Sport and exercise

We are one of the leading universities in the UK for sport.

Whether you are a performance athlete or want to build more movement into your daily life, you will have access to world-class sports facilities, support and services at Edinburgh.  

Gyms and personal fitness

We have one of the best gym and fitness offerings in the UK, providing world-class facilities and top-of-the-range equipment: 

  • Pleasance Sport Complex and Gym, offering over 20 gym and sport spaces, including extensive cardio, weight and conditioning spaces 
  • 42-station satellite gym at the Easter Bush Campus 
  • 25m swimming pool in the St Leonard’s Land Building 
  • climbing wall and bouldering room at the Pleasance 
  • year-round programme of over 100 exercise classes a week 
  • flexible and affordable membership packages 
  • expert instructors to guide, support and encourage you

I’d encourage any student interested in sport to come to Edinburgh. The gym is amazing, probably one of the best university gyms in the world. 

Corrie Scott MChem (Hons) Chemistry graduate and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist

Watch our video showing the sports facilities you can access as a student with us.

Discover what you could do with a Sport & Exercise membership!

If you are not on campus full time, we have created a bank of online resources to help you build movement into your daily life while working or studying from home.   

Keep active from home resources 

Indoor sport 

We have a number of multi-activity sports halls located across our campuses.  

These accommodate a variety of sports, with dedicated spaces for:  

  • squash 
  • dance 
  • boxing 
  • grappling 
  • archery 
  • shooting 

Outdoor sport and fitness at Peffermill 

Our multi-sports grounds, Peffermill Playing Fields, offer some of Scotland’s leading outdoor sports facilities. They host many sports clubs as well as local, national and international events. 

Peffermill is one of Scotland’s leading outdoor sports facilities and is home to: 

  • water-based artificial hockey pitches 
  • 3G football and rugby facilities 
  • 3G five-a-side football pitches 
  • artificial cricket nets 
  • 100-metre training track 
  • Scottish Football Association-approved football arena 

Peffermill Playing Fields  

Outdoor activities at Firbush 

Firbush outdoor activity centre is set in a spectacular location on the south shore of Loch Tay. 

The centre offers an extensive programme of watersport and mountain activities throughout the year, including: 

  • wind surfing 
  • mountain biking 
  • kayaking 
  • mountain leadership training 

Our experienced instructors are fully accredited, and specialist equipment is available to use. 

Firbush Outdoor Centre 

Clubs and recreational sports

Our Sports Union is made up of more than 70 sports clubs and 200 teams. From American football and archery to underwater hockey and weightlifting, there are opportunities for beginners through to athletes competing on an international stage.

Club sport at Edinburgh

If I hadn't gone to Edinburgh I'd never have taken up rowing. I'd never have had the life I'm currently living.

Katherine Grainger Olympic champion rower and Edinburgh law graduate

Our clubs offer weekly coaching and practice, with opportunities to compete or just participate in sport on Wednesdays and at weekends. 

Intramural Sport

We run Scotland’s largest Intramural Sport (IMS) programme. IMS offers a more relaxed alternative to traditional club sport and is open to anyone.  

You can try programmes in a number of different sports, as well as take part in informal leagues, tournaments and other events. 

Intramural Sport at Edinburgh  

Volunteering and coaching

We also deliver many sports-related volunteering and skill development opportunities through our Coaching and Volunteering Academy. 

Coaching and Volunteering Academy

Performance Sport

Our Performance Sport Programme is one of the most highly regarded in the UK. It enables athletes to achieve a world-class degree and perform to the best of their sporting ability. 

We’re proud to have produced Olympians including Sir Chris Hoy and Katherine Grainger – who both developed their talents at Edinburgh – and continue to support our young athletes.

The best gym we’ve ever used.

Dr Nick Gill Head of Strength and Conditioning, New Zealand All Blacks Rugby

Discover the world-class Performance Sport Programmes at the University of Edinburgh.

Performance Sport at Edinburgh

Coaching, facilities and services

Our top-class coaches, facilities and services currently support more than 600 students. We offer exceptional team-specific programmes in: 

  • rowing 
  • swimming 
  • hockey 
  • netball 
  • endurance running 
  • women’s fencing 
  • orienteering 
  • rugby 
  • women’s basketball 

These are led by dedicated performance coaches, with specialist conditioning, medical and advisory back-up. Support is also offered to athletes competing in other sports through our Individual Performance Programme. 

Performance athletes have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including our dedicated performance gym for sports-specific and strength and conditioning coaching. 

We also offer: 

  • dedicated elite sports accommodation for first-year students 
  • sports science and flexible studying 
  • mentoring and academic support 
  • lifestyle and nutritional advice 
  • access to the world-renowned FASIC Sport and Exercise Medicine Clinic 

There is also access to funding opportunities through the Winning Students network. We now boast an elite athlete access and scholarship policy to support applications to study at the University from talented sports performers. 

Athlete scholarships  

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