How to Apply to Economics at the University of Edinburgh: Four-Year MA (Hons) Degrees in the School of Economics, Direct Entry to a Named Programme, Mathematics Required, for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Economics at the University of Edinburgh is taught by the School of Economics, part of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Economics (L100) is taught across the Central Area campus, and economics students have a dedicated UG Student Hub at 13-15 South College Street. Edinburgh says its economics staff are one of the leading groups of economic theorists in Europe and that the School is the base for the Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics. 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 transfer. Business, Mathematics and Computer Science have their own guides; cross-disciplinary programmes are only mentioned briefly here.

1. Economics programmes and degree types

• Length and degree: economics degrees are Scottish 4-year MA (Hons) degrees. 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.
• Economics: MA (Hons) UCAS code L100.
• Economics with Finance: L1N3. Beyond the economics core, it introduces the principles of finance and then topics such as investments, securities and corporate finance; Edinburgh says Business School programmes are accredited and that this programme holds double accreditation from AACSB and EQUIS.
• Economics with Management Science: L1N2.
• Economics and Accounting: LN14.
• Economics and Mathematics: LG11, a joint programme taught across multiple campuses; Edinburgh says it complements the basic mathematical techniques in Economics with a more thorough and rigorous development of mathematical principles, and that teaching on joint programmes is split across the two subject areas, in locations associated with both.
• Economics and Politics: LL12.
• Economics and Statistics: LG13. Edinburgh’s page says this programme is closed to new applications for 2027 and suggests looking at the other economics programmes.
• Other cross-disciplinary programmes in the A to Z (see each page): Business and Economics, Business with Strategic Economics, History and Economics, Philosophy and Economics, Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE), Psychology and Economics, and Social Policy and Economics.
• Exchange: Edinburgh says the School offers exchange opportunities with partner institutions in various international locations, available in Year 3; the Placement field on the economics pages reads “No”.
• Careers: Edinburgh lists accountancy, business, management, consultancy, aid agencies and not-for-profit organisations.

2. How admission works: apply to a named programme and specialise in the honours years

• Choose the programme when you apply: use the UCAS codes above.
• Economics L100 structure: Year 1 is Economics 1A and 1B (20 credits each) plus option courses; Year 2 is Economics 2A and 2B (20 credits each), Statistical Methods of Economics and two further courses; Year 3 is Topics in Microeconomics, Essentials of Econometrics, Topics in Macroeconomics and Applications of Econometrics plus two honours options; Year 4 is an economics dissertation and four honours options, with the option of a one-semester Research Methods in Economics course instead of the dissertation (completing a final research project structured as a “mini-dissertation”).
• Teaching and assessment: lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and web-based learning; assessment is by exams and coursework such as problem sets, essays, project reports and presentations; Year 4 has an honours dissertation.
• The pages read do not state grade thresholds for changing programme or adjusting a joint degree; this is not published, so ask the School.

3. Prerequisites: Mathematics is required

The figures below come from Edinburgh’s 2027-entry pages; “most applicants needed” ranges are Edinburgh’s own guidance. First-year requirements are the same for Economics (L100), Economics with Finance, with Management Science, and Economics and Accounting and Politics.

• SQA Highers (standard): grades most applicants needed in recent years were AAAAA (achievement by the end of S5 preferred), with BBB achieved in one year (Edinburgh writes “S4-S5”); Highers must include Mathematics at B; Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics; you also need National 5 English at C; other Highers can be in any subject.
• A-level (standard): the range most applicants needed was A*A*A* to A*AA, including Mathematics at B, or AS Mathematics at A; GCSE English at C or 4. Edinburgh does not require an economics subject.
• IB (standard): the range most applicants needed was 40 points with 766 at HL to 37 points with 666 at HL; HL must include Mathematics at 5; SL English at 5; if Mathematics is not taken at HL, SL Mathematics at 6.
• Economics and Mathematics (LG11): stronger mathematics is required: Higher Mathematics at A or Advanced Higher Mathematics at B (sixth-year work in Mathematics recommended); A-level Mathematics at A*; IB HL Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 6; mathematics qualifications must be no more than two academic years old; the overall ranges are the same: Highers AAAAA, A-level A*A*A* to A*AA, IB 40 to 37 points.
• Admissions test or interview: the pages read do not mention an economics admissions test or an interview.
• Widening access: eligible permanent UK residents (Plus Flag) have lower minimums, for example for Economics L100 Highers ABBB by the end of S6, A-level ABB and IB 34 points (655 at HL); see Edinburgh’s widening access offers page.

4. UK applicants

• Qualifications: Scottish students use Highers/Advanced Highers; 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. For other UK qualifications, see “Other UK qualifications” and the entry requirements pages. Grades and subjects are in section 3.
• Widening access: eligible permanent UK residents (Plus Flag) have lower minimum requirements; the conditions and the economics grades are on each programme’s entry requirements page and Edinburgh’s widening access offers page.
• Fees: students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands pay the RUK rate: £10,050 for 2027/28 (£9,790 for 2026/27), rising each year with the UK Government fee cap. Edinburgh says this is the annual RUK fee for all full-time undergraduate programmes except the graduate-entry veterinary medicine programme. 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.
• Loans and living costs: students who normally live in a part of the UK outside Scotland or in the Republic of Ireland may be entitled to a government tuition fee loan, and can apply to Student Finance for living-cost loans and bursaries (see Edinburgh’s funding page).

5. International applicants

• Qualifications: A-levels, the IB, Scottish and US qualifications and others; the programme 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, Level 2 Certificate English at C, 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, Oxford ELLT and Oxford Test of English Advanced results must be no more than two years old at the start date; other types up to three and a half years. Some programmes may need higher English grades, 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 on Edinburgh’s website. If you are given direct entry into Year 2, 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 (excluding tuition).
• 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 economics; the economics programme page only points to Edinburgh’s funding section, so check the funding page and the scholarship search. Whether any award is assessed automatically is not published.
• Visa, funding evidence and credential verification: the international fees page says that if you need a Student visa you pay a visa application fee and a healthcare surcharge. Specific funding evidence and credential verification are not stated on the pages read; 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 competitive subjects, grade requirements may be higher.
• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the MLWSP Diploma: five 1.0-credit Grade 12 subjects at 80%.
• Gaokao: the China page mentions the Gaokao only in its College of Science and Engineering section; whether the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences considers it, and any score, is not stated on the pages read, so contact undergraduate admissions through the enquiry form.
• Foundation programme: the China page links to a College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences foundation programme page (cahss.ed.ac.uk), which was not read for this guide; check it on Edinburgh’s website for the pathway and requirements that apply to economics.
• Chinese Senior High School Certificate: Edinburgh says applicants with this certificate must do further study for most subjects because it does not normally meet minimum entry requirements.
• International Foundation Programme (IFP): a full-time one-year programme for international students who are not eligible for direct entry, offering a route into many undergraduate programmes; which degrees have a matching IFP pathway is not listed on the pages read, so check Edinburgh’s website.
• Interview and accreditation bodies: the China page does not state any interview or accreditation-body requirement specific to Chinese applicants; this is not published, so contact the admissions office through the enquiry form.
• The China page shows a publication date of November 2024, so check the website for updates.

The China page does not set out economics-specific scores; measure yourself against the A-level and IB requirements above and ask admissions directly how Chinese school results or the Gaokao are assessed.

7. Year 2 entry and transfers

• Direct entry to Year 2: the key facts on the economics pages read do not list second-year entry, and the entry requirements page has no Year 2 grades. Edinburgh’s “apply for entry to second year” page says many science, engineering and biomedical sciences programmes and most art and design programmes accept Year 2 applications, while for all other programmes second-year entry is considered only in exceptional circumstances; contact the admissions office to ask.
• If you apply for Year 2 without the necessary qualifications, Edinburgh says it may consider you for Year 1 instead, with no guarantee of an offer.
• Transfer from another university (Edinburgh’s transfer page): you must apply through UCAS and the normal deadlines still apply, with some flexibility case by case in exceptional circumstances; places for transfer students are “extremely limited”, and some programmes do not consider transfers except in exceptional circumstances. If you have studied more than a year at your current institution, you are not given priority over qualified applicants who have not yet studied at degree level.
• “False start”: if you apply to transfer during your first year elsewhere, or leave your original university during or at the end of your first year and apply in a later year, you may be classed as a false start and treated as a new applicant in the competitive process.
• Year 1 or Year 2 transfer: you may restart Year 1 on a different programme or transfer to the same programme in Year 1 or Year 2; it is not normally possible to transfer beyond Year 2. For Year 2 you must provide information about the courses you have studied so Edinburgh can assess the curriculum match, and you are still considered like a Year 1 applicant and must meet all published Year 1 entry requirements including required subjects. How credits are converted is not published; contact the admissions office before submitting your UCAS application.

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.
• Textbooks: the economics page says textbooks are required and cost about £100.
• Year 3 exchange: related costs include tuition, accommodation and living costs, visas and insurance.

9. UCAS application and timeline

• Full-time undergraduate applications must be made online through UCAS, in the same way for international and UK applicants, with up to five choices. Check the application fee and personal statement format on the UCAS website. You need qualifications that meet the requirements, evidence of English, a personal statement and an academic reference.
• Timeline (Edinburgh, 2027 entry): applications open on 1 September 2026; 13 January 2027 is the UCAS equal consideration deadline, when most programmes close to all applicants; some may stay open and are listed on UCAS. Edinburgh says late applications are considered individually at its discretion and are not guaranteed; if you plan to apply late, contact the admissions team to check whether places remain.
• If you apply to more than one Edinburgh programme, Edinburgh advises asking for guidance first; a College may be prepared to make only one offer.
• Selection: Edinburgh says applications that meet, or are predicted to meet, all entry requirements enter selection, and those missing required subjects and similar requirements cannot be considered further; entering selection does not guarantee an offer. It considers academic qualifications, English qualifications, the personal statement, the academic reference and any programme-specific additional requirements. Applicants who applied by the deadline receive a decision no later than UCAS’s reject-by-default date in May.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Highers Mathematics at B (most recent offers AAAAA) plus National 5 English at C; or A-level Mathematics at B / AS Mathematics at A (A*A*A* to A*AA); or IB HL Mathematics at 5 (40 to 37 points)
• Apply through UCAS by 13 January 2027 with L100 or another programme code

International applicants (including those from China):

• A-level, IB, MLWSP Diploma and similar; the Chinese Senior High School Certificate needs further study such as an International Foundation Programme; whether the Gaokao is considered is not published, 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 to transfer:

• Apply through UCAS and contact the admissions office; the economics pages do not list second-year entry and credit conversion is not published

Sources: The University of Edinburgh, Economics MA; Economics entry requirements; Economics with Finance; Economics with Management Science; Economics and Accounting; Economics and Mathematics; Economics and Politics; Economics and Statistics; 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; Living costs; When to apply; How applicants are selected; Apply through UCAS; Transfer from another university; Apply for entry to second year. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check Edinburgh for the latest details.