Access Edinburgh

We believe everyone deserves an equal opportunity to study at Edinburgh, but we know that not everyone gets the same chance to show their academic potential at school or college. That’s why, when you apply to study here, we consider lots of different factors alongside your exam results, and we provide support along the way to help you make a strong application.

We are currently receiving a high volume of enquiries, especially about the Edinburgh Access Scholarship. We understand your anxiety about this and we sincerely regret the delays you are experiencing. This has resulted in some additional challenges and difficulties for university staff preparing to assess the applications for the Edinburgh Access Scholarship. Please note to be eligible for the Access Edinburgh Scholarship, you must apply for a full maintenance loan from your funding body and confirm your consent to share your data with the University which should be a box to tick. If you are unsure that you have ticked this box, please contact your student funding body (SAAS, SFE, SFW, SFNI). The University of Edinburgh will then automatically assess your eligibility; there is no separate application process. Award letters will be sent out in September 2024.

Please note that our response times are taking much longer than normal; do please bear with us. In order to respond to you as quickly as we can please don’t open multiple calls with the same questions as this significantly reduces our ability to continue processing loans or to respond to your call.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Widening access offers

Widening access offers refer to the extra consideration we give to applicants who have faced certain barriers. Check if you might be eligible for a widening access offer and what this means for you.

Support for secondary school students

Secondary school students who are interested in applying to university may be eligible to take part in one of our projects, which will help you learn more about your career options and guide you through the application process.

Support for college students and adult learners

We work with local colleges, as well as Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP), to support college students and adult learners who may be returning to education for the first time in a number of years.

Edinburgh Cares: support for care-experienced students, estranged students and student carers

If you’re care-experienced, an estranged student or a student carer then we can give you extra support before you apply, during the UCAS application process and while you’re at the University.

Support for refugee and asylum seeker students

If you are a refugee or an asylum seeker, we will give you support throughout the application process and while you are studying with us.

Financial support

We spend millions of pounds every year to help students who want to study at Edinburgh. We offer the best financial aid package for undergraduate students in the UK.

Settling in at university

Starting at university is a new experience for everyone, but don't worry: we’ll give you the time and support you need to settle in.

This article was published on 26 Aug, 2024