Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Economics / Economics (Econometrics) / Economics (Finance) MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

We offer three MSc programmes that provide you with a high-quality and thorough training in economics and econometrics.

The programmes are research-oriented and are highly challenging, making heavy use of analytical theory, mathematics and statistics.

Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics

The Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics (SGPE) is part of a unique collaborative venture that combines the teaching expertise of eight Scottish universities:

  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of Dundee
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Glasgow
  • Heriot-Watt University
  • University of St Andrews
  • University of Stirling
  • University of Strathclyde

All three MSc programme degrees are awarded by the University of Edinburgh and are taught in Edinburgh by Economics faculty from the associated Scottish universities who belong to the SGPE.

Programme duration

The programmes last one year (or two years if taken part-time). Each route leads to the award of any of the following:

  • MSc Economics
  • MSc Economics (Finance)
  • MSc Economics (Econometrics)

Find out more about studying economics with us:

The MSc programmes consist of preliminary, core and optional courses, a residential conference and a dissertation.

We do not offer an online learning option for our MSc programmes.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScEconomics (Econometrics)1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24
MScEconomics (Finance)1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24
MScEconomics1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24

Our MSc programmes will equip you with the tools a professional economist needs to work in government or in international organisations, to conduct economic research.

We deliver rigorous training in the core areas of economics to give you comprehensive knowledge in the latest analytical and quantitative techniques.

You will also gain a firm grounding in mathematical and econometric techniques, as well as microeconomics and macroeconomics.

Our graduates have found employment in a wide variety of private and public organisations in the UK and abroad including:

  • financial services
  • Civil Service
  • UK Government Economic Service
  • Department for International Development
  • economists with overseas development agencies and international institutions
  • research economists with journals and media agencies

Further study

Our MSc programmes are research-oriented and act as a pathway into PhD study globally.

Our programmes are the only Economics and Social Research Council (ESRC) recognised pathway to PhD economics study in Scotland.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A strong UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in economics or mathematics related subjects. We look for high grades from your undergraduate studies covering calculus and integration, probability theory and linear algebra.

Some applicants may receive an offer that is conditional on successful completion of our Pre-sessional Summer Programme.

You can apply without having a graduate admissions exam result (GRE or GMAT). Your application, however, may be substantially stronger if you do include such a result. We generally look for a quantitative reasoning result in the 80th percentile or higher. We do not formally consider results from the Verbal and Analytical sections in our assessment of your application.

See our eligibility requirements online for more details.

If, after reading our eligibility requirements, you are unsure if you qualify, you are welcome to email cahss.pgadmissions@ed.ac.uk a scanned transcript of your marks for informal feedback.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in reading and listening, and 6.0 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in reading and listening, and 20 in speaking and writing. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in reading and listening, and 169 in speaking and writing.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in reading and listening, and 59 in each other component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Tuition fee deposit

Students applying for entry for the 2024/25 academic year will not be required to pay a tuition fee deposit.

Prospective students for future years should keep an eye on our website for updates: * Eligibility and Application Requirements

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScEconomics (Econometrics)1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
MScEconomics (Finance)1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
MScEconomics1 YearFull-timeTuition fees

Featured funding

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • School of Economics
  • 30/31 Buccleuch Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JT
Programme start date Application deadline
9 September 2024 6 June 2024

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Please be aware that applications must be submitted and be complete, i.e. all required documents uploaded, by the relevant application deadline in order to be considered in that round. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

Round Application deadline Places awarded by
1 01 December 2023 15 February 2024
2 04 March 2024 13 May 2024
3 06 June 2024 10 July 2024

You must submit one reference with your application.

You are required to provide a document summarising your most advanced microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics courses, including details of the topics covered and the primary textbooks used. Your application will be on hold until this document has been submitted.

Please only apply for one of the three programmes. Any duplicate application will not be considered. Transfer between these is permitted upon registration.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • School of Economics
  • 30/31 Buccleuch Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JT