Support services
A summary of student support services available from the School of Economics and the University.
School support
We want you to feel supported and encouraged during your time with us. There will be a variety of support available to you, including our Student Wellbeing and Advice Team, EconPALS and Econ Clans, and your Student Adviser. In addition, you can access a wide range of University support services.
Student Wellbeing and Advice Team
You will be supported by a friendly Student Wellbeing and Advice Team. They deliver enhanced course and programme advice and guidance, wellbeing support, and professional and academic and study skills development. As well as providing professional and emotional support, the team can help you with factual references (for banks, letting agents etc.) and assist with course enrolments, transfers, and more.
You will have a dedicated Student Adviser, who is one of your first points of contact with any queries you might have as a student. We also have a Wellbeing Adviser on our team, who can offer you additional support with more complex issues.
Cohort Leads
Your Cohort Lead is an academic or research member of staff who provides support with academic development and challenges that you may face as a student. A Cohort Lead is responsible for leading and coordinating activities to engage you with your course of study and build a strong community (cohort) with those studying and teaching Economics.
Econ Clans
The School of Economics Academics Clans' goal is to ease the transition to university life by enabling first-year students to interact and socialise with fellow students, attend fun events, and partake in unique Edinburgh experiences.
Every first-year student in the School of Economics is assigned to a clan, containing other first-years, led by second and third-year Economics students. Our leaders facilitate Clan events and can help answer questions about topics including uni life or studying Economics.
You can find Econ Clans on Instagram.
EconPALS
EconPALS is a Peer Assisted Learning Scheme. Available to first-year economics students, they provide insight into the Economics 1 course, as well as expanding engagement with Economics through events outside of the classroom. They ease the transition to university life (academic and otherwise) through creating a community within the subject and helping students connect.
EconPALS run five weekly hour-and-a-half sessions, where Economics students from older years help first-years with material throughout the course, sharing their own experience and advice. They also lead large delegations to various Economics conferences in the UK, organise socials, and connect lecturers with students through exclusive video-tutorials on material.
EconPALS are on Instagram and Facebook.
University Support
The Advice Place
The Advice Place is an impartial, accessible, free, and confidential advisory service for all University of Edinburgh students. They act on behalf of students and their interests, advising independently of the University or any other organisation or authority. Advice is offered on a walk-in basis at their Potterrow office, or by appointment for more specialist areas such as welfare benefits, academic issues and tenancy problems.
Student Counselling Service
The Student Counselling Service offer short term counselling to the University's students, aiming to help them work through their difficulty, understand themselves better and find ways of managing their situation. They also run a series of free one-off workshops on topics such as procrastination, confidence building and relaxation.
The Chaplaincy
The Chaplaincy offers pastoral and spiritual support for students and staff of all faiths and none. This includes social meeting spaces, opportunities personal development, multi-faith events, volunteering opportunities, and much more. The Chaplaincy also runs The Listening Service, offering confidential and non-judgemental listening whenever you are in need of a good conversation or crisis support.
Disability and Learning Support Service
The Disability and Learning Support Service supports students who have a health condition, disability or neurodiverse condition which affects their studies. They can also provide support if you experience a temporary injury that impacts your academic work. The Service helps you set up a Schedule of Adjustments, listing modifications to your studies that support your full participation in teaching and learning. This may include adjustments to coursework and/or specific examination arrangements.
Disability and Learning Support Service
Institute for Academic Development
The Institute for Academic Development (IAD) provides support for teaching, learning and researcher development. This includes direct support for you in the form of study skills workshops, online resources, networks and advice. Check out their Study Hub for learning resources covering topics such as time management, academic writing, exams, and English language skills.
Institute for Academic Development
Widening Participation
There are many barriers which can affect a person’s aspirations and trajectory in life including social, financial, cultural, or geographical. The Widening Participation team works to raise aspiration towards higher education and offer support to remove those obstacles, addressing educational inequalities and patterns of under-representation.
While Widening Participation covers many individual circumstances, the team can support you if you belong to any of the following general groups:
- Primary and Secondary school pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Adult learners and returners to education
- Vulnerable or marginalised groups, such as carers, care experienced students, estranged students, or those with refugee / asylum seeker status
- Students from under-represented groups, such as disabled learners or those from ethnic minority backgrounds