The University of Edinburgh Admission to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences International Applicants Information for International Applicants hssug@ed.ac.uk www.hss.ed.ac.uk
Information for International applicants Why study in the College of Humanities & Social Science? We are well-known for the quality of our undergraduate programmes and the exceptional academic profile of our staff and our extensive facilities. The University of Edinburgh was ranked 20th in the world in the recently published Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2009, confirming our position as a world leader in higher education. The University of Edinburgh is split into three Colleges: Humanities & Social Science, Science & Engineering, and Medicine & Veterinary Medicine. Under the umbrella of Humanities and Social Science the degrees and courses we offer are almost as numerous as they are diverse. We currently offer around 280 different degree programmes from subjects which include: Archaeology, Architecture, Business Studies, Classics, Economics, History, International Relations, Languages (European and Arabic, Chinese, Japanese), Law, Literature, Music, Nursing, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sports Science and Sociology. Please see our online Prospectus at www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/ Subjects can be studied as single honours akin to a single major, or as joint honours where you focus on two subjects. The first (freshman) and second (sophomore) years are more general and the third and fourth (junior/senior) honours years are where you specialise in your chosen field.
Information for International applicants How to Apply Although you apply for a named degree programme there is flexibility in most areas of the College to change your academic focus, especially in the first two years of study. Applications for full degree studies are made via UCAS (University and College Admissions Service); www.ucas.com Applications for international students close 30th June for entry in September. We do encourage earlier applications and these can be made from October, the year preceding entry the following September. Only want to study at Edinburgh for your Freshman year? You can apply to our Freshman Year Abroad programme, see: www.ed.ac.uk/studying/visiting-exchange/freshman Pre-application advice All applications are considered by professional Admissions Officers based in the College of Humanities and Social Science Undergraduate Admissions Office. Prior to applying, guidance and further information can be obtained by contacting the Undergraduate Admissions Office. We welcome enquiries from applicants, parents and/or school counsellors. For general information on studying at Edinburgh or in the UK please contact our International Office* or you can get more advice on how to apply from the British Council in your country. All applications to undergraduate degree programmes in the UK must be made online via UCAS**. Do not apply to the University directly. To apply through UCAS you will need to fill in an application form with your selection of universities and courses that you want to apply for. *www.international.ed.ac.uk **www.ucas.com
Academic Entry Requirements Students are admitted to the University of Edinburgh with a range of national qualifications, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-Levels. Full details of our minimum academic entry requirements are available online and are listed by country (www.ed.ac.uk/studying/international/country). If you are taking a Foundation Programme then you can get in touch with us to check if we accept it for entry and find out the entry requirements. We list general entry requirements but all applicants should note that some degree programmes have specific subject requirements. For example, for Economics we have a specific Mathematics requirement and for our Literature and Language programmes we have English and foreign language requirements. If you have any questions about your application then please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office You can email us at hssug@ed.ac.uk and our full contact details are available at the end of this leaflet. When completing your UCAS application it is very important that you list all examinations you have undertaken and also examinations that you plan to take. You can also send additional materials (these can be scanned, faxed or posted) such as school transcripts, College Board transcripts and academic references directly to the Admissions Office. USA Canada Hong Kong China SAT Reasoning score of 1800 (600 in each component) plus two APs at Grade 4 or two SAT Subject tests at 650, OR ACT Composite score of 27 plus two APs at Grade 4 or two SAT Subject tests at 650, OR Three APs at Grade 4 / Three SAT Subject tests at 650 Alberta and British Columbia: five Grade 12 subjects at 80%. Ontario: Six grade 12 courses at 80% (can be a combination of 4U and 4M, but no more than two 4M courses). Quebec: Diplome D Etudes Collegiales (DEC) with at least five Grade 12 subjects at 75%. Where GCE A-Level at BBB is the stated requirement we require Hong Kong A levels (HKEAA) at grades CCC. At undergraduate level, Chinese students will normally have tudied A Level s, the,international Baccalaureate or a UK based foundation programme.
Information for International applicants English Language Requirements In addition to academic requirements we also have English Language requirements. The College requires: IELTS score of 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component (IELTS Academic module) TOEFL ibt 92 or above with minimum 23 in Reading and Listening and 23 in Speaking and Writing GCSE / IGCSE English grade C Please also see www.ed.ac.uk/studying/international/english/ug-english for information on alternative English language tests that we can accept for entry. Personal Statements (Humanities & Social Science) We want to know why you are interested in the subjects for which you have applied. If you have applied for more than one subject area then you are expected to write about both subjects. This can make writing your statement more challenging but bear in mind that if you make no mention of your chosen subject it is likely you will not be considered. This is especially true for very popular subjects such as Law, Architecture and English Literature. You should also include details of achievement and commitments, both academic and nonacademic. We want to see that you are academically able but also that you are well rounded and able to manage academic and non-academic commitments. Please note that you do not have to be, for example, a champion athlete! It may be that you have played for a school sports team, coached junior students in music/theatre or worked part-time in the local department store. For some programmes such, as Law and Architecture, relevant work experience is helpful but not essential. As you are not applying from the UK it is worth briefly mentioning why you are attracted to study in the UK (or Scotland if you are only applying to Scottish Universities). Finally, whilst we recommend you take into account the above guidance please do bear in mind that it is your statement so the style and content should be personal and unique to you. Please do not copy statements from the web. Admissions staff read thousands of applications and can easily detect if part, or all, of a statement is copied. UCAS also now uses software which detects plagiarism.
What happens once I apply? Your application will be forwarded by UCAS to the College Undergraduate Admissions Office, usually within 1 to 2 weeks of you submitting your application. We will then pass your application on to the College Admissions Officer responsible for your degree programme(s) and s/he makes a decision whether or not the college would like to make you an offer for the course. The length of time it takes can vary a great deal, so please do not be too concerned if you do not receive a response immediately. If you wish to follow up the status of your application please feel free to contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office. If there is something missing from your application we usually email you to request the missing information so please keep us up to date with any change of contact details.. Study Abroad Opportunities Once admitted to a degree at Edinburgh we find that many international students choose to study abroad and spend a semester or year at another university or college. This is usually in their third year of study. The University of Edinburgh has many exchange links with universities in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America currently including Dartmouth, University of California, Haverford College, University of Pennsylvania. A full list of exchanges is available from our International Office. Offers & Acceptances If you receive an offer of admission you will receive an offer pack and information on how to proceed. UCAS will also inform you of our decision. If you already meet our entry requirements and are made an offer it is usually an unconditional offer, i.e. you satisfy our academic requirements and we do not require you to undertake further qualifications. If you do not yet meet our entry requirements but are taking further exams and are made an offer it is usually a conditional offer, i.e. you still need to satisfy our academic requirements and your offer will state what is required. If you choose to accept our offer then you do this via UCAS. There are no deposits required to accept your place of study and UCAS will notify you when you have to accept/decline our offer. You can also choose to defer entry changing your year of entry to the following year without having to reapply through UCAS. If your offer is conditional you must be able to meet the conditions of entry in the year that you apply.
Admissions enquiries Undergraduate Admissions Office College of Humanities & Social Science The University of Edinburgh David Hume Tower George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JX Tel: 0131 650 3565 Fax: 0131 650 4678 Email: HSSUG@ed.ac.uk Website: www.hss.ed.ac.uk