Studying in Edinburgh: A student’s short guide

Studying in Scotland’s capital can provide you with an unrivalled student experience — a wide variety of higher education opportunities within a beautiful, historic city boasting world-renowned festivals and a year-round vibrant nightlife. As well providing the highest standards of education, Edinburgh has won 12 Best City awards, as well as being named the third best city to live in in the 2014 Good Growth for Cities Index. Edinburgh University is currently ranked 19th in the World. There are so many things to do in Edinburgh, you’ll never get round to them all.
 
 So, what makes Edinburgh so great?
 
 Culture
 
 As well as the world-famous Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland’s own crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny (used for the inauguration of all Scottish monarchs, there’s the shop-lined Royal Mile, which stretches from the castle to Holyrood Palace (the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland);

Arthur’s Seat, which commands a 360 degree view of the entire city and the fully-accessible Scottish Parliament, so you could pop in to visit the debating chamber.

The Royal Botanic garden is also worth a look (it’s free after all), with its 28 hectares of plant collections, cafes and an art gallery.

There is also the National Museum of Scotland which has galleries dedicated to science and technology, world culture and Scottish history and archaeology — perfect for a rainy day (and also free!).

Entertainment
 
 There are many dedicated clubs nights for students, such as “Temple” at the venue Silk on a Thursday night which serves vodka mixers for £1, geared specifically towards students. On George Street, where most of the nightclubs are found, Monday night is students only, so there are a lot of great drinks deals to be had.

If nightclubs aren’t your thing, check out Usher Hall, home to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra — one of the grandest concert halls in the United Kingdom. As well recitals from the orchestra, the hall is regularly used by rock concert promoters and has seen concerts from artists such as Ed Sheeran and Bon Iver.

Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium is the sixth biggest in the UK, home to the Scottish Rugby Union and hosts the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup, and most of Scotland’s home test matches. It also hosts American football, Rugby league and association football matches, and is a popular music venue. It’s served by trams, trains and buses.

During the summer Edinburgh is also home to the world-famous Fringe festival, the world’s largest arts festival which, as well as theatre productions, also plays host to street performers and stand-up comedians.

Eating out
 
 If you choose to study in Edinburgh, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to great, cheap places to grab a bite to eat. Nile Valley Cafe, serving Sudanese and Middle Eastern cuisine is very popular, as are Origano (Italian), Bindi (Indian/East African) and Oink Grassmarket (hog roasts). Grassmarket is a historic marketplace beneath the Castle boasts a great selection of pubs and restaurants; it’s grisly past (as an execution site) has given way to a European-style plaza.

Student Accommodation
 
 There is a wide variety of student accommodation available in Edinburgh to suit all tastes and budgets. Students commonly share flats, and there is a diverse range of both catered and self-catering university-owned halls. There are also a large number of companies that offer private accommodation exclusively for students — often located in the centre of the city or in close proximity to one of the four universities.

Relaxing
 
 There are a great number of parks and green spaces in Edinburgh to while away a sunny afternoon. Calton Hill, in the city centre, has grassy slopes, panoramic views of the city and it’s unmistakeable unfinished acropolis. This is the location of Scotland’s many fireworks displays including Hogmanay celebrations, the Beltane Fire Festival in April and the grand final of the Fringe.

West Princes Street Gardens are also popular with students; it’s a great place to take a picnic, relax or listen to the bands playing in the Ross Band Stand.

Transport
 
 Public transport is plentiful and cheap (about £1.30 or a single bus journey), and cycling is a popular option for students — there is an extensive network of cycle paths. There is also a Tram network, two train stations and an airport. Parking in central Edinburgh is generally regarded as being a nightmare, so public transport is the way to go. The parking that is available is expensive, so if you are driving, it’s recommended that you make use of the Park and Ride service.

Out and about
 
 It’ll be harder not to stay fit in Edinburgh — the city is both built on and surrounded by hills. If you fancy venturing out of the city for a hike, the Pentlands are a range of hills nearby. There is a mixture of gentle and more serious walks, both of which offer awesome views of the landscape.

Edinburgh is a great city for students — it’s vibrant and buzzing, yet safe, and has a wide variety of things to see and do. Whatever your interests, whatever your budget, there’s something for everyone in Edinburgh.