart of Scotland's capital city
  • Explore our fantastic libraries and collections

Being supervised by staff from different parts of the university gives me the opportunity to absorb debates and methodologies from different disciplines and to conduct research from a broader, comparative and transnational perspective. Edinburgh is also a beautiful city, which I’ve loved since I first visited.

Tsz Ho (Brian) Wong PhD candidate in East Asian Studies, with supervisors in the Schools of Literatures, Languages and Cultures and History, Classics and Archaeology

How to apply

Before you apply

You do not need to approach a potential supervisor before you apply, but it is a good idea to look at the interests and expertise of our research community on the Asian Studies website. This will help you when you are writing your personal statement and research proposal. Both of these:

  • are key parts of the application process
  • ask you to reflect on how we can meet your supervision needs

Explore our research centres, networks and projects in Asian Studies

We also invite you to get in touch with the Departmental Postgraduate Research Director for Asian Studies. They have a good overview of all our supervision expertise and can advise you who might be the best supervisory fit for your thesis. They will also be able to advise you about supervision expertise beyond Asian studies, for example in:

  • comparative literature
  • film studies
  • translation studies

Contact the Departmental Postgraduate Research Director

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
7 January 2026 31 October 2025
14 September 2026 29 June 2026
6 January 2027 30 October 2026

We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you:

  • are also applying for funding, as many schemes have early deadlines
  • will require a visa

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

The application process involves:

  • completing an online form, including a personal statement
  • submitting a number of supporting documents, including a research proposal 

Completing the online form

When completing the online form, you will be asked to provide information on:

  • relevant knowledge/training skills
  • your proposed research topic
  • any published work

There is space to provide us with details of any published work, but please do not worry if you have not published anything to date. We do not expect that you will.

You will also be asked to write a 500-word personal statement, telling us about your academic history so far, and why you want to study with us.

Find out more about writing a personal statement

Submitting your supporting documents

To support your application, you will need to submit a research proposal. This should be a detailed description of your proposed area of study, helping us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve on the PhD in East Asian Studies.

Read the University’s guidance on how to write your research proposal

You will also need to submit:

  • a sample of written work of about 3,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate or masters degree)
  • copies of your degree certificates and academic transcripts that confirm your current or final marks
  • certified translations if your original documents are not in English
  • two references

Finally, you will need to provide evidence that you meet the English language requirements of this programme. If you do not have this evidence now, you can still submit your application and provide it later through the Applicant Hub. Likewise, if you do not have your final marks or degree certificates at this stage, you can provide a current transcript now and supply the final documents later through the Applicant Hub.

See all guidance on the application process and supporting documents 

Apply

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

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 application

We 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 decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

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

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee teaching or tutoring positions for our PhD students so you will not be able to partially fund your studies in this way.

Featured funding

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to candidates applying to the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) - the School in the University of Edinburgh where this programme is based.

Some scholarship schemes are for PhDs in any subject in LLC (or the wider University). Others are only open to candidates in specific subjects. See individual scholarship listings for details.

Find out more about scholarships in LLC

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
Part-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 and a masters degree, or their international equivalents, in a related subject. 
 
We may also consider your application if you have equivalent qualifications or experience; please check with the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) before you apply.

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 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 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 Framework (REF) – 3rd in the UK

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), our research in East Asian Studies was submitted in the following categories:

  • Modern Languages and Linguistics
  • Politics and International Studies
  • Sociology
  • History
  • Theology and Religious Studies

The results reaffirm Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities. For example, we are rated third in the UK based on the quality and breadth of our research in Modern Languages and Linguistics, according to Times Higher Education's REF power ratings.

Read more about REF 2021

Excellence and impact beyond the UK reflects what drives our research on the countries and cultures we study, and it is great to see this recognised by REF. Beyond the Modern Language element of REF, which is just one part of a much bigger picture, our languages colleagues have helped the University of Edinburgh achieve excellence, and benefited communities, in assessed areas such as Politics, Sociology, History, Theology and Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies.

Professor Emeritus Jeremy Robbins Head of the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) for REF 2021, elected British Academy Fellow in 2025

Our research community

As part of our research community, you will be immersed in a world of scholarship and knowledge exchange, with lots of opportunities to share ideas, learning and creative work.

Activities range from a regular seminar series in Asian studies (with talks by esteemed visiting speakers, staff, and research students), to film screenings and workshops.

Read about a student's experience of co-organising the International Symposium for Young Scholars in Asia Seas

We are home to the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies, and have particularly strong links with the Confucius Institute for Scotland, the Consulate General of Japan, the Japan Foundation and the Korea Foundation.

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from LLC that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research.

Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

Find out the aims and structure for each year of study on this programme.

Full-time
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Support

This programme includes optional training on research skills and methods. For example, depending on prior experience, you might feel you could benefit from further training in:

  • bibliographic skills
  • project development
  • dissertation and thesis writing

Between LLC, the Careers Service and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you will have access to a further range of programmes and resources to help develop your postgraduate skills.

You will also have access to the University's fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.

Our graduates tell us that they value LLC’s friendliness, the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.

Facilities

Based in the Main University Library, the Centre for Research Collections is unique in the UK. It brings together:

  • a collection of more than 400,000 rare books (including Chengtze's 1440 Book of Changes)
  • six kilometres of archives and manuscripts
  • the University’s collections of art, historical musical instruments and other objects

Notable collections include the East Asian Studies Collection of some 50,000 print and digital resources, including a dedicated Korea Collection supported by the Korea Foundation. The University of Edinburgh has one of the largest collections of East Asian digital resources in the UK and Europe.

Discover more about resources and facilities in Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh

Career opportunities

A PhD in the subject area of languages, countries and cultures demonstrates an advanced level of what employers call intercultural competence. Research skills in the subject are in high demand, as they evidence that you:

  • can handle various data sources critically and analytically and are comfortable working in a digital environment
  • have a nuanced understanding of context and can navigate cultural differences and perspectives accordingly
  • excel in articulating complex issues and concepts in a clear and compelling way - opening and changing minds
  • thrive on working independently within a broader community of interest and purpose

While many doctoral graduates aim to develop their skills further within academia, these same assets are widely sought after in a range of careers and across the private, public, not-for-profit, and for-benefit sectors. The discipline, time management, motivation and innovation required to achieve a PhD are also extremely useful primers for self-employment.

Previous graduates of our languages, countries and cultures programmes have gone on to work in:

  • publishing, culture, heritage, and the arts
  • communications, marketing, advertising, and public relations
  • journalism, broadcasting, and media
  • leisure, tourism, and travel
  • business, finance, commerce, and tech
  • politics, policy work, diplomacy, civil service, and law
  • education, outreach, advocacy, and training
  • research, development, consultancy, and venture acceleration

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 

What our students say

Edinburgh is an amazing place to do research, not just for the city’s rich history and beautiful scenery, but also for its vibrant student community and all the city offers outside of academics. Whether you prefer strolling through the Meadows or along Portobello beach, visiting the city’s various museums and galleries, or taking advantage of the city’s connections to the rest of Scotland and beyond, there is truly something for everyone in Edinburgh!

Courtney, Year 2, PhD in English Literature, Masters by Research graduate (2024)

Courtney, who provided us with this quote about her experience of living and studying in Edinburgh, is originally from the US. She is the Postgraduate Research School Representative for the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC). 

Together with Programme Representatives, Postgraduate Representatives are your voice in the university - sharing your feedback to continually improve the student experience for everyone. Their roles are voluntary, and supported by the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA).

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

As a PhD candidate here, you will be based at the heart of the University of Edinburgh in a world-leading festival city with a thriving East Asian cultural scene.

Many important collections are a short walk from our buildings, including those in the National Library, Museum and Galleries of Scotland. For example, the National Library of Scotland has 127 volumes of Chinese books (printed between 1655 and 1912) and the National Museum of Scotland holds a unique Chinese collection, including the second-largest collection of oracle bones outside of East Asia.

Find out more about living and studying 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

School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
50 George Square
Central Campus
Edinburgh
EH8 9LH

llc.pgresearch@ed.ac.uk

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