About the degree programme

If you are unsure about which engineering discipline you are most interested in, this option allows you to explore which engineering discipline interests you the most and defer your choice of degree programme to before the start of Year 2.

This programme does not lead to a general engineering degree. Instead, at the start of Year 2, you will join one of the following degree programmes:

  • BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Chemical Engineering*
  • BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Civil Engineering 
  • BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
  • BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Electrical and Mechanical Engineering 
  • BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering 
  • BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Structural and Fire Safety Engineering

* BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Chemical Engineering is only available if you have taken Chemistry for Chemical Engineers as an outside course option in Year 1.

Transfers to Electronics and Computer Science may be considered on a competitive basis but are not guaranteed and would only be available if you have taken necessary prerequisite courses

You cannot join BEng(Hons)/MEng(Hons) Structural Engineering with Architecture in Year 2. You must join these directly in Year 1.

(Revised 12 March 2025 to update the wording about transfers to Electronics and Computer Science)

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

Your chosen degree will take 4 or 5 years in total depending on whether you move into a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or Master of Engineering (MEng) programme respectively.

Programme rankings

  • Consistently ranked in the UK's top 10 universities for engineering (THE Rankings by subject 2024 and QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).

Programme benefits

  • Make use of an enviable suite of facilities including specialist laboratories, a student makerspace and cutting-edge industry-standard equipment.
  • You will benefit from research-led teaching by internationally leading academics.
  • This option allows you to defer your choice of discipline to the start of Semester 2.
  • Balanced curriculum covering theoretical and practical skills and individual and group work.

The lecturers are incredibly helpful and in first year there is the chance for you to attend sessions led by EngPALS, a group of older students who can assist with any material you are struggling to understand. The sense of community at the University of Edinburgh is fantastic – it is a lovely mash up of all the different cultures that make up our university population.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for BEng (Hons) Engineering

View the tuition fees for one academic year of BEng (Hons) Engineering.

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:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing 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.

What you will study

Curriculum renewal

The School of Engineering is currently undertaking an ongoing curriculum renewal, which may result in changes to this degree programme.

The renewal is being carried out with:

  • our industrial partners
  • accreditation bodies
  • students

This renewal makes sure we equip you for an exciting career in the ever-changing world of engineering.

Engineers are creative problem-solvers. They are skilled at working in interdisciplinary teams to deal with society's ever more complex challenges.

Introductory courses

In Year 1, you will take introductory courses and develop skills that you will later rely on as a professional engineer, including:

  • confidence
  • advanced thinking
  • teamwork
  • problem-solving skills 
Additional courses

You will also study mathematical topics that have particular relevance to engineers.

You will choose courses from across the University to complement your engineering studies, with choices available in the sciences, arts and humanities. 

However, if you are considering continuing on to a degree in Chemical Engineering, you must take Chemistry 1A and Chemistry 1B in Year 1.

Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

You will study your chosen branch of engineering, supported by classes in mathematics.

You will continue to apply your scientific and mathematical skills to solve engineering problems, building on your experiences from Year 1.

Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

In Year 3, you will focus on your chosen field of engineering.

Progression routes

At the end of Year 3, you will have the option to complete one more year for a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree, or a further two years for a Masters of Engineering (MEng) degree.

The latter is subject to you achieving an average of 55% or higher in Year 3.

Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Year 4 concentrates on specialist study and innovative assessment to prepare you for your professional career.

Increasingly, you will spend time on individual or group design projects.

Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

If you choose the MEng route, you will have further opportunities to broaden and deepen your understanding of fundamental engineering concepts. 

You will take several option courses, and develop your skills by applying this knowledge in a range of specialist areas.

You will produce a substantial project that may involve working overseas or in industry in Year 4 or 5, depending on the programme you choose.

You may also participate in our unique interdisciplinary design projects, initiated with support from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Find Year 5 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Study abroad

In Year 3, you will have opportunities to study abroad.

The University has a variety of agreements with international institutions that allow you to study there in Year 3. 

Common destinations include:

  • USA 
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • Europe
  • Asia

This is enhanced by subject-specific agreements which provide additional destinations.

In addition, MEng projects occasionally take place overseas.

Where can I go?

(Revised 12 March 2025 to update study abroad information)

Placements

Opportunities will depend on the degree programme you choose to undertake from Year 2.

If you select an MEng programme, you can also spend your placement abroad, either in industry or in a research institution.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The exciting nature of engineering means you will have a diverse learning experience throughout your degree programme. 

We will teach you through a mixture of:

  • lectures
  • tutorials
  • laboratory sessions
  • projects
  • group work

In your final years, you will dedicate more time to private study, so you will need to be well-motivated and organised. 

You will also receive individual supervision with projects.

Assessment

You will be assessed through coursework and examinations.

For detailed information on compulsory and option courses you should review the Programme Structure - Degree Programme Table. You can find links to this information under the individual years of study.

Refer to individual course details to see the types of assessment included.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.

Our academic staff

Our research directly informs what you study. You will learn from academics who are researching solutions to the world’s grand challenges and delivering critical societal, economic and environmental outcomes.

Where you will study

Study location

The majority of your learning will take place at the King’s Buildings campus, depending on courses selected.

The King’s Buildings campus is around 15 minutes from central Edinburgh by bus or bike.

You may also study at various University campus locations in the vibrant city of Edinburgh, depending on the option courses selected.

Academic facilities

You can access a wide range of academic facilities including:

  • libraries
  • study spaces (some spaces are open 24 hours)
  • IT facilities
  • social spaces
  • leisure facilities

You can also take advantage of the University’s computing resources. This includes a laptop loan service offered through the library, with extended loans available for those in financial hardship.

Borrowing a laptop

All essential reading materials are freely accessible through the University library or on our online learning platform LEARN.

Engineering Makerspace

You will get hands-on practical experience in the form of laboratory sessions and access to a dedicated makerspace workshop.

Engineering Makerspace

Virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the School of Engineering and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Virtual visit - School of Engineering

Accreditation

This entry route leads to several different engineering BEng and MEng programmes, all of which are one of the following:

  • BEng: accredited by the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) (candidates must hold a masters or doctorate accredited as further learning for CEng to hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration)
  • MEng: accredited on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer

Career paths

Studying engineering at the University of Edinburgh prepares you for a career as a professional engineer in the UK or abroad. 

On graduating from this programme, you will have: 

  • core thorough knowledge 
  • analytical skills 
  • practical skills 
  • design skills 
  • communication skills

This enables you to join a design, production or research team, or to move rapidly into management and leadership roles. 

On the other hand, many of our graduates go on to work in other areas, including: 

  • the civil service 
  • education 
  • the armed forces 
  • the financial sector

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Internships

The School of Engineering funds a number of internships each year to enable students to work on research or teaching focused projects over the summer and gain relevant work experience here in the School. Internships are allocated on a competitive basis, across each of the four disciplines: Chemical, Civil, Electronics & Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Applications are open to non-finalist undergraduate students who are at least in the second year of their programme.​

We advertise internship opportunities and arrange company presentations with the Careers Service. These experiences can feature on your transcript after completing an Edinburgh Award.

About the Edinburgh Award

(Revised 12 March 2025 to update internships information)

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence 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.

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.

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:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme 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. 

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.  

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.

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Societies and clubs

You will be able to gain practical experience through design projects run with our industrial partners, internships and placements or by joining our student-led projects such as:

  • Engineering for Change (sustainability)
  • Edinburgh University Formula Student (automotive technology)
  • HYPED (Hyperloop)
  • Endeavour (rocketry)
  • Asteria (space and satellites)
  • HumanEd (robotics)
  • Precious plastics (recycling)

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sports clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is regularly voted among the UK’s top student cities (top 2 in the UK, QS 2024).

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

Our community

The School of Engineering fosters a vibrant and inclusive community for all its members. Our students, from diverse backgrounds, come together to collaborate on innovative projects, and participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities. The supportive environment encourages personal and academic growth, with numerous opportunities for community-building and networking.

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 service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment