University of Edinburgh

History

The University of Edinburgh was founded in 1583 and is one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. It developed in the intellectual context of the Scottish Reformation and the Scottish Enlightenment, and over the centuries has become one of the most respected research universities in the United Kingdom and internationally.

Notable Alumni

The University of Edinburgh has produced many influential alumni in science, medicine, literature, and public life. Well-known figures associated with the university include Charles Darwin, J. M. Barrie, Alexander Graham Bell, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and David Hume. These alumni reflect the university’s long-standing impact across both the sciences and the humanities.

Academic Strengths

Edinburgh is especially strong in medicine, life sciences, veterinary medicine, computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematics, physics, engineering, psychology, law, and a wide range of humanities and social sciences. Its academic breadth is one of its defining strengths, combining traditional scholarly excellence with leadership in modern interdisciplinary research.

Colleges and Schools

The University of Edinburgh is organised into three Colleges and a total of 25 Schools. The three Colleges are the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Engineering, and the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. This structure supports both academic depth and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Distinctive Features

Edinburgh stands out for its long history, strong research profile, broad academic offering, and international reputation. Located in Scotland’s capital city, it combines the resources of a historic and culturally rich city with the dynamism of a modern global university. It is particularly attractive to students seeking both academic tradition and cutting-edge research opportunities.

Admissions

Undergraduate admission to the University of Edinburgh is competitive. The university publishes admissions statistics by selection area rather than by individual degree programme in order to provide a more accurate picture of offer rates and admissions patterns. Competition varies significantly across subject areas, and meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an offer.

Summary

The University of Edinburgh is a historic, research-intensive, and globally respected university with strengths across medicine, science, engineering, humanities, and social sciences. It is especially well suited to students looking for a broad academic environment, strong international prestige, and the advantages of studying in one of the UK’s most distinctive cities.

What are University of Edinburgh looking for?

Meeting our entry requirements enters you into our selection process. We consider all the information in your application before making our admissions decision.

How our selection process works

After you apply, your application is reviewed by the relevant college admissions teams.

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements, then you will enter the selection process. If you have not met all our entry requirements, for example any required subjects, then we will not be able to consider your application further.

The qualifications and grades you need vary by degree programme and may also depend on whether you are a widening access student.

Entry into our selection process, regardless of the grades you have achieved, does not guarantee that you will receive an offer.

Read about our entry requirements

You should make sure you apply before the relevant UCAS deadline for your chosen degree programme as we will not consider applications after these deadlines.

When to apply

What information we consider

We consider all the information in your application before making our admissions decision, including:

academic qualifications

English language qualifications

your personal statement

your academic reference

any additional requirements (such as portfolios, interviews)

any other data and information used in our approach to widening access

Find out if you are eligible for a widening access offer

If we are unable to make offers to all those who have achieved the entry requirements, we may consider:

achievement above the grade or upper grade level

grades achieved at GCSE/National 5 or equivalent

achieved qualifications, including those which meet English language entry requirements, before equivalent qualifications which are still to be taken

Challenging circumstances

If you want us to take account of any adverse circumstances that have impacted on your education, you should tell us about it in your personal statement, or ask your referee to include it in your reference. You can also email us.

Email: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk

This does not guarantee that we will make you an offer, but allows us to make our admissions decision in context.

We need to receive any information before the relevant application deadline.

Examples of challenging circumstances

Admissions policies and procedures: see Consideration of challenging circumstances (Policy)

Sending supporting evidence or additional information with your application

If you want us to take into account any additional information in the selection process, you must provide this by email before the relevant UCAS deadline.

When to apply

How to send us supporting information

Admissions Statistics

ADMISSION INFORMATION

APPLICATION DATES & DEADLINES

Additional essay questions of the application.