University of Edinburgh
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Italian Studies PhD at the University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Political Science
Funding
No funding is guaranteed. Students may need to combine loans, family support, savings, employment, employer sponsorship, and scholarships to cover tuition and living costs. Teaching or tutoring positions cannot be guaranteed. Tuition fees are charged for the programme; University of Edinburgh graduates may be eligible for a 10% tuition-fee discount. Estimated Edinburgh living costs for 2026–2027 are £18,504 per year (£1,542 per month).
Deadline
Oct 30, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Edinburgh
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About this position
The University of Edinburgh invites applications for a PhD in Italian within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures. The programme is based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, and supports original research across Italian literature, language, culture and related interdisciplinary fields.
Research may be critical, creative or practice-led, covering areas such as medieval to contemporary Italian culture, literary history and theory, comparative studies, translation, film studies, philology, philosophy, intermediality, media ecology, cultural studies, decolonial studies, digital humanities, environmental humanities and political theory. Interdisciplinary projects connecting Italian studies with comparative literature, film studies or intermediality may also be considered.
Students complete an original thesis of approximately 80,000 words under the guidance of at least two supervisors. Potential supervisors include Professor Davide Messina, Dr Emanuela Patti and Professor Federica Pedriali. Applicants are encouraged to review staff profiles and research interests before applying and may contact Sam Coombes, Departmental Postgraduate Research Director for European Languages and Cultures, for advice on supervisory fit.
The full-time PhD normally takes three years, while the part-time route takes six years and is available only to applicants who do not require a Student visa. Start dates include 6 January 2027, 13 September 2027 and 12 January 2028. The deadline for the January 2027 start is 30 October 2026; later listed deadlines are 30 June 2027 and 31 October 2027.
Applicants normally need a UK 2:1 honours degree and a master's degree, or international equivalents, in a related subject. Required materials include a personal statement, research proposal, approximately 3,000 words of written work, degree certificates and transcripts, two references, certified translations where necessary, and English-language evidence. There is no application fee. Funding is not guaranteed, and applicants should investigate scholarships and other sources of financial support.
Funding details
No funding is guaranteed. Students may need to combine loans, family support, savings, employment, employer sponsorship, and scholarships to cover tuition and living costs. Teaching or tutoring positions cannot be guaranteed. Tuition fees are charged for the programme; University of Edinburgh graduates may be eligible for a 10% tuition-fee discount. Estimated Edinburgh living costs for 2026–2027 are £18,504 per year (£1,542 per month).
What's required
Applicants need a UK 2:1 honours degree and a master's degree, or international equivalents, in a related subject; equivalent qualifications or experience may also be considered. The application requires an online form, a 500-word personal statement, a detailed research proposal, approximately 3,000 words of written work, degree certificates and academic transcripts, certified translations where applicable, two references, and evidence of meeting the English language requirements. Accepted English evidence includes IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in each component; specified TOEFL-iBT scores; C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency 185 with 176 in each component; Oxford ELLT 8 with 7 in each component; Oxford Test of English Advanced 155 with 145 in each component; or qualifying degrees taught and assessed in English.
How to apply
Apply online through the University of Edinburgh programme page. Select the PhD Italian award, duration and study mode, then choose the relevant start date and upload the personal statement, research proposal, written work, qualifications, transcripts, references and English-language evidence. The application fee is £0.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.