International student life

You may be wondering what to expect from life in Edinburgh. Here you’ll find some helpful tips on how to make Edinburgh your home away from home.

What’s it like to be an international student at Edinburgh?

The experience of each international student is unique. Our international students come from all around the globe and take part in all different areas of student and city life, so there’s no one set international student experience. If you want to get a sense of the many different experiences of international students at Edinburgh, you can read the blogs that some of our students have written about their experience of living away from home.

A little advice for those new to University life

Being an international student in Edinburgh

New to Edinburgh? Top things to see and do in your first few weeks

Eating in Edinburgh

You may be wondering what kind of food is on offer in the city. You’ll be pleased to discover that Edinburgh caters for a whole range of culinary tastes and diets. Living in the city, you’ll have access to cafes, restaurants, and street vendors offering a variety of national cuisines - from traditional Scottish fare to European, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and Thai dishes. There are plenty of Halal restaurants and supermarkets across the city as well as options to suit different budgets. There is also a wide choice for vegetarians and vegans.

If you’re keen to cook for yourself (and maybe even for your new friends!) you won’t be short of places to find your ingredients. The city is home to some great bakeries and there are regular markets selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat, not to mention the international supermarkets dotted around town.

Weather

As an international student, you may not know what to expect from the weather in Scotland. Generally, Edinburgh’s average temperatures are only a few degrees lower than those of London, and our typical rainfall is below the Scottish average and annually less than that of New York, Rome, and Frankfurt.

Find out more about our climate 

Faith spaces and spiritual resources

Whatever your religion or faith, the University Chaplaincy can provide information and resources to support you. As well as having a range of belief contacts, the Chaplaincy can also help you to find worship facilities in Edinburgh and access other spiritual resources.

Find a resource or place of worship to suit your spiritual direction

English Language Support

The University offers support for international students whose first language is not English. This includes developing your academic writing, exploring key areas like grammar, and looking at seminar skills.

English Language courses at Edinburgh