From Center to Fringe: Edinburgh Napier University
- Originally published
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Edinburgh Napier University is one of several hands-on, vocationally-minded universities in Scotland’s culturally-minded capital city. So what makes it different? Who would want to be here instead of, say, Heriot-Watt? If you’ve been asking yourself that question, stick with us. We asked a bunch of students, both past and present. We dug into the website’s own up-to-date information, and we watched wayyyyy too many videos. We asked students about discrepancies we saw to make sure you understand what you’re getting into. Basically: What’s the vibe? What is Edinburgh Napier University like, as a student, hanging in the city, living in the dorms, and studying under the professors?
Still wrapping your head around Scotland? Check out the how-to basics, the cheapest universities, and the best of the best for internationals.
Some Basics to Consider
Degrees: BA, BSc, BDes, BEng, MEng, BN, BM, LLB
Majors: A rankings-topper in journalism, Edinburgh Napier offers vocationally-minded degrees across multiple disciplines, from acting to midwifery. You’ll find offerings from fields as disparate as quantity surveying, law, teaching, tourism, accounting, and marine biology. You won’t find studio arts, or traditional liberal arts fields. In music, students can navigate paths from performance to the modern music industry.
Location: Three campuses within Edinburgh: Craiglockhart (business), Sighthill (applied sciences and health), and Merchiston (the main campus)
Cost for international students: From £15,150 for marketing management courses without labs or high-resource needs. Photography costs international students £17,580 annually, just like engineering.
On-campus housing cost: A standard room with a bath in the city center costs £179 weekly for 39 weeks (totaling £7,014 annually). Premium, large rooms are even more (£9,838) and studio apartments cost a whopping £10,092. Salt in the wound? The communal room tv won’t work if you don’t buy a license. Nursing students should figure a 50-week tenancy into their costs.
FAFSA Funds: Yes
Abroad from abroad: Yes, with summer options and partner schools available depending on degree. You’ll be limited to partners because of Edinburgh’s trimester system. However, Napier partners with a wide array of schools, and you can check out your options before even applying to Napier, which isn’t always possible at other institutions.
Student body: 15,558 students across campuses. With nearly 8,000 internationals from 150 total countries, this university is one of the most international in the UK, with about 40% of the student body hailing from outside Scotland. That figure does include online global enrollment.
Five adjectives: Cosmopolitan, individualistic, resourceful, international, supportive
Edinburgh and Merchiston for International Students at Edinburgh Napier
If Edinburgh Napier had a single home base, this is it: the center of the city, built quite literally around the 16th-century stone birthplace of founder, mathematician, and calculator inventor, John Napier. It’s the campus that houses the schools of Creative Arts and Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. That’s apt, since the environment itself is a collage of old and new, bustling with creative energy, but anchored by ancient buildings, like Napier’s castle, where the very bricks have been absorbed into the modern university architecture.
Edinburgh is quite posh. It’s cultured, it’s beautiful, and there’s a stereotype the students at Edinburgh are, too. At Edinburgh Napier, students are also passionate about culture, film, journalism, the arts…they also want the tools to be in those industries on a day-to-day basis, not just for looks.
This is the campus simply known as “Napier University” on the Edinburgh bus routes.
It’s also the largest campus, with roughly 4,000 students. However, it doesn’t function like a North American “campus.” Student housing is close-by, down city roads full of tourists, locals, and students. Many students commute. “Campus life” is urban, parking can be rough, and those seeking a close-knit campus community will find Napier doesn’t resemble their college dreams.
New Yorkers? Edinburgh Napier probably looks more familiar to you. Students here are indulged with tons of food options, bottomless cups of coffee from millions of cafés (we’re pretty sure), and a range of pubs and clubs to suit their unique needs. You’re a mile away from Edinburgh’s central train station, and the walk is pleasant. That makes the city accessible for students, even without hopping the ubiquitous busses that seem to be the mascots of this city.
If you’re at the Merchiston campus, try to get accommodation in the city. Though the bus ride is fast, when you go out in Edinburgh in the rain, you’ll already be close to home and won’t have to rely on buses.
The campus isn’t smack in the central city core. Instead, you’ll find the neighborhood a maze of terraced stone row houses with their multiple chimneys. Merchiston, with its mix of traditional Victorian architecture and trendy establishments, offers students a microcosm of the larger city. Not far from the university, you’ll find an array of cafes, boutiques, and cultural venues. Nevertheless, the neighborhood has a student vibe, and it can be less expensive than nearby Morningside, where you’ll find more 20-somethings hitting up gastropubs (and more shopping).
However, this is still Edinburgh. The cost of living here is #5 in the UK, and an individual can expect to spend over £2,000 per month on living. Students say the costs are astronomical, and warn that off-campus flats near the city and Merchiston campus often list for £150 to £300/weekly.
Edinburgh’s reputation for culture has pushed prices up. The city’s a beacon to literary denizens and is fittingly the first UNESCO City of Literature. This heritage is evident in Merchiston, where Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born.
Safety is a priority in Edinburgh, and the city is generally considered safe for students. Merchiston is no exception, with its well-lit streets and active community. Of course, like any city, it’s always wise to stay aware of your surroundings, especially at night. Neighbors In fact, Marchmont and Morningside are considered two of Edinburgh’s safest areas.
The university helps by offering a SafeZone app that connects students to security 24/7, as well as helping them call for help more easily and keep on top of any kind of threat on campus. You can also use it in a medical emergency.
I don’t feel unsafe near the Merchiston campus at all. It’s very residential. You’ll get yelling on weekends, drunk people, and stolen bikes but not violent crime. Edinburgh overall just has a really safe feel to it.
Edinburgh is a city that prides itself on inclusivity and diversity. The LGBTQ+ community will find a host of welcoming spaces and events, particularly in the city center. Venues such as The Street and CC Blooms are popular among locals and students alike. The annual Edinburgh Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of diversity and acceptance.
Students can find foods and friends from their native lands in this large melting pot of a city where the stereotype of students from the local universities is that they’re not often Scottish. Edinburgh doesn’t have distinct cultural neighborhoods, like Little Italy, but they do have multiple Asian groceries. You can hit up Paper Rack on the Waverley Steps for an international newspaper, then read it at the Bearded Baker over a bagel. Or at Bodega over a street-style taco. No matter what you’re missing, there’s something for your homesick heart in this large, international city.
Hanging in John Napier’s Stomping Ground
As you study here at the former home of mathematician John Napier, you’ll find the stately home now belongs to the School of Engineering, Computing, and Creative Industries. While the exterior exudes historic charm, inside you’ll find cutting-edge facilities like the Jack Kilby Computing Centre and a Foley studio for sound engineering. It’s not only chock full of spacious design studios, it’s got fantastic views all the way to Edinburgh Castle.
Computer security is some of the best in the UK. The facilities are straight-up amazing. It’s so large and kitted out well with all the programs you could want. From media programs to security, most aspects of computing are covered well by the university. There are few students in computing who wouldn’t be served by what we have here.
Future digital media moguls, bloggers, photographers, animators, game designers, and podcasters hang out in the spacious facilities, all designed for hands-on experimentation. There are classroom labs for security scenarios and classroom labs for creative computing, including augmented and virtual reality. There’s a newsroom and a business incubator. There are two cafés. Overall, it is a dynamic space for students in related disciplines to come together and create. And the library and computer lab are open 24 hours in the 1st and 2nd trimesters, which comes in handy if you leave things until the last minute.
I love that what we do in class is quite interesting and fits within what we want to be doing in our careers. If we’re designing a digital product, we go out around campus and shoot it, write it, bring it together. We edit it, add graphics, and ultimately create digital products. I have everything I need at my fingertips.
Students may get out on campus to film and create, but they won’t find themselves lounging on green lawns around a central quad or napping in the grass. While the streets are leafy and pleasant, there’s no green space on campus at all. Typically, students commute indoor classrooms for class, hang out inside campus buildings to study in the library or computer lab, and walk back home afterward.
Those who are looking to blow off steam by joining the rugby or archery clubs, you will have to commute to another Napier campus to make it happen. The commute is better than if you join the surf club — you’ll have to commute to Dunbar to find local waves, or join the club on annual vacation trips to spots like Portugal and the Canary Islands.
Heck, even the indoor gym is on the Sighthill Campus, which means that students who aren’t in health courses or sports science will have to make the trek.
Public transportation in Edinburgh is outstanding, and all the students here can get around between campuses super easily.
For Americans used to a contained campus, or even used to sticking to one campus and ignoring that one on the other side of the city (or the state), Edinburgh Napier will take some adjustment. Students here have to adopt the mindset that the city’s bus system is at their beck and call, and the entirety of this fabulous city is just part of their extra-large campus.
Living on Campus in Edinburgh
Student housing at Napier underscores the “city as campus” mentality of this university. There are 4 student accommodations run by the university, spread throughout the city. Bainfield is the residence recommended for freshers and students under 20. It’s just under a mile from the Merchiston campus, but it’s also just over a mile from Edinburgh Castle.
Students seem pretty happy with the transport links on the main road and walkability to both campus and Old Town. Single rooms with 3/4 double beds and en suite bathrooms aren’t bad either. Kitchens and common rooms are shared between a small group of flatmates, though the tv in your living room won’t work without a license.
Overall, the residency experience feels more like a student apartment complex compared to a dorm experience. That same observation might be realistically leveled at most UK dorms, but at Edinburgh Napier in particular, it feels important. However, students aren’t left completely on their own. They can call 24-hour security to handle disturbances, and they tell us WhatsApp groups and flatmate dinners are ways of making community away from home.
Social spaces at Bainfield can be awesome, and the location is unparalleled. However, the value for the money is not. According to many students, rooms are too small and maintenance lacking.
You are asked to report things that need fixing, but that hasn’t, in my case, meant anyone comes out and does anything about it.
However, other students report that students and a spirit of camaraderie win the day anyway.
The RAs are amazing. All of them. They put on events and got people out of their rooms and talking, and really tried to mix it up with different kinds of events and make sure everyone was getting something out of the halls experience.
Overall, Edinburgh’s university and private housing are a core sore spot among students. Leave the halls for the private market, and you may just find your wallet isn’t any happier, and you’re more socially isolated than ever. It’s a tough decision that students don’t want to have to make. For now, they’re happy to have a safe, warm space in Edinburgh.
Learning at Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh Napier has never had the privilege of looking inward. From its inception, it’s been tethered to the life of the local economy. For example, when it was merely Edinburgh Technical College in 1964, students could take courses in boat making, cabinetry, and coopering.
Now, as a university, Edinburgh Napier continues to have its sights set on a world outside its campus. With one foot in the industries of Scotland and the other set on its global student body, Edinburgh Napier has a lot of experience listening to the needs of both students and community, and reinventing its courses as those needs change. Maybe that’s why it encourages individuality, critical thinking, and a dash of iconoclasm, and why it remains committed to supporting all its students through higher education.
Edinburgh Napier has also leaned into student support. The University claims that it tries to provide the most supportive environment it can to students with the mission to get graduates the best employment possible. That has led to a twin emphasis on student support and cutting-edge academics with hands-on teaching.
The teaching style of Edinburgh Napier is lots of group and collaborative projects, lots of discussion. It’s meant to feel like a workplace and it does.
You’ll find over 60 student clubs and societies headquartered at the Merchiston campus, along with plenty of events open to all. There are “Support Lunches” for those feeling down about what’s happening in their own countries to Diwali Festivities for Indian students far from home. The university also hosts global entrepreneurs’ nights, and sometimes you’ll just find winter crafts to make at a boot between classes. There’s a constant stream of activities, all of which aim to offer students a friendly support base bring them into the fold of university life.
The student organization, ENSA, is absolutely the best organization to work with. The university and the student support services really go out of their way to make sure everyone gets what they need to participate and to make better programming for students.
Further, the international student portal is thorough and helpful. They can get you squared away with letters for visas and travel so that you’re not navigating the UK bureaucracy alone. There are also international student ambassadors, so seek advice from these friendly helpers or pursue becoming an ambassador if you’re on the hunt for an international-friendly job opportunity.
Academically, the university follows mirrors the mission of student support services and clubs: their mission is to undergird student needs and make sure everyone can thrive and graduate. One way of making sure the university is open to all is to provide flexible courses. Students can choose classes that aren’t in their fields and create a pathway that fits their individual interests, depending on their course. They can also change courses with minimal interruption if they find their current path is not ideal.
That flexibility mixed with the emphasis on work readiness gives Edinburgh Napier an edge for students who want to end up well-prepared, but perhaps with their own feet in a couple of different fields. It also helps boost Edinburgh Napier to the top of the charts in the UK for student satisfaction.
They’re also tops for students who dive deep but want to come away with unique work experience you won’t find outside Edinburgh. For instance, acting students can choose to cap their studies by writing an undergraduate dissertation or producing a short film (and they’re given a budget for that). But they can also start a theatre company and introduce it to the world at the famed Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
With budget and venue provided by the university, students juggle all the real-world roles related to the show they’ll perform dozens of times for the throngs of festival-goers who turn up to see it: they’ll plan for budget, PR, costume and set design, soliciting a production team, and marketing the show.
Maybe that’s why Napier ranks #1 in the UK for teaching in drama.
Learning Business by Starting a Business
Excited to start something but not a theatre geek? Edinburgh Napier is there for you, too. Edinburgh Napier has supported 27% of student startups in Scotland, leading to 700 new Scottish companies and even more students in business for themselves. Through the Bright Red Triangle Entrepreneurship Center, the university offers mentoring, competitions, and yep, funding, to get student startups off the ground.
I gained the confidence to know my ideas could succeed and how to focus on the fundamentals, like getting product/market fit right, understanding my industry, and finding partners. Everything I do in the future, I can replicate this because I have the experience.
With Bright Red Triangle’s help, recent students have launched menstrual product companies, street food trucks, underwear for insulin pump users, and lithium battery recyclers. As long as it’s a business, it fits into the entrepreneurial spirit of the center, which also runs workshops to help small freelancers build their businesses.
In the UK, ex-polytechnics often gain an undeserved reputation as “lesser” compared to older universities with a liberal arts focus. Why? There’s no logical reason. Edinburgh Napier suffers from some of this stigma. But, in the same vein, it benefits from the stereotype that these vocationally-minded schools provide more nurturing teaching, increased student support, and better job placement. Soak that up and hold your head high while they’re telling you you’re not as smart as the Edinburgh Uni students.
While you might enjoy more time bringing large projects to fruition at Edinburgh Napier, you’ll also likely spend quite a bit of time doing the “traditional” thing and hitting the books. Hard.
Academics are challenging. Don’t expect to have a social life. Expect to know your stuff.
Students report that academics here are intense. When you need to know a problem through and through, then propose ways to solve it, you’ve probably had to complete a lot of foundational reading.
Edinburgh Napier doesn’t shy away from its workaholic side, expecting students to immerse themselves in their fields. After all, if you’re going to be Edinburgh’s next magnate, you better bring your A-game.
Can you Apply?
Edinburgh would like to see your GPA Of 2.8 or higher, along with one of these: an SAT of 1000 or higher (500 in each section), an ACT of 24 or higher, or 3 AP tests of 4 or higher. If you have an IB degree, you’ll need a total score of 26-30 in relevant subjects. Apply on the Common App, or through the UK portal UCAS. With UCAS, you’ll need a personal statement. The international application deadline is June 30. Apply earlier to make sure you have time to receive a response, commit, be issued an offer, secure a visa, and make travel plans.
Perfect your Scottish Brogue Somewhere Else
Edinburgh Napier was a university that won our hearts. It felt so super cool to start a theater troupe and go off to international festivals to make it big. Our universities also claimed to support student projects, but no one ever handed us cash like Edinburgh Napier does. It’s a special place that feels more supportive than similar institutions. But it’s not everyone’s jam. Try the University of Edinburgh for a liberal arts flair, or Heriot-Watt for more emphasis on computer security and tech hands-on learning.
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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.
