- Schools & departments
PhD opportunities
- School of Mathematics
- Data and Decisions
Potential projects in statistics
The Statistics PhD programme and areas with opportunity for research
The School of Mathematics offers a PhD Programme in Statistics with a limited number of 4 year scholarships. From the start of their studies, PhD students are assigned a main supervisor with whom they work closely throughout their degree programme and a second supervisor who provides additional help and pastoral support. The programme includes training in the first year (including SMSTC and APTS ).
Why Study Statistics in Edinburgh?
The Statistics group is at the forefront of the development of modern methodologies of Statistics and Data Science. Areas of research include astrostatistics, Bayesian inference, computationally intensive techniques, point processes, spatial and spatio-temporal models, statistics of extremes, high-dimensional statistics, state-space models, machine learning, wavelets, and nonparametric regression. There is a strong interest in applications with specific areas being ecology, energy, environment, finance, forensics, genomics, and medical statistics. There is a strong link with Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland who have offices adjacent to the School and to the Scottish Financial Risk Academy which has links to the Heriot–Watt University. The group founded and leads the Centre for Statistics, which unites quantitative researchers from across the University and beyond.
Funding Opportunities
The School of Mathematics offers several fully funded PhD studentships each year. Students receiving School funding are awarded a stipend equivalent to UKRI stipend rates for a period of 4 years plus a tuition waiver. All applicants will automatically be considered for these studentships, and they do not require a separate application. If you wish to be considered for all funding opportunities, you must submit your admission application by the application deadline (please see “Application Process” below for further information). Later applications will be considered until all positions are filled. Further information on funding opportunities is available at What funding is available for your PhD study? .
Eligibility Requirements
Our minimum entry requirements are a 1st class Honours degree (or its international equivalent), or a 2:1 Honours degree (or its international equivalent) plus a Masters degree (or its international equivalent) in a relevant subject. Non-UK candidates may be required to provide evidence of English proficiency.
Application Process and Further Information
Applications are invited for PhD studies with application deadline 23 January for a start in September each year. Occasionally students are admitted at other times of the year by special arrangement. Further information on how to apply is available at How to apply for a PhD
Further Opportunities
The Statistics group is also a partner of the SENSE CDT and E4 DTP programmes. See below for details on specific projects, and how to apply.
Applications for the SENSE CDT with start in October 2023 are likely to open soon, with deadline early January 2023.
See https://eo-cdt.org/apply-now/ for information on how to apply.
Applications for the E4 DTP with start in September 2023 are open, with deadline 5 January 2023, noon.
See https://www.ed.ac.uk/e4-dtp/how-to-apply for information on how to apply.
Electricity capacity risk assessment and procurement against a background of uncertain climate Supervisors Chris Dent (School of Mathematics), Gabriele Hegerl (School of GeoSciences), Amy Wilson (School of Mathematics)
Developing statistical methods to estimate the number of domestic properties with internal lead piping in Scotland Supervisors Gail Robertson (School of Mathematics), Margaret Graham (School of GeoSciences), Amy Wilson (School of Mathematics), Yiannis Papastathopoulos (School of Mathematics) Partner: Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland (CASE partner)
Can Radar data be used to estimate changes in the intensity of extreme precipitation events? (Student will be in the School of Geosciences) Supervisors Simon Tett (School of Geosciences), Finn Lindgren (School of Mathematics), Hayley Fowler (Newcastle University)
- Schools & departments
Depending on the field of study you are interested in, you may be able to apply for a pre-defined PhD project, or you may need to develop your own research idea.
Research in the fields of medicine, science and engineering tend to require you to:
- apply for a project that already has specific, pre-defined aims
- compete for a place on a partially or fully funded programme (often with competitive application processes).
Research in the fields of arts, humanities and social sciences tend to require you to:
- develop your own research idea (be prepared to adapt your original idea)
- source your own funding, although some funded projects may be available.
PhD research projects
Doctoral training centres and partnerships, developing your own research idea, professional doctorates.
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