Queen Margaret University Edinburgh

Overview

Queen Margaret University (QMU) was founded in 1875, originally as the Edinburgh School of Cookery. The name Queen Margaret was adopted in 1972 as the school moved away from cookery and in 1999 it became Queen Margaret University College. 

Just a six-minute train journey away from Edinburgh city centre, Queen Margaret University offers students the chance to experience city life whilst also offering the quiet and peace of campus life. As a small university, Queen Margaret University has a welcoming, close-knit community feel and ensures students have easy access to support. 

Musselburgh Town Centre is a short walk away from the university campus. Musselburgh is a small, coastal, historic market town located a short distance from Fisherrow Sands. Musselburgh is well known for its golfing and racecourse as well as its historic architecture. 

In Edinburgh you'll find a wide range of tourist attractions and entertainment. Edinburgh also has an active nightlife scene for you to benefit from and a huge variety of eating and drinking establishments including popular chains as well as a large selection of independent businesses. 

The university also holds a rating of ‘Excellent’ from the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), making it one of Scotland’s most sustainable campuses. 

For those looking to study complementary medicine, speech and language therapy or counselling, psychotherapy and occupational therapy, Queen Margaret University was named in the top five UK providers of these subjects by the Complete University Guide in their 2024 Subject League Tables.  

Staff at QMU are renowned in their fields and active in research, ensuring courses are up-to-date. Students benefit from this and from the university’s focus on creating diversity in their teaching methods, including elements of work-based learning as well as a virtual, online learning environment. 

Alongside supporting students with their academic studies, the university also features a Business Gateway and Business Innovation Zone on campus, helping entrepreneurial students and graduates to get ahead. Each student is also assigned a Personal Academic Tutor to support them with any concerns or issues that may arise during their studies. 

Queen Margaret University offers a range of Study Abroad options to its students, and some courses also feature opportunities to undertake work placements as a part of study. 

The entry requirements for different courses at Queen Margaret University vary, but here's a sample to help you decide if QMU is right for you. 

For BSc Psychology, a typical offer for 2023 entry would be BBC at A-level, or BBBCC – BCCCC for Scottish Highers students. 

Students applying to BA Theatre and Film will require AABB – BBBB in Scottish Highers, or BBB at A-level, with a preference for students who hold a Level 3 qualification in English, Drama or Media Studies. 

For those wishing to study BA Business Management, a typical offer for 2023 entry is listed as BBBC – BCCC for Scottish Higher Students, or BCC for A-level students. 

Other qualifications accepted for entry into Queen Margaret University include Irish Leaving Certificates and IB. Contact the Admissions Team if you hold different qualifications and want to check if they’re accepted by the uni. 

Entry requirements vary between applications and depend on the course selected and intended year of entry. Typical offer ranges are intended as a guide only. Always check the course page for up-to-date information, and contact the Admissions Team with any queries. 

At Queen Margaret University, undergraduates opting to stay in the Student Village will find themselves living alongside 800 other students in a landscaped parkland. Rooms at the Student Village are all ensuite and are either standard or premium. Each flat has a shared kitchen/living space for students to use as a communal area to socialise with their flatmates.  

Standard rooms are arranged in flats of six rooms, while premium rooms are arranged in flats of between three and five rooms. Standard rooms include a single bed, desk, chair, fitted wardrobe, drawers and a bookcase, while premium rooms are larger and feature a double bed instead of a single. Each flat has a shared kitchen/living space for students to use as a communal area to socialise with their flatmates. Prices are subject to change but currently range from £124 per week to £149 per week, and rooms are let on a 38-week contract. 

The Queen Margaret University halls are all-inclusive, so rent covers all utility bills, basic contents insurance, internet, 24/7 security, maintenance team and pastoral support. 

Queen Margaret University supports students and graduates in their career development regardless of which stage you’re at. If you’ve got no idea what career you might want to go into after graduating, the university offers ‘Guidance Interviews’ to discuss your options as well as more informal drop-in sessions for briefer queries. 

For those who have a firm idea of the path they want to pursue, the university offers CV advice and employability workshops as well as an annual Recruitment Fair and an Employer Mentoring Programme. This mentoring programme allows students to be paired with a professional mentor with work experience in an area of interest to you. 

The support from QMU doesn’t stop here, however. The university also posts job listings through Student Central, with many jobs not listed elsewhere. The careers department themselves also offer a number of paid posts available to students to support the team with the delivery of their careers activities. 

Support continues after graduation, as graduates can still access Student Central, and will even support graduates through face-to-face meetings, or answer queries through online appointments for those unable to travel to campus.  

The scholarships and bursaries available at Queen Margaret University vary depending on where in the UK you're from. For Scottish students, the Carnegie Trust offers support to pay tuition fees for any students that have to pay their own tuition fees and come from a low-income background. 

Any students coming to Queen Margaret University from England, Wales or Northern Ireland (rest of UK) may be eligible for the Queen Margaret Bursary. This bursary is a cash award, and students can use it as they see fit, for example towards accommodation and living costs. This bursary is based on household income as calculated by the Student Loans Company and will be calculated and adjusted yearly. The maximum payment a student can receive through this bursary is currently £2,000 a year for those with an annual household income below £20,000. All rest of UK students with household incomes below £42,600 are eligible for this bursary, with payments starting at £500 per year. 

Other support is also available for international students, and the university also has its own dedicated Student Funding Advisor who can provide one-to-one advice and guidance.