Study at Queen Margaret University

Why study at Queen Margaret University

Health subjects are what QMU is best known for: nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, dietetics and other allied health professions. You will also find business, marketing, media and communication, education, social sciences and performing arts. There are two schools, the School of Health Sciences and the School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management. Teaching, housing and facilities are all on the one purpose-built campus, so day-to-day life happens in one place, with the capital only a short trip away.

Location and student life

Everything sits on one campus at Musselburgh in East Lothian, just east of Edinburgh, rather than in buildings dotted around a city. The university puts the train ride into central Edinburgh at about six minutes. In practice that means a compact campus where you soon learn your way around, plus easy access to life in Scotland's capital: its festivals, museums, shops and chances of part-time work. Closer to campus there is coastline, with beaches and countryside that suit walks and cycling.

Teaching buildings, the library, sports facilities and the student village are all on the same site. For new international students that often makes settling in and meeting people simpler than it can be at a university split across several sites.

Courses and subjects

The two schools are the School of Health Sciences and the School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management. Long-standing strengths include nursing and the allied health professions (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and dietetics among them). Business and management, marketing, media and communication, education, social sciences and performing arts sit alongside them. Courses are planned to prepare you for work in a chosen field.

If you apply from overseas and just miss the English requirement, you can take the recognised online pre-sessional English course before your degree starts. Each course page sets out what that course asks for.

Entry requirements for international students

For undergraduate study, international applicants usually need IELTS 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5. For postgraduate study the usual level is 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0. Some courses, nursing and physiotherapy for example, ask for more, so the score you need depends on the course. If you fall slightly short, you may be able to take a recognised online pre-sessional English course before you enrol. Academic requirements differ by country and programme too, so check the exact criteria on your course page and on the university's international pages before you apply.

Accommodation

On campus, the student village has about 800 single bedrooms. Students live in self-contained flats of four to six, sharing a kitchen and living area. The village can't house couples or families. Places are limited and housing isn't guaranteed, so if you hold a conditional or unconditional offer, apply online as early as you can. Private rentals in Musselburgh and Edinburgh are the other main option.

Scholarships and funding

The QMU International Scholarship is competitive and worth £3,000 off tuition fees. It's for new international fee-paying students starting the first year of a campus-based undergraduate or taught postgraduate degree costing at least £12,500. The award lasts for a single year and can't be renewed, and you apply with a supporting statement of 500–1,000 words. Deadlines and availability change each year, so look at the university's scholarships pages for the current round before you apply.