Edinburgh is an inspiring place to live and study, which may account for why three-quarters of students achieve a first or 2:1. The university is treading a fine line between its traditional instincts and embracing more modern trends. This can be seen in some of the new courses coming on stream this month: Greek studies replaces Greek, and biological sciences, chemistry and environmental chemistry are offered with management for the first time.
There is a range of sports degrees: applied sports science; outdoor education with environmental studies; and sport and recreation management. These are available alongside “traditional” university staples (classics, medicine, veterinary medicine, history of art, music and law) and more unusual features such as Scandinavian studies, Chinese, Arabic, Sanskrit and Scottish ethnology.
A new admissions policy shows Edinburgh is moving with the times. While final grades will remain important, the university has pledged to give more consideration to applicants from the local area, from schools or families with no tradition in higher education, from a variety of access schemes and from those whose education has been disrupted. Edinburgh will remain one of the toughest universities to get into, but for some students the bar may have been lowered a little. Edinburgh is not the cheapest city but it is one of the most exciting.
Accommodation is plentiful and with more than 5,000 university rooms about one-third of students live in, including all first-years from outside Edinburgh.
Sports facilities include an outdoor centre on Loch Tay, 80 miles away, offering sailing, orienteering and kayaking in summer and skiing and mountaineering in winter. Open day October 15. Booking is essential.
Student view Will Garton, president of the students’ association:
Best feature Our city, which has a sense of community.
Worst feature Be prepared for the North Sea wind.
Location Proximity to the city centre; you’re not isolated.
Social scene Whatever your taste there’s a social aspect on campus.
Rated excellent (23) Chemistry; physics; mathematics and statistics; computer studies; social work; history; cellular and molecular biology; organismal biology; veterinary medicine; social policy; archeology; architecture; business and management; classics and ancient history; economics; accountancy; English; electrical and electronic engineering; civil engineering; mechanical engineering; chemical engineering; politics; sociology and social anthropology.
From The Sunday Times 2003