Information for prospective supervisors

EastBio recruitment for an October 2027 start with begin with a call for projects opening on 10 August 2026.

EastBio runs a joint recruitment and we make every effort to provide plain and clear guidance on our recruitment process. 

There are two types of EastBio studentship:

  1. Standard studentship.
  2. CASE studentship - collaborative with an industrial/non-academic partner.

We strongly advise that, before you submit your project, you make sure you read the relevant guidance available below:

EastBio 2027 Call Guidance (285.45 KB / DOCX)

Local Q&A sessions

University of Stirling - 24th August 15:00-15:45 Online. Contact Andrew Desbois for more details.

Supervisor Eligibility

  1. Primary supervisors with a current EastBio student may not submit a project unless their student's thesis will be submitted before October 2027. This restriction does not apply to those submitting CASE projects.
  2. Supervisors must only be primary supervisor to a maximum of three other PhD students in October 2027. This restriction does not apply to those submitting CASE projects.
  3. Primary supervisors must be on campus.
  4. Supervisors can only propose one project as primary supervisor.
  5. All supervisors must be up to date with supervisor training within their institution. 

How to Submit Your Project Proposal

Submit your PhD project via the online form relevant for your Institution: 

Accepting responses from 10 August 2026

University of Aberdeen:  https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/MWp4ABsASU

University of Dundee:  https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/qSV8wGNXcH 

University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/RWu8iP3Lg8 

University of Edinburgh College of Science and Engineering: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/wbZmRg7idD 

University of St Andrews: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/vxkrt9y7K5 

University of Stirling: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/HAuA5zJXuh 

Scotland's Rural College: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/kKj6HtGy0r 

 

We recommend that you work on your responses offline before you start filling in this online form. Find a pdf preview here: EastBio Project Call 2027 pdf.pdf (191.21 KB)

If you need to edit the online form after you have submitted it (before the closing date), make sure you select 'save my response' when you submit. You will then be able to access your form by going to your 'Filled forms' on Microsoft Forms. Note that we will not consider projects that are incomplete (for example, projects that lack details on the second supervisor and their involvement in the project). We cannot send individual acknowledgment of receipt. 

As part of the proposal, you will be asked to complete an anonymous EDI survey, you can find a pdf preview of the survey here: EastBio EDI Survey for Supervisors.pdf (215.23 KB)

If you are submitting a CASE project, you must also separately submit a CASE Project Support Letter (see 2027 Call Guidance for a template), signed by the CASE partner’s representative, to your local academic lead for EastBio and to recruitment@eastscotbiodtp.ac.uk.

 

The deadline for projects is midday Monday the 21st of September 2026. 

Timeline

Announcement and online briefing session (CASE)20 July
Call for projects opens10 August
Project submission deadline21 September

Projects approved

5 October

Projects advertised

19 October

APPLICATIONS CLOSING 

16 November

Nominations submitted by supervisors

18 January

Shortlisting completed

15 February

Interview invites sent

22 February

Interviews held  

w/b 8 March 

Allocation meeting (EastBio Management Group) 

 w/b 15 March

Decisions communicatedw/b 22 March

Candidate Nominations

Each project supervisor is to nominate one candidate who represents the best fit for their project by submitting the EastBio Candidate Nomination Form to their local graduate school by the 18 January (the form must be signed by the primary supervisor and the CASE partner supervisor if relevant). No application will be considered without this form. 

CASE project supervisors can nominate two candidates, at least one of whom must be a home-fees student. You must submit a separate Candidate Nomination Form for each candidate.

Nominated candidates will be shortlisted locally aiming for two candidates per studentship award, as per the partner institutions' quotas. The selection is conducted by each partner institution according to the same EastBio guidance.  

The shortlisted candidates will be invited to an EastBio interview by one of the panels chaired by an EastBio academic lead and 3 PIs from partner institutions. 

 

If you have further questions on the PhD Project Call or our recruitment, please email the EastBio academic representative at your local institution or recruitment@eastscotbiodtp.ac.uk.

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