Mature students
Edinburgh. Extraordinary futures await.

Applying

Most people begin their application enquiries about a year before the September in which they plan to start university.

Apply to your chosen programmes via UCAS

If you would like to apply to any of our full-time undergraduate degree programmes, you need to do so via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

The UCAS system manages applications for undergraduate programmes at UK universities and colleges.

The system allows you to apply for up to five different degree programmes or universities through one application. If you apply to other universities as well as the University of Edinburgh we will not be able to see your other choices and it will have no impact on how we assess your application.

Can I apply for more than one degree at the University of Edinburgh?

You may apply for more than one degree at the University of Edinburgh. If you plan to do this, you should discuss your choices with us before you submit your application. After you've applied you should then contact us to let us know which Edinburgh degree is your first choice. 

Contact us

UCAS application form

There are a number of sections on the application that need to be completed: personal details, academic qualifications, your personal statement and your reference.

Deadlines

Applications for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine must be submitted by 15th October of the year before you wish to start your degree. Applications for all other undergraduate degrees must be submitted by 15th January of the year in which you intend to start your degree. Please note that if your application is not complete by the relevant deadline, we may not be able to consider it at all. If you have any difficulties, for example in deciding who should provide your reference, please contact the relevant College admissions office to discuss this before the UCAS deadline.

Qualifications

You should include all the qualifications you have already achieved, and any you are currently studying for. The UCAS form includes drop down menus which contain most common qualifications but if you can't find yours, or if you have any other difficulties in completing this section of the application form, you should contact the relevant  College admissions office to discuss this before the UCAS deadline.

Predicted grades

If you are currently studying and do not yet have a final result for some of your qualifications, we will need to see your predicted grades. Without these we do not know whether you will meet our minimum entry requirements and we cannot compare your application with others through our selection process.

Normally your predicted grades will be entered on your application by the same person who completes your reference (see below). This will generally be someone in your college such as your course tutor. You should confirm with that person that they will be able to include your predicted grades.

If you have any difficulty in relation to providing predicted grades, you should contact the relevant College admissions office to discuss this before the UCAS deadline.

Personal statement

Your personal statement is an essay you write about yourself, setting out the reasons why you have decided to go to university and why you have chosen the particular subject(s) you are applying for.

Many students find it challenging to write about themselves so openly, but it is a very important exercise. Your personal statement is your opportunity to tell us about yourself, and to show us your commitment to studying for your chosen degree. We will take it into account when we decide whether or not we can offer you a place.

There is more advice on what to include in your personal statement here:

Your personal statement

Reference

If you are applying from a college or registered UCAS centre, a teacher or tutor who knows you - your referee - will write your reference before submitting your application.

If you are not currently in education and are applying independently, you can ask a registered school, college or centre you recently attended, or an employer, if they would be willing to write a reference. Once you have agreement from your referee, add their details to the reference page of your application and UCAS will contact them for a reference.

UCAS provides advice for referees on its website:

Advice for referees

Further advice on how to apply

There is extensive information on the undergraduate section of our website on how to apply:

Making an application 

In addition, there is some specific guidance for mature students and adult returners on the individual College websites.

If you are applying to the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences then the Adult Returner Applicants section will be of use to you:

Adult returner applicants

If you are applying to the College of Science and Engineering, then the Mature Applicants section will be of use:

Mature Applicants

For more information on the admissions process and how we select students, please check our pages for undergraduate applicants:

Studying