Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship
The Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship (EGRS) is a tuition-only PhD award that covers the gap between the overseas and home tuition fee — typically £18,000-£22,000 per year, paid for up to three years. Around 30 awards are offered annually across all schools of the University of Edinburgh. Sri Lankan PhD applicants who already have UKRI, Commonwealth, or self-funded coverage for living costs can use the EGRS to bridge the international-fee differential. The scholarship is offered alongside a confirmed PhD offer and does NOT cover living expenses.
2026 entry: applications closed 28 February 2026 — 2027 round expected to close end Feb 2027
University of Edinburgh
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Overseas/Home Fee Gap (~£20k/yr)
Duration
Up to 3 Years (PhD)
Awards
~30 per Year (all schools)
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of Edinburgh — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
Difference Between Overseas + Home PhD Tuition Fee. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
PhD Programme Offer
You must hold (or have applied for) admission to a full-time PhD or MPhil research programme at the University of Edinburgh. Taught Master's and MRes candidates apply for other Edinburgh awards.
Overseas Fee Status
Open to international students paying overseas fees — Sri Lankan citizens qualify. UK home-fee students apply via separate UKRI / Edinburgh studentships.
Outstanding Academic Record
Selection is by academic merit. Most successful candidates have a strong Master's degree with distinction, publications or research output, and a compelling research proposal aligned with a supervisor's interests.
Supplementary Funding for Living
EGRS is tuition-only. You'll need separate funding for living costs in Edinburgh (~£18,000/year) — either through a separate scholarship, supervisor's grant, or self-funding. Sri Lankan applicants frequently pair EGRS with Commonwealth or UKRI top-ups.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to a PhD programme first
Identify a supervisor and submit your PhD application via EUCLID, the Edinburgh applicant portal, with research proposal, references, and transcripts. Most PhD programmes have rolling admissions but EGRS has a fixed deadline.
Submit the EGRS application
Complete the separate EGRS scholarship form on the Edinburgh Scholarships portal. The application takes about 30 minutes and asks for justification of need plus an outline of the research project. Submit by 28 February.
Selection by school
Each school at Edinburgh nominates candidates from its applicant pool to the central scholarships office, which makes final awards. Results are typically announced in April-May.
Accept + secure living funds
Accept EGRS via the portal. You'll need to confirm separate funding for living expenses before Edinburgh issues your CAS for the UK Student Visa.
Why Edinburgh for PhD?
Edinburgh is one of the UK's oldest universities (founded 1583) and a major global research hub — particularly strong in AI / informatics, biological sciences, philosophy, divinity, and Scottish/postcolonial literature. Three Sri Lankan PhDs are typically funded each year across schools. Edinburgh's PhD viva tradition and the city's strong international research community make it a popular choice over London for research-track candidates.
#27
QS World Ranking 2026
Russell Group
Member Institution
~30
EGRS Awards per Year
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat UK actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for UK, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Imperial President's PhD Scholarship
Imperial College London
Warwick Chancellor's International Scholarship
University of Warwick
Commonwealth PhD Scholarship
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC)