Translational Neuroscience - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the next deadline for applying to the programme?

The call for applications for entry in September 2024 will open on 1st October 2023. The deadline for receipt of applications and references will be 12 noon on Monday 4th December 2023.

Do I need a neuroscience degree to be eligible for this programme?   

No. We recognize that students often take a variety of paths to reach their ultimate career destination so we are not rigid in our degree requirements. We currently have students that have joined us from backgrounds in biomedical sciences, psychology and linguistics. If you do not have a qualification in a biomedical science subject then you will probably need to do additional reading in order to fully participate in, and benefit from, the programme. You do need a good degree though - at least a 2i BSc(Hons) or equivalent.

I’m a qualified doctor or vet, can I join the PhD programme?   

No, unless you are no longer clinically active and do not intend to return to clinical practice. The funder (Wellcome) does not allow us to admit clinically qualified students as they have separate funding schemes for clinical PhD students (they inlcude vet as a clinical qualification). If you have a medical degree please visit the Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track (ECAT) website - this is our flagship Wellcome funded scheme for medically qualified candidates.

How many people apply for the programme?  

Over the first 8 recruitment rounds of this programme we have received applications from between 170 – 280 prospective PhD students each year. We will be admitting 6 students a year, so most applicants will be unsuccessful. Several disappointed applicants have, however, gone on to successfully apply to other PhD programmes and projects in Edinburgh, so they still join our research community.

Are non-UK students allowed on this PhD programme?

We are now able to accept students from around the world. The funder, Wellcome, provides tuition fees at UK rates as part of the studentship, but the University of Edinburgh has agreed to cover the overseas rate allow the programme to recruit globally. Due to the withdrawal from the EU by the United Kingdom, the funder now considers EU students to be overseas students.

Where do your current students come from?

Our PhD programme was founded in 2016 so our student population consists of 8 cohorts so far, with 5-6 students currently in each of years 1-4 (a total of 23 students, plus four graduated cohort of 6 students). These students come from more than 19 different countries: 43% are from the UK , 31% from EU countries and 26% are from overseas.  Also, currently, 70% of our students are female. 

Do I need to provide degree transcripts or English language Proficiency evidence at the time of initital application?

No. As most applicants will be unsuccessful, we do not request either transcript evidence of qualifications or English language proficiency documentation at the time of initial application (i.e. applying in October/November using the word document application form). Should you be selected for a place on the programme you will then be required to submit an online formal application to the programme which will require you to upload degree transcripts and English language evidence.

I have worked in the past / am currently working in a paid research position. Should I include this under "employment record" or "research experience" in the application form?

You can include this position/experience under either heading, or both if you prefer. This also goes for any other information that you're not sure where to place: the reviewers will read the whole application form and they will take into account all information that you provide, regardless of where exactly it is on the form. 

I know what project I would like to work on for my PhD, is this the right programme for me?

The Translational Neuroscience programme is designed to appeal to students with an open mind about their future PhD project. You are exposed to a wide range of new ideas, technical approaches and research areas during year 1, which all feed into your PhD project development process. If you really know what you want to work on then you may prefer to start a PhD in that area straight away, in which case this programme may not be the right one for you.

What sort of things would I learn in year 1?

During year 1 you will undertake three 11 week mini-projects, one from each life-course area (Development; Adolescence/Adulthood; Old Age/Degeneration). Alongside these you will attend taught elements, roughly twice a week, focusing on human disease states, the mechanisms that underlie them and the technical approaches to studying them. You will also undertake clinic visits about once a month. All these elements are assessed through a variety of approaches including policy documents, public engagement event proposals, patient leaflets and podcasts.  

The taught sessions are bespoke for the Translational Neuroscience PhD programme and generally take the form of small discussion-based sessions delivered by basic, clinical and psychology researchers who are generally from our PhD supervisor pool. Sometimes the taught sessions in one block are also joined by a small number (2-3) students from one of our other PhD programme (e.g. Epilepsy Research UK Doctoral Training Centre) which allows you to make new connections. Please note, we do not award an MSc at the end of year 1. This is, in part, because some of the taught credits are delivered in years 2 and 3.

I understand there are clinic visit opportunities, how does that fit into the programme?

The programme aims to ensure that you have a rounded perspective of the disease states you are studying, including understanding how the disease really affects humans and the role of the clinician in diagnosing and treating patients.  This opportunity is rarely offered to non-clinical PhD students and it is an important element in shaping your approach to translational research. Therefore, during year 1, and as part of your taught course, you will have roughly 8-9 sessions where you spend half a day at a clinic as an observer, or a patient will join your discussion session. These sessions are relevant to your block theme – so in block one (development) you may visit a paediatric epilepsy clinic and an autism clinic, in block 2 (adulthood) you may meet a patient with schizophrenia, in block 3 you may visit a dementia and a stroke clinic etc.

Can I design my own mini-projects?

During year 1 you will undertake 3 mini-projects, one from each life-course area. The process of choosing a mini-project is therefore rapid so there is not time to develop your own project. Instead, the supervisors will present the projects they are offering, although there are often several variations on what is available. With each mini-project we will encourage you to try new techniques and work in different types of research environments so that you develop a broader perspective of the experimental possibilities that exist. You are not required to select one of your mini-projects groups as the host for your PhD project, so you can afford to try things out.

How do I decide on my PhD project?

You will develop your own PhD project. You won’t be restricted to a project from a pre-defined list or have to pick one of your mini-projects to take forward as a full project. Instead, throughout year 1 you will be encouraged to think about what makes a good PhD project and, towards the end of the year, you will have the freedom to develop the hypothesis you wish to test. We have a large pool of PhD supervisors available - you will meet many of them at the taught sessions - and the directors will work with you to determine your supervisory team.  Your PhD project will have at least one clinical/human subject co-supervisor.

What happens after year 1?

In years 2 and 3 your primary focus will be your PhD project work. There will still be some taught work but it will be much less and it can be tailored to the requirements of the cohort. You will still undertake clinic visits.  In the disease area of your PhD project (which you will arrange yourself, with the help of your clinical PhD supervisor) and you will be asked to work up case studies on a patient for your course assessments for years 2 and 3. In year 4 you will focus on completing your research and writing up your PhD dissertation.

Are there any social activites available within the programme?

You will get to know your cohort very well as you will see each other every week during the year 1 taught sessions and you will maintain contact with them in years 2 & 3 for the continuing taught elements. We also have a variety of programme activities, many of which bring all students together:

• We have a whole-programme retreat to Firbush (our university field station in the Scottish Highlands), or to a local rural venue, where you will get to try a variety of outdoor activities as well as participate in science discussions
• We have an annual programme-wide Christmas Dinner for all students, directors and supervisors.
• We run an annual programme-wide autumn retreat to Winton Castle in East Lothian.
• You will join the Edinburgh Neuroscience Autumn School for PhD students, meeting students from across the university with an interest in neuroscience
• The students run their own journal club, with all 4 cohorts meeting together monthly (with pizza!).

Do your PhD students publish papers?

Most of our students have published at least one paper during their PhD project and often more, including work from their rotation mini-projects in year 1. We also encourage submission to online pre-review platforms such as biorxiv so our students are promptly recognised for the work they have done. See our current student publications here.

Where do your PhD students go once they complete the programme?

Four cohorts have completed their PhDs so far. Many have chosen to stay in academia and undertake postdoctoral research projects either in Edinburgh or elsewhere, but others have moved on to work in diverse settings, including becoming a health data scientist for a startup company, a portfolio manager at a major UK research funder and a consultant for a data and analytics company.

The aim of the programme is to develop a generation of leaders in translational neuroscience research so we hope our graduates will contribute to the research community, but this may be in a variety of settings and roles (e.g. universities, industry, NHS).  We will support our students in whatever career path they may choose at the end of their PhD and there is funding available to facilitate the transition to post-PhD. 

Are your students supported throughout their PhD programme?

Both the Wellcome Trust and Edinburgh Neuroscience take student welfare very seriously. Our PhD students will be provided with a variety of support structures throughout their PhD journey. Please see our page on Supervision and Support for more information.

What do your students think of the programme?

We asked our students what they thought - you can read their answers here

You can read the student run PhD pogramme blog here