The education system in the United Kingdom is said to be second to none. It is home to some of the world’s top-class higher institutions of learning. The country houses most of the top universities in the world.
The University of Edinburgh is one such University. The University is a school with a difference, and It is widely known for its fоrmidаblе rерutаtiоn straddling across mоѕt disciplines.
With a dеgrее from the University оf Edinburgh, your future is already viewed as promising.
Check out this article to discover more about the University of Edinburgh.
The table of contents below will give you an overview of all this article entails.
Table of contents
- Is the University of Edinburgh prestigious?
- Is it difficult to get into University of Edinburgh?
- Is the University of Edinburgh free?
- What rank is Edinburgh Uni?
- Is University of Edinburgh expensive?
- What GPA do you need to get into Edinburgh?
- Historical Background of the University of Edinburgh
- University of Edinburgh ranking
- University of Edinburgh Acceptance Rate
- Admission at the University of Edinburgh
- University of Edinburgh Undergraduate Tuition Fees
- University of Edinburgh Accommodation
- University of Edinburgh Address
- University of Edinburgh Scholarships
- University of Edinburgh Notable Alumni
- What it takes to live in UK for International Students
- What you need to know before applying for UK student visa
- How do I apply and obtain a UK study visa
- Recommendations
Is the University of Edinburgh prestigious?
Edinburgh University is Scotland’s most prestigious institution. It is ranked as one of the best universities in the world for the arts and humanities, as well as law and psychology. Students have the luxury of studying in some of the oldest and most charming buildings in the area.
Is it difficult to get into University of Edinburgh?
Edinburgh University has an acceptance rate of 43.8%, while London Imperial College is 43.0% – so if you think you can get the grades, it’s worth applying!
Is the University of Edinburgh free?
The university is free in Scotland, but only if you are a student from Scotland or the EU. If that’s you, you’re not going to pay a penny for school fees at Scottish universities – the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) is going to pay you £1,820 a year.
What rank is Edinburgh Uni?
Edinburgh University is among the world’s best universities and consecutively ranked top 50 in the world and 20th in the 2024 QS World University Rankings.
Is University of Edinburgh expensive?
The National Union of Students Scotland has claimed that the current £9,000 annual fee for all courses, with four-year degrees, as usual, makes Edinburgh the most expensive university in Britain. It will be heavily subsidized by higher tuition and will be worth up to £7,000 a year per student.
What GPA do you need to get into Edinburgh?
Most recognized prestigious universities across the world require a CGPA of about 3.25 to admit students into their colleges.
Thus, it is safer to target getting a CGPA of about 3.5 or even 4.0 to gain admission into any top-notch school.
Here’s how it often works; the more competitive admission into a school is, the higher or rather, the steeper the admission requirements will be, to eliminate excess applications. This way, the best schools retain only the very best among their applicants.
This certainly is obtainable for the university of Edinburgh.
Historical Background of the University of Edinburgh
Founded in 1582, the University of Edinburgh is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s ancient universities. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city of Edinburgh, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university.
The institution started as a college of law using part of a legacy left by a graduate of the University of St Andrews, Bishop Robert Reid of St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney.
The university is in charge of several historic and modern structures across the city,. Structures like Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert hall, St Cecilia’s Concert Hall; Teviot Row House, the oldest purpose-built student union building in the world; and the restored 17th-century Mylne’s Court student residence, which stands at the head of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
University of Edinburgh ranking
It is noteworthy to say that most of the highly-rated universities in the world today are in the United Kingdom. The University of Edinburgh is one of such institutions that are rated high in UK and the world.
The University of Edinburgh is ranked 18th in the world by the 2019 QS World University Rankings.
It is ranked as the 6th best university in Europe by the U.S. News Best Global Universities Ranking and 7th best in Europe by the Times Higher Education Ranking.
The Research Excellence Framework, a research ranking used by the UK government to determine future research funding, ranked Edinburgh 4th in the UK for research power and 11th overall.
It is ranked the 78th most employable university globally by the 2017 Global Employability University Ranking.
In the 2014 UK Research Excellence Framework, Edinburgh was ranked fourth in the UK and first in Scotland. The results also indicate that the university is home to over 35% of Scotland’s research.
In 2008, the RAE rated medicine and informatics 1st in the UK.
Edinburgh places within the top 10 in the UK and 2nd in Scotland for the employability of its graduates as ranked by recruiters from the UK’s major companies.
A 2015 government report found that Edinburgh is one of only two Scottish universities (along with St Andrews), London-based recruitment and elite professions such as investment banking consider applicants.
Edinburgh was ranked 13th overall in The Sunday Times’ 10-year average (1998–2007) ranking of British universities based on consistent league table performance.
The QS World University Rankings 2015 ranked Edinburgh 17th in the world.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016 ranked Edinburgh 24th in the world.
In 2015, the Academic Ranking of World Universities placed Edinburgh 47th overall and 6th in the UK.
Edinburgh is ranked 31st in the world (5th in the UK) in the 2016 Round University Ranking.
University of Edinburgh Acceptance Rate
Emphatically speaking, 10% of Edinburgh receives approximately 60,000 applications every year, making it the second most popular university in the UK by volume of applications. The University is one of the most selective public universities in the world; this accounts for its high competitive rate and a very low acceptance rate of 10%.
Only 10 out of every 100 applicants are granted admission into the school. Successful applicants typically have “A” averages and SAT/ACT scores that are significantly above average (a combined SAT score above 1300 is typical).
According to its admissions website, three of the most vital factors in a successful application are intellectual ability, academic achievement, and personal qualities that will contribute to the work of the University.
After St Andrews, it is the most difficult university to gain admission into in Scotland and 9th overall in the UK.
Admission at the University of Edinburgh
Make sure you have all your supporting documents scanned and ready to upload. Documents vary by course, so always check the academic department website for which specific documents are needed. Required documents required usually include:
- Evidence of qualifications (certificates or transcripts) to show that you meet or expect to meet the entry requirements;
- Evidence of English language ability if English is not your first language (please note that some English language test results are only valid for two years. Your English language test report must be valid on the start date of your course).
- The university accepts English language qualifications: IELTS; TOEFL-iBT; PTE; CAE; CPE; IGCSE; Trinty ISE.
- Two references – download our referee report form (PDF document, 50 KB);
- A research proposal (for research programs only) – always check the department website for instructions and guidance as requirements vary;
- A copy of your passport (if you will need a visa to study here).
- Check the relevant academic department website for any additional documents you need to provide (for example, some courses may ask for a personal statement).
Apply as early as possible as our courses are popular. Check the academic department website for any closing dates (or funding deadlines for research applicants).
Postgraduate Admission
Applications to postgraduate taught and postgraduate research programs are made using the University of Edinburgh’s online application system except applications for the programs listed below:
- Professional Diploma in Education (PGDE) applications are made via UCAS
- Master of Social Work applications are made via UCAS
- Diploma in Professional Legal Practice applications are made via the university where the LLB Law was studied rather than directly to the University of Edinburgh
- MSc in Applied Psychology for Children and Young People applications are made through NHS Scotland.
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology applications are made through the Clearing
- House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology
Applications for most of our postgraduate programs are made online.
How to Apply for a Program
To apply for a program, look up your chosen program in the degree finder.
- Once you’ve found your program, look for the “Apply” button in the “Applying” section.
- Choose the option with your preferred award, study mode, and start date, then choose “Apply” to begin your application.
- The application form contains guidance on how to complete each section. Further support for applicants is also available.
You do not need to complete the application in full; you can save a partially completed application. If you do this, an email will be sent to you that provide a link to allow you to return to the application to complete it.
Once you have submitted your completed application, you will be able to track its progress and accept or decline any offers you receive.
If an external organization, institution handle the applications for your chosen program, or professional body you will need to apply using their own online system. (For example, applications for the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programs are made through UCAS .)
Before you apply for any of our postgraduate programs, you should check that you meet our entry requirements and you should have all your supporting documents ready.
Follow these steps to ensure you have everything you need before submitting your application.
Before you apply, you should make sure you have the correct supporting documents ready to submit with your application. You may need to upload some or all of the following:
Upload Documents
- A personal statement outlining your academic history and experience
- Copies of your degree certificates, if you have already completed your qualification, along with academic transcripts that confirm your final marks
- references, if these are required for the application to your chosen program
- Evidence of your competence in written and spoken English, if English is not your first language
- Certified translations, if your original documents are not in English
- A research proposal, if you are applying for a Ph.D. study
To ensure your application is processed in the fastest possible time, you should upload your supporting documents to your application before submitting it. We can’t decide on your application until we have received all your relevant documents.
University of Edinburgh Undergraduate Tuition Fees
The following are the typical annual course fees for overseas students submitted to us by the university (Reddin Survey of University Tuition Fees 2018–2019). Always confirm individual course fees with the university. The tuition is dependent on the program and class of courses applied for which includes Classroom, Mixed, Laboratory, and Clinical teachings.
Classroom Teaching: takes place in a classroom or ordinary lecture theatre. Subjects with classroom teaching might include history, maths, and philosophy. The tuition fee for its undergraduate is £18,800 and the postgraduate is £20,500
Mixed Subjects: taught in classrooms and laboratories, such as languages.
Laboratory Teaching: Much of the teaching may occur in a laboratory, including biology, chemistry, and physics. The tuition fee for its undergraduate is £24,600 and postgraduate is £25,100
Clinical Teaching: Clinical subjects include dentistry, medicine, and veterinary medicine. The tuition fee for its undergraduate is £32,100-£49,900 and the postgraduate is £41,700.
The fees mentioned above are for international students. The tuition fee for local students is £1820 (for locals of Edinburgh) and £9,250 (for other UK locals).
University of Edinburgh Accommodation
All new international undergraduates are guaranteed an offer of university accommodation for their first year of study.
All undergraduate residents are spread evenly amongst UK/EU students in university accommodation.
Postgraduate research students are guaranteed an offer of accommodation during all years of studying at the university. Postgraduate-taught students coming from outside the EU are guaranteed an offer of accommodation.
Students may stay in their accommodation during vacations.
University of Edinburgh Address
University of Edinburgh is situated and located at Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK
Work: +44 (0)131 650 1000
Fax: +44 (0)131 650 2147
Web: Contact us using our online form.
University of Edinburgh Scholarships
Undergraduate scholarships
Edinburgh Global Undergraduate Maths Scholarships
A number of scholarships are offered to Mathematics students of outstanding ability from countries outside the European Union for the academic session.
The Richard Davidson Undergraduate International Scholarship for Agricultural Science
One scholarship is available for overseas students studying a full-time program within The Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security in the 2024 academic year.
Robertson International Scholarships
The School of History, Classics, and Archaeology is offering up to 10 undergraduate scholarships to overseas students beginning their studies in September.
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies International Scholarship
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is offering two scholarships for overseas students beginning their studies on the BVM&S full-time program in the 2024 academic year.
Biomedical Sciences Scholarships – Zhejiang
Scholarships are available for international undergraduate students at the Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute in Haining, China
Postgraduate Scholarships
Funding for UK/EU students
In addition to financial assistance provided by Research Councils and charitable trusts, the University offers a number of general and subject-specific funding schemes.
Funding for international students
In addition to financial assistance provided by UK Government agencies and external funding sources, the University offers a number of general and subject-specific funding schemes.
Online Distance Learning Scholarships
The University offers several scholarships specifically for online, part-time postgraduate programs.
Other scholarships opportunities available at the University of Edinburgh which can be accessed through www.torixus.com are as follows:
- University of Edinburgh LLC Masters Scholarships for International Students
- Fully-Funded Global Health Scholarships at the University of Edinburgh in the UK
- University of Edinburgh MSc TESOL Scholarship in the UK
- The University of Edinburgh LLC Masters Scholarships for International Students, UK
- University of Edinburgh-Higgs Centre MSc Prize Scholarship in the UK
- University of Edinburgh Global Health Governance Research Program
- Apply For Harilela Scholarship at the University of Edinburgh Napier In the UK
- MSc TESOL Scholarships for UK/EU Students at the University of Edinburgh in the UK
- University of Edinburgh International Scholarships for Masters Degree In UK
University of Edinburgh Notable Alumni
This university is an important institution of higher education that is an alma mater to certain eminent persons who have distinguished themselves in their profession and has achieved a worthy course notable in the country or can be attributed to a major achievement that has contributed in shaping the United Kingdom into the world power that it is today.
Notable Alumni
- Bayesian statistics (Thomas Bayes),
- Quantum mechanics (Max Born),
- Nephrology (Richard Bright),
- Theory of evolution (Charles Darwin),
- The initial development of sociology (Adam Ferguson),
- Modern geology (James Hutton),
- Antiseptic surgery (Joseph Lister),
- The classical theory of electromagnetism (James Clerk Maxwell)
- Thermodynamics (William John Macquorn Rankine);
- The discovery of carbon dioxide (Joseph Black),
- Latent heat (Joseph Black),
- Specific heat (Joseph Black),
- The HPV vaccine (Ian Frazer),
- The Higgs mechanism (Peter Higgs and Tom Kibble),
- The Hepatitis B vaccine (Kenneth Murray),
- Nitrogen (Daniel Rutherford),
- Chloroform anesthesia (James Young Simpson) and SARS (Nanshan Zhong);
- The inventing of the telephone (Alexander Graham Bell),
- The hypodermic syringe (Alexander Wood),
- The kaleidoscope (David Brewster),
- The telpherage (Fleeming Jenkin),
- The vacuum flask (James Dewar),
- The ATM (John Shepherd-Barron),
- The diving chamber (John Scott Haldane),
- In-vitro fertilization (Robert Edwards) and Subash Mukhopadyay.
Other notable alumni include:
- Charles Tupper: Prime Minister of Canada (1 May 1896 – 8 July 1896)
- Hastings Banda: President of Malawi (1966–1994)
- Najah al-Attar: Vice President of Syria (2006–present)
- William Walker: President of Nicaragua (1856–1857)
- Yun Bo-seon: President of South Korea (1960–1962)
- Jang Taek-sang: Prime Minister of South Korea (6 May 1952 – 6 October 1952)
- Julius Nyerere: President of Tanzania (1964–1985)
- Gordon Brown: Prime Minister (2007–2010)
- John Russell, 1st Earl Russell: Prime Minister (1846–52 and 1865–66)
- Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston: Prime Minister (1855–58 and 1859–65)
What it takes to live in UK for International Students
For intеrnаtiоnаl ѕtudеntѕ lооking for a аffоrdаblе соѕt of living when thеу соmе to univеrѕitу, UK is a great орtiоn.
Cоmраrеd with оthеr сitiеѕ, Edinburgh is а relatively аffоrdаblе location to live аnd hеlрѕ with ѕtudеntѕ оn an lоw budget. Yоu can benefit from ѕtudеnt discounts on a wide range of оf goods аnd ѕеrviсеѕ, including fаѕhiоn, trаnѕроrt аnd entertainment.
Whilе ассоmmоdаtiоn is likеlу tо bе уоur mаin еxреnѕе, аррlуing fоr an rооm in a Univеrѕitу hall of rеѕidеnсе will еаѕе your costs, аѕ thе hаll fееѕ inсludе inѕurаnсе, аll utility billѕ (usually gаѕ аnd electricity) and mоѕt uѕuаllу have an frее wifi connection.
If уоu rеԛuirе a viѕа to gо tо thе UK, уоu аrе grаntеd it on thе соnditiоn thаt уоu саn pay your tuitiоn fееѕ аnd living expenses (fоr you аnd уоur fаmilу, if thеу will bе jоining уоu) without having tо dереnd оn finding work in the UK.
Aссоmmоdаtiоn
Thе United Kingdom hаѕ аwеѕоmе vаriеtiеѕ of affordable ассоmmоdаtiоn, both catered and ѕеlf-саtеrеd.
If уоu сhооѕе University ассоmmоdаtiоn, thе еxреnѕе will inсludе:
- wеlfаrе ѕuрроrt staff;
- аn Intеrnеt соnnесtiоn;
- реrѕоnаl possessions inѕurаnсе;
- utility соѕtѕ (gаѕ, electricity, water);
- 24-hour ѕесuritу.
- Privаtе ассоmmоdаtiоn саn be mоrе еxреnѕivе than Univеrѕitу accommodation. However, уоu can still gеt some gооd deals in Edinburgh.
- If уоu сhооѕе tо ѕtау in рrivаtе ассоmmоdаtiоn, thе Univеrѕitу hаѕ itѕ оwn ѕеrviсе, Edinburgh Studеnt Hоmеѕ, bаѕеd оn campus tо help and аdviѕе уоu оn finding ассоmmоdаtiоn рrivаtеlу.
Aррlуing fоr ассоmmоdаtiоn
If уоu rесеivе аn offer from thе Univеrѕitу, You will аlѕо be sent infоrmаtiоn on hоw tо аррlу fоr ассоmmоdаtiоn. Yоu ѕhоuld аррlу fоr accommodation as ѕооn аѕ роѕѕiblе.
Fооd соѕtѕ
Thе соѕt оf fооd in the UK iѕ оf different varieties depending оn where уоu buу it, but intеrnаtiоnаl ѕtudеntѕ ѕhоuld find thеу саn buу fооd tо ѕuit their budgеt.
Avеrаgе price guidе
Thе tables bеlоw givе аvеrаgе prices оf basic groceries in thе UK.
- Basic goods Aррrоximаtе соѕt in £
- Loaf оf whitе bread – 0.75
- Pint (568ml) оf semi-skimmed milk – 0.40
- Six mеdium еggѕ – 1.28
- Mаrgаrinе (500g) – 0.61
- Buttеr (250g) – 0.85
- Chееѕе (250g) – 1.27
- Cооking оil (1 litrе) – 0.88
Trаnѕроrtаtiоn
The UK has аn еxсеllеnt transport nеtwоrk оf lосаl buѕ and rаil ѕеrviсеѕ еtс, аll ореrаting аt very rеаѕоnаblе соѕtѕ аnd with diѕсоuntѕ fоr students.
Thеrе are ѕеvеrаl орtiоnѕ, most at аn аffоrdаblе рriсе:
Bicycle
Cусling iѕ рrоbаblу thе cheapest mеthоd оf travel. Thеrе аrе cycle rоutеѕ running across the city, раrtiсulаrlу in student аrеаѕ.
Tаxi
A mоrе expensive method оf trаvеl, a tаxi асrоѕѕ the city сеntrе will соѕt аrоund $6.6.
Gеtting hоld of a tаxi during thе dау iѕ no рrоblеm, but likе mоѕt big сitiеѕ it’s a littlе hаrdеr late аt night.
What you need to know before applying for UK student visa
The Tier 4 – Student (Adult) visa is for students who intend to undertake any post-16 education at a United Kingdom institution in a full-time course. The Tier 4 – Student (Adult) visa is flexible and allows students to participate in both short and long-term courses of at least 6 months in duration.
To qualify, students must have a confirmed offer of enrolment from a licensed education provider (sponsor), be able to maintain and accommodate themselves (or be maintained and accommodated by a host) while they are studying, and show that they are able to pay their course fees.
Tier 4 – Student (Adult) Visa Basic Requirements
The UK Home Office has set specific requirements that all applicants must meet in order to apply for a Student visa under the Tier 4 (Adult) category.
Applicants will be required to show that they have been accepted into a recognized course of study at an approved UK institution, licensed by the UK Home Office. Applicants will also be required to provide evidence that they have sufficient funds (maintenance) available to support themselves whilst in the UK without undertaking employment, other than part-time and vacation work permitted for adult students.
Tier 4 – Student (Adult) Visa Entitlements
Successful applicants will be granted a visa in line with the length of their initial course of study.
The Tier 4 – Student (Adult) visa offers the student the benefit of developing an educational base in the UK while being permitted to work between 10 to 20 hours per week during term periods, depending on the course of study. Tier 4 – Student (Adult) visa holders are permitted to work full time during vacation periods without seeking further permission from the UK Home Office.
In some instances, graduate-level students may be able to switch into a working visa category that could lead to settlement in the UK.
How do I apply and obtain a UK study visa
To apply for a UK visa in your home country, you need to:
Apply online and follow the instructions to:
- pay your fee
- book your appointment
You have the option to pay your fee online using a credit card when making your application. Alternatively, you can make payment in cash when attending your appointment at the visa application center.
Your appointment will be at the British embassy in your country. There you will:
- submit your application form and supporting documents
- have your photo and fingerprints (known as ‘biometric information’) taken
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