Paying your tuition fees

Making arrangements to pay your fees is part of the matriculation process to become a student at the University of Edinburgh.

The Income Section of the Finance Department is responsible for collecting student academic fees, including tuition fees, course fees, additional programme costs (APCs), and other related charges. We offer various payment methods and options for paying student fees.

Your college or school may also charge other fees.

Student academic fees

Register how you will pay your tuition fees

At the start of every academic year, you must complete a form to tell us how you intend to pay your tuition fees.

When you submit the form, we will email you guidance on the next steps you need to take to pay your tuition fees or to confirm your funding to us. 

Register how you will pay your tuition fees

When to pay

Taught students

When you pay depends on how you will pay your tuition fees. You will receive information on when to pay once you complete the 'register how you will pay your tuition fees form'.

Research students

If you are a research student starting your studies between October and August, you will pay your fees and costs in full on or before matriculation, and on the anniversary of the start of your studies thereafter.

Students studying on a part-time intermittent basis

If you are studying on a part-time intermittent basis then you will be invoiced separately for each course. We refer to this as “invoiced at course level” (ICL). This means your course fees are due in full on or before matriculation, and at the start of each new course thereafter.

How to pay

Externally-funded students

As an externally-funded student the process of paying your tuition fees will depend on the type of external funding you receive. The payment of all fees and charges is always your responsibility.

Externally-funded student payment methods

Self-funded students (including partly self-funded)

As a self-funded student you can pay your tuition fees in full or in most cases we can agree for you to pay by instalments.

If you are paying in full then you must pay your fees as soon as we send your invoice. This will be emailed to your University student email account and visible in the My finance channel of your student portal.

If you are paying by instalments then the standard instalment plan would require you to pay 50% of your tuition fees on or before matriculation and then two instalments of 25% over the academic year.

Self-funded student payment methods

Sponsor-funded students

If your tuition fees are being paid on your behalf by a sponsor, you may need to provide the Fees and Student Support Team with evidence of the award on official headed paper.

If you receive an invoice from us then this means that your funding has either failed, does not cover the fee type charged, or only covers part of the fees charged. If you receive an invoice then you may be expected to pay your fees in full or in part.

Make sure to register how you will pay your tuition fees, and you will be directed to the next steps you need to take to confirm your funding to us. 

Sponsorship or scholarship funded students

If you pay a deposit

If you pay a deposit towards your programme, this will be deducted from the total amount of fees you have to pay.

Your deposit will not appear on your invoice.

If you pay your deposit early in the year, there may be a delay before this shows on your student account in My finance.

International students

Any pre-payment of your student academic fees will reduce the amount of money you have to show to UK Visas and Immigration, if reflected in your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

Any pre-payment of your accommodation costs can also be off-set against your total maintenance requirement up to a maximum of £1,015.

Any remaining balance of student fees must then be paid in full or by instalment.

Advice for international students

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