'Study in Scotland and you will benefit from high quality learning developed over centuries and a globally respected reputation for innovation. Every year, more than 30,000 international students from more than 180 countries choose Scotland for their UK education – why not join them?'
Scotland is a multicultural society of just over 5 million people. People have been coming to live here from all over the world for centuries, so you can be sure of a warm welcome when you come to study in Scotland. And of course, Scottish people are famously friendly.
Study in Scotland and you will experience lively cosmopolitan cities, spectacular landscapes and a vivid and varied sports, arts, entertainment and social scene. Scotland is a very compact country, so it’s easy to get to and to get around. There are six major cities, including the capital Edinburgh, all within easy reach of each other and the stunning Scottish countryside.
There is a strong and growing economy in Scotland and it has recently won the titles of UK and European Region of the Future. Top Scottish industries include:
- finance
- life sciences
- traditional and renewable energies
- oil and gas
- medical technology
- tourism
- the creative industries.
Scotland is also on the world stage as an international venue, hosting the world's biggest arts festival every summer – the Edinburgh International Festival.
You can find out more about Scotland and watch videos of destinations, attractions and events at the Visit Britain website and the Visit Scotland website.
Study abroad in Scotland
Scottish education will teach you not just what to think, but how to think, with inspirational teachers who will give you the confidence to put your ideas into practice. Scots have made many breakthroughs that have changed the way we live and work. Those who have made an impact on modern life include:
- John Logie Baird - inventor of the television
- Alexander Graham Bell - inventor of the telephone
- Dave Jones – the video games developer who is the creator of the Grand Theft Auto series, which is made in Scotland by RockstarNorth
- Professor Ian Frazer – co-inventor of the cervical cancer vaccine
- James Clerk Maxwell – discovered the electromagnetic field and took the first true colour photograph in 1861
- Kirsty Young - broadcaster and television presenter
- James Watt - inventor of the steam engine
- Sir Alexander Fleming – Scottish pharmacologist who invented Penicillin in 1928
- Mary Queen of Scots - the ill-fated but courageous young women who became Queen of Scotland in 1542
- John Boyd Dunlop - who gave the world the pneumatic tyre
- Adam Smith – pioneer of the political economy and author of The Wealth of Nations, considered the first work of modern economics
Study abroad in Scotland and you can be part of this innovative country. During your time as an international student in Scotland you can explore the fascinating past as well as being part of an exciting future.
Education in Scotland
Scotland has been leading the way in education since the early part of the 15th century. The approach is focused on the needs of you as a student, and is designed to create time and space for individual development.
Flexibility is at the heart of the Scottish education system, and you will be encouraged to build a programme that suits your needs, including cross-faculty study. For example, you can be developing skills in product development as well as learning how to market it at the same time.
Credit transfer is simple with a unified system which maps all qualifications and how they relate to each other. So students, institutions and employers can see at a glance what level has been achieved, what that means, and what progression routes are possible. You can find out more at the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) website.
Scotland's Saltire Scholarships
Under Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships scheme, 200 awards are available to postgraduate master’s students from Canada, China, India and the USA. You can find out more and watch videos of international students talking about their experiences in Scotland and apply online at the British Council Scotland website.
Benefit from Scotland’s research excellence
Scotland produces more academic papers and citations per 10,000 of the population than any other country in the world. Around half of Scotland’s research has been awarded five or five* ratings (which signify international excellence) in the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). You can find out more at the RAE website.
The inspirational and committed teachers in Scottish institutions are the people writing the textbooks, creating the inventions and making the ground-breaking discoveries. They will challenge and support you at every stage in your studies to ensure that you reach your full potential. Study in Scotland and you will emerge with the confidence, knowledge and skills to put your own unique stamp on the world.
Useful links
Visit Britain can give you more information on what to see in the UK.
You can use the Education UK Search tool - to the top-right of the Education UK website - to find a place to study in this region that interests you.
And take a look at our own interactive map of the UK to explore the area.
