The University of Edinburgh Admission 2024

For students looking for a university with rich history and a long list of distinguished alumni, the University of Edinburgh is an excellent choice. Getting a degree at this university ensures higher employment chances thanks to its teaching history of over 425 years. 

However, getting admission may not be easy due to the low University of Edinburgh acceptance rate. The University of Edinburgh has some strict admissions requirements for acceptance, and duly so. 

Starting in 1583, the educational institute has a century-long history of producing the likes of Nobel laureates, Olympic champions, space explorers, prime ministers, etc. A few notable names would be Sir Walter Scott, the poet/playwright/historical novelist, renowned Australian professor Arthur Jeffery, and Scottish musician Marjory Kennedy-Fraser.

The public institution has been at the forefront of academia since the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century. It has promoted critical thinking in both literature and science and is home to the first animal cloned, Dolly, the sheep. The University of Edinburgh also hosts the UK's oldest and longest-running literary prize, the James Tait Black prizes. 

There are five main campuses where the University of Edinburgh operates: 

• Easter Bush
• Little France
• The King's Buildings
• The University Central Area (George Square)
• Western General Hospital

The institution has multidisciplinary links with various organizations, such as the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, etc.  

University rankings

The University of Edinburgh is an autonomous institution established by Royal Charters. It is a constituent institution under the Universities Acts 1858 to 1966. The 439-year-old University, founded by King James VI, is among the top 20 reputed global universities. It ranks 15th according to the QS World University Ranking of 2023 and 30th according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2022. The US News reports it as the 6th best global University in Europe. 

The University of Edinburgh acceptance rate (General)

The University of Edinburgh, located in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, receives more than 60,000 applications annually, with 68,954 applications in 2021 alone. But the University of Edinburgh acceptance rate was just 47%, limited to only 8,083 candidates. 

According to recent data, the University hosts 13,353 international candidates in various full-time and part-time UG and PG programs.

Undergraduate acceptance rate

So, it is evident that getting admission to one of the most elite educational organizations in the entire United Kingdom is not easy. But it is not impossible either. After all, the University hosts 30,519 full-time students, among which 22,250 are enrolled in various undergraduate full-time undergraduate programs. There are an additional 10,793 students enrolled in various part-time programs at the institute. 

Postgraduate acceptance range

In addition to the above numbers, another 5,086 full-time and 4,695 part-time students are enrolled at Edinburgh University under the postgraduate programs. Moreover, 5,580 candidates study under the institute's postgraduate research programs (PGR). 

Admission eligibility criteria

All aspirants must adhere to some very stringent University of Edinburgh admissions requirements. There are different requirements for applying to undergraduate and postgraduate programs, such as GPA, SQA grades, etc. 

The organization considers SAT or ACT scores as qualifiers too. Students who do not meet the minimum academic prerequisites must acquire a Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score. Students applying for postgraduate level programs must also hold a Bachelor's degree in the relevant subject with excellent or good grades. Those with first or upper-second-class honors equivalent grades are given preference. 

Indian students can apply based on their respective school qualifications also. The University even has introduced some digital education facilities to standardize online learning. 

Students must comply with immigration guidelines to fulfill the minimum University of Edinburgh admission criteria.

Documents required

Apart from the qualifications, the University of Edinburgh admissions requirements include submitting various documents. Of course, this applies to all educational institutions. The certificates and supporting documents that you must submit for successful application to the University of Edinburgh are as follows: 

• Official academic transcripts from all universities attended, mentioning all the courses undertaken at your University with associated grades 
• Proof of completion of at least one full year of study at an institution for applying to the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 
• Proof of completion of at least one semester of study for applying to the College of Science and Engineering 
• Certificate from Higher Secondary School from recognized state boards
• High school diploma certificate as proof of competency in relevant subject areas 
• A 500-word personal statement supporting your application to the University of Edinburgh, explaining your academic history, interests, extracurricular achievements, and choice of course
• Academic reference for some programs (not applicable for Nominated exchange (Erasmus & International) students and Study Abroad Program applicants)
• An English language certificate for the applicable study options or proof of competence in written and spoken English for non-English speaking regions
• Certified translations for degree certificates and academic transcripts that are not in English from the awarding institution or by an accredited Fellow or Member 
• A research proposal for applying to a PhD program  

There are many hurdles in the admission process at the University of Edinburgh, including portfolio submission and interviews. You may even have to sit for an admission test the university conducts for some courses. 

You must overcome them all if you wish to fulfill the essential University of Edinburgh admission criteria. Students can also seek the support available for applicants on the official website.

Tests required/Average scores

Candidates often feel confused about finding the correct answers to the question "how to get admission in university of Edinburgh ."The following inevitable query regarding the marks required to be considered eligible. So, to address this, the University of Edinburgh admission criteria regarding the marks are listed below. 

For Undergraduate programs:

• GCE A levels  grade 8 or above and other GCSE requirements 
• Diploma with overall specific grades in at least three Higher Level (HL) subjects for International Baccalaureates (IB) via UCAS 
• A minimum of Grade 5 AT Standard Level (SL) English 
• Minimum 80% average score (75% for in SQA, Grade A) in Higher Secondary 
• More than 75% score in English during Grade XII
• Exceptional academic achievement in Higher Secondary School for direct admission in the second year of Science and Engineering programs (minimum 85% average score)
• UCAT/UKCAT score for applying to Medicine (MBChB)

You must get in touch with the inquiry department of Edinburgh University to find out if you meet the minimum qualifications for your chosen course. There is no requirement for IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores for students with above 85% score in their Standard XII examination. 

For postgraduate programs:

• Proof of a Bachelor’s degree from a highly ranked university in India with a score above 60% or a GPA above eight on a 10-point scale 
• UK 2:1 or upper second-class honors degree with at least 65% or international equivalent in relevant subjects 
• An English language qualification certificate 
• A minimum of 60% (First class degree) for Indian students applying for the MBA programs

For PhD programs:

• A Master's degree in a relevant field for application to Ph.D. programs with UK 2:1 honors equivalent (minimum qualifying marks is 65% in relevant subject) 
• A specialist master’ degree with at least 67% in coursework and dissertation (equivalent to a GPA of 3.70)

Popular courses

The University of Edinburgh, hosts a variety of departments.

Among these, some of the most popular courses sought after by applicants at the undergraduate level include: 

• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Computing Sciences (Informatics)
• Earth Sciences (Geology and Geophysics)
• Engineering and Electronics
• Environmental and Ecological Sciences
• Geography
• Mathematics
• Physics and Astronomy

In addition to these courses, the University of Edinburgh also teaches Law and Business in its Business School segment. 

How the University evaluates applicants

The University of Edinburgh admissions requirements vary for each stream, as each college has its own admissions team. So, apart from the generic qualifications, applicants must also qualify for the specific requirements set by those departments.

The university; however, takes every achievement mentioned in the UCAS application to select candidates. The organization also widens its selection by considering factors like deprivation level in your area, refugee status, etc.

Tips for applying to University

• Write the personal statement carefully, mentioning every achievement that impacts your career
• Elaborate on your skills, experiences, and unique qualities and what value you bring to the learning community
• Assess the application thoroughly to ensure your achievements (60% academic, 40% non-academic) comply with the minimum requirements 
• Avoid producing fake documents 
• Proofread each document before final submission

Application deadlines

Here is a detailed overview of the application deadlines at the University of Edinburgh: 

• Application to Medicine and Veterinary Medicine: 15th October 
• UCAS Undergraduate application: 25th January 2023 
• Submission of Work Experience for Veterinary Medicine: 22nd October
• Mini Portfolio for Art and Design: 1st February 2023
• Accommodation Application: 16th August 2023
• EU and international students application: 30th June 2023
• Accept of reject offers: 15th July 2023
• SQA results: 8th August 2023
• Certification submission: 31st August 2023

Acceptance Rates of Top Universities in UK