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Heriot-Watt University is based in Edinburgh, Scotland’s beautiful and historic capital city. The university was established over 200 years ago and over this time its ground-breaking research and education has had major global impact. There are over 100 undergraduate courses available at Heriot-Watt and the university is renowned for its courses in science, technology, engineering, business, and design.
Heriot-Watt’s peaceful main campus, located at the edge of Edinburgh’s city centre, offers its students a range of state-of-the-art facilities. There is an array of accommodation options, with some 2,000 rooms on-campus. Modern teaching facilities are complimented by a wide selection of support services designed to help students manage their university life, and there is an NHS Health Centre on-site. In addition to Scotland’s National Sports Performance Centre being based at Heriot-Watt, students studying at the university benefit from the campus’ unique range of woodland walks and green spaces.
The university’s main campus is served by excellent transport links to both Edinburgh’s city centre and further afield. The city of Edinburgh has a vibrant nightlife and café culture in addition to plenty of green space and stunning beaches nearby. Edinburgh was voted the best city in the world by the Time Out Index (2022), and the third safest city in the world by YouGov (2022).
In addition to its Edinburgh campus, Heriot-Watt also has campuses in the Scottish Borders, Orkney, Dubai, and Malaysia. Students at the university can transfer to the Dubai or Malaysia campus as part of the Go Global programme, allowing them to gain international experience without interrupting their studies. With educational collaborative partners in over 150 countries and an alumni network of 152,000 graduates spread across 190 nations around the world, Heriot-Watt is truly an international and multicultural institution.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
"Heriot-Watt is a great university with a genuinely beautiful campus located in the countryside.”
“The best aspect of university is the opportunity to gain knowledge and develop critical thinking skills. Additionally, the scenery on university campuses is breath-taking, providing students with a peaceful and inspiring environment to study and learn.”
“I have found that studying at Heriot-Watt has opened up further opportunities for career development and feel confident in my future employability.”
There are over 100 undergraduate courses that students can choose from at Heriot-Watt University. The majority of these are full-time degrees and there is a selection of graduate apprenticeships also available at the university. Most courses are offered at Heriot-Watt Edinburgh’s campus, aside from fashion, textiles, and design programmes. These courses are offered instead at Heriot-Watt’s Scottish Borders campus in Galashiels, a town which is world-renowned in the textiles industry.
Courses at the university are offered over 20 diverse subject areas. Popular degrees at Heriot-Watt includes computer sciences and mathematics, but the university offers a wide range of eclectic and innovative courses in areas such as sport and exercise science, brewing and distilling, and constructed and virtual environments.
All Heriot-Watt’s courses are taught by an expert faculty who possess invaluable experience in their specialist fields. There is a rich and progressive research environment at Heriot-Watt, which in turn helps to shape and drive course syllabuses to reflect the latest developments and trends in subject specific areas.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
“The lecturers are engaging and know their subjects and the workshops are fully functional.”
“Fantastic and dedicated lecturers. Great industry connections.”
“In person lab work has been great, along with the freedom to choose whatever combination of subjects I like. The guidance from my tutor on those selections has been great too.”
Interested? Order a prospectus to find out more about the uni and the courses on offer.
GET PROSPECTUSEntry requirements for undergraduate courses at Heriot-Watt University vary on a course-by-course basis. While some courses may have specific entry requirements in terms of prior qualifications, every application to the university is judged on an individual basis. At Heriot-Watt, students’ unique experiences and skills are considered alongside formal education certificates.
The university also offers alternative pathways to university courses for applicants who have not had the opportunity to attain the necessary pre-requisites for undergraduate courses through The Global College. Heriot-Watt’s Global College offers six focused programmes that prepare students for university-level study. Successful completion of these courses allows students to enter the second year of a connected undergraduate programme.
Anyone who wishes to apply to Heriot-Watt is encouraged to do so, although those who do not meet the minimum entry requirements are advised to check the university’s Fair Access Policy to see how else they may qualify for a place at the university. Mature students (21 years of age or over at the time of application) can use relevant work experience as part of their application in lieu of the necessary pre-requisite qualifications.
UCAS TARIFF CALCULATORSend a message directly to the uni to learn more about their entry requirements.
ASK A QUESTIONBoth Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh and Scottish Borders campuses offer students a range of comfortable and well-equipped accommodation options. Accommodation is guaranteed to all students in their first year at the university provided they are studying full-time, live outside of an Edinburgh postcode, and meet application deadlines for housing.
There are 2,000 residential rooms available to students at the Edinburgh campus, all of which are self-catered and single occupancy. Different room sizes are available with varying rates. The accommodation at the Borders campus has all been consolidated into the single Jean Muir Student Village, a modern space with comfortable standard and deluxe rooms.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
“Very good value for money.”
“Everything was brilliant, felt safe and met lots of people.”
“It was a really good halls experience, lots of cool things going on and very good social stuff.”
All campuses across Heriot-Watt are well equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Students have access to a range of library facilities that offer all the resources required for their course, in addition to numerous spaces where they can study either alone or as part of a group. Lecture halls, seminar rooms, laboratories, and workshops are well-equipped with the most up-to-date technology.
Oriam, Scotland’s National Sports Performance Centre is based at Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh campus. Student membership options are available that give students access to the Technogym, fitness classes, an active wellbeing programme and a range of sports halls, courts, and pitches.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
“Loved the facilities and library!”
“Study spaces are nice and staff support as plentiful.”
“I love the Scottish Borders Campus because it has amazing facilities in terms of fashion and textile industry processes.”
Find out more about the accommodations and facilities in person at the uni.
BOOK OPEN DAYWhat's it like to study at this institution? Current students and alumni share their opinion...
VIEW 1320 REVIEWS WRITE A REVIEWJ James Reviewed 29 Feb 24 International Business Management with Year Abroad MA (Hons) Like meeting new... READ FULL REVIEW
A Aurora Reviewed 12 Feb 24 PhD Intercultural Research I like the location of the university because it is far from the city centre, which is actually good for my studies and allows me to feel a sense of inner peace here. Additionally, the campus layout feels more aligned with that of a traditional campus, where all the buildings are clustered... READ FULL REVIEW
Heriot-Watt ensures that there are a wide range of support services available to students throughout their time at the university. A central student support team acts as a first point of contact and directs students towards services that can help them with any problems they may face while studying at the university. Specialist services range from accommodation support to wellbeing support, mental health support, financial support, and disability support. Students who disclose a disability will be provided with ongoing advice and support throughout their time at the university.
The university also has a careers and graduate futures service, which helps students find part-time work while studying and helps them prepare for future careers following graduation. There are also a range of workshops available designed to help students develop key employability skills.
There is additionally a safeguarding service that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at Heriot-Watt. Safeguarding officers are always on hand to respond to any potential incidents on campus and all are first aid and mental health first aid trained. Heriot-Watt also has an on-campus NHS health centre which houses both a doctors and dentist surgery.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
“Best experience: having access to so much support, whether that be the careers office or the student support.”
“Great support.”
“Overall support for students is efficient.”
Find out more about the student support offered on the university’s website.
VISIT WEBSITEHeriot-Watt has a rich and long-established history as an arts and technical college. Over its prestigious history, the university has expanded to offer a broad range of specialist courses in across a diverse array of subject areas. Specialist fields of academic expertise include science, technology, engineering, business, and design.
As a globally recognised research university, students at Heriot-Watt can expect to benefit from the university’s innovative research across a diverse array of emerging fields, and are provided with numerous opportunities to gain real-world industry experience during their studies. The most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) classed over 88% of Heriot-Watt’s research output as either ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*). REF 2021 also recognised the university as conducting world-leading research in the fields of engineering, mathematical sciences, physics and architecture, built environment and planning.
Heriot-Watt’s Scottish Borders campus also offers students specialised courses in design, textiles, and fashion with some of the best facilities for these subjects in the UK.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
“Heriot-Watt is an amazing university. For academic excellence, I’m glad I opted for this university.”
“Heriot-Watt features amazing state of the art design and textiles technology, the lecturers really know their stuff.”
“Heriot-Watt stands out as an outstanding choice for chemical engineering students cause of its top-notch facilities, supportive environment, engaging student life, and strong industry connections contributing to a great educational experience.”
Students at all of Heriot-Watt’s campuses have access to students’ union representatives, who can help to make sure that all students have a voice in how their university is run.
Heriot-Watt University students on Whatuni say:
“The best aspects of the university are the student life, the social and sports clubs.”
“So close to Edinburgh city centre while maintaining a great campus feel.”
“It has a really welcoming and community based feel. It has a beautiful campus with great links to Edinburgh city centre.”
There are many different clubs and societies offered by the students’ union at Heriot-Watt University. Existing societies include cultural and socio-political groups such as the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers or the Society for Progressive Students, as well as special interest societies such as the Pokémon Society or the Cheese Society. The university’s sports union also offers students access to over 30 different sporting clubs.
Heriot-Watt’s primary campus is in Edinburgh, Scotland’s historic and beautiful capital city. The city is home to fascinating cultural landmarks and an array of events, including the world-famous Edinburgh Festival each year. Students will delight in the sheer number of bars, restaurants, shops, galleries and more to explore, along with nearby beaches and green spaces.
The university’s Scottish Borders campus is located in Galashiels, a student-friendly town which has a vibrant café culture, shops, and green spaces. Galashiels is within easy reach of Edinburgh, which is just 50 minutes by train.
See the campus and city for yourself in person by booking an open day place.
BOOK OPEN DAYAll undergraduate courses at Heriot-Watt are geared towards equipping students with the qualifications, transferable skills, and experiences they need to succeed in future professional careers.
The university has excellent employability ratings and was recently ranked first in Scotland, and in the top five in the UK, for graduate employability (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2023). Heriot-Watt students have also been noted as going on to secure the most CEO and Managing Director roles following graduation (Novuna Business Cash Flow, 2023).
The university has an award-winning careers and graduate futures service, which offers a range of tools and workshops designed to help improve general employability skills and identify potential career paths and opportunities for students. While at the university, Heriot-Watt students are taught how to properly market themselves and their abilities. The university also helps students secure invaluable work experience placements.
All Heriot-Watt students additionally have access to the GRADfutures platform where they can access many of these resources in their own time. Heriot-Watt careers services are available even after students graduate from the university, meaning alumni benefit from a lifetime of specialised career support.
There are a variety of scholarship and bursary options available to help students with the cost of their education at Heriot-Watt.
Many scholarships are available to students from across the UK, including dedicated payments which help with tuition fees or living costs. For example, to support students from England, Northern Ireland, or Wales as they move away from home, students will receive a £1,500 no-strings attached bursary in their first year.
There are also dedicated funding opportunities exclusively for students applying from Scotland, including bursaries which are aimed at supporting students from low-income families, care backgrounds, or those who would normally not be able to access higher education. For high performing athletes, there is also a range of sports scholarships.
A full list of funding opportunities can be found via the university’s scholarship opportunities directory.
Scottish students applying to Heriot-Watt do not normally need to pay tuition fees. Instead, fees are paid for on their behalf by the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
Students applying from England, Wales or Northern Ireland pay £9,250 per year for their degree (for 2024 entry). Tuition fee loans are available from the Student Loans Company.
Send a message directly to the uni to learn more about their scholarships and bursaries.
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Many courses at Heriot-Watt University offer an opportunity to do a work placement or sandwich year. These opportunities will help you develop your employability skills, and the careers department is also on hand to offer personal support.
As well as a wide range of courses on offer, Heriot-Watt University also has loads of clubs and societies you can join during your studies. Joining societies is just one of the many ways you can tailor your experience at Heriot-Watt University to suit you.
With a degree in a subject you love, you'll find more doors opening to jobs you'll love. Studies have also shown that graduates earn more on average compared to non-graduates.
If you want to continue to pursue education, you'll be able to progress to postgraduate study once you've got your undergraduate degree. You could opt to study a master's, or even get a PhD.
Living in uni halls means you'll have access to communal areas including kitchen and dining facilities. These facilities offer you plenty of opportunity to socialise with the students you're living with.
You'll also find all bills are included in your rent, and yes, that includes WiFi. Rent also covers security and maintenance. There are accessible rooms available in halls that have been adapted for disabled students.