History
Founded in 1583, extraordinary is just something our community has always done.
Working together, for more than 400 years, we’ve influenced the world in extraordinary ways – expanding the depth of human knowledge and improving the lives of people worldwide.
Research conducted here led to the discovery of chloroform anaesthesia, the Higgs boson particle and in-vitro fertilisation.
Education
The latest report from the Quality Assurance Agency awarded us the highest rating possible for the quality of the student learning experience. We offer more than 300 taught masters programmes and 180 research areas and over 70 online programmes.
Joining the University as a student provides you with a unique opportunity to work with some of the most influential academics in your chosen field. At Edinburgh, you will develop your specialist skills, deepen your understanding and gain new insights and perspectives to equip you for your career ahead.
As host to more than over 49,000 students from across 156 countries, we’re a wonderfully diverse mix of people of all kinds and minds.
Research
The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
We are proudly open to everyone, bringing people with new outlooks and perspectives together in an international community that is establishing the data capital of Europe, tackling climate change and paving the way for new fertility treatments.
As a leading global university, we’re confident education will play a vital role solving the problems of tomorrow too.
Career
The University of Edinburgh is ranked in the UK’s top 10 universities for the employability of our graduates* and our graduates are ranked 33rd in the world by employers**.
We are committed to embedding employability into your teaching and learning experience. From offering access to volunteering schemes, to providing support via our sector-leading Careers Service, the University provides many opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and experience, giving you the edge in a competitive job market. We also offer a free service to students who are looking to set up their own business.
*Times Higher Education, Global Employability University Ranking 2025
**QS World University Rankings 2026
Top reasons to study here
- The University of Edinburgh consistently ranked one of the top 50 universities in the world. We're 34th in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
- The University of Edinburgh ranked fourth in the UK for research power, based on the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
- The University of Edinburgh is ranked in the UK’s top 10 universities and in the world’s top 100 universities for the employability of our graduates.
The University of Edinburgh Key Statistics & Highlights
- #29 Ranking
- 233 Masters
- 114 Scholarships
- 7,960 Academic Staff
- 49,485 Students
- 24,495 Students (int'l)
- 30,590 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
The University of Edinburgh Overview
The University of Edinburgh Scholarships
The University of Edinburgh Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to The University of Edinburgh. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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The University of Edinburgh Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 100 reviews
- 5 Star 35 Reviews
- 4 Star 47 Reviews
- 3 Star 15 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 3 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.1
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.3
- Student Diversity 4.2
- Admission Process 4.4
- Quality of Student Life 4.5
- Career Development 4.0
Engaging and Insightful Learning
Experience: The course was well-structured and the materials were clear and practical. I particularly enjoyed the interactive sessions and real-world examples, which made learning enjoyable. It could be improved by adding more hands-on exercises and faster feedback on assignments. Overall, it was a valuable and enriching study experience that boosted my skills and confidence.
Educative
Wholesome and innovative The experience is worth it
Am hopeful
Haven’t had an experience yet Hoping to get one yes
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Admission ProcessHow simple was it to apply to your programme?
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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?
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Career DevelopmentDid the university provide support for your career development?
The University of Edinburgh Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 29 | 29 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
Dropped 7 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 27 | 34 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Climbed 3 places compared to 2024
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | 40 | 37 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | - | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
All Edinburgh postgraduates benefit from our inspiring research culture. The academics involved in your teaching and learning are leaders in their fields and although the emphasis at postgraduate level is very much on independent study, support from our teaching staff is always on hand.
You will be supported by a combination of academic and professional student experience and administration staff, who will provide you with academic and wellbeing guidance and support.
International students will be supported with events and information to settle in and with activities designed to support your experiences as a student.
Housing services
Edinburgh students travel from all over the world to study here and we aim to provide the best range and standard of accommodation possible.
Accommodation for postgraduate students is all self-catered and can be found across a range of convenient locations within easy reach of most key University buildings and Edinburgh’s city centre.
University accommodation benefits:
- Inclusive bills
- Key locations in the City
- Free Wifi
- Access to laundry facilities
- 24/7 welfare and support service
- Share with your friends
- Payment plan options
- No deposits and no references required
Library services
At Edinburgh you will have access to 10 libraries, including the third largest academic library in Europe, millions of printed and online volumes and access to 700,000 electronic journals and databases.
ICT services
The University has an extensive computing network.
You'll benefit from:
- 45 open-access computer areas with more than 1,200 computers across the University
- 100 open-access computers in University cafe areas
- over 70 open-access computers in University study pods and study rooms
- 24-hour computer access in key locations
- almost 100% Wi-Fi coverage in our buildings
- free laptop loans from our libraries
Medical services
The University cares about the health and wellbeing of our students and offer a number of services to ensure you are fully supported.
The Health and Wellbeing Centre, a dedicated hub for students, t houses the Student Counselling Service and Disability Services, the University Health Centre and the University Pharmacy.
Campus life
The University is at the heart of the city of Edinburgh. Regularly voted one of the most desirable places to live in the world, Edinburgh is large enough to offer something for everyone but small enough to feel like home. It is a modern, sophisticated and beautiful European city, with a diverse multicultural community and is ranked 2nd best student city in the United Kingdom, 6th best student city in Europe and 13th in the world*.
* QS Best Student Cities 2025
Sports facilities
The University has long been recognised as one of the UK’s leading sporting universities, consistently finishing in the top four of the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) rankings.
Our facilities include:
- Pleasance Sport Complex and Gym, offering over 20 gym and sport spaces, including extensive cardio, weight and conditioning spaces.
- Outdoor sport at Peffermill Playing Fields.
- Climbing/bouldering walls.
- 40 station satellite gym at the Easter Bush Campus.
- 25m swimming pool in the St Leonard’s Land Building.
- Climbing wall and bouldering room at the Pleasance.
- Year-round programme of over 100 exercise classes a week.
- Flexible and affordable membership packages.
- Expert instructors to guide.
Student clubs
Edinburgh University Students’ Association has more than 290 societies covering a diverse range of interests, so you’re sure to find something of interest. If not, we can help you set up your own. Societies provide a place to meet like-minded people, indulge in a hobby, or simply socialise.
The Students’ Association also offers opportunities for volunteering in the community, so you may find yourself volunteering as a tour guide at a local heritage centre or playing football with local kids. These rewarding experiences will develop your skills and enhance your employability.