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Particle Physics at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS

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2026 - 2027
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Course summary

Exploring nature at the tiniest scale, the Particle Physics group seeks to add to our understanding of the make-up of our universe. By joining our research group, you will be following in the footsteps of our celebrated emeritus professor, Peter Higgs, whose groundbreaking Higgs mechanism has excited the world of physics for decades and has been the focus of operations at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. You will also have the opportunity to confer and work with some of the greatest minds in physics today, through our links with leading conferences and international facilities. Our research group works in two areas:

  • Theory
  • Experiment
Particle Physics – Theory (PPT) This research concerns fundamental physics at all energy scales, from hadronic binding energy to the massive forces at play in the first instants of the universe’s existence. We collaborate with leading facilities, such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the WMAP and Planck satellites. Our current research explores developments in both perturbative and non-perturbative field theory, renormalization theory and the application of quantum theory to other branches of physics, such as turbulence theory and condensed matter systems. Particle Physics – Experiment (PPE) We look to understand the fundamental particles of nature and the interactions that govern their behaviour. Our research aims to solve big problems at small scales:
  • explaining the dominance of matter over anti-matter through the study of CP violation
  • understanding the mechanisms of electroweak symmetry breaking that lead to the creation of mass
  • searching for new particles
  • discovering and characterising particle dark matter
  • exploring neutrino oscillations and interactions, neutrinos of astrophysical origin and understanding the mechanism by which neutrinos gain mass
To achieve these aims we are members of a number of experimental collaborations, including:
  • ATLAS
  • LHCb
  • LUX-ZEPLIN
  • XLZD
  • DarkSide-20k
  • MicroBooNE
  • SBND
  • DUNE
  • SuperNEMO
We therefore also have a strong team in our Advanced Detector Development Centre working on developing the technologies that make these large experiments possible. In addition, we are heavily involved in medical physics research, making use of our Particle Physics expertise, for example in PET imaging.

Modules

See our website for detailed programme information.

How to apply

International applicants

This course has a subject classification which requires students whose nationality is outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland to have an ATAS certificate, irrespective of country of residence at the point of application.

Further information can be found on the UK Government's website: www.gov.uk/academic-technology-approval-scheme

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on our website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Tuition fees vary between degree programmes. Find the specific fees for your chosen programme on our website.
Particle Physics at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS