Studying in Scotland

Looking at courses in Scotland? Our guide unpacks what you need to know about life as a student in Scotland, including its universities, transport, and what there is to do.

CHOOSING A COURSE POSTGRADUATE UNDERGRADUATE

Tamsin Mosse 20 Sep 2023

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About Scotland
Places in Scotland
Universities in Scotland
Getting around Scotland
Things to do in Scotland

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About Scotland

Scotland is the northernmost country in the United Kingdom, sharing a border with the north of England. Alongside the mainland, Scotland has almost 800 islands in the Hebrides off its west coast and the North Isles off the north coast. It has a rich and varied history, from its resistance to Roman invaders in the first century BCE to its independence referendum in 2014.

Scotland is world-renowned and attracts more than 50,000 students globally every year. From its eighteen institutions, students are afforded a wealth of diverse expertise – Scotland’s well known for producing some of the UK’s brightest minds.

Places in Scotland

Since 1996, Scotland’s been split into 32 council areas. It’s home to seven cities and numerous smaller towns. Its major cities are:

Aberdeen
Dundee
Edinburgh (capital)
Glasgow
Inverness
Perth
Stirling

Scotland’s five biggest towns by population are:

Paisley
East Kilbride
Livingston
Hamilton
Dunfermline

Universities in Scotland

Scotland has 18 universities, ranging from the old and prestigious to arts schools and rural colleges:

GO TO
University rankings in Scotland

Getting around Scotland

There's so much to see and do whilst studying in Scotland. Fortunately, getting around the country's made easy with the array of transport options.

Air

Scotland has many airports as air travel is often the quickest and least wet route to its many islands. Airports are based in its major cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, with smaller ones on its many islands.

Below's a list of Scotland’s main passenger airports (but there are other smaller airports across the country):

Aberdeen Airport
Dundee Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Glasgow Airport
Inverness Airport

Ferry

Northlink Ferries travel between the mainland and Orkney and Shetland. CalMac Ferries operates on the Firth of Clyde, and to and from the Inner and Outer Hebrides. There are also numerous small operators running day excursion trips around Scotland's coast and islands.

Train

There are rail connections to each of Scotland's seven cities. The rail network links many towns and villages across the country with main lines running north and south through the east and west, but you'll find it is most dense in the central belt. If you're aged 16–25 or are studying full time, you can get 1/3 off all train travel for just £30 a year.

Metro

Scotland's only metro, known as ‘Clockwork Orange', is in Glasgow. It's cheap and efficient, whether going around the city, to and from campus or your accommodation.

Bus

As of January 2022, children ages 5-21 can apply for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. This means that if you live near a good bus route to your uni, travel to and from will be free! All major towns and cities have a bus service, so check your prospective uni’s travel pages for more information. There are also long-distance bus (coach) services across Scotland and the wider UK.

Things to do in Scotland

With the world-famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe every summer, pop-up food festivals, and thirteen UNESCO world heritage sites, you’ll find plenty to do during your downtime while you study in Scotland.

Food & Drink

Scotland is famous for more than its biggest export, whiskey. It has a buzzing food scene where you can find traditional foods like haggis – a savoury meat pudding made with spices and oats and served with neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes), and a whiskey sauce – as well as pop-up restaurants, street food and innovative restaurants serving traditional dishes with a modern twist.

With its large Indian and Italian communities, you won’t be hard-pressed to find pizza and a decent curry either. There's a wide range of food walking tours to experience Scotland’s culinary delights while you study there.

Arts & culture

Scotland has a rich and diverse musical culture from Celtic sounds to internationally acclaimed artists. Famous artists include Lewis Capaldi, Calvin Harris and funk sensations Average White Band.

The myriad of museums and galleries will provide plenty of inspiration during your free time. You’ll be able to find out more about local artists like the 'Glasgow Boys' and Peter Howson or see the influences of world-famous architect and designer Charles Rennie Macintosh. Walk around Scotland’s cities, countryside or coast to explore the many castles, Victorian tenement buildings and contemporary buildings.

Events

The Highland games, a centuries-old tradition, are still very popular and take place all around Scotland. The Edinburgh Comedy Festival is not to be missed when Edinburgh’s streets become packed with visitors from across the globe.