South Asian Studies PhD

Centre for South Asian Studies

Founded in 1988, the Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS) is the central academic unit in Scotland dedicated to the study of South Asia.

With 25 full-time associated staff in Edinburgh, honorary fellows, and more staff affiliated across Scotland and northern Britain, the Centre is also one of the four leading Centres for South Asian Studies in the UK.

We host a vibrant series of seminars, a cohort of PhD scholars and a range of researchers meaning that there is a culture of academic discussion and exchange.

We offer a range of courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The CSAS community at the University of Edinburgh is a vibrant collective of staff and students, promoting wide-ranging scholarly engagements through regularly organised seminars, workshops and student-led events.

The Centre brings together South Asian expertise from across the University to create a lively environment supporting the interdisciplinary study of the subcontinent as a whole. Fields include:

• Social Anthropology
• Art
• Engineering
• Geosciences
• History
• Literatures, Languages and Cultures
• Law
• Politics and International Relations
• Religious Studies
• Sociology
• Veterinary Studies
• Medicine

It has an established reputation for research excellence.

• Research projects at the Centre of South Asian Studies

Who this programme is for

We welcome applications from scholars wishing to study any aspect of society, culture or politics in South Asia.

Cross-disciplinary areas where students are particularly welcome include:

• the historical and contemporary study of religion (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Hinduism) and South Asian societies
• gender, kinship, family and population
• political violence
• political economy of development
• health and wellbeing
• work and labour
• nationalism and caste
• the media
• the South Asian diaspora
• contemporary politics and identity
• territorial politics (federalism, regionalism)
• India as a global emerging power

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.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, and a UK masters degree with an overall mark of 65% or its international equivalent.

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 7.0 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 100 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 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 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