The mission of the Carnegie Trust is to support students enrolled on an undergraduate degree course at a Scottish Institute of Higher Education who are not eligible for government funding for their tuition fees, aiming to aid those whose financial circumstances prevent them from covering the cost of education. By extending grants, the Trust seeks to alleviate the financial burdens of students facing hardships, including those with prior study attempts interrupted by various challenges, and aspiring students from displaced or disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Carnegie PhD Scholarships program is designed to fund postgraduate research leading to a Ph.D. at eligible institutions in Scotland. This program supports candidates who demonstrate academic excellence by achieving, or being on track to achieve, a first-class Honours undergraduate degree from a Scottish institution of higher education. The grant is inclusive, open to students of all nationalities who meet the academic criterion. The program covers a broad range of disciplines, offering several types of scholarships under this scheme, including general scholarships open for doctoral study in any field, specific scholarships for study in the Life Sciences and Arts and Humanities (administered on behalf of the Royal Society of Edinburgh through the Caledonian Research Foundation), and a scholarship in Botany/Plant Science funded by a legacy. Each scholarship offers a comprehensive funding package, which includes a stipend, tuition fees coverage, and a research allowance, typically for a duration of 36 months, extendable to 42 months in specific cases. Annually, between 15 and 18 PhD Scholarships are awarded, underlining the program's commitment to fostering academic and research excellence in Scotland.