How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Edinburgh: Scottish Four-Year Degrees, General Engineering H100 With Choice of Discipline Later, Maths Required, with Entry Routes and Prerequisites for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Engineering at the University of Edinburgh is taught by the School of Engineering, part of the College of Science and Engineering, mainly at the King’s Buildings campus, about 15 minutes from central Edinburgh by bus or bike. Here is what you need to know for September 2027 entry, based on Edinburgh’s official information, for UK applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and students who want to join Year 2. Computer Science has its own guide; Electronics and Computer Science is listed separately on the H100 page with restricted transfer and is only mentioned briefly here.

1. Engineering programmes and degree types

• Length: Scottish BEng degrees normally take 4 years and MEng degrees 5 years. Edinburgh says the four-year structure lets you study subjects outside your degree in Years 1 and 2, with the focus decided by the end of Year 2. Some students may enter Year 2 directly, shortening the BEng to 3 years and the MEng to 4.
• General engineering route: Engineering BEng/MEng, UCAS code H100. It lets you explore all disciplines in Year 1, but does not lead to a general engineering degree; you join one of the programmes below.
• Chemical Engineering: BEng H800, MEng H804.
• Civil Engineering: BEng H200, MEng H203.
• Electrical and Mechanical Engineering: BEng HH36, MEng HHH6.
• Electronics and Electrical Engineering: BEng H600, MEng H601.
• Mechanical Engineering: BEng H300, MEng H303.
• Structural and Fire Safety Engineering: BEng HH21, MEng HHF1.
• Structural Engineering with Architecture: BEng H2K1 (4 years), MEng H2KC (5 years), across multiple campuses; Edinburgh says you cannot join in Year 2 and must enter directly in Year 1.
• Accreditation (per programme page): Civil, Structural and Fire Safety, and Structural Engineering with Architecture by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) on behalf of the Engineering Council, with a periodic review under way for 2027/28 entry; Mechanical Engineering by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE); Electronics and Electrical Engineering by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), which Edinburgh says is being re-accredited for 2026/27; Chemical Engineering by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), under review for 2027/28; Electrical and Mechanical Engineering by IMechE and IET. Edinburgh says that to hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration you must hold a master’s or doctorate accredited as further learning.
• Placements: the MEng programmes in Mechanical, Electronics and Electrical, Chemical, and Electrical and Mechanical Engineering list an optional placement, supported by the School’s placement team; the Mechanical page says placements advertised by the School are paid and that you continue to pay tuition to Edinburgh during the placement year (the pages for the other programmes were not read in that detail). The BEng versions of those programmes and the civil and structural programmes show “No” for placement.

2. How admission works: a named programme, or H100 and choose later

• Named programme: choose one of the UCAS codes in section 1 and you start in that programme’s Year 1.
• General Engineering (H100): in Year 1 you take introductory courses and mathematics relevant to engineers, plus option courses from across the University in the sciences, arts and humanities. The pages give two timings for choosing: the programme overview says you join a programme “at the start of Year 2”, while the application section says it lets you “defer your choice of discipline to the start of the second semester”, decided with your Cohort Lead and Student Adviser.
• Limits on moving from H100 (Edinburgh’s wording): transfer to Chemical Engineering needs the necessary prerequisite courses in Year 1; transfer to Electronics and Computer Science is not guaranteed and only open competitively to a very limited number of students who took the prerequisite courses; Structural Engineering with Architecture cannot be joined in Year 2.
• Grade thresholds for moving into other disciplines are not stated on the pages read; ask the admissions team.
• The School is carrying out an ongoing curriculum renewal, so the programme may change.

3. Prerequisites: Maths, and Physics or Chemistry

The figures below come from Edinburgh’s 2027-entry pages; “most applicants needed” ranges are Edinburgh’s own guidance.

• General Engineering H100:
  • SQA Highers (standard): grades most applicants needed in recent years were AAAA (achievement by the end of S5 preferred), with BBB achieved in one year of S4 to S6; Highers must include Mathematics at A and one of Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science or Engineering Science at B (Physics preferred); Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics; you also need National 5 Physics or Engineering Science at B and English at C.
  • A-level (standard): the range most applicants needed was AAA to ABB in one set of exams, including Mathematics at B and one of Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science/Computing, Design and Technology (excluding Food Technology) or Engineering at B (Physics preferred); GCSE English at C or 4 and Physics or Science at B or 6.
  • IB (standard): the range most applicants needed was 37 points with 666 at HL to 34 points with 655 at HL; HL must include Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 5 and one of Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science or Design Technology at 5 (Physics preferred); SL Physics at 5 if not taken at HL, and SL English at 5.
• Differences by programme:
  • Civil Engineering: Highers ABBB by the end of S5 or AABB by the end of S6; A-level ABB to BBB; IB 34 points (HL 655) to 32 points (HL 555); same subjects as above.
  • Mechanical, and Electronics and Electrical Engineering: Highers AAAA (S5 preferred); A-level AAA to ABB; IB 37 points (666) to 32 points (655); same subjects as above.
  • Chemical Engineering: Chemistry is required. Highers AABB by the end of S5 or AAAB by the end of S6 with Mathematics at A and Chemistry at B; A-level AAA to ABB with Mathematics at B and Chemistry at B; IB 37 to 32 points with HL Mathematics 5 and Chemistry 5, and SL Physics 5.
• Year 1 content: the sample H100 timetable for semester 1 shows Engineering Mathematics 1A, Engineering Principles 1 (including group work) and an option course.
• Interview or admissions test: none is mentioned for engineering on the pages read; for the test for applicants from China, see section 6.
• Widening access: eligible permanent UK residents (Plus Flag) have lower minimums, for example for H100 Highers AABB by the end of S6, A-level ABB, and IB 32 points (655 at HL); see Edinburgh’s widening access offers page.

4. UK applicants

• Qualifications: Scottish students use Highers as above; students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland use A-levels (Edinburgh groups these under “English, Welsh and Northern Irish qualifications”); the IB is also accepted.
• Fees: students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland pay the RUK rate: £10,050 for 2027/28 (£9,790 for 2026/27), rising each year with the government fee cap. Scotland-rate students may have tuition paid by the Scottish Government if they normally live in Scotland and are studying for a first degree full-time; check the fee lookup for the amount.
• Loans: RUK students may apply for government tuition fee loans, and for loans and grants for living costs.
• Accommodation: Edinburgh guarantees University accommodation for new single undergraduates from outside Edinburgh who meet the criteria and apply by 31 July in the year of entry.

5. International applicants

• Qualifications: A-levels, the IB, Scottish and US qualifications and others; the page shows requirements once you pick a country and qualification (loaded dynamically, so check the website).
• English: everyone, including UK nationals, must show English. School qualifications: SQA National 5 English at C, GCSE English at C or 4, or IB SL English at 5 (ab initio is not accepted). Tests: IELTS Academic 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component (One Skill Retake not accepted); TOEFL iBT from 21 January 2026 4.5 with at least 4.0 in each component (before that, 92 with at least 20 in each; MyBest not accepted); C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency 176 (162 in each component); Oxford ELLT 7 (5 in each); Oxford Test of English Advanced 145 (125 in each). IELTS, TOEFL and similar results must be no more than two years old at the start date. Some programmes may need a higher English grade, so check the programme page.
• Fees: international students pay a fixed annual fee set by their start date, unaffected by annual increases. The 2027/28 amount was not shown on the fee pages read (it is loaded dynamically); check the fee lookup (programme_code UTENUNK). If you are given direct entry into Year 2 or 3, you pay the rate of the year group you join.
• Living costs: Edinburgh estimates £1,546 a month for a single undergraduate in 2026-27, about £13,914 for a 39-week academic year and £18,552 for a full year.
• Scholarships: the international undergraduate funding page lists the Asylum Seeker Scholarship, Edinburgh Global Undergraduate Mathematics Scholarships, the Global Talent Fund BIG Scholarships for international Olympiad medallists, the Defne-Muhtar Kent Scholarship for students from Turkey, a veterinary studies scholarship and the Rosedale OSSD scholarship (£10,000 in the first year). None is described as specific to engineering; check the funding page and the scholarship search. Whether any is assessed automatically is not published.
• Funding evidence and credential verification: the pages read only say to secure a Student visa if you need one; specific funding evidence and verification are not published, so ask the admissions office.

6. Applicants from China

• Qualifications accepted for direct entry: the China page lists A-levels, the IB, Scottish and US qualifications and the Maple Leaf World Schools Program (MLWSP) Diploma. For the College of Science and Engineering, the MLWSP Diploma needs five 1.0-credit Grade 12 subjects at 80%, with required subjects at 86% or above and Calculus where Mathematics is required.
• Gaokao: the College will give consideration to applicants with excellent Gaokao results on an individual basis. No score is published; contact undergraduate admissions through the enquiry form.
• Chinese university first year: for Science and Engineering degrees, applicants who have completed a year at a leading Chinese university may be eligible to apply.
• Chinese Senior High School Certificate: Edinburgh says it does not normally meet minimum entry requirements and further study is required for most subjects.
• International Foundation Programme (IFP): a full-time one-year programme for international students who are not eligible for direct entry; Edinburgh notes that some degrees have no IFP pathway.
• College Internal Admissions Test: where there is no IFP pathway, you may be eligible for the College’s Internal Admissions Test, but eligibility is limited, requires exceptional grades in specific subjects and an outstanding test result; Edinburgh says these tests will be phased out over the next few years as new IFP pathways are introduced.
• AST: applicants from China can apply with the assistance of the Ambright Education Group and sit written subject-dependent Aptitude Scholastic Tests in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and English at centres in China.
• Interview and accreditation bodies: not published.
• The China page shows a publication date of November 2024, so check the website for updates.

7. Transfer into Year 2 (direct entry)

• The Chemical, Civil, Electronics and Electrical, Mechanical, Electrical and Mechanical, and Structural and Fire Safety programme pages show “Second year entry: Available”, if places are available and you meet the requirements.
• Extra requirements for Year 2 (on top of those in section 3):
  • Civil: A-level AAA in one set of exams including Mathematics and Physics, Engineering, or Design and Technology; or AAB including A in Mathematics and Further Mathematics plus Physics, Engineering, or Design and Technology; IB 37 points with 666 at HL, including Mathematics (Analysis and approaches) and Physics or Design Technology at 6; Scottish Advanced Highers AA in Mathematics and Physics (or Engineering Science or Technological Studies).
  • Mechanical, and Electronics and Electrical: A-level A*AA including Mathematics and Physics, Engineering, or Design and Technology; or AAA in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and one of those; IB 38 points with 766 at HL, including Mathematics (Analysis and approaches) and Physics or Design Technology at 6. Scottish: Mechanical needs Advanced Highers AA in Mathematics and Physics (or Engineering Science or Technological Studies); Electronics and Electrical needs Advanced Highers AA in Mathematics and one other subject plus AB in two further Highers including Physics, Engineering Science or Technological Studies.
  • Chemical: A-level A*AA including Mathematics and Chemistry, or AAA in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Chemistry; IB 38 points with 666 at HL, including Chemistry and Mathematics at 6; Advanced Highers AA in Mathematics and Chemistry.
• These are written in terms of school qualifications. How university results and credits from another institution are assessed for Year 2 is not stated on the pages read; contact the admissions office.
• Inside the School: H100 students choose a discipline for Year 2 (section 2).

8. Cost summary

• RUK students: £10,050 (2027/28).
• Scotland-rate students: the Scotland rate, which may be paid by the Scottish Government; see the fee lookup.
• International students: a fixed annual fee; the amount was not shown on the pages read.
• Year 3 exchange: related costs include tuition, accommodation and living costs, visas and insurance; MEng placement years still carry tuition fees.

9. UCAS application and timeline

• Apply through UCAS, in the same way for international and UK applicants. I did not use the UCAS website, so check the application fee there. You will need your academic qualifications, a personal statement, evidence of English and a reference.
• Deadline: 13 January 2027, 18:00 GMT for UK, EU and international applicants (not Medicine or Veterinary Medicine); programmes with places afterwards are listed on UCAS.
• Edinburgh says applications that meet, or are predicted to meet, all requirements go into selection, and all information in your UCAS application is reviewed.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Highers with Mathematics at A and a science at B (Physics preferred) plus National 5 Physics or Engineering Science at B; or A-level Mathematics at B and a science at B; or IB HL Mathematics (Analysis and approaches) at 5
• Apply through UCAS by 13 January 2027 with H100 or a programme code

International applicants (including those from China):

• A-level, IB, MLWSP Diploma and similar; the Chinese Senior High School Certificate needs an International Foundation Programme; no published Gaokao score, so contact admissions
• IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each) or TOEFL 4.5 on the new scale (4.0 in each)
• Check the international fee in the fee lookup

Students wanting Year 2 entry:

• Extra school-grade requirements apply (section 7); how university results are assessed is not published, so ask admissions

Sources: The University of Edinburgh, Engineering BEng/MEng (H100); H100 entry requirements; Civil Engineering; Civil Engineering entry requirements; Mechanical Engineering BEng; Mechanical Engineering MEng; Electronics and Electrical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Structural and Fire Safety Engineering; Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Structural Engineering with Architecture; Undergraduate programmes A to Z (2027 entry); Entry requirements for students from China; Tuition fee lookup; Fees for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; International tuition fees; Funding for international undergraduates. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check Edinburgh for the latest details.