Click here for more university profiles by students for students

This week, Miles Johnson, who is about to enter his fourth year of a History degree, gives his view of Edinburgh University

Being a student in….Edinburgh:

The Scottish capital has been long considered one of the UK's most desirable cities to live, boasting some of the most stunning architecture in the country and the vibrancy of hosting the world's largest arts festival each summer. For students it is no different. Edinburgh combines the extensive amenities of a major world city without the suffocation found in other urban centres, with several world class art house cinemas and music venues with major acts regularly stopping off. The university blends in with the city as a whole meaning that relations between town and gown rarely become fraught and, though an extensive bus network exists, the city is so pretty you would rarely wish to use it.

Froth on the Forth

An ambitious development planned for a part of Edinburgh long famed for its beer

BACKGROUND

• A student's guide to... Edinburgh

• Focus on . . . Edinburgh

• The property market in Scotland

• New monarchs of the glen arrive

BACKGROUND

• Focus on...Glasgow

• Designer’s Highland fling

• The £2.2m Highland retreat that Dylan will call home

• Scotland: Join the afterschool club

• Scotland: Blood, sweat and cheers

The Marchmont area is perfect for those wishing to live in a student enclave but Edinburgh is also large enough for anyone wishing to escape from the typical frolics of university life. Having been appointed a UNESCO city of literature, Edinburgh boasts a vibrant literary scene, with writers such as Ian Rankin and J.K. Rowling being residents and numerous second-hand book stores hidden away behind its twisting streets. There are also several excellent charity shops close to the central university area, the best being found on the Grassmarket where the Armstrongs shops are especially good for anyone in need of some fancy clothing on a budget.

The down side is that as the UK's second most affluent city Edinburgh is more expensive to live in than other university towns. Pints can err towards the £3 mark in city centre bars and anyone wishing to eat around the university areas will usually get little change from a fiver. The price of seeing big names in the city's clubs can also be high, though never reaching London proportions, and for those on a budget there are numerous nights catering for students, including the university union, that serve drinks as cheap as any other across the country. Generally Edinburgh is safe to walk around in at all times but certain areas, especially the large meadows behind the university library, are best to traverse with caution after dark due to roaming gangs of bored and violent youths.

Study time:

As one of the world's leading research universities Edinburgh provides students with top draw facilities, especially in the sciences. Computers are widely available in the library and at microlabs around the central university area. The library itself, though one of the ugliest buildings in the city, is adequately stocked, although this could, and should, improve. The academic staff boasts leaders in their fields in most subjects and even the odd literary celebrity such as Alexander McCall Smith of No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency fame.

The standard degree awarded is a four year Scottish MA, roughly similar to an English BA, and the year is divided into two semesters rather than the three terms seen south of the border. The coursework/exam balance varies dramatically from subject to subject but as can be expected in the humanities your degree will be comprised of around roughly one third written work although this is often adjustable. In the sciences, students are often expected to be in university most days of the week but for arts-based disciplines there is typically a one hour tutorial per course, of which you take three a semester, and three one-hour lectures a week. In the first and second years there is usually a stipend of around four to six essays a year but in the later years this increases to around six or more alongside long essays and dissertations.

Play time:

Play time in Edinburgh rivals most other cities in the UK with plenty of clubs, gigs, cinemas and theatres of different hues to keep most students occupied for the course of their degree. While Glasgow once dwarfed its smaller cousin on the music front, this is rapidly changing with increasing numbers of bands touring through Edinburgh, although the local music scene is still slightly subdued. However, recent years have seen notable venues close as they are bought up for redevelopment and if this continues, the city's nightlife could suffer.

Especially suited to students are the Traverse theatre, which boasts regular cheap performances perfect for those in need of dramatic entertainment but thin in the pocket, and the Cameo cinema, which has concession rates for students of around £5. The hippie-dominated Forrest Cafe - located just minutes from the main university buildings - holds regular free exhibitions and gigs and serves vegetarian organic food for as cheap a price as you can find. Free magazines such as The Skinny and the famous literary fanzine The One O'Clock Gun also provide a good sense of what is going on in the city and are available in most pubs, bars, and eateries.

Times recommends

• Oxford releases sample interview questions
• Britain takes over in world’s Top Ten
• Students face anxious wait for loans