Study in Scotland

Scotland is a great place to study. It is home to more world class universities per head of population than just about anywhere else in the world.

It is a destination of choice, for students of all nationalities, for three reasons:

1. the quality of education, underpinned by world-class research
2. the tremendous breadth of learning on offer
3. universities’ focus on employability

Choosing where to study is a very personal decision. Scotland offers so much choice within its 19 distinctive institutions. We boast some of the world’s oldest and most prestigious as well as the finest modern institutions. The sector offers broad-based degree programmes as well as a highly specialist Conservatoire, art school and agricultural college.

Our universities are proud to welcome students from Scotland, the rest of the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

Advice on fees and student support may be different depending where you live and whether you are thinking of undergraduate or postgraduate study. Advice on visas will be necessary for students living outside of the UK and Europe. This page aims to help you get to the right information for you as quickly as possible.

Visit Study in Scotland or universities’ websites for an overview of Scotland’s 19 higher education institutions and to get a better understanding of what it’s like to live in Scotland and whether you’d need a visa to study if you’re not applying from within Scotland.

Scottish students attending university in Scotland are eligible for free undergraduate-level study.

The University and College Admissions System (UCAS) helps you find courses and is the means through which you apply to university at undergraduate level.

Student support for your living costs whilst at university is made available through the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

If you are normally resident in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and want to study in Scotland then tuition fees do apply for undergraduate study. However, there are no fees upfront; you repay when you start earning after graduation. There may be bursaries or other forms of support available from universities specifically for students from the rest of the UK.

Each university sets their undergraduate fees individually which is the same as universities in England. You can find this information on their websites.

You should apply for student support to cover your living costs from Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales or Student Finance NI, depending on where you live.

For the year 2020/2021, applicants ordinarily resident in the area comprising the EEA, Switzerland and the EU overseas territories will be entitled to help with their undergraduate tuition fees in Scotland. From year 2021/22, applicants will pay international student fees.

Students domiciled in Europe who arrive in the UK by 31 December 2020 do not require a visa to study in Scotland, but they will need to apply for the Settlement Scheme before 30 June 2021 to ensure they are able to complete their studies without requiring a visa. Students who arrive in the UK from 1 January 2021 will not be eligible for the Settlement Scheme. They will need to apply for the new Student route, which will be open for applications from 5 October 2020.

To apply for support for year 2020/21, you must have been resident in the EEA for the three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of the course. For the majority of students who start their course in the autumn term, the relevant date is 1 August.

If you are from outside the EEA and you want to study in Scotland you may need to apply for a student visa.

Make sure you leave plenty of time to complete your applications and allow time for entry clearance, if you require a visa.

You can find further advice on what type of visa you might require from Study in Scotland and from the UK Government.

If you have a disability, you can find information on studying in the UK as a disabled student here.

You can search for scholarships on the Study UK website to see what scholarships different universities have to offer. Alternatively, you can check each individual university website for details on their scholarship programmes. In addition, there are two national schemes run by the UK and Scottish Governments: Chevening and the Saltire Scholarships.

If you are an international student (not from a UK or EEA country) you can also contact your local British Council Office to find out what the offer students from your country to study in the UK.