Canada

Undergraduate entry requirements for students from Canada.

Applicants from Canada are admitted to the University of Edinburgh with a range of national qualifications, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A Levels.

Maple Leaf World Schools Program

Unfortunately the University of Edinburgh is unable to accept the Maple Leaf World Schools Program for entry at this time. This decision remains under review, and information will be published on this site if the situation changes.

Typical entry requirements for Canadian applicants are:

All subjects except the MBChB Medicine & Veterinary Medicine

By region

Ontario

For all degree programmes in the College of Science and Engineering, the Secondary School Diploma with six grade 12 4M/U courses at 80% (with no more than two 4M courses) with 85% in required subjects.

For Biomedical Sciences & Medical Sciences, Secondary School Diploma with six grade 12 courses to include Biology and Chemistry at 85% and the remainder at 80% (minimum of four 4U and two 4M courses required).

For all degree programmes in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, the Secondary School Diploma with six 4M/U courses at 80% (with no more than two 4M courses).

Ontario Secondary School

We accept the Ontario Secondary School Diploma for entry with a number of conditions:

We accept the Ontario Secondary School Diploma where it has been taught in person at a school which is authorized to grant credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. We recognise that many schools have had to move to online teaching due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We will consider students who have been taught online as a direct result of the pandemic as if they had been taught in person throughout their studies.
We accept the Ontario Secondary School Diploma where it has been taught remotely through a formalised partnership between the awarding school and an overseas school. The awarding school will be asked to provide details of the partnership, and the teaching and assessment arrangements used, and the University reserves the right to make its own judgement on whether it can accept the delivery model used.
We do not generally accept the Ontario Secondary School Diploma where it has been taught online only, through a virtual or online school, without a formalised partnership.
Awarding schools must be listed on the Canadian Government website as a school authorised to award Ontario Secondary School Diploma credits:
- Public schools
- Private schools (including international schools)
Fast track routes to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma are not accepted. We expect students to have achieved all 30 credits from Ontario Secondary School Diploma courses, and for these to be detailed on the transcript.

If a student has been studying in the Ontario education system for fewer than 3 years, the awarding school will be asked to provide details of all courses taken in the previous education system which have been assessed as meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma curriculum, and the number of credits that have been awarded on that basis.

The University will not accept an Ontario Secondary School Diploma if it is not satisfied that courses studied in a different education system cover all the areas expected from a student who has studied only in the Ontario education system.

Transcripts can only be accepted if provided directly by the school and confirmed as being the final results. Transcripts provided by applicants cannot be accepted.

Quebec

Diplome D'Etudes Collegiales [DEC] / Diploma of Collegial Studies [DCS] - Overall average of 85% for all degree programmes in Science/Engineering/Medical Sciences.

For all degree programmes in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, an overall average of 75% in the Diplome D'Etudes Collegiales.

Alberta

High School Diploma with five Grade 12 subjects at 80%, with 85% in required subjects for all degree programmes in Science/Engineering/Medical Sciences.

For Biomedical Sciences & Medical Sciences, five grade 12 courses, including Biology and Chemistry; three at 80% and Biology and Chemistry at 85%.

For all degree programmes in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, High School Diploma with five Grade 12 subjects at 80%.

British Columbia

Certificate of Graduation with five Grade 12 subjects at 80%, with 85% in required subjects for all degree programmes in Science/Engineering/Medical Sciences. Where Maths is a required subject this must be Calculus.

For Biomedical Sciences & Medical Sciences, five grade 12 courses, including Biology and Chemistry; three at 80% and Biology and Chemistry at 85%.

For all degree programmes in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, the Certificate of Graduation with at least five suitable Grade 12 Subjects at 80%.

Manitoba

For all degree programmes in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, High School Graduation Diploma with at least five 40S courses at 80%.

For all degree programmes in the College of Science and Engineering, High School Graduation Diploma with at least five 40S courses at 80%, to include required subjects, or 85% where we require a grade A at SQA Higher.

For Biomedical Sciences & Medical Sciences, five grade 12 courses, including Biology and Chemistry; three at 80% and Biology and Chemistry at 85%.

Nova Scotia

For all degree programmes in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, High School Diploma with at least five grade 12 subjects at 80%.

For all degree programmes in the College of Science and Engineering, High School Diploma with at least five grade 12 subjects at 80%, to include required subjects, or 85% where we require a grade A at SQA Higher.

For Biomedical Sciences & Medical Sciences, five grade 12 courses, including Biology and Chemistry; three at 80% and Biology and Chemistry at 85%.

Saskatchewan - College of Science and Engineering

Grade XII Standing/Division IV Standing (Secondary School Diploma) with a minimum of 80% in five Grade 12 subjects, to include required subjects, or 85% where we require a grade A in at SQA Higher. Achieve 70% in Grade 12 English Language in the final certificate.

Yokon Territories

Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma with a minimum of B/80% in five Grade 12 subjects to include required subjects, or A/85% where we require a grade A at SQA higher. Achieve 70% in Grade 12 English Language in the final certificate.

Additional College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences information

Please refer to the College's website for further information on entry requirements.

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

MBChB Medicine

Entry from High School (MBChB)

Minimum entrance requirements:

85% overall in Year 12 with higher grades in 3 specified subjects, to include Chemistry and two other sciences (Biology, Mathematics or Physics).

We do not require applicants to take an English language test in IELTS/TOEFL/Pearson/etc if they achieve the minimum 85% from their Standard XII examinations.

Applicants offering GCE A levels or the International Baccalaureate will be considered and must meet the minimum entry requirements for these qualifications.

Applicants must also take the UCAT.

UCAT

Graduate Entry (MBChB)

Please see our Postgraduate entry requirements for information on graduate entry to Medicine (MBChB).

Postgraduate entry requirements - Canada

Veterinary Medicine

High School Applicants

High School Diploma students will be considered provided very high marks have been achieved in grade 12 courses including Chemistry, Biology and one other subject. Specific requirements will vary depending on the State. We usually look for 85% in both Chemistry and Biology with 80% in one other subject.

Graduate Applicants

Please refer to the School’s website for further information about graduate and pre-vet applications

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

Further guidance on academic entry requirements

Each course may have further specific entry requirements. All applicants must meet these requirements. Staff in the Admissions Offices will be able to provide further guidance:

Undergraduate admissions contact form

English Language requirements

All applicants are required to demonstrate a level of English language competency, regardless of their nationality or country of residence. These requirements are listed by programme.

English Language advice

Specific English language requirement by programme

Applicant support

Our representatives for Canada are Hillary Cementina, Mikaela Spencer, Rachael Parsons and Aly Stewart. You can contact us for advice and support by emailing:

futurestudents@ed.ac.uk

Browse our events calendar to see if we are hosting an event in your area:

Events calendar

Review student visa requirements on our Student Immigration Service website:

Student Immigration Service