The William R McFarlane Scholarship

Applications for the academic year 2026/7 are now open.

The Edinburgh Centre for Global History (ECGH) invites applications from outstanding candidates for the William R. McFarlane Scholarship for 2026/7 entry.

Awards

The award provides an annual stipend at the UKRI rate (for academic year 2025/6, this has been set as  £20,780) and tuition fees at the UK or international rate.

The successful applicant will become a member of the ‘Migration, Slavery and Diaspora Studies' hub within the (ECGH), which boasts a lively and supportive postgraduate community. The successful applicant will be expected to participate in the ECGH’s activities, including the Graduate Workshop.

Eligibility

The award is open to UK and international students commencing a PhD degree in History, Scottish History, or Economic and Social History in the academic year 2026/7. Applicants for a distance learning PhD programme and current PhD students are not eligible to apply for the William R. McFarlane Scholarship.

The scholarship panel will consider all high-quality proposals relating to migration and/or diaspora studies from any period and any geographical region. Although Scottish history is a core concern, the Migration, Slavery, and Diaspora Studies Hub has broad transnational interests and welcomes projects relating to other nations or regions that put the Scottish example in a comparative perspective. Current/recent projects have focused on issues surrounding memory and identity (including military Scottishness, Irish diasporas in Melbourne and Chicago, and mapping memories of slavery), Scottish, Dutch, Jewish, and enslaved African diasporas in the early modern Atlantic World, and the impact of Scottish involvement with the slave economy on material culture at home. Prospective applicants are welcome to propose topics in related areas but should not feel obliged to do so. 

Applying

Please note that the funding applications have their separate timelines and rules for both the study and the scholarship applications, which differ from the deadlines generated automatically by the application portal when submitting your study application. 

To be considered for this scholarship, you must complete the following two steps:

Your completed PhD study application must be submitted through the University’s online application system by Monday, 16 February 2026, 23:59 UK time. This means that all your supporting documentation must also be uploaded, including the research proposal (1,000-2,000 words), copies of undergraduate and postgraduate degree certificates and transcripts, and their official translations if not in English (we recommend collating multiple transcripts or certificates into one file). Additionally, two academic references are required. If you need to upload any additional documents after submitting your application, please follow the support guidance available here or send them directly to the PGR Office at hca-pgr@ed.ac.uk. 

The scholarship panel will not consider incomplete applications. Please see the guidance below on what to do if any of your documents are missing or pending:

  • Academic references

Please liaise closely with your referees to ensure they supply the required reference within ten working days of your submission and no later than 2 March 2026, 23:59 UK time.

  • Postgraduate degree result

Please note that you must submit your undergraduate and postgraduate degree certificates and transcripts to be considered for PhD admission. If you are still studying towards your postgraduate qualification, we will require you to submit an interim transcript or a certificate of matriculation so we can consider your application and, where appropriate, make you a conditional offer on the condition of successful completion of your current master's degree.

  • Proof of English competency

If a degree result or test of English competency is pending, we can consider your application and, where appropriate, make you a conditional offer on the condition that you supply these at a later date.

 

IMPORTANT: If you are unsure about the eligibility of any of your documents, please email the Postgraduate Research Office well ahead of the submission deadline.

 


Eligible candidates must submit a separate scholarship application in the MyEd portal by Monday, 2 March 2026, 23:59 GMT.

Please note you cannot access the online funding application form in the MyEd portal unless you have first applied for admission to the University of Edinburgh (see Step 1) and received your login details (University username and password).

To apply for the scholarship in the MyEd portal, please select the 'William R McFarlane Scholarship' option.

Do I need a study offer before applying for the scholarship?

You may apply for funding before receiving a decision on your application for a PhD place, but if you do not receive a study offer, your application cannot proceed.

 



Applications which do not meet the deadlines stated above won't be considered.

The University reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend or withdraw any of the advertised scholarships, without notice.

Applications which do not meet the deadlines stated above won't be considered.

The University reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend or withdraw any of the advertised scholarships, without notice.

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