The University of Edinburgh - Introduction to Postgraduate Study
17 Dec 2025, 13:00
Edinburgh
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Course summary
The study of software engineering will allow you to write good software and give you the necessary engineering skills to meet system requirements, including:
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reliability
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maintainability
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usability
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cost-effectiveness
Our programme includes the practical application of computing sciences, as computer systems grow in size and complexity.
We offer a wide range of courses delivered by leaders in their field. Our degree flexibility allows you to tailor your experience to your interests and be in control of your learning.
Is this degree for me?
You do not need to have taken Computer Science or learned programming as all students are taught computation from a common starting point. You need to have taken mathematics, as enthusiasm for mathematics is key to being successful in our programmes.
Second year entry is not available.
Programme benefits
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Tailor your experience to your interests and be in control of your learning: choose from a wide range of courses, from the theoretical to those that let you apply what you learn.
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Gain a degree that opens doors in most industries: our graduates are in high demand not only within the growing technology sector but across a wide range of organisations where Informatics graduates are highly valued.
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Benefit from research-driven teaching by internationally leading academics.
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Take advantage of our strong links to industry with local, national and global contacts. Student societies based in our School host industry events, monthly student tech meetups, regular workshops and hackathons.
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Study in Edinburgh, a city regularly voted among the UK’s top student cities (Top 2 in the UK, QS Best Student Cities 2024).
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We are the largest Informatics department in Europe. You will be part of a large, vibrant community of students and staff from over 100 countries.
How to apply
Apply by
14 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- G600
- Institution code:
- E56
- Campus name:
- Central area campus
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Standard Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - A*A*A* - AAB
A*A*A* - AAB. These grades should be achieved in one set of exams. Required subjects: A levels: Mathematics at A. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
Scottish Higher - AAAAA
AAAAA (achievement by end of S5 preferred). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: Mathematics at A. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. Advanced Higher Mathematics is recommended. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. National 5s: English at C.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 43 - 34 points
from 43 points with 777 at HL to 34 points with 665 at HL. Required subjects: HL: Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 6. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. SL: English at 5.
Apply for only one Computer Science degree as we are only able to consider one application to this subject area. We normally make offers to the highest qualified applicants. If competition for places is high this may mean that offers will only be made to applicants who are predicted, or who have achieved, above the single set of grades or the upper grade level in a range. Any conditional offer made may require you to achieve grades above the upper grade level. Therefore, achieving the top of our standard entry requirements does not guarantee a place on the relevant degree.
Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
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A level - ABB
ABB. Required subjects: A levels: Mathematics at A. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
Scottish Higher - AABB
AABB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: Mathematics at A. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. Advanced Higher Mathematics is recommended. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. National 5s: English at C.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 32 points
32 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 6. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. SL: English at 5.
Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 92 | total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | total 176 with at least 162 in each component. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | total 176 with at least 162 in each component. | |
| Trinity ISE | ISE II with distinctions in all four components. |
You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C;
GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.
Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website: https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
The University of Edinburgh welcomes students from the UK and all over the world. We accept a wide range of qualifications and our policies support students with diverse backgrounds and experience. UCAS entry grade data is currently not available for our degrees but we publish admissions statistics on our website. We also provide information on widening access offers and entry requirements.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
- Data from:
- This course and 9 other computer science courses
- Date range:
- 2022-2024
Grades held by accepted students
- A*A*A*
- Highest grades
- ABB
- Lowest grades
Offer rate for UK school & college leavers
Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.
This course has a required grade that may not be listed in the data. Check the entry requirements for the full qualification requirements.
How do you compare?
See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | £1820* | Year 1 |
| England | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9535* | Year 1 |
| EU | £38900 | Year 1 |
| International | £38900 | Year 1 |
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.
Please note the 2026-27 fee rate is yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.
England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed. The fee for 2025 entry was £9,535.
For 2026 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits
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EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.
Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
Visit our website Visit our course page
Course contact details
Student Recruitment & Admissions
Email:futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:0131 650 4360
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