Riccarton
Edinburgh EH14 4AS

Tel 0131 451 3376

admissions@hw.ac.uk

www.hw.ac.uk

Sunday Times ranking 41 (43)

Teaching excellence 55.6%

Student satisfaction 72.6%

Head teacher ranking 68= (52)

Peer ranking 44 (52)

Research quality 59.9%

A/AS-level/Higher points 300/390

A-levels/Highers for entry 13%/41%

Unemployment 5.6%

Firsts and 2:1s 53.2%

Student/staff ratio 17.3:1

Dropout rate 16% (13%)

Undergraduates 4,993 (611)

Postgraduates 1,370 (3,250)

Teaching staff 369

Applications/places 8,215/1,866; 4.4:1 (+5%)

Clearing entry 7.8%

Bursaries No fees for Scottish students

Scholarships 80: £500-£2,000

EU/overseas 20.6%/11.6%

Mature 26.2%

State school 92%

Lowest social classes 31%

Low-participation areas 17%

Live in 33% (100%) £56-£100

An international perspective colours life at Heriot-Watt. Encompassing more than 90 countries, about a third of all students are recruited from overseas, drawn by the worldwide reputation of this institution, notably in science, engineering and business. Heriot-Watt was also the first overseas university to set up in Dubai’s Academic City, adding further to the internationalist approach.

The university is used to trailblazing. It’s the eighth oldest in the UK, dating from 1821 when it was the first mechanics institute to be set up. It also admitted women on an equal basis with men from 1869, fully 20 years before universities elsewhere. With these antecedents, Heriot-Watt is suitably proud of its record today for widening access to underrepresented groups and areas with few progressing to higher education. There is a particular emphasis on encouraging women into the traditionally male-dominated subjects taught here.

The university has strong links with industry. Degree programmes are professionally and industrially focused and are evolving all the time.

From next September the three-term academic year will be scrapped and replaced by two semesters, each containing four modules. This modular approach will allow greater flexibility in degree choice for students, as well as enhancing Heriot-Watt’s reputation for delivering comparatively large amounts of credit-bearing enterprise and entrepreneurship study as part of degree programmes.

Between the main Edinburgh campus and its satellite operation in Dubai – with the in-house MBA programme recently translated into Arabic – lies Heriot-Watt’s Scottish Borders campus. Situated in Galashiels, an hour from Edinburgh, a £31m project here will bring Borders College onto campus, alongside the famous school of textiles and design.

The Sports Academy on the Edinburgh campus, opened in 2004, is so good that Scottish Premier League club, Hearts, train there. If arts and cultural activities are more your bag, Edinburgh can oblige in spades.

Open days September 24 (Edinburgh); October 19 and 20 (Galashiels).

Student view Liam Burns, students’ association president:

USP Strong industry links and career-focused teaching.

Worst feature The psychopathic swans.

Location Our campus-based university has lots of opportunities for you to get involved.

Social scene Living in halls in your first year is an absolute must.

Rated excellent (5) Chemical engineering; civil engineering; computing; electrical and electronic engineering; mechanical engineering.

Degree of student satisfaction 72.6%

European Languages and Area studies 85.2; Computer Science 80.5; Biology and related Sciences 76.9; Mathematical Sciences 75.8; Civil, Chemical and other Engineering 74.6; Architecture, Building and Planning 73.5; Physical Science 72.0; Business 70.0; Finance and Accounting 69.9; Management 67.0; Mechanically-based Engineering 66.9; Art and Design 59.2

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