Life in Edinburgh

Find out more about living in Edinburgh and how much it might cost.

Where is Edinburgh and what is it like there?

Scotland

Scotland, together with England, Wales and Northern Ireland, makes up the United Kingdom. It is 600 kilometres north of London (approximately 1 hour by plane or 4.5 hours by train). There are easy flight connections to China via London, Frankfurt, Doha and Amsterdam.

Scotland enjoys mild winters and warm summers, and has some of the most unspoiled scenery in Europe. With only 10% of the UK population and 33% of the land, there are plenty of wide open spaces to explore.

City of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and has a population of around 500,000. It attracts over 2 million tourists every year, because of its history and beautiful location. It is situated on the River Forth in the east of Scotland, and it is easy to visit the beaches and mountains for which Scotland is famous. Edinburgh is regularly voted one of the top places to live in the UK.

Student life

Edinburgh has a lot to offer students - it is a hub for arts and heritage, a great place for sports or finding a new hobby and is a city for meeting friends around the world.

 

If you like medieval cities, you will love Edinburgh. The Old and New towns were given UNESCO world heritage status in 1995. Immersing yourself in the picturesque streets of the Old Town you will find endless selfie spots and photo opportunities. Popular attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, museums and galleries are all within walking distance for you to learn more about the history of Scotland. The city is also home to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world, which spans over August every year and features more than 3,000 shows!  


Run by our students, there are over 300 sports clubs and societies for you to develop a new interest and meet like-minded people. From arts, gaming and academia to recreational sports and performance sports, there is something for everyone. If you want more from Biological Sciences, we also have our School-associated societies such as BioSoc, the Biology Society or others covering a more specific area of biology such as ConserveSoc the Conservation Society.  

There are also societies for international students and several Chinese students’ societies where you can meet friends from around the world at the University.

Sports Clubs 

Societies


While University life is fun and exciting, we understand students may face challenges particularly when you are away from home. In the School of Biological Sciences we have the Biology Teaching Organisation (BTO). We take care of all sorts of administrative issues, and we have a team of Student Advisers who can offer you general support and guidance on anything about university life. There is also additional support from wider University services such as student counselling, and the Institute for Academic Development.


Accommodation

Students on the 2+2 programme arrange and are responsible for paying their own in-sessional accommodation costs in both years of study at Edinburgh. The University guarantees a place in university accommodation for all students from outside of the city for their first year of study, provided that you apply by the deadline.

If you need to take the Pre-Sessional English course we will help you to find accommodation in Edinburgh for that month.

There are many choices of university accommodation, from student self-catering flats to fully catered residences. All of the accommodation is either a short walk or bus ride from the city centre and the University. You will spend most of your two years studying on the Science and Engineering campus, King’s Buildings, which is about 10 minutes by bus from the city centre, but there is plenty of student accommodation nearby. Accommodation costs vary depending on the type of accommodation you choose.

You may also choose to find your own accommodation in the city.

University owned accommodation

How much will it cost?

Our estimated annual cost to study in Edinburgh, including fees and living expenses. We offer a scholarship of £3,500 to our 2+2 students in each of their two years in Edinburgh to help make the cost of studying here more manageable.

Tuition fees are published on the University’s website and are subject to annual revision.

Students entering year 3 studies on the China 2+2 programme in September 2025 pay the same fee rate in both of their years of study at Edinburgh as 2023 entry continuing overseas/international band 2 (laboratory) students. This is £32,200, there is more information on the Tuition Fees website.

Tuition Fees website


Living in Edinburgh can be budgeted flexibly to cover all expenses, including accommodation, food, internet, travel, etc. Here is a rough breakdown:

  • Self-catering accommodation costs start at £200 per week for a single room
  • Daily meal costs depend on food preferences – e.g. a sandwich on campus costs £3-£4, coffee about £2.5. Meal at a restaurant starts at £15-£20 per head
  • Weekly unlimited travel on Edinburgh city buses costs £20 per week. Free University shuttle bus is available during term time from mid-September to mid-May. Free bus travel throughout Scotland is offered to people under the age of 22 (you must apply for a Young Scot Card.

Living costs


All students on our 2+2 programme are given a scholarship of £3,500 in each of their two years of study in Edinburgh (approximately £1 = 9 Yuan). This will be provided during Semester 1.

In the first year of study at the University of Edinburgh the cost of the PUGS course(s) will be deducted from your scholarship.


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