Postgraduate research opportunities

Our impact-focused research aims to address the major challenges of growing global demand for food and nutrition security, climate change and dwindling natural resources. This covers a wide range of scientific disciplines, along with economics, business and resource management.

Postgraduate research (PGR) students make a valuable contribution to SRUC’s research programmes. Thanks to close ties with industry, our students benefit from building important networks and enjoy many varied employment opportunities after completing their studies with us. Discover more about our research outputs by visiting our research hub, SRUC’s Pure Portal.

Self-funded or Sponsored PhD Opportunities

Self-funded students and those with scholarships are welcome to apply for SRUC's PhD programme. We offer opportunities to be supervised in projects aligned to your research interests and our expertise. Before applying, you should contact a potential supervisor to discuss your planned research. For information on the types of research we support and to identify potential supervisors, explore the SRUC Research Repository. To apply and for more information, please go the PhD in Agriculture, Rural and Environmental Studies within our course catalogue. We look forward to supporting your research journey.

Funded PhD Opportunities

All our competition-funded applications for 2025/26 entry have closed. Please check below for dates of our admissions process.

Our Admissions Process

When and how you will receive a decision on your application:

You will be notified via email when a decision has been made on your application. We aim to reply to self-funded or sponsored applications no later than 8 weeks from submission of your application. Competitive-funded applications will follow a different timeline, as shown in the applications timeline below.

All PhD applications to SRUC go through the same process:

Application submission - this includes sending your application form, all degree certificates and transcripts, and two academic or professional references.

The PhD shortlisting process has 3 stages. Stage 1: the project supervisor will nominate one candidate from their list of applications to go forward for shortlisting.

Stage 2: Our panel will then consider all nominated candidates and shortlist them for interviews. If you are applying to research your own project with SRUC, your application will still go through our shortlisting process.

Stage 3: Interviews – interview criteria will be announced to each candidate via email.

2025/26 Competitive PhD Applications Timeline

EastBio

Application deadline: Friday 17 January 2025

Shortlisting Stage 1 Announcement: w/c Monday 10 February 2025

Shortlisting Stage 2 Announcement: w/c Monday 24 February 2025

Shortlisting Stage 3 Interviews: w/c Monday 10 March 2025

SRUC

Application deadline: Friday 31 January 2025

Shortlisting Stage 1 Announcement: w/c Monday 24 February 2025

Shortlisting Stage 2 Announcement: w/c Monday 10 March 2025

Shortlisting Stage 3 Interviews: w/c Monday 24 March 2025

For E5 projects, visit the University of Edinburgh website: Selection Process | E4 DTP

For BARIToNE, you will be contacted directly by the BARIToNE recruitment team.

What We Do

We offer excellent opportunities for research leading to a higher degree, usually Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at SRUC. Completing a research degree programme successfully requires scientific and technical knowledge, project planning, time and resource management. You will also need good communication skills, critical thinking and analysis. We work with you to create a plan, based on a detailed analysis of training needs, that is updated regularly throughout the programme of study. Research students are encouraged to participate fully in the academic life at SRUC Studying will forge connections and experiences that will be of benefit whether you continue to work in an academic or industrial research environment or elsewhere.

You can find more information on SRUC’s PhD in Agriculture, Rural and Environmental Studies within our course catalogue or learn more by contacting the Doctoral College using the link below.

The Doctoral College

The Doctoral College is responsible for the administration, development, and support of our postgraduate research programme. It provides guidance for PGR students on all aspects of the research journey, from application to completion.

As well as being the first point of contact for PGR students, The Doctoral College helps our postgraduate research community forge connections with networks of peers, academics, and professional services. We strongly believe in promoting inter-disciplinary and entrepreneurial thinking, and this reflects the collaborative ethos across SRUC and our partners.

In more practical terms, the Doctoral College can fund support for research student skills development through the Small Grant Competition. Students can apply for funds to support research-relevant activities or to buy small items of equipment.

The Doctoral College also organises the annual Postgraduate Research Conference. This provides an opportunity for research postgraduates to present various stages of their work publicly and to engage with those from other centres who may be carrying out a project in a similar, or a more diverse, subject area.

Contact the Doctoral College

SRUC launches new PhD programme

In a significant step towards shaping the future of agriculture, rural and environmental studies, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) has launched a new PhD programme.

Climate change research wins PhD student prize

A postgraduate student at Scotland’s Rural College has won a prize for her research looking at the effects of climate change on European grassland yields.