A view of Edinburgh city from Calton Hill at sunset, with the Dugald Stewart Monument in the foreground
  • Our pioneering research proved human-caused greenhouse gasses are warming our planet and underpinned the 2015 Paris Agreement.  
  • We're working with major space agencies to monitor the environment using satellite data.
  • The Scottish Government used our work in public health data to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And that's just the start...

An extraordinary reputation

As a world-leading university, we are here to address today's greatest challenges.

Join our thriving community whose visions are shaping tomorrow's world. You will get to learn from world-leading academics as they share their groundbreaking discoveries with you.

Your career prospects will be enhanced through our hands-on and innovative approaches to learning.  We also have a dedicated Careers Service to help you.

Making a difference starts here. Are you ready?

A group of university students in weather gear walking up a rocky slope towards a glacier in Iceland

So what do you actually do on a field trip? The answer is... a lot!

Find out more by watching our field trip videos on our YouTube channel.

Watch our field trip videos

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We run a range of events you can access - wherever you are in the world.

Find out more about studying with us at Edinburgh, and ask us any questions you want to know!

Open your mind to the options available and find a degree that is perfectly suited to your personal interests and career aspirations. 

A male academic stands on a hillside and gestures to a group of students taking notes surrounded by the Icelandic landscape

Geography is an incredibly diverse subject, spanning the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to address environmental, social and political issues.

You can explore geography:

  • as a natural science that examines the Earth's surface processes through 'physical geography' (BSc)
  • through the social sciences and humanities as 'human geography' (MA)

Explore your options with our University Degree Finder:

Accredited by the Royal Geographical Society

A person standing in a desolate polar region with grey skies.  They are facing towards a mountain rising out of the ice

Our planet is rapidly approaching a critical state, and the need for Earth and environmental scientists has never been greater.  

A range of career opportunities are available to you.  For example, you could be monitoring the impacts of climate change, helping industries transition to sustainable solutions, solving the water crisis or reducing the devastating effects of natural hazards on vulnerable communities. 

Explore your options with our University Degree Finder:

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The world is suffering problems of rapid climate change, the over-exploitation of our natural resources, and the degradation of natural habitats.

Our degrees provide you with the skills vital for understanding and managing changing environments for a more sustainable future.   Join us and tackle some of the greatest environmental challenges facing our planet.

Explore your options with our University Degree Finder:

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Video for School of GeoSciences, one of the largest and most successful groups of geographers, Earth and environmental scientists in the UK

We are one of the largest and most successful interdisciplinary groupings of geographers, Earth and environmental scientists in the UK. 

Many of our researchers are pioneers in their field, with their work underpinning some of the most important international policy decisions in history.

Extraordinary people, place and practice*

  • Our university is ranked 22nd in the world 
  • We are also in the world's top 50 and the UK's top 10 universities for 
    • natural sciences
    • environmental sciences
    • geology
    • geophysics
    • Earth and marine sciences
  • We also rank 15th in the world and 3rd in the UK for sustainability 

So - no matter where you are right now;  whatever your background, gender, creed, or passions; whatever makes you ‘you’;  if you think the future is a place of infinite, positive, possibility;   ...join us!

Anything could happen; but we promise this...  nothing ordinary comes from this extraordinary place known simply as The University of Edinburgh. 

* (QS World University Rankings 2024, QS Sustainability University Rankings 2024, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023)  

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Find out what it's like to study and live in Edinburgh.

Discover our city's landmarks, our campuses, accommodation and get video tours - all in one place.

Edinburgh is your ideal base

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Watch our video playlist as our staff and students share what life at the University of Edinburgh is like

Edinburgh is ranked 2nd in the UK and 16th in the world in the QS Best Student Cities 2024.

Our vibrant capital is an irresistible blend of history and modern city life.

Edinburgh is not only a fantastic city to live in; it is also the perfect location to explore the subjects you are studying.

We will help you make the most of our local surroundings throughout your studies.

Immerse yourself among rugged coastlines, misty mountains, forest glens and sparkling freshwater lochs.

It is no surprise we are regularly voted one of the most desirable places to live in the world!

Get social with us

Get in touch with us via email to: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk