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Compare any two UK universities

Select any two universities below and we'll generate an instant, data-driven comparison — rankings, salaries, student satisfaction, international community, and more.

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The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh · QS World #35

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University of St Andrews

St Andrews · QS World #115

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 11 datapoints

We looked at 11 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

5/11

Edinburgh

scored higher in 5 categories

VS

6/11

St Andrews

scored higher in 6 categories

Quick Verdict

University of St Andrews leads in 6 of 11 categories where both have data (ranking, established, satisfaction, international, graduate salary, courses). The University of Edinburgh is ahead on ranking, Russell Group, employment, scholarship.

The University of Edinburgh vs University of St Andrews at a glance

The University of Edinburgh and University of St Andrews both teach 58 subject areas, the largest being African & Middle Eastern Studies, French and German & Scandinavian Studies. The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas; University of St Andrews offers 1,157 courses across 64 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £30,160 at University of St Andrews: The University of Edinburgh is about £560 a year cheaper.

Of the 33 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of St Andrews is higher in 22 and The University of Edinburgh in 10, with 1 about level. The widest gap is in Computer Science: £37,000 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, against £51,500 from University of St Andrews. Of the 32 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of St Andrews is higher in 27 and The University of Edinburgh in 5.

World & National Rankings

Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.

#35
QS World
#115
#29
THE World
#162
#17
Guardian UK
#3
1583
Established
1413
Yes
Russell Group
No
—
TEF Rating
—

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

Longer bars indicate better performance. Metrics include student satisfaction, graduate salaries, and more.

The University of Edinburgh

University of St Andrews

85.3%
93.2%

Satisfaction

Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)

£37,600
£40,000

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83%
74.1%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

41.6%
46.1%

International

International student share

936
1157

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

112
62

Scholarships

Number of scholarships

International Community

Where do international students come from?

Top source countries based on official HESA enrolment data. A higher diversity of nationalities often means a richer campus experience.

Edinburgh

122 countries · 41.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China44.5%
  • 🇺🇸United States9.3%
  • 🇮🇳India5.4%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia2.7%
  • 🇨🇦Canada2.4%
VS

St Andrews

89 countries · 46.1% international

  • 🇺🇸United States42.3%
  • 🇨🇳China9%
  • 🇩🇪Germany4%
  • 🇮🇳India4%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong3.2%

Subjects

58 subjects you can study at both

Courses listed at each university in the subject, and the typical (median) international fee a year. Select a count to see the courses.

The University of Edinburgh

University of St Andrews

Also taught at both: Teacher Training, Media & Film Studies, Medicine, Philosophy, Spanish & Portuguese, Chemistry, Geography (General), Physics, Biology, Psychology (General), Business Studies, Asian Languages & Studies, Geology & Earth Sciences, Education Studies, Management, Sociology & Criminology, Anthropology, Ecology & Conservation, English Literature, Animal Science, Human Geography & Environment, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Physical Geography & Climate, Statistics, Finance & Actuarial Science, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry, Business & Management (General), Combined & General Studies, Zoology & Animal Biology, Creative Writing, Environmental Sciences, Applied Biology & Human Biology, Childhood & Youth Studies, Computing & IT, Humanities, Heritage & Conservation, Liberal Arts, Marketing, Personal & Professional Development, Software Engineering.

Only at The University of Edinburgh

Only at University of St Andrews

Fees

What it costs international students

The typical (median) international tuition fee a year across each university's published course fees. Individual courses vary; each course page shows its own fee.

Undergraduate

The University of Edinburgh
£29,600
University of St Andrews
£30,160

The University of Edinburgh is about £560 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

The University of Edinburgh
No data
University of St Andrews
£27,200

We do not have reliable international fee data for The University of Edinburgh yet.

Outcomes

Graduate outcomes by subject

Median graduate salary three years after graduating, and student satisfaction with teaching, across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject. Source: Discover Uni.

The University of Edinburgh

University of St Andrews

  • African & Middle Eastern Studies

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£30,000
    89%Satisfaction96%

  • French

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£29,500
    87%Satisfaction95%

  • German & Scandinavian Studies

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£30,000
    82%Satisfaction90%

  • History

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£28,500
    88%Satisfaction97%

  • Italian

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£30,000
    94%Satisfaction98%

  • Classical Studies

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£27,500
    92%Satisfaction97%

  • Theology & Religious Studies

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£24,500
    94%Satisfaction97%

  • History of Art & Design

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£27,500
    90%Satisfaction94%

  • Economics

    £38,000Salary (3 years)£39,000
    81%Satisfaction93%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£36,500
    81%Satisfaction94%

  • Computer Science

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£51,500
    74%Satisfaction93%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    87%Satisfaction95%

Showing the 12 largest of 33 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

The University of Edinburgh

Asylum Seeker Scholarship

£21,000

Deadline: N/A

Education Beyond Borders postgraduate scholarship

£20,780

Deadline: N/A

Cameron Law Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Online Learning Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Rosedale OSSD University of Edinburgh Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of St Andrews

Applied Environmental Sciences MSc Awards - Women in Mining (WIM) UK

100%

Deadline: Jun 2026

Environmental Science MSc Awards - The Cunningham Scholarship UK

100%

Deadline: Jun 2026

Masters funding in Digital Health and Care

£10,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

School of Modern Languages Masters Scholarship

100%

Deadline: May 2026

University of Jordan Postgraduate Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

The University of Edinburgh vs University of St Andrews: common questions

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of St Andrews cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £30,160 at University of St Andrews: The University of Edinburgh is about £560 a year cheaper. These are medians of the international tuition fees each university publishes for its courses; the fee for a specific course is on its course page.

What subjects can you study at both The University of Edinburgh and University of St Andrews?

Both universities teach 58 subject areas: African & Middle Eastern Studies, French, German & Scandinavian Studies, History, Italian, Classical Studies, Ancient Languages, Theology & Religious Studies, History of Art & Design, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science and 46 more.

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of St Andrews better for African & Middle Eastern Studies?

African & Middle Eastern Studies graduates earn a median £28,000 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, and £30,000 from University of St Andrews. Student satisfaction with teaching is 89% at The University of Edinburgh and 96% at University of St Andrews. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does The University of Edinburgh or University of St Andrews offer more courses?

University of St Andrews lists 1,157 courses on CourseOptions and The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses.

What can you study at The University of Edinburgh but not at University of St Andrews?

The University of Edinburgh teaches 58 subject areas that University of St Andrews does not, including Biological Sciences (General), Veterinary Medicine, Design & Fashion, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Social Policy & Public Policy, Genetics & Genomics, Linguistics, Celtic Studies and 50 more.

What can you study at University of St Andrews but not at The University of Edinburgh?

University of St Andrews teaches 6 subject areas that The University of Edinburgh does not, including English Studies, Information & Library Studies, Materials Science, Agriculture & Land Management, Applied & General Science and Cognitive & Experimental Psychology.

Ready to explore courses?

Browse available courses, check entry requirements, and find scholarships at each university.

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The University of Edinburgh936 courses · 112 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
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University of St Andrews1,157 courses · 62 scholarshipsBrowse Courses