Funding Details

Find out about the funding available on the CDT.

What the CDT studentships cover

The CDT studentships cover stipend, fees and research costs for all the students we appoint.

The CDT studentships are fully-funded for 4 years (48 months full-time equivalent). They include and cover:

Stipend

Non-UK taxable stipend based on the UKRI standard rate, reviewed on an annual basis and paid monthly to the student.

International students: 
£21,805 (2026/27 rate)

Home students (TechFirst enhanced stipend - see below): 
£30,000 (2027/28 rate)

Fees 

Home Fees or International Fees (The University of Edinburgh covers the difference between Home and International fees for international students.)

To cover 4 years of tuition fees.

Research Costs£6,000 minimum to cover expenses needed for the research (e.g. equipment, conference travel and accommodation, other research incidental costs etc.)
IT equipment, desktop and GPU computer clusters accessEach student receives a laptop with headphones and gets access to hot-desking facilities within the Informatics Forum (Central Campus) as well as GPU compute according to their requirements.

The expectation is that the thesis is submitted by the end of the funding (4 years).

All applicants should be aware of the standard living costs in Edinburgh before applying for the programme. 

Living costs | The University of Edinburgh

Applicants bringing other external funding can also be considered. The applicant will still need to satisfy the full expectations of the CDT, but will not need to compete for the limited funding opportunities.

TechFirst Stipend Enhancement Scheme - September 2027 entry

The TechFirst Doctoral Phase 2 funding provided by the UK Government allows Home students (as defined by UKRI) starting in September 2027, to receive an enhanced doctoral stipend of £30,000 for 2027/28 (to be updated annually by the EPSRC).  

As part of this programme, students receiving the enhanced stipend will be expected to participate in:

• Mandatory additional TechFirst widening participation activities to inspire the next generation
• Virtual and potentially in-person TechExpert cohort networking events
• Broader engagement with the TechFirst programme 

International Applicants and Extra Costs

Although the University of Edinburgh covers the difference between Home and International fees for international applicants, costs associated with the Visa, the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) and the relocation are NOT covered and can NOT be charged to the CDT. This will be to the expense of the students.

Applicants are advised to find out about these costs, together with the Visa application procedure, ahead of submitting their application, via our Student Immigration Service.

International applicants | The University of Edinburgh

This article was published on