With Edinburgh being such a historical and beautiful city, you can see how it appeals to thousands of students a year. But with it being the capital of Scotland, the university may not be particularly easy to find. We answer where is Edinburgh University, and how many universities the city has.
It’s one thing saying that you’re going to study in Edinburgh knowing what university you’ll attend or where it is is another thing entirely. If you’re thinking of going to a university in Edinburgh, then you’ll want a low down of where the universities are.
Where is Edinburgh University?
Edinburgh is a very old city, which is why it isn’t surprising that Edinburgh University is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world. However, just knowing that you’re looking for an old building won’t help you very much in Edinburgh.
The university is actually divided into 5 main sites around the city. They are:
- Central Area
- King’s Buildings
- BioQuarter
- Easter Bush
- Western General
The sites themselves have multiple buildings too.
Most of the Central Area buildings are in Edinburgh Southside, with some in The Old Town area. Primarily, the degrees in the Central Area are Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Informatics. Lots of the buildings are in or around George Square and Bristo Square.
For King’s Buildings, you’ll be heading south of the city. There is where most of the Science and Engineering degrees take place. All of the buildings are occupied within a 35-hectare area.
The BioQuarter campus is located in the Little Frace area and is the home of medical sciences, alongside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Easter Bush is 7 miles south of the city and is the home of Veterinary studies. It was here that Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned, was created.
Lastly, there’s Western General. This campus is in close proximity to the Western General Hospital and is occupied by medical research facilities.
How Many Universities Are In Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is actually home to six universities spread across the city and beyond.
- Heriot-Watt University.
- The University of Edinburgh.
- Edinburgh Napier University.
- Queen Margaret University.
- Royal College of Surgeons.
- Scotland’s Rural College.
Heriot-Watt is known for being a specialist in engineering, globally renowned and pioneering in research. If that is your particular field of study, then perhaps that is the university for you.
The second most well-known university in the city is Edinburgh Napier University. It started off as a polytechnic when founded in 1964, before gaining university status in 1992 as Napier University. It wasn’t until 2009 that the city was added to its name.
Where Is Edinburgh Napier University?
The location of Edinburgh Napier University is much simpler than its older counterpart. The university is split into 3 campuses, all within the city. There is the Merchiston campus, Craiglockhart campus, and the Sighthill campus.
Merchiston is home to the School of Art and Creative Industries, Computing and Engineering, and the Built Environment. It is built around the shell of the Merchiston castle, hence its name. It is in the southwest of the capital.
In Craiglockhart, you’ll find the business school. Unsurprisingly, it is located in the suburb Craiglockhart, which is in the southwest area of Edinburgh.
Lastly, the Sighthill campus is for students of Health and Social care and Applied Sciences. Sighthill is located in the west of Edinburgh and is a short journey on public transport from the city centre.
All the campuses are relatively close together, so there are no 7-mile stretches like Edinburgh University!
It’s easy to understand why anyone would want to study in Edinburgh. Its vast history, beautiful scenery and amenities make it a pretty perfect city to live in. If you are looking to study there, we hope you know a little more about your options and that you’ll be a little less lost when you get there!
