Visiting and exchange studentsVisiting and exchange students
Prospective students

What classes do we offer?

A range of first to third year courses are available to visiting students. Some of these classes have prerequisite study demands.

Study Abroad, International Exchange and Erasmus students have a vast array of subjects and classes to choose from.

Parliamentary programme applicants must attend specialist courses prior to their placement.

Visiting Student Course Finder

Search the courses that are available to visiting students in each semester:

Course availability

We will try to fulfil your requests to take specific courses. However, we cannot guarantee access to particular classes.

Many courses have strict prerequisite study requirements. If you don’t meet these requirements, then we cannot enrol you.

Some subjects are also particularly popular with visiting students - especially classes in:

We work hard to secure a quota of visiting student spaces in upper level courses in these areas. However, inevitably, we do have to disappoint some students. The same difficulties are encountered by internal Edinburgh students. Many members of the Visiting Student team studied at Edinburgh University themselves and, on occasion, missed out on their first choice of classes.

When we cannot offer you your first choice courses, we will liaise with you to work out suitable alternatives. We do recommend that you do not attempt to secure transfer credit with your home university until we have confirmed your course enrolments.

Studying Science and Engineering topics

Visiting students in the College of Humanities and Social Science (CHSS) are welcome to take up to 20 credits in courses in the College of Science and Engineering (CSCE). However, if you are allocated courses in which two thirds of your credits are in classes in Science and Engineering (ie, 40 credits or more in one semester), then you will be switched to that College.

You should be aware, however, that it can be difficult to timetable a mixture of classes from the two Colleges. Many CSCE courses have compulsory labs and therefore greater numbers of contact hours than CHSS courses.

You also need to remember to factor in travel time to our King’s Buildings campus for many CSCE classes. Allow 30 minutes if using the free Shuttle Bus.

Course levels

First year courses

In general, the vast majority of first year courses require no previous study. In the case of languages, you will probably be asked to take a language test on arrival in Edinburgh before we enrol you.

Second year courses

Second year courses often have no specific prerequisite study requirements. However, it is generally advisable to have done at least one class in that subject previously. Other students in the course with you will have completed at least one class during their first year here.

Third year honours courses

Third year honours courses usually have strict prior study requirements. Honours courses are only open to you if you have already completed two years of study at your home university (unless your home degree is only three years).

Some subject areas have quite technical prerequisites. These include Economics and most courses taught in the College of Science and Engineering. Generally speaking, we will be looking for you to have completed at least three classes in that subject - achieving grade B or above - before you come to Edinburgh.

Applicants who are taking one or two of their minimum three prerequisite courses at the time of applying will be advised to bring an up-to-date transcript of their grades when they travel to Edinburgh. We will then check that you have achieved the minimum requirements since your application. We can then enrol you in courses accordingly.

Fourth year and postgraduate courses

Fourth year and postgraduate courses in the College of Humanities and Social Science are not available to visiting students.

Contact us

If you have any further questions about specific courses, then please contact the Visiting Student team directly.

  • Visiting Student Office
  • College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • University of Edinburgh
  • Third Floor
  • David Hume Tower
  • George Square
  • EH8 9JX
  • Work: +44 (0)131 650 3572 / 8268 / 4094 / 651 5125
Email:

This article was published on Sep 30, 2011


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