Top universities

When choosing to study abroad, students pick Scotland because it has some of the best universities in the world.

Three of Scotland’s universities are ranked in the Times Higher Education Top 200 and according to the Office of National Statistics, we are the most highly educated country in Europe.

88%

of international students in Scotland are satisfied with all aspects of their experience at Scottish universities

Great prospects

A Scottish education provides great prospects for employment. Employers highly value graduates from Scottish universities, with nine out of ten graduates finding employment or further study within six months of graduation. This is down to many of the education institutions working in partnership with employers, to fully prepare students for the transition into the work place. After all, 78% of Scottish employers stated that they were ‘very satisfied’ with the work readiness of graduates from our universities, and we have a huge array of jobs across some exciting sectors such as life-sciences, gaming and technology and renewable energies.

Amazing discoveries

A major reason to study in Scotland is to be part of world-renowned research. Researchers in Scottish universities are responsible for many world-changing innovations, such as the MRI scanner and keyhole surgery. The high standard of Scottish education is reflected in the fact that 86% of Scottish research has been judged to be of outstanding impact.

With some of the most highly-rated scientific institutions in the world, studying in Scotland gives students access to world-class facilities and multiple centres of excellence.

Fabulous location

It doesn’t matter if you’re on a rural campus, or on a campus in the heart of one of our cities, Scottish universities offer wide, open green spaces. This means you will have access to plenty of outdoor areas for study, sports, relaxation – or to simply just enjoy nature.

Scotland has some of the major European cities right at its doorstep. London is less than an hour’s flight away and Paris is less than two. With regular flights and airports throughout the country, Scotland provides an ideal platform to experience the best sights Europe has to offer.

Here are some average flight times from Scotland to a range of places across the world:

  • Beijing: 12hrs 30
  • Hong Kong: 14hrs 10
  • Mumbai: 11hrs 50
  • Abu Dhabi: 9 hrs 30
  • Barcelona: 2 hrs 40
  • New York: 7 hrs 45
  • San Francisco: 13 hrs 50

Map of the world showing average flight times from Scotland to major places across the world

And not to forget…

Scotland is bursting with exciting events all year round, which make it an ideal place to study and live. Every year there are over 350 festivals, from the biggest music acts at TRNSMT Music Festival, to the world’s largest arts festival at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, there's always something new and exciting happening in Scotland – another great reason to study here.

Students sitting on the beach at St Andrews.

London graduates of the University of the West of Scotland taking a selfie.

Students at Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University working collaboratively.