Established in 1583, Edinburgh has a charismatic estate that reflects its long history, from university buildings in the historic Old Town to the Nucleus Building — the recently opened student and staff hub on the 115-acre King’s Building campus a couple of miles out of the city.
In a push to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, Edinburgh has completed its divestment from fossil fuel investments — a substantial undertaking for the university with the third-largest endowment fund of any UK institution, behind Oxbridge. Also helping it meet the commitment is a new solar farm that is providing renewable power to the Easter Bush campus, and a project to capture and store carbon emission by restoring peatlands and expanding forests in Scotland.
What is the University of Edinburgh’s reputation?
An ancient university with a cutting-edge outlook, Edinburgh hosts the £79 million national supercomputer, Archer2. It was expecting to be the site for the UK’s first exascale supercomputer — 50 times faster than any other in the country — but in August 2024 the government announced it was scrapping the £800 million project, which would have furthered research and technology development in AI, drug discovery, climate change, astrophysics and advanced engineering. What Edinburgh will now do with the £31 million facility already built to house the supercomputer is unknown.Edinburgh is also looking to drive the conversation on generative artificial intelligence-developing techniques for use in areas such as robotics, drug discovery and medical diagnoses — in partnership with its Centre for Technomoral Futures, which looks at the ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks involved.
One of the UK’s big hitters for research, Edinburgh is 11th in our research quality index. Ninety-six per cent of its submission to the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent. Some of the best results were in psychology; biological sciences; English; politics; pharmacology and pharmacy; anatomy; and computing. On a global scale, Edinburgh is in the top 30 in the QS World Rankings.
Undergraduates benefit from research-led teaching and provision is broad, extending across 60 subjects and almost 400 degree programmes. Fieldwork, industry placements and opportunities to study abroad are embedded in its courses.
Rates of student satisfaction at Edinburgh remain persistently low however, a fate shared by many research-intensive universities. In our new National Student Survey analysis, Edinburgh is third from bottom for teaching quality (down six places) and although it does better for the wider student experience, a ten-place decline brings it to 122nd place this year.
The benefits of the Nucleus building may improve contentment on campus, and the university has restructured its support model, making student advisers the first point of contact within schools for study-related queries, replacing the personal tutor system of old.
What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available?
The first students of a new degree in global law began courses in September 2024 and from 2025 a degree in biological sciences begins. There are no courses scheduled to close.
What are the University of Edinburgh’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?
High academic standards are the norm, with courses demanding from BBB up to A*A*A*. Edinburgh was an early convert to contextual admissions, which undercut the standard retirements for eligible students. In 2022 about one in five new entrants received a contextual offer. Edinburgh attracted more than 71,000 applications in 2023 (around 40 per cent from international students), a 9 per cent decline compared with a record number the year before. Just under 7,000 new undergraduates were accepted onto courses - the largest cohort from Scotland, followed by international students and then students from England. A tiny proportion (just over 1 per cent) of entrants gained their places through clearing.
What are the graduate prospects?
Careers are promising for those armed with an Edinburgh degree. High Fliers’ research graduate market report puts Edinburgh in the top 15 universities targeted by the largest number of leading employers for 2022-23. However, the university fell out of the top 20 to 31st in our last edition and according to our latest analysis the proportion of graduates in high-skilled jobs or postgraduate study 15 months after leaving, has fallen a further two places (33rd).
The university’s employer links help students to secure funded internships and placements with partner organisations. Development opportunities include the Students as Change Agents programme, promoting interdisciplinary work on live issues proposed by industry partners.
What is the University of Edinburgh’s campus like?
The university is set across five main campuses spread across the city, from the historic Old Town and the £8 million Health and Wellbeing Centre, which offers a sanctuary of calm, to the Usher Institute within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The former Old Royal Infirmary is now home to the university’s Edinburgh Futures Institute, where the focus is on data, financial services, creative industries, tourism and public services. It is one of the university’s six innovation hubs created under the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal, and follows the opening of the £45 million Bayes Centre, the Edinburgh International Data Facility and the National Robotarium (in partnership with Heriot-Watt University). Edinburgh has diverse collections of art, anatomy, musical instruments and natural history housed around the campuses.
Everything you need to know about the University of Edinburgh’s student life and wellbeing support
With more than 100,000 students converging on the city, QS Best Student Cities 2025 puts Edinburgh 13th in the world. The nightlife is lively without being overwhelming.Edinburgh’s sporting programmes are among the best in the UK — producing past Olympic champions such as the cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and the rower Dame Katherine Grainger. Students have a choice of more than 60 sports clubs and can take part in the full range of fixtures from informal games to competitive tournaments. There is a network of student gyms in and around the city with membership packages starting at £22 a month. The 27-acre Peffermill playing fields provide facilities for hockey, lacrosse and rugby, among other sports.
Same-day counselling appointments are available for new students in distress and the university’s chaplaincy has made its listening service available 24/7 since the pandemic. Free period products are available across campuses, and the university employs an intercultural and anti-discrimination adviser who supports students who have experienced racism, hate incidents or discrimination.
What do the students say?
“Edinburgh is a stunning city and I have never been bored in my five years as a student here. The university campus is beautiful, with some very cool and niche study spaces hidden around its locations. Housing can be an issue. The best thing is definitely the student community.”
Sharan Atwal, president of Edinburgh University Students’ Association
What about student accommodation at the University of Edinburgh?
There are 6,581 residential places reserved for undergraduates, nearly a third of them with breakfast and evening meals included. All first-years who come from outside Edinburgh’s city limits are guaranteed a room.
How diverse and inclusive is the University of Edinburgh?
Outreach programmes target local primary and secondary schools with the aim of supporting underrepresented groups to apply to Edinburgh. However, the university is towards the bottom of the latest available social inclusion index.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Edinburgh
The Access Edinburgh Scholarship for UK students is worth up to £5,000 and based on individual circumstances and household income. In 2023-24 nearly one in five Scottish students qualified for one plus 15 per cent of those from the rest of the UK. A scholarship function on Edinburgh’s website allows applicants to search for subject-specific and merit-based awards.
