What Study Options Are Available at the University of Edinburgh?

The University of Edinburgh offers study options across every stage of higher education: on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, online postgraduate qualifications, English language and foundation preparation, study abroad and exchange programmes, summer schools, and short courses open to the wider community. The right route depends mainly on your current qualifications, whether you can relocate to Edinburgh, and whether you want a full degree or a shorter, flexible commitment.

Degree study on campus

The degree finder on study.ed.ac.uk lets you search by study level and search term, covering:

• Undergraduate — full-time taught degrees for students beginning higher education.
• Postgraduate taught — master's-level programmes delivered on campus.
• Postgraduate research — research degrees supervised at the university's academic level.

The site positions these programmes for students who want to study at one of the world's top universities and build toward a future career or further research.

Online and flexible study

If you cannot move to Edinburgh or need to keep working, the university offers:

• Postgraduate online learning — study online, at your own pace, for an internationally recognised postgraduate qualification.
• Flexible study options — including for-credit and not-for-credit study that can fit around existing commitments.

This is the relevant route if your main constraint is location or schedule rather than academic level.

Preparation and language routes

Two options exist specifically for applicants who are not yet ready for direct degree entry:

• English language education — general and specialist English courses designed to improve your English before starting a degree in the UK.
• International Foundation Programme — a full-time, one-year programme for international students who are not eligible for direct entry to degree-level study.

If your school qualifications or English level fall short of direct entry requirements, start here rather than with a degree application.

Study abroad, summer school, and short courses

• Study abroad in Edinburgh — spend a year or a semester in Edinburgh through study abroad, international exchange, or European exchange programmes.
• Summer School — a summer period of study in Edinburgh.
• Short courses — hundreds of courses across a range of subjects, online or on campus, designed for lifelong learning, career progression, or learning something new.

These suit visiting students, people testing a subject before committing to a degree, or local learners who want a shorter commitment.

Choosing between the routes

Support for specific applicant groups

The site also provides dedicated information and support for widening access applicants, international students (including application support and visa and immigration requirements), mature applicants, online learners, teachers and careers staff, and parents and supporters of undergraduate applicants. Admissions policies, procedures, terms and conditions are published for applicants.

A practical next step is to open the degree finder, set the study level, and search your subject — then check the entry requirements against your own qualifications before deciding whether a preparation route is needed first.