Chemistry PhD, MScR

Our EaStCHEM Joint Research School was formed by the Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews in 2004 to combine the research activities of two of Scotland’s leading schools of chemistry. EaStCHEM now provides the largest chemistry research unit in the UK.

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), EaStCHEM was one of only three chemistry units to achieve a 100% “world-leading” score for our research environment. This result rewards our:

• provision of state-of-the-art facilities
• recruitment of high-quality academic, research and professional services staff
• collaboration across disciplines and with industry partners
• support for career development
• nurturing of talent

REF 2021 also assessed >99% of our research outputs as either “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” and 100% of the economic, social and environmental benefit in our impact case studies to be “outstanding” or “very considerable”.

In addition to gaining research skills, making friends, meeting eminent researchers and being part of the research community, a research degree will help you to develop invaluable transferable skills which you can apply to academic life or a variety of professions outside of academia.

The Chemistry/Biology Interface

This is a broad area, with particular strengths in the areas of:

• protein structure and function
• mechanistic enzymology
• proteomics
• peptide and protein synthesis
• protein folding
• recombinant and synthetic DNA methodology
• biologically targeted synthesis
• the application of high throughput and combinatorial approaches

We also focus on biophysical chemistry, the development and application of physicochemical techniques to biological systems. This includes mass spectrometry, advanced spectroscopy and microscopy, as applied to proteins, enzymes, DNA, membranes and biosensors.

Experimental and Theoretical Chemical Physics

This is the fundamental study of molecular properties and processes. Areas of expertise include:

• probing molecular structure in the gas phase, clusters and nanoparticles
• the development and application of physicochemical techniques such as mass spectoscropy to molecular systems
• the EaStCHEM surface science group, who study complex molecules on surfaces, probing the structure property-relationships employed in heterogeneous catalysis

A major feature is in Silico Scotland, a world-class research computing facility.

Synthesis

This research area encompasses the synthesis and characterisation of organic and inorganic compounds, including those with application in:

• homogeneous catalysis
• nanotechnology
• coordination chemistry
• ligand design and supramolecular chemistry
• asymmetric catalysis
• heterocyclic chemistry
• the development of synthetic methods and strategies leading to the synthesis of biologically important molecules (including drug discovery)

The development of innovative synthetic and characterisation methodologies (particularly in structural chemistry) is a key feature, and we specialise in structural chemistry at extremely high pressures.

Materials Chemistry

The EaStCHEM Materials group is one of the largest in the UK. Areas of strength include the design, synthesis and characterisation of functional (for example magnetic, superconducting and electronic) materials, such as:

• strongly correlated electronic materials
• battery and fuel cell materials and devices
• porous solids
• fundamental and applied electrochemistry polymer microarray technologies
• technique development for materials and nanomaterials analysis

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

In general, any research area in the School of Chemistry will require you to have a degree in a related field. We may consider your application if your background is not directly related to chemistry; contact your potential supervisor for advice. Potential supervisor details can be found on the School website:

• Research themes and supervisors

We highly recommend making personal contact by email with your potential supervisor prior to making your application.

PhD: A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in chemistry or a related field.

MSc Research: A UK 2:2 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in chemistry or a related field. If you successfully complete the MSc Research programme, you may be eligible for the PhD programme.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• 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.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also 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

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss national, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate in order to study this programme.

• Academic Technology Approval Scheme

The School of Chemistry actively supports and guides its students in their career aspirations. A Chemistry-based research degree from Edinburgh gives you an excellent qualification for a wide career choice within science, industry, commerce and many more areas.

The valuable skillset of our Chemistry graduates is in demand from employers. At the end of your studies, you will have developed excellent analytical and practical skills, as well as problem solving, presentation and communication skills that will have you prepared to continue towards a PhD degree or for a career outside academia.

Alumni Profiles

• See what jobs our alumni go on to

Chemistry Career profiles

• See the wide range of careers a Chemistry degree can lead to on the Royal Society of Chemistry website