The University of Edinburgh is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and officially opened in 1583, it is one of Scotland's four ancient universities and the sixth-oldest university in continuous operation in the English-speaking world.
| Acronym | UoE |
| Nickname | Auld Reekie |
| Motto / Slogan | Seek and You Shall Find |
| Colour | Red, Blue |
| Mascot | Dusty the Moose |
| Founded | 1583 |
| Undergraduate Programmes | |
| Postgraduate Programmes | 230 |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Address | Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL |
The mission of the University is the creation, dissemination and curation of knowledge.
To recruit and develop the world's most promising students and most outstanding staff and be a truly global university benefiting society as a whole.
As a world-leading research-intensive University, the University of Edinburgh aims to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 they hope to do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of their relationships, both locally and globally.
The University is held in high regard by employers all around the world. 95% of the University’s graduates go on to employment or further study (2011 report by the Higher Education Statistics Agency).
You will have the opportunity to meet students from all over the world! More than 13,000 international students study at the University of Edinburgh - from over 150 countries.
The University of Edinburgh is consistently ranked one of the best 50 universities in the world. They were ranked 27th in the QS World University Rankings (2025).
Throughout the programme, you will receive dedicated one-to-one and group support for both academic and non-academic needs from your teachers, academic cohort lead and Student Support team.
Check the Undergraduate entry requirements for Region-specific undergraduate requirements.
English Requirement: All undergraduate applicants will be asked to demonstrate a level of English language competency, regardless of your nationality or where you live.
Check the Postgraduate entry requirements for Region-specific postgraduate requirements.
All postgraduate applicants will be asked to demonstrate a level of English language competency, regardless of your nationality or where you live.
FOR UNDERGRADUATE: To apply for a full-time undergraduate degree programme, you must apply through Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
FOR POSTGRADUATE: Applications for second degrees should be made directly to the University of Edinburgh. The University uses an online application system which can be found on the right-hand side of each programme page within the degree finder.
AACSB
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson MBBS(Hons)(London), PhD(Cambridge), FRCP(London), FRCPE, FMedSci, FRSE, FRSA has been the 35th Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh since February 2018. Prior to that he held an analogous role as 15th President of the University of Hong Kong between April 2014 and January 2018.
Ronan is Professor of Sustainable Energy. He has held visiting positions at the University of Melbourne and Leibniz Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning (IRS), Berlin
It was founded in 1583 as “the Town’s College” by the Edinburgh town council under Presbyterian auspices and a charter granted in 1582 by King James VI of Scotland, who later became King James I of England and Scotland. In 1621 an act of the Scottish Parliament granted the Town’s College the same rights and privileges as Scotland’s three older universities—St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. The institution subsequently adopted the name University of Edinburgh. The university remained under the control of the Edinburgh town council until 1858, when it gained autonomy under the Universities Act.