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Top 5 Colleges in Edinburgh

Top 5 Colleges in Edinburgh

How We Picked the Best Colleges in Edinburgh

Programmes

It is important to look at the programmes being offered in each university and evaluate the variety of choices and the specialities/opportunities being offered.

Tuition

Tuition is a huge factor in choosing a college, so we looked at the fees attached to each university to know which ones provide the best value for your money.

Student Support

Since college will be the second home of the students, it is vital to know the various amenities and support systems each college offers.

Accessibility

We also looked at the accessibility of each university in terms of its class formats, scholarships offered, and opportunities for international students.

1. The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh

Website: https://www.ed.ac.uk/

Address: Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, United Kingdom

Contact Details: +44 131 650 1000

Operating Hours: Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Google reviews score4.3/5
University Compare reviews score4.1/5
What Uni reviews score4.1/5
Total reviews4.2/5
Score consistency4.2/5
Programmes5/5
Tuition4/5
Student Support5/5
Amenities5/5
Support Systems5/5
Accessibility5/5
Range of Class Formats5/5
Scholarships Available5/5
Opportunities for International Students5/5

Pros

  • Well-established
  • High QS Ranking
  • Highly accessible
  • Impressive support system for students
  • Extensive study programmes

Cons

  • Strict requirements
  • Pricey tuition

The University of Edinburgh is a prestigious university known for teaching and research in Scotland. Founded in 1583, it is actually one of the oldest and most well-established universities in the UK.

This is apparent in their high QS ranking. This school is ranked 15th in the QS World University Ranking 2023, making it the fifth-highest entry from the UK.

The support system and infrastructure that they have for their students are incredible. For instance, they have the Arcadia Nursery which provides top-notch care and facilities for young children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.

The university also has the Student Disability Service Support which is for disabled students. In addition, it also has Edinburgh Global which is the core contact point for international students. 

Their computing services are also impressive. For instance, they have 30 open-access computer labs with more than 1,450 computers across the University and 100 open-access computers in the school’s cafe areas.

Lastly, they have several services for taking care of the students’ health and welfare.

In terms of study programmes, The University of Edinburgh offers undergraduate  postgraduate, and even postgraduate online learning programmes.

This university has a high level of accessibility. First, they offer a traditional class format for undergraduates and online options for postgraduate learning. 

They also offer an International Foundation Programme to prepare international students for degree-level study in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

Lastly, students can apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme at the University of Edinburgh and choose from various scholarships.

One thing to consider is that this college has stricter entry requirements such as the following scores: TOEFL- 92, PTE- 50-57, and IELTS- 6.5.

Also, their tuition is a bit pricier than other universities. For local tuition, it is 1,820 GBP, domestic tuition is GBP9,250, and international tuition costs around GBP23,200.

As a whole, The University of Edinburgh is an excellent college choice.

2. Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University

Website: https://www.hw.ac.uk/

Address: Campus The Avenue, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, United Kingdom

Contact Details: +44 131 449 5111

Operating Hours: Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Google reviews score4.5/5
University Compare reviews score4.1/5
What Uni reviews score4/5
Total reviews4.16/5
Score consistency4.2/5
Programmes5/5
Tuition4.2/5
Student Support4/5
Amenities4/5
Support Systems4/5
Accessibility5/5
Range of Class Formats5/5
Scholarships Available5/5
Opportunities for International Students5/5

Pros

  • Prestigious
  • Extensive study programmes
  • Good support and amenities
  • Offers online programmes and scholarships

Cons

  • Low QS ranking
  • Expensive tuition

Heriot-Watt University is the second oldest college in Edinburgh and even the World’s First Mechanics’ Institute. Founded in 1821, it started from just a room in Edinburgh’s Old Town to one of Scotland’s finest universities.

In terms of access, Heriot-Watt University offers a unique online learning experience that can help students obtain their MSc or MBA. All of their online programmes are academically equivalent to on-campus programmes.

They offer extensive undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and even have an intercampus transfer programme for those interested in studying abroad. They have campuses in Dubai and Malaysia as well.

As a bonus, there are bursaries and scholarships available to Scottish students. Currently, they are awarding over GBP500,000 in scholarships to international fee-paying students enrolling in January 2023. 

Similar to The University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University also offers childcare for its students. It has its own nursery called Pinocchio’s, and it is fully registered with the Care Commission.

It also has an on-campus Medical Centre and Dental Practice which provides exceptional medical, dental, nursing, and ancillary health care. Thus, its students’ physical health is well-taken care of.

Lastly, the university also has high quality, technology-enabled study spaces for their students’ academic and entertainment needs.

Their tuition, however, is also pricey. For instance, an undergraduate would have to pay GBP 9250 in fees, and a Masters student needs to pay GBP15,000.

Also, their QS World Ranking is not that high. Currently, Heriot-Watt University is ranked 281 in the QS World University Rankings.

Overall, Heriot-Watt University is a solid university choice for those who want to study college in Edinburgh.

3. Scotland’s Rural College University

Scotland's Rural College University

Website: https://www.sruc.ac.uk/

Address: Craibstone Estate, Ferguson Building, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, United Kingdom

Contact Details: +44 1224 711000

Operating Hours: Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Google reviews score4.3/5
University Compare reviews score3/5
What Uni reviews score2.3/5
Total reviews3.2/5
Score consistency3.2/5
Programmes4/5
Tuition3/5
Student Support4/5
Amenities4/5
Support Systems4/5
Accessibility4/5
Range of Class Formats4/5
Scholarships Available4/5
Opportunities for International Students4/5

Pros

  • Cutting edge research facilities
  • Solid QS ranking
  • Offers distance learning

Cons

  • Standard student support
  • Expensive fees
  • Limited courses

Focused on agriculture and life sciences, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is a public land based research institution that began in 1899.

Since this is a research institution, its research facilities are top-notch. For instance, it has a beef & sheep research facility, a dairy research facility, a pig and poultry research facility, and crop trial facilities as well.

Scotland’s Rural College is ranked #101-150 in the QS WUR Ranking By Subject in 2022, making it one of the top universities in Edinburgh.

This university offers distance learning for those who want to study in the comfort of their own homes or workplaces. 

In terms of scholarships, they offer several types of bursaries such as the Further Education bursary, the Natural Leader prize, and Change Your Path bursary.

As for international students, however, they seem to have a long list of requirements and they take each application on a case-by-case basis.

Its student support system is quite basic, however. The university only offers the standard support needed by students such as campus medical services, career services, academic support, and a Student’s Association.

In terms of tuition, the fees of this college are a bit pricey. You would need to pay GBP15,000 yearly for an Undergraduate programme and GBP15,750 for a Master’s programme.

The university’s courses are also quite limited. For instance, it offers only 58 courses related to agriculture and rural skills, and the school also offers training courses such as Veterinary CPD courses and ScotPIL Poultry personal licence course.

To sum up, Scotland’s Rural College would be a great choice for those looking to enter the agricultural/rural field in terms of research and innovation.

4. Queen Margaret University

Queen Margaret University

Website: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/

Address: Queen Margaret University Way, Musselburgh EH21 6UU, United Kingdom

Contact Details: +44 131 474 0000

Operating Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Google reviews score4.3/5
University Compare reviews score3.9/5 
What Uni reviews score3.9/5
Total reviews4/5
Score consistency4/5
Programmes5/5
Tuition4/5
Student Support5/5
Amenities5/5
Support Systems5/5
Accessibility4.6/5
Range of Class Formats5/5
Scholarships Available5/5
Opportunities for International Students4/5

Pros

  • Solid student support
  • A wide variety of study programmes
  • Comprehensive list of scholarships

Cons

  • Low QS ranking
  • Strict admission requirements

Originally named as the Edinburgh School of Cookery in 1875, it was changed to Queen Margaret University in 1972. It is because Queen Margaret, the highly respected 11th century queen, personified the college’s key values related to community service.

Queen Margaret University is known for its focus on business, education, the creative industries, social sciences, and health and rehabilitation.

Online learning is being offered at Queen Margaret University, and it also welcomes exchange students and offers opportunities for students to study abroad as well.

They also offer several scholarship programmes. They have a list of programmes for Undergraduate students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, international students, and even Transitionary scholarships for postgraduate EU students.

It offers various support systems for students which are valuable. For instance, they have an Effective Learning Service, a Peer Assisted Learning, a Wellbeing Service, a

Disability Service, Support for Estranged Students, and even free period products!

In terms of their study programmes, Queen Margaret University offers undergraduate study, postgraduate study, postgraduate research study, CPD and short courses. You can even learn remotely, which would be very convenient for some.

Queen Margaret University’s QS ranking is a bit low, however, clocking in at 801 in the QS World University Rankings.

Also, the college’s admission requirements are quite strict. On top of the standard university requirements such as portfolios and interviews, one would need a score of 95 for TOEFL and a score of 7.0 for IELTS.

To sum up, Queen Margaret University is a solid contender as one of the best colleges in Edinburgh.

5. Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier University

Website: https://www.napier.ac.uk/

Address: 219 Colinton Rd, Edinburgh EH14 1DJ, United Kingdom

Contact Details: +44 333 900 6040

Operating Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM

                              Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

        Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Google reviews score4/5
University Compare reviews score4.1/5 
What Uni reviews score3.9/5
Total reviews4/5
Score consistency4/5
Programmes4/5
Tuition4/5
Student Support5/5
Amenities5/5
Support Systems5/5
Accessibility4.3/5
Range of Class Formats4/5
Scholarships Available5/5
Opportunities for International Students4/5

Pros

  • A wide selection of programmes offered
  • Cutting edge facilities

Cons

  • High tuition fees
  • Low QS ranking
  • Limited number of courses

Originally named as Napier Technical College, it was founded in 1964, taking its name from John Napier, a 16th-century Scottish mathematician and philosopher. In 1992, it became Napier University.

This prestigious school is currently ranked as the number one modern university in the UK for Computer Science, Criminology, English, and Nursing.

Napier university offers online study, which is awesome. This school also helps international students with their student visa, application assistance, and English language support.

This college also offers several partial scholarships such as African scholarships, ASEAN scholarships, British Council Women in STEM, and European Union Visiting Students Scholarship.

They offer various study programme such as undergraduate, postgraduate, online study graduate apprenticeships, and various short courses such as Sport and Exercise Sciences and Health and Social Care.

Their facilities are certainly a step above the facilities of other universities in terms of being hi-tech. For instance, the university has Media Composer suites, Pro Tool suites, a dubbing suite, and up-to-date camera equipment.

Also, it has life-like hospital wards, a clinical skills suite, sports science labs and an [EN]GAGE sports centre.

In addition, Napier University has state-of-the-art sports facilities which include a gym and a sports hall for hire. The college also conducts fitness classes across all campuses.

Since this is a technical college, it is pricier than usual. Annually, the fees are GBP15,222 for an Undergraduate programme and GBP18,000 for a Master’s programme.

Currently, its QS ranking is a bit low. Edinburgh Napier University is also ranked 801 in QS World University Rankings.

Lastly, the number of courses it offers is limited, all of which are listed in the college’s website.

For those interested in Computer Science, Criminology, English, and Nursing, this college would be ideal.

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