Thinking about going to Scotland for higher education but still in a dilemma on which university to choose? Though Scotland is very well known for its rich and diverse culture, amazing history and astounding natural landscapes, it has some of the oldest and most famous English universities that offer great quality education. 

Hereunder is a list of the top 5 universities in Scotland based on QS World University Rankings 2020:-

1. University of Edinburgh
2. University of Glasgow
3. University of St Andrews 
4. University of Aberdeen 
5. University of Strathclyde

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh has been placed 20th in the QS World University Rankings 2020 and ranked as number 1 in Scotland. Established in 1582, it is one of the oldest universities in Scotland and the UK. The university is significant for its vibrant culture and distinctive education and is home to more than 13,000 international students. 

The university is located in the beautiful city of Edinburgh. It is a member of the global research network ‘Universitas 21’ and the European networks ‘COIMBRA’ and ‘LERU’, thus providing enough chances for networking and employment. The university campus has a well-established library, health and fitness club, student associations, on-campus accommodation facilities and also supports disabled students. The university alumni include 19 Nobel Laureates and many famous personalities like Charles Darwin (Theory of Evolution), Alexander Graham Bell (Inventor of Telephone), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (author of Sherlock Holmes) etc.

Major Courses Offered

The university offers a series of diverse postgraduate courses in different subjects. The major schools include Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Science and Engineering. 

Average Tuition Fee and Living Cost

• The average tuition fee for postgraduate courses offered by different departments of the University of Edinburgh ranges between £15,000 - £32,500 (~14-30 INR Lakhs)
• The average cost of living  adds up to £9,000 (~ INR 8 Lakhs) annually

Entry Requirements

• An undergraduate degree from a deemed university with a minimum of 60% marks
• IELTS: 6.5 overall scores with no less than 6 in any module

Scholarships 

A few scholarships accepted and provided by the university include:

• Chevening Scholarships
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme
• Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP)
• The Charles Wallace India Trust
• Goa Education Trust Scholarships

University of Glasgow 

This is the second topmost university in Scotland and is ranked 67th in the world by QS World University Rankings 2020. Established in 1451 as a public research university, this is the fourth ancient university in the UK and enrols the largest number of students in Scotland. The university is known for its contribution to industrial development during the Renaissance movement - one of the major contributions being the development of steam engine technology by James Watt in the late 1700s. 

The University of Glasgow has a vast global network with 420 study abroad and exchange partners. The university has collaborations with businesses to develop new products and processes with the help of cutting-edge research. Several writers, renowned thinkers and political leaders are alumni of this university. The university is associated with seven Nobel Laureates. 

Major courses offered

The major graduate schools of the university include college of arts, college of medical, veterinary and life sciences, college of science and engineering and the college of social sciences, thus providing a diverse range of postgraduate courses.

Average Tuition Fee and Living Cost

• The average tuition fee for postgraduate courses offered by different departments of the University ranges between £15,000 - £23,500 (~ INR 14-22 Lakhs)
• The average cost of living adds up to  £10,000 (~ INR 9 Lakhs) a year

Entry Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from a deemed university with a minimum of 60% marks
• IELTS: 6.5 overall scores with no less than 6 in any subtest
• A Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• 2-3 Letters of Recommendation (LORs)

Funding and Scholarships 

The university provides a lot of different scholarships in various diverse fields. A few of the most famous scholarships provided and accepted by the university include:

• College Of Science And Engineering Deans' Award
• University Of Glasgow College Of Arts India Award
• University Of Glasgow International Leadership Scholarship
• Postgrad Solutions Study Bursary
• GreenMatch Sustainability Scholarship
• Commonwealth Scholarship schemes
• Chevening Scholarship

University of St Andrews

Established in 1413, the University of St Andrews is Scotland’s oldest public university and is considered to be third best in Scotland. This university has been ranked at the 100th position by QS World University Rankings 2020. It is known for its research in Psychology and English Literature. The university has 140 student societies and 50 sports clubs. The university has a huge library with a collection of 2,10,000 odd and rare books. 

The university is home to 4,387 international students with 18 different academic schools. The university alumni include famous personalities like Benjamin Franklin and James Wilson, the founding fathers of the United States of America, among many others. The university has an extensive network of alumni across the globe.

Major courses offered

The university offers a range of degree programs focused on art, ancient history, medicine, biology, chemistry, classics, comparative literature, engineering, management, mathematics, philosophy, languages, music, creative writing, earth, and environmental sciences, etc. You can check the university websites for all the details and latest updates.

Average Tuition Fee and Living Cost

• The average tuition fee for postgraduate courses offered by different departments of the University ranges between £19,400 - £23,090 (~ INR 18-22 Lakhs)
• The average cost of living  adds up to £10,764 (~ INR 10 Lakhs) a year

Entry Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from a deemed university with a minimum of 60-80% marks
• IELTS: 7.0 overall scores with no less than 6.5 in any module

Funding and Scholarships 

A few of the most famous scholarships provided and accepted by the university include:

• Chevening Scholarships
• Commonwealth Masters Scholarships
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)
• Scotland's Saltire Scholarships

University of Aberdeen

This university is ranked among the top 200 universities in the world and at the fourth position in Scotland by QS World University Rankings 2020. Founded in 1495, this university is among the six oldest universities in Scotland. It is known for its modern teaching and research facilities. With one of its kind facilities, of choosing and switching subjects as per your convenience, this university provides a ground for flexible education.

Major courses offered

The university comprises 12 schools and offers 186 diverse postgraduate courses in the fields of arts & social sciences, life sciences and medicine, physical science, business and postgraduate research.

Average Tuition Fee and Living Cost

• The average tuition fee for postgraduate courses offered by different schools ranges between £15,000 - £23,000 (~ INR 14-21 Lakhs)
• The average cost of living  adds up to £9,700 (~ INR 9 Lakhs) a year

Entry Requirements

• An undergraduate degree from a deemed university with a minimum of 60-80% marks
• IELTS: 6.5 overall scores with no less than 5.5 in any module
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• A Statement of Purpose
• 1-2 LORs from your university or current/most previous employer

Funding and Scholarships 

A few of the famous scholarships provided by the university include -

• CB Davidson Fund
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarship (Selected Masters Programmes)
• James Carnegie Scholarship

University of Strathclyde

Ranked 296 by QS World University Rankings 2020, this is the third-largest university of Scotland in terms of student count. It hosts around 7,000 postgraduate students, the majority of them being international students (around 150 Indian students join this university every year). Founded in 1796, this university still maintains a status among the top 20 universities in the UK and is known for its research facilities. The university has a special Technology and Innovation Center which helps researchers and industry collaborate and provides employment and investment opportunities in the city of Glasgow.

Major courses offered

The university mainly comprises 28 departments offering STEM courses (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) besides business, humanities and social science courses. 

Average Tuition Fee and Living Cost

• The average tuition fee for postgraduate courses offered by different schools ranges between £18,000 - £29,000  ( ~ INR 16- 27 Lakhs)
• The average cost of living  adds up to £10,300 (~ INR 9 Lakhs) a year

Entry Requirements

• An undergraduate degree in a related field with a minimum of 60% marks
• IELTS: 6.5 overall scores with no less than 6.0 in any module

Funding and Scholarships 

The University of Strathclyde provides several different scholarships based on the course you choose. To name a few -

• University of Strathclyde Performance Sport Scholarship
• Faculty of Science Masters Scholarship for International Students
• Dean's International Excellence Award - Postgraduate Taught: Humanities and Social Sciences
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme

The aforesaid details related to different universities in terms of tuition fees, living costs, entry requirements, and scholarships are subject to change based on the course you choose. Please be advised to check the official university websites before applying. You can also contact our student support team for the latest updates and any kind of assistance.