Scotland is part of the UK, so Indian students use the same Student visa and the same post-study rules as in England, yet its degrees, cities and costs differ in useful ways. Most undergraduate degrees take four years, many master's courses take one, and visa funds are lower than in London. In our Study Abroad with Piyush video filmed at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, students also describe a welcoming city and a hard job market. This guide uses figures from each university's own website, so you can compare fees, living costs, scholarships and job prospects before you apply.
- GOV.UK currently lists Student visa living funds of 1,171 pounds a month outside London, for up to nine months
- The University of Edinburgh's immigration page says this changes to 1,203 pounds a month for applications submitted on or after 30 November
- The visa fee is 558 pounds, and the health surcharge is 776 pounds a year.
Why Do Indian Students Choose to Study in Scotland?
Students usually mention the universities, the shorter one-year master's, professional accreditation and a calmer life than London. Scotland has 19 higher education institutions, as per the Scottish Government. In our video, one student says Edinburgh cost less than Australia, their first choice, and another chose a course for its professional accreditation.
Scotland is not automatically cheap. International fees at the older universities can match those elsewhere in the UK, and Edinburgh's living cost estimate is high. The real advantage is choice: you can pick a research-heavy ancient university, a career-focused modern one, or a smaller city with lower rent. Decide what you want from the degree first, then compare.
Which Scottish Universities Should Indian Students Consider?
Common choices include Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews, Aberdeen, Strathclyde, Heriot-Watt, Dundee and Edinburgh Napier. They differ widely in fees and entry standards, so compare the exact course. The table below shows sample international fees from each university's own website at the time of writing, not an average for the university.
| University | Sample course or group | International fee a year |
|---|---|---|
| University of Glasgow | Undergraduate arts and social sciences; science and engineering | 27,720 pounds; 33,210 pounds |
| University of Glasgow | MSc Computing Science or Data Analytics | 34,815 pounds |
| University of St Andrews | Undergraduate arts, divinity or science, on its India page for a recent entry year | 31,670 pounds |
| University of Aberdeen | Undergraduate arts and social sciences; sciences | 20,800 pounds; 24,800 pounds |
| University of Aberdeen | MSc International Business and Finance | 26,250 pounds; 18,250 pounds after its scholarship for self-funded students |
| University of Strathclyde | MSc Occupational Psychology, next entry | 28,500 pounds |
| Heriot-Watt University | MSc Data Science, Edinburgh, January intake | 26,296 pounds |
| University of Edinburgh | All courses | Listed in its degree finder; fixed each year for international undergraduates |
| University of Dundee and Edinburgh Napier | All courses | Listed on each course page |
Fees rise for each new entry year, so treat these as a guide. Glasgow's page already shows expected fees for the following year, and Strathclyde says fees for longer courses can rise each year by up to 10 percent. Edinburgh says its international undergraduate fee stays fixed for your course, based on your start date.
Heriot-Watt UniversityRead →How Long Do Degrees in Scotland Take?
Most undergraduate degrees in Scotland take four years, compared with three for many in England. The University of Edinburgh says this gives a broader, more flexible education. Many taught master's courses take one year, including Heriot-Watt's MSc Data Science and Strathclyde's MSc Occupational Psychology, so check your exact course.
Glasgow says its honours degrees in arts, humanities, social sciences and science let you study several subjects before you specialise, and usually take four years. St Andrews describes the same four-year model. Edinburgh adds that well-qualified applicants may enter directly into Year 2 in many science and engineering subjects, which is worth asking about if you have strong grades. Remember that four years means four years of fees and living costs, so calculate the full total, not just the first year.
What Are the Entry Requirements for Indian Students?
Requirements vary by university and course. For postgraduate study, the University of Edinburgh treats 60 percent from an Indian university outside its list, or 55 percent from one on its list, as equivalent to a 2:1. Heriot-Watt's MSc International Business Management asks for a 2:2 or its equivalent.
English tests also vary: Strathclyde's MSc Occupational Psychology asks for IELTS 6.5 overall with no score below 5.5. St Andrews recommends applying by 30 November for the following year's entry, and undergraduates apply through UCAS, whose main deadline for most courses is reported as 13 January; check ucas.com. Postgraduates usually apply directly to the university. Heriot-Watt's MSc Data Science needs substantial computer science and programming content, with a two-year route for those without that background, which is a useful option if you are changing fields.
UK Intakes: September, January and UCAS DatesRead →How Much Does It Cost to Live in Scotland?
It depends heavily on the city. The University of Edinburgh estimates about 1,542 pounds a month, or 18,504 pounds a year, for a single postgraduate, with accommodation and utilities making up most of it. Smaller cities may cost less, but check each university's own estimate before you set your budget.
| Monthly cost in Edinburgh (university estimate) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Accommodation and utilities | 978 pounds |
| Food and other shopping | 248 pounds |
| Socialising, leisure and wellbeing | 246 pounds |
| Local bus travel, age 22 and over | 58 pounds |
| Mobile phone contract | 12 pounds |
| Total | 1,542 pounds |
Edinburgh warns that the visa funds figure can be much lower than real living costs, and it advises against building your budget around that figure. University housing can go quickly too: Edinburgh says most new international students are guaranteed a room but must meet application deadlines, and St Andrews says it guarantees accommodation for entrant undergraduates.
Cost of Living in the UKRead →How Much Money Do You Need to Show for the Visa?
You show your first year's unpaid tuition plus living funds for up to nine months. GOV.UK currently lists 1,171 pounds a month outside London, which is 10,539 pounds for nine months. The University of Edinburgh says the figure becomes 1,203 pounds, or 10,827 pounds, for applications on or after 30 November.
- Student visa fee: 558 pounds from outside the UK, as per GOV.UK at the time of writing
- Immigration health surcharge: 776 pounds a year
- TB test: required for Indian applicants
- Funds must be held for 28 days, and the evidence must be dated within 31 days of your application
- Timing: you can apply up to six months before your course, and a decision usually takes up to three weeks from outside the UK
Some older guides still show a visa fee of 363 pounds, which no longer matches GOV.UK, so check any figure you read against the official page.
UK Student Visa Funds: How Much Money Do You Need?Read →Which Scholarships Can Indian Students Get in Scotland?
Most are partial tuition awards from individual universities, not full funding. Aberdeen lists an 8,000 pound Global Scholarship for eligible self-funded international master's students. Edinburgh Napier has a South Asia Scholarship, and Dundee lists awards of 2,000 to 3,000 pounds with named closing dates. Check whether each award is open for your intake.
- Edinburgh Napier South Asia Scholarship: 3,000 pounds for one-year postgraduate courses, 2,000 pounds a year for undergraduates (up to 8,000 pounds for Indian undergraduates); limited awards, self-funded students only, currently listed up to the January intake
- University of Dundee: says all its scholarships are partial fee reductions and that it does not offer fully funded awards
- GREAT Scholarships India: British Council awards of at least 10,000 pounds each; Dundee's award for this entry closed in May, so watch for the next round
- Chevening: a UK government award for master's study, with applications for the current cycle closed in early October
Saltire Scholarships appear on many guides, often worth 8,000 pounds. We could not confirm a current round on any official page, and one funding directory says the programme has been discontinued. Do not plan your finances around it unless your university confirms it is running.
How Easy Is It to Find a Job After Studying in Scotland?
Expect it to be hard, especially if you need visa sponsorship. In our video, a civil engineer with a Heriot-Watt master's has not yet found a job in the field, and an accounting student knows no international graduate from that course with one. Another says most friends are still struggling.
The students point to sponsorship cost as the main barrier. Guides quoting GOV.UK currently put the general Skilled Worker salary at 41,700 pounds and the new entrant rate at 33,400 pounds, so check GOV.UK. The Graduate visa helps, but it falls to 18 months for applications from early next year, and the graduate in our video says employers want people who can stay longer. The same graduate says the campus careers team reviews CVs, and that London has more jobs in construction management, around four hours away by train. They still value the degree, because it can also be used in India or elsewhere. Their advice is simple: come for the qualification, but do not come only for a UK job.
How to Get a Job in the UK After GraduationRead →