Higher National Qualifications (HNC/HND)

Entry requirements for applicants with Higher National qualifications (HNC/HND).

SQA Higher National (HN) qualifications provide good preparation for entry to some of our degrees, where the curriculum of the HN is relevant to the degree you are applying for.

Please check the Pathways website for current articulation routes to our degrees:

Pathways

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine will consider HN qualifications on a case-by-case basis for entry to the Medical Sciences and Biomedical Sciences, but not for entry to Medicine or Veterinary Medicine.

In the case of some HND qualifications, applicants may be considered (not guaranteed) for direct entry to Year 2 of Medical Sciences or Biomedical Sciences once their final graded unit grade is achieved.

College of Science and Engineering

The College of Science and Engineering will consider HN qualifications for entry to some degrees. It may be possible to apply directly to Year 2 (from HNC or HND), or occasionally Year 3 (from HND).

College of Science and Engineering HN entry requirements

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences accepts some HN qualifications for entry to a small number of degree programmes. However, this depends on each particular HN qualification's suitability for the programme in which you are interested.

Please note that at present, the majority of offers are made on the basis of first-year entry only for HNC/HND. Applicants with HN qualifications will normally be required to pass all units and achieve grade B in the graded unit(s). Please check with the College Admissions Office before you apply to confirm the suitability of your HN for the degree programme you wish to apply for.

The College's advice for adult returner applicants contains more information on suitable HNC/HNDs for a selection of courses:

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: adult returner applicants

Entry to second year

If you wish to apply for second year entry, please review our guidance. If you still have questions, please contact us for advice before submitting your application.

English language entry requirements

Successful completion of a HN qualification meets the University of Edinburgh's English language entry requirements, and no further qualification will be needed.

Required subjects

For some of our degrees, we may require particular subjects at Higher or National 5 level. These are listed on our degree finder.

Browse the degree finder

Contact us

If you are unsure whether your HN qualification meets the specific subject requirements for your degree, please contact us for advice before submitting your application.