Chemistry MChem Level: Undergraduate Subject: Chemistry Year of entry: 2026 Key facts UCAS Code F104 Award MChem Duration of study 4 years, 5 years Delivery Full-time Study location King's Buildings campus Start date September 2026 School School of Chemistry College College of Science and Engineering Study abroad Available Accreditation Available Placement Available Second year entry Available Open days and events Overview About the degree programme Chemistry is the study of atoms, molecules and ions, their structures, properties, synthesis and interactions with each other.The subject covers a wide rang, from simple compounds like sodium chloride to complex molecules such as DNA.The importance of chemistryA knowledge of chemistry informs understanding of science, technology and engineering.A modern chemist can make significant contributions to a sustainable and healthy future. Some examples include the development of:efficient renewable energy sourcessmart materials and devicestargeted medicinal therapiesMChem degree programmeThe MChem degree programme covers topics in all areas of the field, from the basics to the most advanced understanding and applications. In the early years of your degree programme, you will study core courses in chemistry and mathematics.In addition, there is also a flexible curriculum to suit your personal interests. This means you may be able to combine courses in other sciences, arts or humanities with your core chemistry content. This flexibility means you may be able to potentially transfer to an alternative degree programme within science or engineering at the end of Year 1.You will have scope to specialise in Year 4, through your choice of advanced lecture course topics. You will also develop greater leadership and organisational skills through group-based learning and open-ended projects.In your final year, you will gain hands-on experience of research and carry out an in-depth individual research project with a choice of location and context. Studying chemistry at the University of Edinburgh What do our students think? How long it takes to complete this degree programme This programme takes 5 years to complete.If you are eligible for a direct entry into the second year, this programme takes 4 years to complete. Programme rankings 6th in the Complete University Guide 20257th in The Times Good University Guide 202512th in the UK in The Guardian Subject Rankings 2025 Programme benefits All our chemistry programmes are accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry.You will have the opportunity to combine the study of chemistry with a wide range of other subjects in Years 1 and 2.The School of Chemistry scored 75% in the National Student Survey 2024 for overall student satisfaction. Entry requirements Find your entry requirementsUse the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.Select the qualification you are studying or studied. Where you are studying or where you studied United KingdomAfghanistanAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBhutanBoliviaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanYemenZambiaZimbabweMy country is not listed Qualification - Select a qualification -SQA Highers: standard requirementsSQA Highers: widening access requirementsA levels: standard requirementsA levels: widening access requirementsIB: standard requirementsIB: widening access requirementsOther UK qualificationsMature applicants (including adult returners)International qualifications by country United Kingdom, Fees and funding Tuition fees for MChem (Hons) Chemistry View the tuition fees for one academic year of MChem (Hons) Chemistry. Additional costs You will need a white lab coat, which cost £15 in 2024.You should also buy three core textbooks in Year 1, which cost around £185 in 2024.If you are on placement, you may have to spend money on travel. If you are on industrial placement, you will be paid a salary by your host company. Accommodation and living costs You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.This estimate covers the costs of:accommodationfoodutility billstravel within Edinburghhealth and wellbeing costsSee a breakdown of living costs Scholarships and funding Funding information You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section. Funding Featured funding Chemistry Tercentenary Access Bursary Access bursaries have been available for UK students of outstanding potential who started their studies in 2023, 2024 and 2025 academic years at the School of Chemistry. Please check the website for the latest opportunities. Value: £2,000 per year Chemistry Tercentenary Access Bursary Programme details What you will study In the early years, you will study core courses in chemistry and mathematics.In addition, there is also a flexible curriculum to suit your personal interests. This means you may be able to combine courses in other sciences, arts or humanities with your core chemistry content. This flexibility means you may be able to potentially transfer to an alternative degree programme within science or engineering at the end of Year 1.You will have scope to specialise, through appropriate choice of option courses in Year 2 and Year 4 and through the choice of your research project in Year 5.Emphasis is placed on providing a broad and varied syllabus throughout the programme to reflect the multi-faceted nature of chemistry and prepare students for future careers in industry, teaching or research. Second year entry We have incorporated flexibility into our programme structures. This includes the option to change between Bachelors or Masters and potentially choosing entry into Year 1 or Year 2. You can discuss this with your student adviser and academic cohort lead early in Semester 1. Year 1 You will spend about a third of Year 1 in:chemistry lectureslaboratory classes in the state of the art Nucleus buildingtutorials with a high staff-to-student ratioYou will also take a mathematics course.You will choose the rest of your curriculum from a broad range of courses from across the University. Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 2 You will continue with your chemistry courses. You will also take the course Data Driven Chemistry, which highlights the importance of computational chemistry.You will choose additional courses. Frequently taken additional courses are:Biological Chemistry 2Environmental ChemistryChemical PharmacologyThere are many more options allowing a wide choice of subjects in Year 2.The range of option courses available over Years 1 and 2 provides lots of flexibility. This means you can maintain options to potentially transfer between different programmes in the College of Science and Engineering. Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 3 You will study two lecture-based chemistry courses that provide a foundation for the remaining honours years.You will also take a laboratory course providing you with advanced practical skills. Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 4 In your penultimate year, you will take five lecture courses chosen from a number of advanced topics on offer.You will also take a laboratory-based research training course in preparation for your final year project. Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 5 In your final year, you will do one of the following:work on a project in one of our cutting-edge research groupsjoin a research group at one of our partner universities around the worldtake a paid industrial placement at one of our industrial partner companies Find Year 5 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Study abroad You can include an academic year-long placement with one of our partner chemistry departments at a range of universities overseas.Year abroad destinations include:USAAustraliaCanadaChileSingaporeHong KongTaiwanSouth Koreamany European countriesStudy and Work Away Service Placements You may be able to take a full-year paid placement in industry for your final year of the MChem programme.Placements may be in the UK or overseas and include research institutes or companies such as:UnileverAkzo NobelGlaxo Smith KlineAstra ZenecaProcter and GambleEach year, around 75% of MChem students take either industrial or year abroad placements.If you do not take an industrial placement or year abroad project, you will complete a final year research project with one of our cutting-edge research groups in Edinburgh. Teaching and assessment Teaching You will be taught through a combination of:lectureslaboratory classesproblem-solving workshopstutorials with a high staff-to-student ratioHow long should I study?In your first two years, you will have 20 hours per week of timetabled study. You should also dedicate an extra 15 hours to prepare for:tutorialswriting lab reportsprivate studyIn later years, you will experience more practical learning and research project work. What skills will I gain?All our programmes include:training, practice, and feedback in communication skillsteamwork and collaborationexposure to the latest technology of scientific information retrieval and organisationAs you produce posters, reports and a final year thesis, you will develop skills in:written communicationreport writingoral presentation skillsYou will also develop practical skills and an awareness of the safety aspects of laboratory work and risk assessment throughout the programme.You will build these skills further through a research project in the final year, carried out in either an academic or industrial context. Assessment You will be assessed through a combination of:courseworkreports on laboratory practicalspresentationsexamsyour final year research project Sample timetable This is an example of what your timetable could look like in Semester 1 of Year 1 of chemistry if you took, for example, biology as your outside subject. There is flexibility in the other courses you can study. You can discuss this with your academic cohort lead and student adviser.You have to do 20 credits of Chemistry 1A, 20 credits of mathematics and then an optional 20 credits of electives (Biology 1A in this example).Monday9am to 9:50am Chemistry 1A (lecture)2:10pm to 3pm Biology 1A: Variation (lecture)3:30pm to 5pm Chemistry 1A (tutorial)Tuesday9am to 9:50am Biology 1A (lecture)12:10pm to 1pm Mathematics for the Natural Sciences 1A (lecture)2:10pm to 5pm Chemistry 1A (lab session)Wednesday9am to 9:50am Chemistry 1A (lecture)10am to 10:50am Mathematics for the Natural Sciences 1A (workshop)2:10pm to 4pm Biology 1A (workshop)Thursday9am to 9:50am Chemistry 1A (lecture)10am to 1pm Biology 1A (practical)1:10pm to 2pm Mathematics for the Natural Sciences (lecture)Friday9am to 9:50am Chemistry 1A (lecture)10am to 10:50am Mathematics for the Natural Sciences (lecture)2:10pm to 3pm Biology 1A (lecture) Support for your studies You will be assigned a student adviser, who is part of the Chemistry Student Support Team. This will be your named contact in the school which means you can contact them for support throughout your studies. Your adviser will help you matriculate each year and enrol you on your option courses.Your student adviser is there to meet with you throughout the year if you would like to discuss any questions or worries you may have during your studies. They will listen non-judgementally and will work with you to provide any information, advice and support you need. They can also signpost you to specialist support services and staff.You can contact them by email, Microsoft Teams and in person throughout the year for support.Academic support and guidanceYou will also be assigned an academic cohort lead. This is an academic member of staff in the school who is familiar with your area of study.Throughout the year, your cohort lead will meet with you and your fellow classmates (your ‘cohort’) to support your academic development through drop-ins, study skills advice as well as events and activities specific to your degree. Where you will study Study location All teaching and labs are based at the King's Buildings campus with Year 1 chemistry labs taking place in the Nucleus building.The King's Buildings campus is around 15 minutes from central Edinburgh by bus. Academic facilities You will have access to:research laboratoriesthe University's librariescomputer facilitiesFind out more about the Nucleus Building Virtual tour You can take a closer look at the School of Chemistry and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.Take a virtual tour of the School of ChemistryView panoramas of the School of Chemistry Career paths and further study Accreditation This degree programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). It fulfils the academic requirements for Chartered Chemist (CChem).RSC development information for Chartered Chemists Career paths A degree in chemistry is a wise choice for your future employability and earning potential.Employability of chemistry graduatesMany of our chemistry graduates find careers in chemical or pharmaceutical companies.They also use their strong numerical, problem-solving and analytical skills in sectors such as:businessbankingaccountancymarketingadvertisingthe IT sectorMany will go on to postgraduate study to gain a PhD. Careers Service The Careers Service works closely with students and staff within the school to help you to:review what you have doneexplore your optionsplan next stepschart progress along the waySupport, which you can access throughout your studies and for two years after graduation, includes:tailored careers adviceone-to-one appointments and practice interviewsa comprehensive range of workshops and careers fairsaccess to a range of online resourceshelp to find work while you study and after you graduateVisit the Careers Service website Further study After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:a masters degreea postgraduate diploma or certificatea PhDa second undergraduate degreeFind out about options for further study Graduate profiles Stuart Boyce Degree: MChem Chemistry Year of graduation: 2019 Current work: Product Design and Development The community spirit within the School of Chemistry is probably unmatched across the University, but the diversity of people you meet and the connections you form throughout the entire University network are priceless. I have always been a “see what you want and go and get it” kind of guy. When I first visited Edinburgh for an open day I knew immediately it was where I wanted to study. I can associate brilliant memories with each of my five years at University and the friends I made throughout are among my closest today. I was offered a position back at P&G in Newcastle in the October following graduation - a relief given the ongoing pandemic and apparent industry wide lack of roles. Having a Masters degree puts you on the “management entry level” within P&G which means you get a lot of responsibility from day one, and the knowledge and skills gained from a Chemistry degree at Edinburgh were (and continue to be) key drivers for ongoing success. I work in Product Design and Development for P&G’s Professional department. Alumni profile Stuart Boyce Read our undergraduate alumni profiles to find out more about their student experience and their careers.School of Chemistry graduate profilesOur global alumni networkWe have a diverse community of alumni spread across the world. In the School of Chemistry, we provide opportunities for you to connect with this global network during your studies through panel discussions, workshops and dedicated online communities.From getting to know Edinburgh to transitioning to life after graduation, you will benefit from the valuable insights of our supportive School of Chemistry alumni. Applying How to apply You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.Guidance on applying through UCAS What you need to apply As part of your application, you will need:your academic qualificationsa personal statementevidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)a reference How we select If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.How we select applicants When to apply 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.Search degrees that are open on the UCAS websiteKey application dates and deadlines After you apply After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:How to submit your qualificationsAttend an offer holder eventReceiving our decisionAccepting your offerAfter you’ve accepted your offerIf you have a disability and need more support at university Applying as an international student As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS. Find out more about applying through UCAS Visas and immigration If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme. Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. Applying for a visa Agents An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact. Find contact details for an education agent Life at Edinburgh What our students say One of the most enjoyable parts of my degree was its diversity. Through taking electives in physics and biology, I was able to study a broad range of science, and through a summer project and an industrial placement, I was exposed to both academic and industrial research.The core chemistry modules were also excellent, and I owe my continued interest in the subject to many inspiring and entertaining lecturers. My summer project and industrial placement were academic highlights of my time in Edinburgh – I greatly enjoyed the creativity of research, something which drove my decision to pursue a PhD following my MChem. Finlay Clark MChem Chemistry, graduated 2021 Alumni profile Finlay Clark Accommodation We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.University accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaIf you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place Societies and clubs Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.SocietiesSports clubs Chemistry Society (ChemSoc)The Chemistry Society (ChemSoc) is here to catalyse the bond formation between chemists alike. The society organises both academic talks and social events, with an end of semester ceilidh and games night with professors being hits in previous years.You will be able to meet like-minded peers in mixer events and be a part of the oldest chemistry society in the world. ChemSoc also organise the iconic end of year ChemBall.ChemSocChemistry Academic Families (CAcFams)Chemistry Academic Families (CAcFams) is an inter-year group where you are sorted into families with 'parents' from Year 3 and Year 4.It is a great opportunity for you to get involved in the chemistry community and meet chemistry students from both your year and other years who will be able to give advice on all aspects of university life.CAcFams The city of Edinburgh Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life.Find out more about living in Edinburgh Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities to daily life, including: sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) Health and wellbeing support You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.The support services we offer include:a student counselling servicea health centre (doctor's surgery)support if you're living in University accommodationdedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustmentHealth and wellbeing support services Contact and events
