Heriot-Watt university is a public university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the world's first mechanics' institute (royal charter granted in 1966).
Key Statistics
The University has five campuses including three in the UK – Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney – Dubai and Malaysia and over 30,000 students on its programmes worldwide. Ranked in the top 10% in the world for international outlook by THE, Heriot-Watt has the largest international cohort in Scotland with third of its 9,000 students coming from outside the UK. Its Go Global programme offers students the unrivaled opportunity to transfer between campuses for a truly international education.
Strong Track Record
The university has a strong track record for developing industry-fit graduates thanks to their strong links to business and industry and a distinctive range of degree programmes in specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Heriot-Watt has over 30,000 students studying at their campuses and online through distance learning. This includes 11,000 on-campus students in Scotland, 4,000 in Dubai and 1,200 in Malaysia. Our main campus to the west of Edinburgh is situated in the beautiful, purpose-built parkland site, equipped with excellent modern facilities to support the students' learning.
| Total UG Students | Total PG Students | International Student | Student Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 | 3,500 | 42% | 16:6 |
Heriot-Watt University is renowned for its leadership on critical global issues and is recognized throughout the world for the quality of its teaching and applied research capability. Big enough to attract leading academics but small enough to give students the chance to really learn directly from them, the university offers 400 industry-informed degree programs in its specialist areas of science, engineering, energy, business, languages and design. Connections with industry at every level develop these to match professional needs so employers get work-ready, fit-for-industry graduates.
Research Oriented Curriculum
Over 80% of its academics are engaged in the research, delivering ideas and solutions with real impact across society: using lasers to see around corners, innovating in sign language, designing the eco-friendly buildings of the future, enhancing oil extraction and securing low-carbon energy. Knowledge creation and inter-disciplinary collaboration with academia and industry are core to remaining at the forefront of fields including energy, engineering, actuarial mathematics, photonics and robotics.
Notable Alumni
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Adam Crozier – CEO ITV.
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Richard Tait – founder of Cranium.
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Tammy Kane – co-founder of the fashion label Christopher Kane.
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Irvine Welsh – author.
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Bob Keiller – Chief Executive of Wood Group plc.
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Jock Clear – Senior Performance Engineer with Mercedes and now Ferrari F1.
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Gary Younge – Guardian journalist.
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Martin Dickie – co-founder of Brewdog.
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David Milne – founder and former CEO Wolfson Microelectronics.
English Language Requirements
The following are a general guide but there are some exceptions: students are asked to check with the relevant academic school within the university.
Undergraduate students:
IELTS 6.0;
PTE 57;
Cambridge FCE grade B,
HWU Academic English programme grade C (or grade B for some programmes).
Postgraduate students:
IELTS 6.5;
PTE 62;
Cambridge CAE grade C,
HWU Academic English programme grade C (or grade B for some programmes).
There are some exemptions for students who have previously undertaken degree level study in English or who have followed a high school programme of A levels or IB. Students can take a Pre-sessional Academic English course before they start their degree to build their confidence in English and develop their study strategies. Successful progression to a Heriot-Watt degree in the same academic year attracts a discount of 50% of the pre-sessional fee.
Admission Requirement For Undergraduate Courses:
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75% overall in year 12 state board high school examinations and at least 75% in the relevant subjects. For example, if you want to study Chemical Engineering, you would need to have 75% in both Maths and Chemistry.
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For students taking the West Bengal State board examinations, the pass mark we require is 65%. For Postgraduate Courses: Grade range from 55%-60% depending on the institution.
Accommodation:
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All new, full-time students arriving in semester 1 (September) and studying for at least 2 semesters, are guaranteed accommodation, provided their application for accommodation is received by the published deadline date. This guarantee cannot always be offered to students who arrive in semester 2 (January).
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The majority of university accommodation is on the campus in either self-catered flats or halls of residence, with high speed broadband and, across campus, Wi-Fi. International students are spread across the accommodation so that they are able to meet students from different countries and different courses of study.
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Students can apply for a 40-week or 51-week contract and can stay through the Christmas and Easter breaks.
Edinburgh Campus accommodation : There are about 2,000 residential places available on our Edinburgh Campus, all within easy reach of your lectures, sports facilities and the Students' Union. Scottish Borders Campus accommodation. There are around 200 self-catered rooms and flats on the Scottish Borders Campus, and the University also leases flats off-campus and in the town centre.
Orkney Campus accommodation : There are no halls of residence or University leased flats at the Orkney Campus, but we can help you find private accommodation locally.
| Conditional Offer | Unconditional Offer | CAS |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Weeks | 7-10 Days | 3 Days |
Each year, hundreds of students enhance their educational experience through a variety of Heriot-Watt and externally funded Scholarships, including opportunities funded by the University’s generous Alumni community, based all over the globe.
The University supports scholarship provision with:
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£10m to support fees Scholarships (including £3m for rest of UK (RUK) students).
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£1.5m to support maintenance (living cost) bursaries for RUK students.
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£7.5m to support Scholarships and Bursary payments to home/EU/overseas students.
New scholarships for 2017/18 to study in Scotland from 2017/18, you may be eligible for one of our 72 new Heriot-Watt scholarships. Successful Scholars will benefit from a fee reduction in one of three categories:
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Heriot-Watt Distinction Scholarships – 100% reduction (for overseas applicants only)
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Heriot-Watt Excellence Scholarships – 50% reduction (for overseas applicants only)
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Heriot-Watt Merit Scholarships – 25% reduction (for overseas applicants), £2,000 reduction (for Home/EU/Rest of UK applicants)
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There are numerous other scholarships. Kindly refer to the university website for detailed qualifications required.
Other scholarships
You can also apply for the British Government's Chevening Scholarships, and a variety of private agencies and charities for scholarships, bursaries and grants to study in the UK. For more information visit the British Council website or the UK Council for International Student Affairs website.
Some key facts of Heriot Watt University, UK
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World University Rankings 2017 :401-500
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The Guardian University League Tables 2018 : 26
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QS World University Ranking 2018: 312
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The Watt Club is the oldest graduate club in the UK.
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Heriot Watt University has over 130,000 alumni worldwide in over 190 countries.
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Heriot Watt University is the best choice for business and industry and our graduates are sought by the best organisations worldwide.
