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Social Work at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 20262026 - 2027
Apply

This course is not open to application until the 13th May 2025.

Open days

2Jun
The University of Edinburgh - Edinburgh College of Art - Undergraduate Open Day
Undergraduate
20Jun
The University of Edinburgh - Undergraduate Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Social work is a profession suited to people who:

  • are creative
  • are practical
  • are resourceful
  • enjoy working with other people
You will combine ingenuity and optimism with honesty and realism, in the face of the demanding situations which some service users experience. You should have a stable, well-integrated personality, and you must be able to see beyond the immediate issues presented by service users, the general public, and policy-makers. You will also require well-developed social and communication skills and a high degree of empathy. What social work looks like Good social work combines an interest in people with a rigorous intellectual attitude and the constant search for better methods of helping, supported by research and development. Social workers support people in difficult circumstances to improve their wellbeing. They provide protection to people who may be vulnerable, and promote social justice. Working within legal systems and codes of practice, social workers work with individuals, families and communities to enable change. They work in partnership with other agencies to achieve this, including, for example:
  • health
  • education
  • housing
  • the police
Studying social work will enable you to think critically about the work that social workers do and to develop:
  • skills in assessment and communication
  • a strong sense of professional ethics
  • an understanding of the importance of social justice
We seek to meet the demands of this changing profession and contribute to an understanding of, and improvements in, public policy and professional practice. How we are shaping social work We have previously played a major role in advising on the future shape of social work services in Scotland. We contributed to reports that led to the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, which remains a core legislative basis for Scottish social work today. Programme benefits
  • Our programme will provide you with an internationally-recognised professional qualification, which will enable you to register as a professional social worker, opening up your employment opportunities in the UK and abroad.
  • Our programme is fully accredited by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
  • You will complete full-time practice placements with local agencies and organisations during Years 3 and 4.
  • We are a diverse and international community of staff and students. We work with local and international partners on all of our teaching programmes to ensure that our teaching reflects our commitment to social work values, ethics and social justice.
  • The University started providing training for social workers in 1918 and today we are well-recognised as a leading institution in social work training.

How to apply

This course is not open to application until the 13th May 2025.

14Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
L500
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification Requirements

Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/127-social-work

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Please click the following link to find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course

https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/127-social-work

Additional entry requirements

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

Health checks

Consult the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) website for additional fitness to practise guidelines for this degree. https://www.sssc.uk.com/fitness-to-practise/what-is-fitness-to-practise/ You will also need to meet any vaccination requirements for placements.

Other

You must register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a student of social work.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English Advancedtotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English Proficiencytotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.

You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C; GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:

https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
67%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
84%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands £9535* Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535* Year 1
Scotland £1820* Year 1
England £9535* Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535* Year 1
Wales £9535* Year 1
EU £29600 Year 1
International £29600 Year 1

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees. Please note the 2026-27 fee rate is yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government. England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed. The fee for 2025 entry was £9,535. For 2026 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits. EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees. Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme
Social Work at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS