Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Edinburgh Napier is a modern, career-focused university spread across three campuses in the south and west of Edinburgh: Merchiston, Craiglockhart and Sighthill. It's strong in practical subjects like nursing, computing, engineering, business, film and journalism, and you get one of the UK's best student cities as your backdrop.
The flip side is that Edinburgh is expensive and its private rental market is tight. Napier's own halls are reasonable for the city, at about £129–£240 a week, but private rooms often cost £400–£700 a month plus bills. Campuses are a bus ride from each other and the centre, so you'll get to know Lothian Buses well.
Known for
Edinburgh Napier University is 69th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47, below the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 47.6 |
| 68 | University of Derby | 47.2 |
| 69 | Edinburgh Napier University | 47 |
| 70 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | 46.9 |
| 71 | University of Gloucestershire | 46.7 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
30th of 124 · Safety Score 53.9
43rd of 124 · Nightlife Score 54.3
50th of 124 · Societies Score 53
52nd of 124 · Sustainability Score 54.1
58th of 124 · Social Score 50.3
68th of 124 · Innovation Score 54.8
69th of 122 · Careers Score 29.7
71st of 124 · Employability Score 29.2
76th of 124 · Inclusion Score 52.9
79th of 123 · Happiness Score 43
80th of 124 · Value Score 41.2
82nd of 124 · Wellbeing Score 47
83rd of 124 · Balance Score 38.2
89th of 124 · Freshers Score 49.2
102nd of 124 · Affordability Score 43.1
Edinburgh as a student city
Ranked 37th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 52.5.
Edinburgh Napier University appears in 31 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | 5th | of 58 | 140 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 5th | of 52 | 142 |
| Biomedical Science | 11th | of 93 | 175 |
| Electrical Engineering | 8th | of 67 | 149 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 10th | of 77 | 164 |
| Interior Design | 5th | of 36 | 94 |
| Law | 17th | of 97 | 169 |
| Computer Science | 18th | of 102 | 183 |
| Graphic Design | 13th | of 68 | 152 |
| Software Engineering | 12th | of 58 | 132 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 23rd | of 108 | 178 |
| Music | 12th | of 56 | 124 |
| Data Science | 11th | of 50 | 112 |
| Journalism | 13th | of 59 | 124 |
| Marine Biology | 4th | of 17 | 58 |
| Midwifery | 14th | of 54 | 108 |
| Nursing | 23rd | of 85 | 155 |
| Marketing | 24th | of 88 | 158 |
| Sociology | 24th | of 86 | 156 |
| Business and Management | 39th | of 114 | 171 |
| Quantity Surveying | 12th | of 35 | 86 |
| Criminology | 33rd | of 94 | 155 |
| Accounting and Finance | 12th | of 30 | 169 |
| Sports Science | 34th | of 78 | 126 |
| Real Estate | 10th | of 22 | 64 |
| Architecture | 25th | of 55 | 104 |
| Film Production | 40th | of 87 | 145 |
| Human Resource Management | 27th | of 58 | 108 |
| Photography | 22nd | of 44 | 80 |
| Product Design | 23rd | of 43 | 89 |
| Surveying | 14th | of 24 | 63 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Edinburgh Napier Students' Association (ENSA) runs societies, sport and advice, with its main office at Merchiston. The Residence Life team runs events in halls, so first years at Bainfield have a busy social calendar. Edinburgh itself is the main event: the Old and New Towns, the Meadows, Arthur's Seat and the August festivals. Areas like Bruntsfield, near Merchiston, have independent shops, cafés and bars.
University halls cost £128.59–£239.82 per week (2026/27, 39-week tenancies; 50-week options for nursing and postgraduate students) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Edinburgh Napier guarantees an offer of accommodation to first-year and direct-entrant undergraduates who have firmly accepted an unconditional offer, are studying for the whole academic year from September 2026, live outside the City of Edinburgh (EH1–EH17), meet clearance checks (non-EU students), and submit their online application by 3pm on 18 August 2026.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orwell Terrace | Near Haymarket station, close to the city centre | en-suite cluster flats and twin rooms | £128.59/wk | For postgraduates, undergraduates over 20 and one-trimester students. Shared twin rooms cost £128.59 a week, and en-suites £199.78. |
| Bainfield (en-suite cluster flats) | Fountainbridge area, 15 minutes' walk from the city centre; walkable to Merchiston | en-suite | £199.78/wk | The main first-year site, best suited to undergraduates under 20: 117 flats for 778 students. £7,819.96 for 39 weeks. |
| Slateford Road | Slateford, a quiet residential area in the south-west | en-suite, studios and 2-bed flats | £199.78/wk | Mostly for nursing and postgraduate students, with 39- and 50-week tenancies. Studios cost £239.82 a week. |
| Bainfield (city view en-suite) | Bainfield, upper floors | en-suite with upgraded shared living space | £211.75/wk | Higher floors, upgraded furniture and a 50-inch TV in the flat. City views not guaranteed for every room. |
| Bainfield studios (Arthur's Seat House) | Bainfield | studio | £239.82/wk | Self-contained studios: £9,387.24 for 39 weeks. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Right next to the Merchiston campus, with independent shops, cafés and bars.
Edwardian and Victorian tenements on the edge of the Meadows, about 15 minutes' walk from Princes Street.
Busy student strip of takeaways, cafés and bars along Nicolson Street, with buses to all three campuses.
Further from campus but can be cheaper, with lots of local shops, bars and restaurants.
Top tip
You can only apply once your offer is unconditional, which for most people means after exam results, but the guarantee deadline (3pm on 18 August) leaves time. You'll pay a £500 advance rent payment to accept a room, which comes off your total rent. Pay in full for a 2% discount. A few spaces at Bainfield are first come, first served, so move quickly.
Edinburgh is one of the UK's more expensive student cities outside London. Napier's monthly budget planner puts total living costs at about £769–£2,215 a month including rent, or £265–£1,137 before rent. Halls cost £503.70–£1,063.37 a month with bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance included. Private rooms typically cost £400–£700 a month plus energy bills.
Getting around
Napier's three campuses are spread across the south and west of the city, so buses are part of daily life. A Lothian Buses Ridacard gives unlimited bus and tram travel, and the university budgets up to £62.50 a month for it. If you're under 22 and live in Scotland, buses are free with a National Entitlement Card. Bainfield is within walking distance of Merchiston and 15 minutes from the city centre.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Edinburgh Napier University is 69th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47. Its strongest results are for safety (30th), nightlife (43rd).
Yes, if you meet the criteria. You need to have firmly accepted an unconditional offer, be studying for the full year, live outside Edinburgh (EH1–EH17 postcodes) and apply online by 3pm on 18 August. Edinburgh residents aren't covered by the guarantee.
For 2026/27, a standard en-suite at Bainfield, Slateford Road or Orwell Terrace costs £199.78 a week (£7,819.96 for 39 weeks). City-view en-suites cost £211.75, studios £239.82, and twin rooms at Orwell Terrace £128.59. Bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance are included.
Bainfield, which the university says is perfect for first-year undergraduates under 20. It has 778 rooms, it's a 15-minute walk from the city centre and within walking distance of the Merchiston campus.
You pay a £500 advance rent payment when you accept your room offer. It isn't an extra cost: it's deducted from your total rent. You can then pay monthly or in full, with a 2% discount for paying in full.
By bus. Merchiston, Craiglockhart and Sighthill are all in the south and west of Edinburgh. A Lothian Buses Ridacard gives unlimited bus and tram travel, and under-22s who live in Scotland travel free with a National Entitlement Card.
Popular areas include Bruntsfield (right by Merchiston), Marchmont, Newington and the Southside, and Leith, which can be cheaper. The university says rooms in shared flats typically cost £400–£700 a month plus energy bills.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
