The Best Universities in Scotland for International Students
- Originally published
- Last updated on March 5th, 2024 at 11:03 am
Table of Contents
What’s the Best University in Scotland?
Scotland is home to legendary loch monsters, Highland Games, Iron Age archaeological sites, and 50,000 international students every year.
Are you thinking about joining them? Start with the basics of how to apply and go to a Scottish university.
This safe and charming northern corner of the UK has been drawing students to its romantic hills for centuries. However, not all universities have the same pull for international students, nor can they all support international students best. We wanted to know what the best universities in Scotland for international students are.
Who invites international students in, offers support, develops a robust global community, AND offers safety, fun, tons of courses to choose from, and a low cost of living, too? Does that dream school exist?
So we broke down some key stats, from academics to costs and happiness to find out which Scottish universities are closest to the ideal.
The best university in Scotland for international students is the University of Stirling. Above average in academic rankings, but A+ on costs and happiness, it’s a campus where sports, nature, and smarts collide and where we couldn’t find one international student to tell us they were unhappy.
If you’re planning to study in Scotland, look at the basics of studying in Scotland vs. the UK, and make sure you know how your Scottish degree will differ from a British one.
How is this Scored?
From the high crime rate of Dundee, topping other Scottish cities, to the University of St. Andrews’ wallet-busting price point, where are the best universities in Scotland for international students? We wanted to find the Scotland universities that balance:
- Academics: Including rating, teacher-student ratio, and international student support
- Costs: Tuition, cost of living in that city, and student accommodation
- Happiness: Reviewed by city residents, and local crime rate
We broke each category down for international students, looking at international tuition rates, the number of international students, and the quality of life in different Scottish cities to specifically focus our ratings for the international set. After all, what works for locals isn’t always best for foreign students. Some need extra guidance and a student population that’s diverse. Others want an international reputation that will follow them home after graduation when they’re looking for their first job.
The best universities in Scotland for international students aren’t just the “best” in academic rankings. They’re the best places where newcomers can learn and thrive.
Our university rankings mix scholarship with lifestyle, but always keep in mind the specifics of international experience. For example, we want to see a university devoted to admitting international students, because international student centers can be notoriously helpful, when they have experience and serve more incoming students.
We collected data in all three categories on Scotland’s primary universities:
- University of Edinburgh (Guide / Stats)
- University of Glasgow (Guide / Stats)
- University of Strathclyde (Guide / Stats)
- University of St. Andrews (Guide / Stats)
- Queen Margaret University (Guide / Stats)
- Abertay University (Guide / Stats)
- University of the Highlands and Islands (Guide)
- University of the West of Scotland (Guide)
- Scotland’s Rural College SRUC
- Robert Gordon University (Guide / Stats)
- Glasgow Caledonian University (Guide / Stats)
- Edinburgh Napier University (Guide / Stats)
- University of Dundee (Guide / Stats)
- University of Aberdeen (Guide / Stats)
- Heriot-Watt University (Guide / Stats)
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
How Did the Best Universities Score in Every Category?
Here is the breakdown of how the best universities in Scotland for international students compare on core factors.
Big Findings
1. Great All-Arounders are Hard to Find
There’s no Simone Biles (who can do every event) of Scotland. The thing that stands out in this table is that there aren’t really ANY universities that are top competitors in every event.
2. Big Cities Have High Costs
The reason why it’s hard to “have it all” is because top academic contenders in big cities tend to have lower happiness scores and higher costs, making it hard for universities to score well in both categories.
Students must pick their poison: in Scotland, if they want academic excellence and an international atmosphere, it will likely come with a higher price tag.
Want the best of everything? The top winner, the University of Stirling, does a good job balancing academics with happiness and affordability.
#1 The University of Stirling is the Best Overall
Winning our happiness category, the University of Stirling also pulls in the overall prize for best university in Scotland for international students.
What makes it stand out? Its stellar quality of life and rock-bottom cost of living. While Stirling comes in #3 for cost, you’ll pay just about £5,000 more there overall than at the most affordable Scottish college, Queen Margaret. In the meantime, you’ll increase your happiness quotient 25%. Not a bad trade-off.
On a campus that’s 27% international, Stirling also has systems to help newcomers get acclimated to university life. The International Student Support Team can help you with visa issues as you embark on your international journey, or troubleshoot difficulties even after you’ve gotten settled in Scotland. There’s a pathways program for students who don’t meet entrance requirements and language courses for non-English-speakers to live and study on the Stirling campus while they ramp up to university-level work and seek admission.
The University of Stirling has been awarded the top spot in the UK for international student experience, so we’re not alone in awarding Stirling high marks in this category. Students say they’re super happy with their education here, which in our book makes it one of the best universities in Scotland for international students.
#2 Runner Up: University of the Highlands and Islands
With multiple campuses across the highlands from Inverness to the Isle of Skye’s Gaelic-only program, you’ll certainly get immersed in Scottish culture if you choose this affordable, high-happiness university.
Off the beaten track from Edinburgh and Glasgow, Inverness offers a low cost of living. Bonus: There’s little crime up here and plenty of jaw-dropping nature. The result? Students at the University of the Highlands and Islands are happier and pay less. If you can do without the amenities of big-city life, you could thrive here, too.
From hillwalking to netball and snow sports, highland clubs and societies beckon the right students to find them and give them a try. Maybe it’s why the city of Inverness comes in 5th overall for resident happiness. UHI also comes in #1 for safety. Its total cost ranks 2nd overall, too, with #3 cheapest tuition.
The downside: this multi-campus university has historically catered to locals more than international students. It can be hard to acclimate to an environment without fellow international buddies or highly experienced international support offices.
#3 Queen Margaret University is the Cheapest for International Students in Scotland
Founded in 1875 as a women’s-only academy for learning about “cookery and the domestic economy,” Queen Margaret is still 77% female today, though the curriculum has widened as the school has gulped up many small institutions, teaching everything from speech therapy to drama. Today, you can study multiple performing arts courses, business, events and festival management, nutrition, nursing, psychiatry, public health, and speech and language therapy, with 58 total degree programs from which to choose.
Queen Margaret’s amazing price tag comes from its international tuition fees of just £7,000 per year. That’s half of the next cheapest University of Abertay.
However, you’ll need to pay more average housing costs of £20,216 over 4 years and fork over roughly £1,746 monthly to live, eat, and get around Edinburgh.
That’s a 4-year grand total of £132,024 (about $167,935). Check out the breakdown of the exact costs for Queen Margaret and all the cheapest universities in Scotland in 2023.
Most Expensive: University of St. Andrews
The total price tag for 4 years of tuition and living in Edinburgh sounds harsh, but it’s nowhere near what you’ll pay at the most expensive university, St. Andrews, where your wallet will take a $356,077 hit between freshers’ week and graduation.
Our most expensive university is about 30% more expensive than its nearest competitor. Most of the discrepancy lies in stratospheric international tuition rates: internationals pay £46,095 annually, which means after four years, they’re paying close to double that of mid-priced institutions in Scotland.
While you’ll pay a lot for it, happiness and low crime rates rule in St. Andrews. And it’s not just residents that are happy with the city of St. Andrews. Students are the happiest with their university in all of Scotland.
St. Andrews really should score among the best universities in Scotland for international students. We sort of wish it scored higher, with its top reviews from students and tight-knit community with an outstanding international outlook.
But with our emphasis on price, the university is dragged down by its out-of-reach price. Students have to pay so much for their great student and academic experience that they may leave St. Andrews at a financial disadvantage.
Best Academics: University of Edinburgh
We crunched The Times university rating, which includes research prowess, student satisfaction, and more, with:
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- the percentage of international students
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- the number of academic programs
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- the teacher-to-student ratio
The winner? It’s #29 ranked University of Edinburgh, an academic power for students. With the most international students, Edinburgh is used to shepherding global students through the logistics of applying, filing for visas, and registering for classes on time and on par with their national counterparts. Even if you’re looking to mingle with locals, a robust international student center and systems to help international students with all the extra work that comes from their move to uni is a bonus that can make or break incoming students.
With the largest number of undergraduate programs, students can take advantage of Scotland’s 4-year “flexible” degrees to explore more programs and subjects before settling into one that’s more likely to be a perfect fit. Combine areas that aren’t even available at other universities and stand out on grad school applications! Or explore areas of interest and graduate a well-rounded citizen. With over 400 degree courses to choose from, Edinburgh blows the competition out of the water.
Edinburgh is also a world-class city for culture, hosting the Edinburgh Fringe Festival every August.
Edinburgh also tops the rest of Scotland in The Times rankings. It beats the University of Glasgow, though both rank well in the global top 100.
Happiest: The University of Stirling
With low crime and more residents who declare they’re happy, Stirling is a great place to call home for 4 years. Stirling didn’t take the top spot for crime — that distinction belongs to the sparsely populated Inverness in the Scottish highlands. But Stirling comes in with a score of 85%, much better than Dundee’s last-place finish among Scottish university cities. It’s the “big” city with the lowest crime rate, and we heard from multiple students who said they feel safe in Stirling walking home at night alone. That wasn’t the case in any other “city” university in Scotland, from Edinburgh to Glasgow to Aberdeen.
Further, residents say they’re happy with their small, friendly city. There’s nature everywhere, with plenty of green spaces. The campus itself seems idyllic, with lakes and garden pathways looking out to rolling hills. Further, it’s one of the cleanest cities in Scotland, which can certainly help your mental health as you trudge between classes and stress over finals.
Who’s the least happy university in Scotland? That’s the University of Aberdeen. With high crime and the lowest percentage of residents who say they feel they belong or have access to green space, Aberdeen is struggling to create the welcoming culture of other Scottish cities.
The Best Universities in Scotland for International Students are the Ones that Make You Feel at Home
World university rankings only tell you so much.
After all, the university of the year means nothing if it’s a place you can’t make your own, learn, and grow.
What do students choose?
That depends on the student, but we’re happy to throw some critical factors into the mix, especially those that apply to international students. So whether you’re only considering the four ancient universities of Scotland or casting a wide net across technological and modern universities, follow your own north star, and you’ll find a university that offers just what you need.
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Jessica Share
Jessica is the writer, Ph.D., and mom-of-an-abroad-student-in-the-UK at the helm of College Abroad Guides. When she's not asking college students where the coolest place to hang out in their city is, she's figuring out how she can make $60 imported Greek oregano potato chips and £50 British bacon potato chips appear on her doorstep for the cost of a local bag of Lay's.
