Overview
About this University
Dating back to 1821, Heriot-Watt University is now a world- renowned university that enjoys a global presence, performs innovative research and produces graduates with high employability. THE World University Rankings 2019 ranks the university 37th internationally and 13th in the UK for its international outlook.
The university received the Teaching Excellence Framework’s Silver Award. It is a specialist in business, science, and engineering, and a leader in global education. 90% of its students were found to be satisfied overall with 11 of 23 subject areas- as per the National Student Survey 2018.
QS World University Rankings by Subject ranked Heriot-Watt among the top universities for 11 subject areas. Its Schools of Engineering and Physical Sciences; Mathematical and Computer Sciences; Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society are proud holders of the Athena SWAN Bronze award.
More than 80% of the university staff are engaged in research recognised at international levels. 82% of the university’s research was found to be world-leading and the university ranked 22nd in the UK, as per the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.
Heriot- Watt has five campuses across Scottish Borders, Edinburgh, Orkney, Malaysia, and Dubai, along with 53 Approved Learning Partners (ALPs) and educational collaborative partners in 150 nations across the globe.
Heriot- Watt is one of the most diverse universities in the UK and has a total of more than 30,000 students. The university has over 130,000 alumni across the globe in more than 190 countries.
Within six months of course completion, 95% of Heriot-Watt graduates were found to be in further study or in employment. The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 ranks Heriot-Watt 17th across the UK for its graduate salaries for the duration of six months on graduation.
University Ranking
QS World University Rankings
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Times Higher Education World University Rankings
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Graduate outcomes
With an education focused on industry, Heriot-Watt creates job-ready graduates who go on to achieve successful careers. Staff pass on experience and advice whilst students have access to outstanding resources, including the new Bloomberg network and other helpful industry partnerships.
95% of students who graduate from Heriot-Watt find themselves in employment or further study within six months of their graduation. Furthermore, the university places top in Scotland and in the top 20 in the UK for graduate salaries in this time (The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2019).
Students receive excellent support when it comes to finding a career, both during their studies with support with internships and experience and once they graduate and join the UK’s oldest alumni network, The Watt Club. The results speak for themselves, with excellent graduate outcomes.
What’s new
Exclusive Bloomberg Access
An academic partnership with financial giants Bloomberg has provided Heriot-Watt students with exciting and exclusive opportunities. The university has been named a Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner, recognising its leadership in delivering real-life, practical learning experiences in finance. Students are now able to upload CVs to the organisation’s vast network of contacts and job opportunities.
The partnership between the two parties also sees students use the state-of-the-art Bloomberg Finance Lab, including virtual trading rooms and connecting learning experience with real-life practical applications.
Engineering in Malaysia link
Heriot-Watt University’s Malaysia campus has entered a five-year partnership by inking a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Institution of Engineers Malaysia. The partnership is designed to lead strategic collaboration between the two parties, offering exciting opportunities for engineering students including access to invaluable insight and expertise from within the industry at a national and international level.
Finances
How much will it cost?Average tuition fees per year
17,23,837Undergraduate
17,24,806Postgraduate
Living costs
8,23,643Living costs
5,58,140To live on campus
Scholarships & funding
A generous amount of scholarships and bursaries are offered to students from around the world to enable them to study at Heriot-Watt University. Hundreds of students enhance their educational experience each year via both internal and external sources of funding, with a range of opportunities created by the historic, generous and global “Watt Club” alumni network.
A number of scholarships are offered on each of the UK, Malaysia and Dubai campuses, including International Merit Scholarships awarding GBP 1500 to GBP 3000 based on academic excellence identified during the application process.
The commitment to funding students is shown by the fact that the university scholarship provision is around GBP 19 million each year. This includes GBP 10 million to support fees scholarship, GBP 1.5 million of maintenance and living cost bursaries and GBP 7.5 million of scholarship and bursary payments to home, EU and overseas students.
Discover scholarships
Heriot-Watt University provides scholarship for students enrolling for the courses offered by them
View all scholarships available
Eligibility
Entry requirements
Heriot-Watt aims to be accessible to students from around the world, with different qualifications globally accepted for admission to courses, which have differing and specific course requirements.
Students who do not class English as their first language must prove their proficiency, which they can do in a number of ways. Whilst various tests are accepted as proof, the level required falls in line with IELTS scores of:
- 5.5 for Foundation courses
- 6.0 for Undergraduate courses
- 6.5 for Postgraduate courses
Those who do not meet English Language requirements can take on a pre-sessional academic English course to reach the required level to progress into full study at Heriot-Watt.
Students should be sure to check country-specific entry requirements, and should also note criteria can differ for the Dubai and Malaysia campuses.
Department and Faculty
Teaching quality
As an outstanding learning environment striving to achieve the highest quality, Heriot-Watt employs world-class teaching faculty to support its students. Across each of its schools, the university features a wide range of highly qualified staff with a perfect blend of academic and industry expertise. They provide links to industry opportunities and allow students to draw upon their experiences, also offering as much support as necessary to help students achieve their learning objectives.
The university’s academic excellence is reflected by a ranking of 302nd in the worldwide table of the QS World University Rankings 2018/19. It is also placed 35th in the UK by The Complete University Guide 2020 and top in Scotland for research impact (REF 2014), which is guided by staff and thrives thanks to passionate students.
Department structure
Heriot-Watt University is made up of five academic schools and one graduate school. Each specialises in particular academic areas, offering expertise to students via highly qualified, industry-leading faculty with real-world and academic experience. The schools are:
Edinburgh Business School
A leading graduate business school with accreditation by the Royal Charter, the Edinburgh Business School offers a globally-relevant education. It offers a range of MBA, MSc, DBA and PhD programmes.
Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society
A leading UK institution known for its multidisciplinary research and teaching, focusing on areas of critical importance to economic development and societal equity.
Engineering and Physical Sciences
Outstanding background of research excellence, featuring a range of courses and research institutes achieving a global impact via innovation and discovery.
Mathematical and Computer Sciences
Offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research-focused degrees in a range of disciplines related to maths and computer science.
Social Sciences
Industry-focused degree programmes with a global outlook, producing high-calibre graduates. Also offers pre-sessional English Language courses, internationally-renowned distance learning programmes, and a well-established PhD programme.
Textiles and Design
A creative school with close links to the fashion industry and outstanding facilities.
