Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Heriot-Watt's Edinburgh campus is a big green parkland site at Riccarton, on the south-western edge of the city. Halls, teaching buildings, the Student Union and the Oriam sports centre are all on site, so it's a real campus university, with Edinburgh city centre a bus ride away. It's known for engineering, science, business and other career-focused subjects.
It's a good choice if you want a self-contained campus with a capital city nearby. The trade-off is that you're out of town, and the evening buses can feel like a trek. Students from the rest of the UK can currently get their first semester in halls free.
Known for
Heriot-Watt University is 83rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 44.6, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | Queen Margaret University | 44.9 |
| 82 | University of Hertfordshire | 44.7 |
| 83 | Heriot-Watt University | 44.6 |
| 84 | University of Manchester | 44.5 |
| 85 | University of West London | 44.4 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
32nd of 124 · Inclusion Score 69.8
34th of 124 · Safety Score 52.8
43rd of 124 · Value Score 52.3
47th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 54
66th of 124 · Freshers Score 54.3
67th of 124 · Balance Score 41.6
72nd of 124 · Nightlife Score 46.7
74th of 123 · Happiness Score 44.5
78th of 124 · Societies Score 46.6
84th of 124 · Social Score 44.8
86th of 124 · Innovation Score 49.4
92nd of 124 · Affordability Score 47.1
96th of 124 · Employability Score 23.7
100th of 122 · Careers Score 22
103rd of 124 · Sustainability Score 36
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.
Heriot-Watt University appears in 25 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | 7th | of 30 | 83 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 19th | of 66 | 102 |
| Data Science | 18th | of 50 | 104 |
| Civil Engineering | 22nd | of 58 | 112 |
| Aerospace Engineering 2026 table | 12th | of 30 | 78 |
| Quantity Surveying | 14th | of 35 | 84 |
| Actuarial Science | 6th | of 14 | 46 |
| Engineering (General) | 13th | of 30 | 68 |
| Computer Science | 49th | of 102 | 143 |
| Statistics | 13th | of 27 | 63 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | 33rd | of 67 | 106 |
| Robotics | 16th | of 32 | 80 |
| Software Engineering | 29th | of 58 | 103 |
| Mathematics | 31st | of 61 | 99 |
| Sports Science | 42nd | of 78 | 111 |
| Chemistry | 24th | of 44 | 83 |
| Cyber Security | 32nd | of 58 | 104 |
| Physics | 25th | of 45 | 89 |
| Psychology | 60th | of 108 | 123 |
| Business and Management | 64th | of 114 | 130 |
| Interior Design | 21st | of 36 | 61 |
| Marine Biology | 10th | of 17 | 46 |
| Fashion Design | 29th | of 49 | 90 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 49th | of 77 | 105 |
| Architecture | 39th | of 55 | 67 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
The Heriot-Watt Student Union is on the Riccarton campus and runs clubs, societies, events and student representation. Sport is a big draw: Oriam, Scotland's national performance centre for sport, is on campus, and the Sports Union runs the university's sports clubs. The campus has shops, food outlets and parkland to walk in. For nights out, the city centre and its pubs, venues and festivals are a bus ride away.
University halls cost £196–£231 per week (2027/28 undergraduate rooms, 40-week contract, 4 September 2027 to 10 June 2028). 2026/27: £189–£224. (2027/28 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
For 2027/28, Heriot-Watt guarantees all new full-time students an offer of accommodation, on or off campus, in their first year if they: are starting a full academic year in September; hold a Conditional Firm or Unconditional Firm offer; live outside the City of Edinburgh; and apply online before 12:00 midday (BST) on 21 June 2027. Direct entrants to years 2 or 3 and care-experienced students (including Edinburgh residents) are also covered. Edinburgh postcodes EH1–17, EH28, EH29 and EH30 are excluded. Later applications are considered subject to availability.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional en-suite room (Edinburgh campus halls) | Riccarton campus | en-suite (about 12m², kitchen shared by 4–5) | £196/wk | £7,840 for the 40-week contract in 2027/28, with an £784 advance rent payment. It was £189 a week in 2026/27. This is the room type covered by the free-first-semester offer. |
| Contemporary en-suite room in a flat (Edinburgh campus halls) | Riccarton campus | en-suite (about 16m², 3/4 bed, flat of 5) | £231/wk | Bigger rooms and more kitchen/living space per person. £9,240 for 40 weeks in 2027/28 (£224 a week in 2026/27). |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Quiet villages next to the campus, with limited student housing.
Busy, more affordable inner-city areas on the bus routes out towards Riccarton.
The heart of the city's student scene, but expensive and a longer commute to Riccarton.
Top tip
Applications for 2027/28 open on 1 March 2027. Apply before midday on 21 June 2027 to be covered by the guarantee. If you're from England, Wales or Northern Ireland, check the free-first-semester offer: it's added to your accommodation offer automatically when you apply. Bring or buy bedding, as it isn't provided (a pack costs £35 on arrival).
On-campus rooms cost £196 or £231 a week for 2027/28, on a 40-week contract, with heating, power and internet included. Eligible students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland have recently had first-semester rent covered, saving £3,213 in 2026/27. Edinburgh's private rents are high, so first-year halls are good value. Under-22s living in Scotland get free bus travel.
Getting around
Riccarton is on the south-western edge of Edinburgh, so most students use Lothian Buses to get into town. An adult single costs £2.40 and a day ticket £6. If you're under 22 and live in Scotland, buses are free with a National Entitlement Card.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Heriot-Watt University is 83rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 44.6. Its strongest results are for inclusion (32nd), safety (34th), value for money (43rd).
Yes, for new full-time students from outside the City of Edinburgh who hold a firm offer and apply before midday on 21 June 2027. The guarantee is for an offer on or off campus.
For 2027/28, undergraduates can choose a traditional en-suite at £196 a week or a contemporary en-suite in a flat of five at £231 a week, on a 40-week contract. Heating, power and internet are included.
For September 2026 entry, eligible undergraduates from England, Wales and Northern Ireland got their first semester in halls free (worth £3,213 at Edinburgh), added automatically to their offer. Check the scholarship page for the 2027 offer.
At Riccarton, on 380 acres of parkland on the south-western edge of Edinburgh. Halls, teaching buildings, the Student Union and the Oriam sports centre are all on campus.
By Lothian Buses: an adult single is £2.40 and a day ticket £6. Under-22s living in Scotland can travel free with a National Entitlement Card.
Yes. In the UK, there's a Scottish Borders campus in Galashiels (textiles and design) and a presence in Orkney. Overseas, there are campuses in Dubai and Malaysia.
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.
