Best Universities in Scotland 2023

As Scotland's oldest university, founded in 1414, the University of St Andrews is steeped in tradition. From gowns to Raisin Monday, from the May Dip to academic parents, the University of St Andrews is the Hogwarts of the university world. Not only does it boast having the future King of England as one of its alumni, it has also educated five Nobel Laureates, cementing its strong academic reputation. As for graduate prospects, St Andrews' alumni earn an average of £27,000.

St Andrews is a small town situated on the east coast of Scotland. Its location delivers iconic beaches and world famous golf courses. With just over 10,000 students enrolled in courses, St Andrews maintains a family feel. But do not fear, even though St Andrews is a small town, there is still plenty for students to get involved in. With over 55 sports clubs and 140 student societies, there are a wealth of options to suit everyone's tastes.

The University of Glasgow has a history stretching back to 1451 and it is spread across 3 university campuses. Students praise the beautiful location and excellent facilities, which are about to get even better. Glasgow is currently investing in a major re-development of its campus facilities to the tune of £1 billion: the James McCune Smith Learning Hub, which provides state-of-the-art learning and is a teaching facility with capacity for more than 2,500 students, is the first building to open as part of this investment. It is also one of two Russell Group universities in Scotland, showing its excellence in academic research.

Glasgow has a strong academic track record with a long list of notable alumni including Adam Smith, James Watt and Lord Kelvin, not to mention 8 Nobel Laureates. But it's not all nose to the grindstone. With over 300 clubs and societies to choose from, there is plenty to get stuck into socially, be it MedTech, zoology, Star Wars, biscuits, wine and cheese or gaming! There are also numerous fun-filled events hosted by societies throughout the year, like debate training, quizzes and open mic nights. Not only that, the city is steeped in culture with enough museums and galleries to keep history and arts buffs entertained for hours.

With over 23,000 students, the University of Strathclyde is a vibrant bustling university in the heart of Glasgow city. The university's facilities are organised around their core strengths in engineering, humanities and social science, science and Strathclyde Business School, with a wide range of notable achievements from each area. 

Strathclyde’s campus has everything a student needs at their fingertips, from essentials like laundry, the library and a strong IT infrastructure to health and wellbeing support, entertainment through the Students' Union and a plethora of student societies. 

Strathclyde has a strong reputation for both engineering and business management, with the only Business School in Scotland to be triple accredited and placed in the top 100 Business Schools by QS. With ambitious investment plans over the next 10 years, Strathclyde is sure to be a firm favourite with students for many years to come.

The University of Aberdeen combines ancient traditions with modern teaching and facilities. Teaching is organised across 12 schools which encompass a broad range of disciplines. Boasting multi-million pound investment, students are provided with some of the best facilities in the UK. 

The university is found on the North East coast of Scotland, close to the Cairngorms National Park. It is split into two campuses: Old Aberdeen, which hosts the arts, social science and physical science courses, and Foresterhill, which hosts medicine and life sciences. Both campuses are less than 3 miles to Aberdeen beach and the city centre.

Altogether there are over 400 different courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students, many being joint honours degrees, enabling students to combine subjects they love. 

The University of Dundee was originally founded in 1881 and gained its independent status in 1967. On the edge of the city you’ll find the campus, with Campus Green at the heart of it, surrounded by support services, academic departments, the Students' Union, libraries and accommodation. Students love that everywhere on the campus is within easy walking distance, plus the delights of Dundee are also easily accessible. With over 40 sports teams and 250 societies covering a broad range of interests, students aren’t short of activities to get involved in. As an added bonus, students also get free access to the Botanical Gardens! 

Dundee has a great track record for graduate outcomes. At 87.4%, it ranks 14th in the UK and top in Scotland for the proportion of graduates entering high skilled employment.

Notable alumni include the founder of Forbes Magazine, B.C.Forbes and Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt, the pioneer of radar technology. 

It's no wonder Dundee University is a popular choice with its students!

As one of the four ancient universities in Scotland, the University of Edinburgh lives up to its reputation of leading in research and teaching as well as delivering an excellent student experience in one of the most picturesque and vibrant cities in the UK. With 5 campuses spread across the city, students get all the benefits of city life combined with a close-knit campus experience. Edinburgh city has a unique combination of history and culture and it plays host to some of the most popular events to be ticked off any student’s bucket list, for example the Edinburgh Fringe or its world-renowned Hogmanay celebrations (New Years Eve!).

The University of Edinburgh is a truly diverse institution with students from over 140 countries learning side-by-side. Not only that, Edinburgh offers an extensive study abroad programme to enable students to immerse themselves in another culture.

As you would expect, Edinburgh has a strong track record in graduate employment with 96% of graduates finding employment or postgraduate study within 6 months of graduation.

University of Stirling was founded in 1967 and boasts a unique location next to the castle and loch and enjoys views of the foothills of the Scottish Highlands. The university has been split into five faculties, each of which comprises multiple departments, institutes and centres. 97% of graduates are either in full time employment or further study six months after graduating.

Robert Gordon University, commonly known as RGU, prides itself on its reputation for producing graduates that are highly sought after by employers. The university has 11 academic schools based at the Garthdee Campus just outside Aberdeen city centre.

Glasgow Caledonian University is known to have excellent links with industry and many courses have accreditation from professional bodies with opportunities for work placements and to study or work abroad. The university is recognised as one of the largest providers of NHS healthcare graduates in Scotland, particularly in nursing.

Heriot-Watt University was founded in 1821 as the world’s first mechanics institute in the heart of Edinburgh. Nowadays the university has its UK campuses based in Edinburgh, on the Scottish borders and Orkney as well as a few dotted globally. It is particularly well known for research in business and industry.