Information about Semester 2
The latest information and guidance about our Semester Two plans, returning to Edinburgh in January and accessing support.
If you are returning to campus or will be changing your household, please continue to follow Scottish travel guidance as well as travel guidance for other areas of the UK or any country you will be travelling from.
Guidance on travel and transport
For the latest guidance on Covid-19 protection levels across Scotland, please go to the Scottish Government website:
Teaching, learning and research
Below we have outlined some key points about what the Scottish Government restrictions will mean for you:
Teaching and assessment for Undergraduate students will remain digital for the rest of the Semester, with a small number of exceptions.
The small number of exceptions include students who have already resumed hybrid education with on-campus elements this semester; and a very small number of programmes where Schools will be in contact with students on these programmes soon.
Schools are working to ensure that their current plans are adjusted to reflect the change in Scottish Government guidance and, in particular, this decision. Please stay in close contact with your School/ Deanery and key contacts such as your tutor or student support team.
From 17th May 2021 we will seek to resume some aspects of teaching and assessment for our postgraduate taught students.
This is likely to be limited to the following activities:
- Resuming some in-person teaching elements, such as dissertation/project supervision
- Enabling some greater access to lab and specialist spaces to support this activity, in line with existing health and safety controls
If you are not currently based in Edinburgh, there is no need for you to travel back to the city – and we would advise against this in any case due to the current travel restrictions and to limit the number of students on campus. We will continue to support your studies digitally and ensure that any students studying remotely will be not be academically disadvantaged by these changes.
Your School will be in touch with you soon if there are implications for your specific programme.
The Scottish Government restrictions do not alter the information we are providing to postgraduate research students and essential research work may continue.
While the current advice is to work from home where at all possible, essential research work may continue in University laboratories and other research facilities if it cannot be undertaken away from campus. If you cannot work from home because the environment makes it impossible, then you are permitted to work in the University in a safe location.
Please speak with your supervisor for further information if you are unsure how the Scottish Government restrictions may impact your work.
If you have current research activities to undertake which require you to be physically present in Edinburgh, (for example, you need access to labs in order to progress with your research) then you are allowed to return to Edinburgh and be on-campus as needed.
Before doing so, please check with your School/Deanery if the particular research space is currently accessible, as some facilities are not open or available to students during the lockdown.
If you are currently in the taught stage of your programme, or you do not need to/ cannot access on campus facilities at this stage, then you should not return to campus until the current stay at home restrictions are lifted.
Please note that due to current Covid-19 restrictions, the Library is not able to give access to research collections. As such, you should not plan to return to Edinburgh solely in order to access the University’s cultural and heritage collections on site.
As teaching and student support continues to be provided by the University, albeit in a different form from previous years, the University will not be offering Tuition Fee refunds for Semester One and Two.
While a different approach to programme delivery has been necessary this year, we have taken steps to ensure that our students’ Course and Programme Learning Outcomes will be achieved by the end of this academic year.
If a student has specific concerns about their programme, they should in the first instance raise this with the programme organiser or other relevant contact within their School.
Should any student wish to lodge a complaint with the University, they can do so via our complaints handling procedure.
We fully recognise the ongoing impact of Covid-19 this year and have introduced a package of measures to ensure that all of our taught students have an opportunity to demonstrate their performance in assessment, and to prevent the pandemic from having an unreasonably negative impact upon your degree outcomes.
Our new ‘Scan and Deliver’ service allows you to request print materials (typically up to a book chapter or journal article) to be provided electronically.
EdHelp remains open for both in-person, online enquiries, and to request laptop loans or a portable Wi-Fi (Mi-Fi) device.
If you have any questions about your course or programme, please contact your personal tutor or your School's student support team in the first instance.
If you’ve left study materials at your term-time address, you should not return to Edinburgh to collect them. In the first instance, please contact your School/ Deanery to see how they can support your learning until you are able to return once lockdown restrictions ease.
Please be aware that you can also request scanned copies of materials from the library via Scan & Deliver.
We currently plan to deliver a mix of in-person and digital teaching for the academic year starting in September 2021.
We’re monitoring government guidance on Covid-19 prevention measures and we’ll adjust our 2021-22 plans in response to any relevant changes.
Based on current information we expect some physical distancing measures are very likely to still apply when the academic year starts in September 2021.
Field trips and placements
Placements should be carried out remotely wherever possible.
If you are unable to do your optional placement remotely, your placement will unfortunately be unable to go ahead under current Covid-19 restrictions.
If your placement forms a mandatory element of your degree programme and cannot be done from home remotely, then you may be able to attend the placement as this is classed as an ‘essential activity’ and is therefore an essential reason to travel.
Mandatory placements which require in-person attendance will need to go through our risk assessment and approvals process – this includes reviewing the Covid-19 control measures the ‘host’ employer have in place. Students will need to complete their School’s risk assessment alongside a staff member at your ‘host’ employer. Once complete, please share this with your School for consideration. Only once you have received approval from your School will you be able to carry out your placement.
If, following the risk assessment, you are unable to carry out your placement, you will be able to ‘opt out’ of the mandatory placement and will be offered alternative learning from your School.
Please contact your school if you have any specific questions about carrying out your placement.
Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, fieldtrips will not take place between now and the end of April 2021. This includes local visits that students might normally be expected to undertake themselves. This includes taught and research students.
- From May, it should be possible to restart limited, local (to Edinburgh) and individual activity. Students living in other jurisdictions should also be allowed to undertake individual field trip activity from May, subject to any prevailing restrictions in their own jurisdiction.
- From June it should be possible to restart day trips from Edinburgh, subject to risk assessment and availability of appropriate transport. Ongoing restrictions on accommodation mean that overnight trips will not be able to go ahead.
- Between July and September, it should be possible for all domestic (UK) field trips to go ahead, subject to risk assessment.
Schools will be in touch with you to provide further details on fieldtrips that were due to be carried out in your course.
The University is offering flexibility to allow some students on mandatory or optional study/work placements overseas to be considered for travel in Semester 2.
Approval will require an assessment by the Study and Work Away (SWAY) Service and is subject to:
- The completion of a robust risk assessment
- Travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
- Whether the activity forms a mandatory or optional component of your degree programme
- Your host’s ability to accept you in person
- Your ability to meet any entry/visa restrictions in place for your host country
- Your host country not being in lockdown, a state of emergency, or under other types of restrictions due to other crises at the time of approval.
Further guidance for students undertaking work/study placements in Semester 2 can be found on our website.
We will share an update on field trips and placements taking place in the next academic year by end-June 2021.
Graduations
The University of Edinburgh must comply with Scottish Government regulations. Any easing of Covid-19 restrictions will be gradual, and our position therefore remains that summer graduations must remain cancelled, due to the likelihood that a number of restrictions will continue to significantly impact our delivery of in-person ceremonies.
Students due to graduate in our summer graduations will instead be invited to an online celebration, but please be assured that you will be invited back to attend a future on-campus event in the future. We truly regret the disappointment caused by postponing these ceremonies.
We are keeping open the opportunity to hold on-campus ceremonies for the November graduations and will continue to review this position as restrictions across Scotland ease.
If you have any questions about our graduations, please contact infopoint@ed.ac.uk.
Travel and returning to campus
If you are planning to return to campus, please notify us before you travel:
Unrestricted travel is allowed between Scotland (with the exception of areas in Level 3, which includes Glasgow and Moray) and England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.
If you are planning to travel back to campus, please notify us before you travel.
Notify us if you are travelling back to Edinburgh
Links to travel guidance for Scotland, the UK and international travel can be found below:
- Scottish Government travel guidance
- International travel and quarantine guidance
- Country exemptions and information on the process for people entering the UK
If you are travelling to Edinburgh from elsewhere in the UK, we strongly advise you to book an asymptomatic Covid-19 test as close to your return date as possible.
We are offering asymptomatic Covid-19 testing until 30 June to students who are travelling to Edinburgh from elsewhere in the UK.
We are also offering regular repeat testing to staff and students who are visiting, studying or working on our campuses. You will be able to receive these tests twice a week.
Please be aware that the asymptomatic Covid-19 testing programme is not sufficient evidence to bypass self-isolation requirements if you are returning to Edinburgh from overseas. If you are travelling internationally into the UK, please also be aware that international travel guidance has recently changed. There is now a requirement for all passengers travelling to Scotland to have a valid negative Covid-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure.
‘TestEd’ research project
The University and the UK Medical Research Council are supporting an exciting research project to develop a new approach to Covid-19 testing, called TestEd. Participation is voluntary and testing is currently available at nine centres across the University. Please find out more at:
All students are also being asked to voluntarily restrict their social interactions for 10 days before they return to University and for the same period once they arrive.
When you arrive back at University, you should also minimise your social mixing for 10 days. This is to help minimise the transmission of the virus.
Please familiarise yourself with the latest Scottish Government guidance on interacting with other people.
The Scottish Government has introduced a risk assessment for international travel similar to the UK Government’s existing ‘traffic light’ system:
- arrivals from red list countries will be required to enter a managed isolation hotel and stay there for 10 days. Travel to such countries should only be for essential reasons.
- arrivals from amber list countries, which will be the majority of countries, should self-isolate at home [or if a visitor from another country, their accommodation on arrival] for 10 days, and take two PCR tests while they are isolating.
- arrivals from green list countries will not be required to quarantine or isolate on arrival in Scotland, but will need to take a PCR test shortly after arrival.
Further information on this process, and details of the countries on each list, is available on the Scottish Government website:
Please check with your School in advance to confirm when your course will start and when you should arrive on campus.
International students who have arranged travel should speak to our Student Immigration Service in the first instance to discuss their circumstances.
If you are planning to travel to campus, you must now notify the University before you travel:
Notify us if you are travelling back to Edinburgh
Covid-19 testing
There is a requirement for all passengers travelling to Scotland to have a valid negative Covid-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure. Please note that the asymptomatic Covid-19 testing programme is not sufficient evidence to bypass self-isolation requirements if you are returning to Edinburgh from overseas.
Please read the Scottish Government’s international travel and quarantine guidance for the latest information on what you will need to do when entering the UK from another country:
- International travel and quarantine guidance
- Country exemptions and information on the process for people entering the UK
We will continue to support our international students, no matter where you are in the world. If you are affected, please contact the Covid-19 hotline at +44 (0)131 370 0494.
Support will continue for any student who needs to quarantine and for any students who may need to self-isolate.
If you are travelling to Scotland from a red list country, you will need to quarantine at a hotel in Scotland for 10 days (11 nights) as soon as you arrive.
Details about red list countries
More details about quarantine hotels can be found on the Scottish Government website:
Students needing to travel to Edinburgh in the coming weeks who are now required to go into quarantine can apply for financial hardship support from the University if needed, and these will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. This includes students flying back into Edinburgh from periods of work or study away.
Please be aware that the requirement to self-isolate in a quarantine hotel is in addition to the requirement for all passengers travelling to Scotland to have a valid negative Covid-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure.
Please let us know if there are any changes to the way you will be studying (e.g. online, or on-campus) and let us know if your location has changed.
Change your method of study or location
Advice and further information is available via EdHelp
Accommodation
Our student accommodation remains open and we will continue to support all students who are staying there.
If you are planning to travel back to campus, please notify University before you travel:
We recommend that students take a lease break if you have no more on-campus activities this semester.
A lease break will allow you to permanently end your accommodation contract with the University. You can currently request a break in your lease without needing to give a 28-day notice period.
Find out how to apply for a lease break
If you applied for a lease break before the 28th February, once your lease is broken, you will not pay rent for the rest of your contracted period in University accommodation and this will be backdated from 11 January 2021 (if you did not return to campus after the winter break). After this date, lease breaks will be taken from the day that you contact us to advise that you would like to break your lease.
If you choose to break your lease and then your circumstances change or travel restrictions are eased at a later date, we will be happy to reinstate your contract if you want return to your accommodation (either to your original room or a room of a similar standard and price).
If you have previously applied for a rent pause, but will now need to break your lease instead, please follow the instructions above by 28th February and we will ensure your lease break is backdated to 11 January 2021.
Maintenance Loans
It’s important that you update your student loans account with where you’ll be living each term.
Where you live can also change the amount of Maintenance Loan you get paid. Students currently living in England will need to contact the Student Loans Company if you are applying for a lease break as your location can impact the amount of maintenance loan you are paid:
If you have not yet removed your possessions, you will need to return to collect your belongings (or nominate a friend or packing company to do this on your behalf) on or before your lease end date.
Please follow government travel guidance and guidance on moving home. You will need to book a time-slot to arrive at your accommodation using our online booking system - this will notify us of your planned date for the collection of your belongings to ensure that you can return safely and allow us to notify you if the household you are briefly returning to goes into isolation due to a positive Covid-19 case. Please do not return without booking an arrival slot.
Please follow the links below to the booking system for your accommodation:
- Campus - Belongings Collection - Arrival Slot Booking (Pollock Halls and O'Shea)
- Self-Catered - Belongings Collection - Arrival Slot Booking
- DOMUS - Belongs Collection - Arrival Slot Booking
If you have further questions about collecting your possessions, please read our 'Moving out FAQs':
If you will be traveling internationally to the UK in the coming weeks
If you are planning to return to Edinburgh this month, we understand that you may not be able to collect your belongings by the initial end of lease date and may need a little more time – in some circumstances we can extend this date if it helps you plan better.
You must let Accommodation, Catering and Events know if you are unable to collect your belongings by your lease end date and we can discuss if extension options are possible.
Whether you are hiring a company to pack your items or you are planning to do this yourself, you will need to book a collection time at the links below.
- Campus - Belongings Collection - Arrival Slot Booking (Pollock Halls and O'Shea)
- Self Catered - Belongings Collection - Arrival Slot Booking
- Domus - Belongs Collection - Arrival Slot Booking
The collection time will be the booking for the time you can arrive at your accommodation. You will then be able to take your time to pack and move out (however, please note that you cannot stay overnight in the property).
If you will not be traveling to the UK before the end of your lease date
If you are unable to return to campus this month, you must use a packing company or arrange with a friend to pack and store or ship your belongings on or before lease end date.
While we cannot recommend a specific company, there are a number who specialise in packing, storing and shipping student belongings. You can do an internet search for some ideas.
Student packing service UK - Google Search
If you hire a company or arrange with a friend to pack your room, you still need to book a collection time to notify us when to expect them to arrive on site. The link to the booking forms can be found above. You will be required to complete the section giving details of the company or friend packing up your room as this will provide us with the necessary authorisation to arrange access.
If you are still unable to collect your belongings by the end of your lease break and want to speak to us further, please contact us using the form below:
Rent pause applications have now closed.
All students with successful applications have been contacted and have received a rent rebate for the period between 11 January and 8 February 2021.
If you wish to break your lease, please read the ‘Breaking your lease’ FAQ above.”
We will continue to support all students who are staying in our student accommodation.
ResLife support in student accommodation
If you need to self-isolate, please notify the University so that we can support you. If you're staying in University-managed accommodation, you'll receive 3 packed meals each day, regular check-ins with your RA, and we'll be able to help with the delivery of essential supplies to your room.
Notify the University if you are self-isolating
If you need to permanently leave your term-time accommodation and move to another household, you should follow the Scottish Government guidance on moving home.
Students in privately managed University accommodation (such as Unite) or other private arrangements will need to contact their accommodation provider or landlord.
If you are planning to leave your private accommodation permanently, you will need to give notice to your landlord that you intend to end your tenancy for a Covid-19 related reason. In most cases you will need to give 28 days’ notice. If you wish to break your lease with your private accommodation provider, please speak directly with them to confirm if you can make arrangements to collect your belongings at a later date, when restrictions allow. However, if this is not possible, you can return to collect your belongings. Please follow all travel guidance when returning to Edinburgh.
For further information on returning to term-time accommodation, please visit:
Further guidance on private accommodation is available via The Advice Place.
Services and facilities
All Student Administration services, including the Student Immigration Service, will be available remotely.
However, there will be a physical presence by appointment at Old College on Tuesdays between 9:30-16:30 for any transactions that require students to be physically present (for example, students who need to collect a Biometric Residence Permit).
If you’re studying remotely, you can use the Library’s 'Scan & Deliver' service to request scanned extracts of print materials, or access the wide range of ebooks and other online resources which the Library provides.
For those of you staying in Edinburgh, you can also use our ‘Click & Collect’ service while browsing is not allowed. With libraries reopening for browsing from 26 April, the ‘Click & Collect’ service will be withdrawn according to the following timetable:
- Law Library, ECA Library, New College Library: last requests 19 April
- Main Library: last requests 22 April
Using our libraries and study spaces
The University is increasing the number of study spaces over the revision and exam period.
Dates for the reopening of study spaces are provided below:
- From 6 April, 176 study spaces will open at Murchison House, King’s Buildings
- From 19 April, 57 study spaces will open at the Fire Station, Edinburgh College of Art
- From 26 April, all remaining centrally managed study spaces will reopen
You can find a list of all available on campus study space on our Information Services website.
From 26 April, the University aims to reopen all remaining libraries, remove barriers to print collections and restart self-issue book machines in order to give University library users self-service access to print collections. The Main Library will also revert to its usual opening hours of 08:30am.
A limited number of our on-campus catering facilities have reopened in line with Scottish Government guidance. Those that open will be in locations to support students who resumed in-person, on-campus elements in January and areas where increasing study spaces will be made available.
| Location | Unit | Planned reopening date | Opening times |
| Kings Buildings | KB Library Café | 12 April 2021 |
12 – 23 April, Mon – Fri: 09.00 -15.00 From 26 April, Mon – Fri: 08.30 -16.00 |
| Central Area | Library Café | 3 May 2021 |
Mon – Thurs: 08.30 -19.00 Fri: 08.30-16.00 |
| Easter Bush | The View | 3 May 2021 | Mon – Fri: 07:45-15:00 |
The University’s catering services within catered halls remains open for students staying in University-managed accommodation.
The Pleasance Gym will be closed to members until at least Monday 1st February 2021.
Advice and support
Our student support services will continue to operate – whether you are on-campus or not. A range of support is available to you, no matter where you are currently living.
The UK government has identified two distinct groups who are more vulnerable to the effects of Covid-19.
Further information on Covid-19 and vulnerable groups, including the medical conditions and other factors within the two vulnerable groups, is available on NHS Inform.
If you believe you are at high risk of severe illness from Covid-19 but do not have a shielding letter, see below, you are advised to discuss your concerns directly with management (staff) or your School (students) in the first instance to consider adjustments to allow you to work from home in the first instance or that may be made to support your return to work/campus, these may be part of Equality/disability considerations.
I have been shielding (extremely high risk)
If you are considered to be at extremely high risk of severe illness from Covid-19 you should have received a letter from NHS Scotland or your GP advising you of this.
The Chief Medical Officer wrote to everyone on the shielding list in the week beginning 4 January to set out advice on the stay at home regulations which came into effect on 5th January 2021.
Any students who are shielding should continue to study from home and not attend classes or placements in person. More information for students with shielded status can be found here.
Further advice can be found on the Scottish Government website:
If you have an underlying health condition or take regular prescription medicines, but you remain unsure whether you fall into one of the more vulnerable groups, you should contact your own GP practice for advice.
Further information on Covid-19 and vulnerable groups is available on the NHS Inform webpages.
Hardship funds are available for students experiencing unexpected financial difficulties.
If you’re looking for information on anything related to your finances, the Advice Place offer advice on all financial matters from accessing benefits through to budgeting and you can also apply for Emergency Loans.
Your school will be in touch with you directly with further details about your course and Semester Two plans as soon as details have been confirmed.
If you have any questions about your course or programme, please contact your personal tutor or your School's student support team in the first instance.