Course Booking FAQs

You can use our secure online booking system to browse available courses, book and pay for them. We accept the following payment methods online:

• Visa debit or credit card
• Mastercard
• Maestro
• American Express

Our reception at Paterson's Land, Holyrood Road is open:

• Monday-Thursday 08:30-19:00
• Friday 08:30-17:00

Phone no: +44(0)131 650 4400

All our courses are taught in the same way and at the same level. However, our credit courses include a formal assessment at the end of the course. You will also have access to the University’s online learning environment, Learn, and become a matriculated student at the University (which includes a student card and access to the Main Library). You can opt-out of matriculation if you are not intending to submit a formal assessment. Just let us know that you would like to opt-out after you book your place on your chosen course and our team will process this for you.

If you are an existing student on the Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE), or you are planning to apply for the Certificate programme, please do not book any courses using our online booking system. There is a dedicated process exclusively for Cert HE students, which you can find out about on our Cert HE Information Pages.

If you have any queries about the Certificate programme, or the new booking process for Cert HE students, please contact our dedicated COL admissions team: col.admissions@ed.ac.uk

Yes, bookings will still close 8 days prior to the course start date. Please book your courses in good time to avoid disappointment.

If you are eligible for a discount off the course fee, you can apply this when booking and paying for your course online. The following discounts are available through our online booking system:

• Alumni of the University of Edinburgh (10%)
• In receipt of benefits (33%)
• Matriculated, full-time students of the University of Edinburgh (33%)
• Matriculated, full-time students at a local Edinburgh Higher Education institution (33%)
• University of Edinburgh staff (10%)

Please note, COL reserves the right to ask for evidence of discount eligibility. More details about our discounts can be found on our Help with Fees pages.

If you have a valid gift voucher, redeemable against our Short Courses, you cannot use this with our online booking system unfortunately. Please do not book and pay for courses online if you wish to use your voucher. Instead, email our reception team at: col@ed.ac.uk

You will need to provide the following information:

• Your full name
• Your email address
• Your mobile telephone number
• Your date of birth
• Your home address
• Your gift voucher serial number (this will be printed on the voucher)
• The value of your gift voucher
• The full name and course code of the course(s) you want to book (for example: Beginners French 1, FR001-103)

We require these details to successfully enrol you. When you provide the information requested, we will add you to your course and apply the voucher. Our reception team will confirm your enrolment by email, and if there is any outstanding balance, they will provide you with instructions on how to pay this online using debit or credit card.

Please note, we cannot apply discounts retrospectively.

The Martha Hamilton Trust has specific eligibility requirements, and as such, it cannot be applied for using our online booking system.

For details of the Martha Hamilton Trust, including the eligibility criteria, please see our Martha Hamilton Information here.

If you wish to apply, do not book any courses using our online booking system. Instead, email our reception team at: col@ed.ac.uk

You will need to provide the following information:

• Your full name
• Your email address
• Your mobile telephone number
• Your date of birth
• Your home address
• Document evidence of your eligibility, in a digital format (e.g. PDF, digital scan, screenshot, or a photo of your evidence - taken with a smartphone for example)
• The full name and course code of the course(s) you want to book (for example: Beginners French 1, FR001-103)

We require these details to successfully enrol you, and consider your Martha Hamilton Trust application. When you provide the information requested, and your evidence is accepted, we will add you to your course and apply the discount. Our reception team will confirm your enrolment by email, and if there is any outstanding balance, they will provide you with instructions on how to pay this online using debit or credit card.

Please note, we cannot apply Martha Hamilton Trust discounts retrospectively.

If there has been an error with enrolling and paying for your course using the online booking system, email us to let us know: col@ed.ac.uk

Please provide the following information, so that we can assist with your enrolment:

• Your full name
• Your email address
• Your mobile telephone number
• Your date of birth
• Your home address
• If you are eligible for any of our discounts
• The full name and course code of the course(s) you were trying to book (for example: Beginners French 1, FR001-103)

Please note, if you do not provide us with the information requested, it may cause delays with your enrolment.

For the time being, COL staff are working from home, and can be contacted by email. Our reception desk at Paterson’s Land is not currently open for visitors or phone calls.

When we have more information to share about the campus re-opening, we will let you know.

If you have any queries about Short Courses, or the new booking processes, please email: col@ed.ac.uk

If you are a Certificate of Higher Education student, our dedicated COL admissions team can assist with queries about the programme and booking process. Email them at: col.admissions@ed.ac.uk