Biological Sciences

Welcome from Professor Thorunn Helgason, Head of School of Biological Sciences

We are really pleased that you’re considering coming to study at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. It is one of the best places in the world to study biology and to prepare for a career in research or in biotech entrepreneurship; we are ranked among the top 20 globally.

With around 900 UG students, 150 postgraduate Master’s students and 250 PhD students, we have a vibrant learning community that is focused on problem solving skills and training that is very much research-led. With a breadth in teaching and research from molecular to population scales we are inherently interdisciplinary in our approach to science and innovation. Novel and creative solutions to global problems occur across discipline boundaries, and we address these big questions with quantitative, computational and predictive approaches and the ability to engineer biological systems at gene, chromosome and cellular levels.

Edinburgh, as well as being a great place to be, is renowned for its culture, history and academic excellence, and in the School of Biological Sciences, we continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and excellence. We would love for you to join us on your journey through this exciting revolution in biology.

We hope that the information on this Hub will help you find out more about studying Biological Sciences with us. If you have already received an offer from us, Congratulations! I'd encourage you to sign up to attend one of our offer holder events, to get more of a flavour of who we are and what we stand for. I wish you all the best as you make this decision.

- Thorunn