Study abroad in Scotland with IFSA
Edinburgh
, Scotland

University of Edinburgh Partnership

Program Overview

With a shining reputation for academic excellence that stretches back to 1583, Edinburgh also offers 290 societies and 60 sports clubs (trampoline, anyone?). Take time out to recharge in one of the city’s countless green spaces, explore the streets that influenced the wizarding world of Harry Potter, and marvel at towering Edinburgh Castle.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Fall: April 15
Academic Year: April 15
Spring: Oct. 15

Minimum GPA

3.00

Credit load

15

Housing

Apartment/Flat, Residence Hall/Dormitory

Instruction language

English

Prerequisites

None

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Academics

Looking for specific classes? Explore CHART, our exclusive class database — if the University of Edinburgh Program is pre-approved at your institution, you’ll find classes recently taken by other IFSA students.

View up-to-date course options on the University of Edinburgh's course catalog.

To find courses that will give you a unique introduction to Scotland:

  • Scottish History can be found in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology
  • Celtic Studies can be found in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Credit Conversions

A full course load for one semester is 60 SCQF (University of Edinburgh points), or 15 U.S. semester credit hours.

1 SCQF credit = .25 U.S. semester credit hours

Lab & Field Trip Fees

Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

There are a number of restricted and/or competitive courses at the University of Edinburgh. A full list is available here.

Due to high demand, many departments will only allow you to pre-enroll in a limited number of courses before arrival. If you wish to enroll in an additional course beyond this limit, you must wait until the course change period (typically the first two weeks of the academic semester) before making a request to add a class. Please be aware that there is no guarantee of available space for study abroad students.

BIOLOGY

Fourth year Biology courses are typically not open to study abroad students.

BUSINESS

Students wishing to take 2nd first-year Business courses at Edinburgh will need to have already taken an introductory level business course and received a grade of B or better. There are currently no 1st year Business courses available to study abroad students.

CLASSICS & ANCIENT HISTORY

Students who want to take a 3rd year course in any Classics subject area must have completed three Classics or Ancient History courses at grade B or above. Study abroad students may only pre-enroll in two 3rd year Classics courses before arrival.

COMPUTER SCIENCE/INFORMATICS

Study abroad students may enroll in a maximum of 20 Scotland credits in this department per semester.

ECONOMICS

Study abroad students must have an equivalent of at least 4 semester-long Economics courses at grade B or above for entry to Entry into 3rd year Economics classes at Edinburgh. This must include courses in Intermediate Macroeconomics (with calculus); Intermediate Microeconomics (with calculus); and Probability and Statistics. If macroeconomics and microeconomics courses are not calculus-based, then, in addition, Calculus (or Mathematics for Economics) is required.

EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART

Students can take Architectural History, History of Art and Music courses at Edinburgh College of Art, but studio classes in Architecture, Art or Design are typically not open to study abroad students. Study abroad students may only pre-enroll in one 3rd year History of Art and/or Architectural History course before arrival, due to high demand. Spaces on Music courses are also limited, and students’ eligibility must be determined on a case-by-case basis.

EDUCATION

These courses are typically not open to visiting students.

ENGLISH LITERATURE

Students who want to take third year courses in the English department must have taken four English literature courses for grades of B or better. Edinburgh does not count interdisciplinary, composition, creative writing, or comparative literature classes, workshops, or freshman year seminars toward this prerequisite. Study abroad students may only pre-enroll in one third-year English literature course before arrival.

HEALTH

Study abroad students may only pre-enroll in one 3rd year Health course before arrival.

HISTORY

Students who want to take a 3rd year course in any History subject area must have completed three History courses at grade B or above. Study abroad students may only pre-enroll in two 3rd year History courses before arrival, due to high demand.

LAW

These courses are typically not open to study abroad students. On the rare occasion that space is made available, it will only become available at the start of the relevant semester, and only students who have completed at least three Law courses at grade B or better will be considered.

NURSING

These courses are typically not open to study abroad students. On the rare occasion that space is made available, students can be pre-approved for only one Nursing course prior to arrival.

PHILOSOPHY

Third-year Philosophy courses are typically not open to study abroad students. On the rare occasion that space is made available, it will only become available at the start of the relevant semester, and only students who have completed at least three philosophy courses at grade B or better will be considered.

POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

To be considered for 3rd year Politics or International Relations courses, students will need to have taken four previous politics or international relations courses and received grades of a B or better. Study abroad students may only pre-enroll in one Politics course before arrival.

PSYCHOLOGY

Third-year Psychology courses are typically not open to study abroad students. On the rare occasion that space is made available, only students who are majoring in Psychology and have completed at least three psychology courses at grade B or better will be considered. Students can be pre-approved for only one 3rd year (honours) Psychology course prior to arrival.

SPORT SCIENCE

These courses are not open to visiting students.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • You must have completed at least one (1) semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the semester program or one (1) year of study at your home institution before the beginning of the year program.

Recommendation Letter
Not required.

Visa Requirement

  • A visa is not required for U.S. or Canadian citizens for the semester program.
  • A visa may be required if you are a citizen of another country.
  • A visa is required if you are participating in the year program.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects courses taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

Activities

  • City Walking Tour: During IFSA Orientation, learn about the city on foot and attend a walking tour of the social, cultural, and historical sites of Edinburgh.
  • Scottish Parliament Tour: See behind the scenes on a guided tour through the chambers of the Scottish Parliament, how the Scottish Government makes new laws on devolved matters, and how it debates the issues of the day.
  • Glasgow Mural and Street Art Walking-Tour: Glasgow has created a Mural Trail featuring the diverse range of art within easy walking distance of the city center. Follow the trail of a huge range of artwork on display which has something to suit all tastes, from conservative to radical, quirky to bizarre. Enjoy discovering the hidden public art, with assistance from digital resources, with this self-paced walking tour.
  • Ceilidh Dancing to Scottish Folk Music: A Ceilidh is a fun-filled night of wild dancing, good music, and Scottish culture! A live Scottish folk band plays through traditional music as one of the band members calls out the dance steps to the group, teaching how the dance goes. As the music takes off, the fun begins.

Excursion

  • Highlands Trip: On your first day of the Highland’s excursion, delve into the past and discover how Scottish Highland ancestors lived, how they built their homes, how they tilled the soil, and how they dressed. Then visit the Culloden Battlefield, location of the final Jacobite Rising. It was the last and most harrowing battle to be fought on British soil and its impact ripples into present day Scotland. On day two, sail across the waters of the legendary Loch Ness to learn about the history of the renowned loch and what makes it so famous. Perhaps have a look for the Loch Ness Montser yourself! Immersed yourself in the verdant and impressive rolling hills and mountains of the highlands with spectacular views of the Three Sisters Mountains in Glencoe. Also experience the poignant history of Stirling at the Wallace Monument and learn about the history of the battles fought at this strategically located city.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Apartment/Flat, Residence Hall/Dormitory

Meals

Most Included, Self-Catering

Details

Students living in Pollock Halls of Residence have a meal plan (two meals per day included), while students living in the self-catered flats will not.

Dates and Fees

Term

Term begins

Term ends

Program costs

Application deadline

Spring 2024

January 10, 2024

May 25, 2024

$26,275

Oct. 15

Fall 2024

Early Sept. 2024

Mid-Dec. 2024

$23,775 (estimated)

April 15

Academic Year 2024-2025

Early Sept. 2024

Late May 2025

$48,050 (estimated)

April 15

Term

Spring 2024

Term begins

January 10, 2024

Term ends

May 25, 2024

Program costs

$26,275

Application deadline

Oct. 15

Term

Fall 2024

Term begins

Early Sept. 2024

Term ends

Mid-Dec. 2024

Program costs

$23,775 (estimated)

Application deadline

April 15

Term

Academic Year 2024-2025

Term begins

Early Sept. 2024

Term ends

Late May 2025

Program costs

$48,050 (estimated)

Application deadline

April 15

Get Started

Sean Campbell

Sean Campbell

Admissions Counselor

Sean Campbell

Sean Campbell

Prearrival Counselor

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