University of Edinburgh

Located in the city of Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh is currently ranked 19^th in the world in the QS ranking. Established in 1582, the university features 3 colleges containing a total of 20 schools all around the city of Edinburgh. The university offers a wide range of subjects and courses for students with 42 key subjects and over 1,500 courses. It is currently home to 40,000 students.

School's Main Website | International/Exchange student website

GPA requirement:

3.0/4.0

Language of instruction:

English

English requirements:

For exchange students:

• IELTS (Academic module) overall 6.5 with 5.5 in each component
• TOEFL iBT 92 or above with 20 in each section

For Undergraduates:

English language requirements may vary between degree. Find out more here.

Flying Chalks’ tips: Before you enter yourself into classes, you may be asked to complete an English test (TEAM) regardless of the relevant O/A level certificate in English you may have. The test allows the university to tell whether students will benefit from a free English class. Be prepared that the classes you want may be filled by the time the test results are out. It will be good to have back up courses.

Courses:

Courses for Undergraduates can be found here.

Courses for International Exchange can be found here.

Course registration process:

Registration for courses is via Myed after the application process.

Flying Chalks’ tips:

Popular courses in the university are snatched up really quickly. Contact the CAHSS Visiting Student Office at CAHSSVisitingStudents@ed.ac.uk to apply for other remaining courses.

For full-time international students, you will have to meet your personal tutor and complete the English Test (TEAM) before applying for courses.

Simple steps to register for the course:

1. Check the DRPS for any timetable clashes and pre-requisites for the courses you wish to take.

2.  Email the course lecturer should you require more information about a specific course.

3. Schedule a meeting with your Personal Tutor.

4. Plan your courses with your Personal Tutor and send your final choices to your tutor using PATH. Your Personal Tutor will then register the courses on your behalf. 

• It is your responsibility to check that you have chosen an appropriate set of courses to meet your degree requirements.
• You will need to ask your Personal Tutor to approach the School Curriculum Approval Officer should you wish to take a course which is normally unavailable to you.

Attendance policy:

Students may not get penalties for missing certain lectures. Regardless, do check your course outline as different professors have different requirements. The attendance for most tutorials are usually graded.

Campus map:

You can find virtual tours and interactive map of the university here.

Flying Chalks’ tips:

The university’s campuses are located all over the city with over 700 buildings. It is possible to have a class that requires a 20 minutes’ bus ride away from your next class. Note the location of your classes and plan them properly with sufficient travelling time!

Selected facilities:

Gym and Swimming pool: The University of Edinburgh has a gym at Pleasance Sports Hall and a swimming pool at St. Leonard's Land building that is accessible only to paid members. Find the appropriate membership type or register for a membership here.

Computer labs: The University of Edinburgh offer 24-hour computer access at several computer labs across the campus!

Libraries: Students at Edinburgh can also access the state-of-the-art library that comes with IT resources and study spaces to assist you in your studies.

Food on campus:

The campus is served by the same café in every faculty. The cafes are perfect for a quick bite in between classes but may not have substantial meals. You can find the location of the cafes here. Alternatively, hop by the food trucks located mainly around George square.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: The hotdogs food truck at 1 George Square packs a punch! Nonetheless, to get a good meal, it’s best to get out of the campus. Since the university is located in the middle of the city, it is easy to find food just a few steps away.

Campus transportation:

There are shuttle buses available only from Central Area to King’s Building. Find out more here.

With such a scenic view, the Scottish capital will be the backdrop to your studies. Students at the University of Edinburgh balances both studies and play effectively. The programmes the university offer are relatively flexible and allows students to study independently, which definitely puts students in position of responsibility. A breadth of activities are available for you to unwind after a day of studying!

Orientation program:

Orientation will take place a week before the semester starts! You will meet your programme director, personal tutor or supervisor on one of the orientation days. An orientation is definitely not complete without welcome events! Expect a meet-and-greet session with your fellow peers while enjoying local delights, such as Haggis, and be entertained by Scottish bagpipers! Watch out for the invitation in your matriculated emails as they are usually filled quickly. Welcome events are optional.

Buddy Program:

There are currently no buddy programs available at the university.

Student clubs:

There are up to 250 societies in the University of Edinburgh. You’ll get to know more about our clubs and societies during the Freshers’ Week Societies Fair, which is held during the Welcome Week. You can find out more about the club and societies here.

University events:

The Edinburgh University Students’ Association organises events throughout the semester for students. This even includes excursions or day trips around Scotland and beer festivals! Find out more about them here.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: Watch out for impromptu weekend trips at budget prices here!

Edinburgh is voted one of the most desirable cities in live in the world. The city mixes both architectural beauty and history with a diverse and multicultural community. As the university is located in the city, the shopping district, bars, and restaurants are all within walking distance!

For food:

From high end restaurants to budget eateries, western burgers to Asian hotpot, food places near the university are aplenty.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations: It’s your best chance to eat out during lunch time on Mondays as restaurants usually have a discounted lunch menu. Also, get a taste of Haggis, a Scottish dish at The Dogs, a low-priced Michelin star restaurant! Mains are below £7 for lunch and below £16 for dinner! For other recommendations for those on a budget:

• For thai food, visit Ting Thai Caravan
• For Salad box, visit Graze On Grassmarket
• For pulled pork sandwich, visit Oink
• For some sizzling BBQ and hotpot, visit LianPu
• For budget asian buffet, visit Cosmo

For nightlife and entertainment:

You can easily find pubs and bars along the Edinburgh Old town. Grassmarket also offers drinks and slightly cheaper prices. Keep in mind the dates of rugby games so that you can experience what Scottish bars are really like!

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

1. The Three Sisters

2. Kilderkin

3. Sneaky Pete’s

4. The Last Drop

For daily necessities and groceries:

1. Tesco

2. Sainsbury’s

3. Marks & Spencer

4. Waitrose

5. John Lewis

6. Aldi

7. Lidl

8. Farmfoods

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: Visit Aldi, Lidl and FarmFoods for more affordable groceries! Keep a lookout for Ben and Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs’s ice cream at really affordable prices at FarmFoods or Tesco!

For shopping:

Head down to Princes street for your shopping! Shop at International brands, such as Footlocker, JD, Topshop and Zara. Affordable brands such as Primark will keep you stylish while leaving your pocket intact. Besides Princes street, you can visit Waverley Mall and Ocean Terminal. For Scottish goods and Whisky, visit quaint little shops scattered in the Old Town. 

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• Scottish goodies, such as shortbread are usually sold cheaper at grocery stores.

Flying Chalks’ tips:

• Always remember to bring your passport when purchasing alcohol (even if you are way above the legal age) as they are usually very strict!
• Make use of your student card for discounts at various shops, such as Footlocker! 

The University of Edinburgh’s central campus at George Square is mainly accessible by buses or is within walking distance from the campus accommodation. 

Getting from Edinburgh airport to the University of Edinburgh:

1. Airport Welcome

The University of Edinburgh has a Welcome team helping you with your transportation if you arrive within the Arrival Weekend. The Arrival Weekend is usually the week before school commences. Student volunteers will be available to help you with booking Taxis and will provide you with information on key collection if you are staying in the university accommodation. This is however, not a free airport pick-up service and students will have to pay for their own transport. Find out when is Arrival Weekend here.

2. Taxi

Taxi is by far the most convenient way of getting from the airport to the campus (especially when you have lots of luggage) but is also the most expensive. The cost of Taxi from the airport to the campus is usually around £25 if you do not book in advance.

3. Private Pickup Service

The University has collaborated with Edinburgh City Private Hire (ECPH) to provide preferential rates to University of Edinburgh students if you book in advance. The cost of the private hire will be around £20, a little cheaper than hailing a standard Taxi. To book in advance, click here.

4. Uber

Uber is one of the safest and most reliable Taxi Sharing app. They are relatively cheaper than conventional taxis in the UK. Request for an Uber when you are ready to walk outside of the terminal and choose an appropriate ride that suits your group size and luggage storage needs.

Flying Chalks’ tip: Use promo code “FreeRideUK” to get your first ride for free. UK only. Valid on first ride up to £15 GBP. Expires 2/1/20.

5. Airlink 100

Airlink 100 provides 24/7 express bus services between the airport and city. It departs Edinburgh Airport and the City every 10 mins in the day and 15 mins at night. Airlink also provides free Wi-Fi on board and a dedicated luggage area. The stations located in town are Edinburgh bridge and Princes Street.

You may purchase the tickets on board. However, do keep in mind to give the exact change as drivers do not have change on hand most of the time. It is thus best to purchase tickets at the Airlink 100 kiosk outside the Domestic Arrivals at Edinburgh Airport. The kiosk is blue in colour. 

The Airlink fares are:

• Single Adult £4.50
• Adult open return £7.50
• Adult Network Day Ticket £9.00

6. By Tram

Trams offer frequent and reliable service from the Airport to the heart of Edinburgh. Stations located in the city includes Edinburgh Park, Haymarket and Princes Street. The journey time from the airport to the city and vice versa is 30 minutes. Services to the City Centre operate between 06.18-22.48 hours. There are several luggage racks and free Wi-fi throughout the tram.

You will not be able to buy a Tram ticket while on board the tram, so look out for Tram Ticket vending machines at the station. You may also download the M-Ticket App and make a purchase through the app. Other alternatives for getting tickets to and from the Airport by tram are:

• The Driver on any Lothian Buses day service (Day tickets to Airport)
• Edinburgh Travelshops (City Zone only)
• Online shop (City Zone only)

The trams fares are:

• Adult single £5.50
• Adult return £8.50
• DAYticket - Airport Zone Adult £9.00
• DAYticket - Airport Zone Child £4.50

Flying Chalks recommendation: Purchase a Day Ticket if you know that you will be taking more than 2 bus rides after the Tram ride to get to your destination. There are ticket conductors in all trams so make sure to purchase your ticket.

Directions

From the Arrivals hall, walk all the way straight and out of the Airport. You will pass by the “Edinburgh” letters before seeing the trams. Take the tram to Princes Street or Edinburgh Park and change to other forms of public or private transport to your accommodation. Alternatively, if you are heading to the central campus from the Airport, take buses 41, 42 or 67.

For more information, click here.