Living and getting around Edinburgh

World Leading University 

The University of Edinburgh is globally recognised for our research, development and innovation and we’ve provided our students with world-class teaching for more than 430 years. We are ranked 34th overall in world.

2025/26 QS World University Rankings

Why choose Edinburgh - Postgraduate study

Living costs

Transport

The University is spread throughout the city. Edinburgh has the excellent transport links you'd expect of a capital city. Edinburgh airport is eight miles from city centre.

The Institute for Regeneration and Repair is proudly situated within the Edinburgh BioQuarter, a vibrant hub for biomedical research and innovation. This strategic location fosters collaboration between academia, industry, and healthcare, providing unparalleled opportunities for cutting-edge research and discovery.

Travelling between University campus

Campus maps

Statistics

You can access local statistics about living, working and studying in Edinburgh.

Local statistics - Edinburgh Gov

At the University

Study with us and you’ll find a lively, close-knit community with plenty of opportunities to meet other students socially.

Our schools and colleges, as well as the Edinburgh University Students' Association, hold student events regularly.

The Students' Association offers an array of bars, shops, cafes and entertainment venues, including the city's biggest student nightclub. Regular entertainment includes a variety of clubs, live music and comedy, plus debates and regular club meetings.

The Students' Association also supports more than 290 societies. Our societies provide a place for you to meet like-minded people, indulge a hobby, network or simply socialise.

Edinburgh University Student's Association

In the city

The University of Edinburgh is located at the heart of the city, one of Europe’s great cultural hubs.

Edinburgh is an inspiring place to study. Regularly voted one of the most desirable places to live in the world, Scotland’s capital has a great social and cultural life, a busy sporting calendar, and a rich history.

Edinburgh is well known for its friendly people, its safe, green environment and its stunning architecture. Its compact size makes it easy to get around and wherever you are in the city, you are seldom far from open countryside.

Outdoor adventures

Edinburgh's location is perfect for adventurers: there are few other places in the world from where you can so easily access opportunities to either snowboard or surf.

Scotland’s famous mountains, lochs and forests are only a short trip away and our landscape offers one of the longest coastlines for a country of its size, so visiting the beach is easy and highly recommended.

International festivals

In the summer months the pace of city life is ignited as the series of world-famous annual festivals gets under way. The city hosts almost 30 festivals during the year, the most famous taking part on campus or in close proximity to the University.

Explore the city