About University of the Highlands and Islands
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is a modern federated university spread across 12 academic partners in northern Scotland, combining small-class teaching, applied research in renewable energy and marine science, and flexible online delivery for remote communities.
Key Information
Student Statistics
- • 32,000 total students
- • 1,100 international students
- • 60 student societies
Location
- • Located in Inverness
- • Public university
- • Established 2011
Subject Rankings
Renewable Energy (2024)
12Marine Science (2024)
15Gaelic Studies (2024)
2Academics & Faculties
Degrees Offered
Bachelor, Master, PhD, Foundation, Professional
Popular Subjects
Renewable Energy EngineeringAdventure Tourism ManagementMarine BiologyGaelic Language and CultureNursing
Student-Staff Ratio
17 : 1
Faculties & Departments
Science, Health and Engineering
Energy and Engineering, Environmental Science, Health, Nursing and Midwifery, Computing and Digital Technologies
Arts, Humanities and Education
Gaelic and Culture, Creative and Cultural Industries, Education, Social Sciences
Business and Rural Enterprise
Business and Management, Accounting and Finance, Tourism and Hospitality, Applied Life Studies
Entry Requirements
Undergraduate
Academic: Typical offers range from BCC-BBB; engineering and nursing ask for BB including Mathematics or a science subject.
Alternatives: IB 28 with 5 in HL Maths or Physics, Gaokao 70% overall with 75% in relevant stream, Scottish Highers BBBC including English
IELTS: 6
R 5.5 / W 5.5 / L 5.5 / S 5.5
TOEFL iBT: 78
Interview or audition for teaching and creative programmes • Occupational health clearance for health programmes • Relevant outdoor experience for adventure studies
Postgraduate
Minimum Qualification: 2:2 honours or equivalent professional diploma; research degrees expect a master's with merit.
GPA: 2.8
IELTS: 6.5
R 6 / W 6 / L 6 / S 6
TOEFL iBT: 88
Research proposal for MRes and PhD • Two references (one academic) • CV outlining professional experience
Fees & Funding
Tuition (International)
- Undergraduate: £13,000
- Postgraduate: £13,000
Living Costs (Annual)
- Accommodation: £4,800
- Food: £2,200
- Transport: £1,200
- Entertainment: £900
- Other: £800
- Total: £9,900
Scholarships
Highlands Global Scholarship
MeritValue: £2,500 (Tuition support)
International students in climate, hospitality or heritage subjects
Campus & Facilities
Inverness IV2 5NA
Highland campus overlooking the Moray Firth with modern labs and outdoor learning spaces.
Size: 45 acres
Facilities
Research
Energy Futures Centre, Centre for Rural Innovation
Student Services
Learning Support, Global Lounge
Libraries
Inverness Library
Community library with archive collections
08:00-21:00
Sports Facilities
Highland Sport Village
Outdoor pitches and performance gym
Student Services
Student Support
Holistic support for remote students
studentsupport@uhi.ac.uk
Accommodation
Inverness Campus Student Residences
En-suiteCost: N/A
Contract:
Orkney College Flats
Shared flatCost: N/A
Contract:
Outer Hebrides Student Village
StudioCost: N/A
Contract:
Apply via the UHI accommodation portal once firm acceptance is recorded; offers are prioritised by distance from campus and course start date.
Student Life & Support
Clubs & Sports
Clubs: 60
Teams: 25
Cultural Activities
- Highland cultural festivals
- Outdoor expedition club
International Support
- Visa support: Yes
- Language support: Yes
- Orientation: Yes
- Buddy program: Yes
- Contact: international@uhi.ac.uk
Health & Wellbeing
- Medical centre: Yes
- Counselling: Yes
- Disability support: Yes
- Emergency: N/A
Careers & Outcomes
Employability Rank
70
Graduate Outcomes
Employed: 72%
Further study: 12%
Unemployed: 8%
Average Salary
£26,500
per year
Top Employers
Highland CouncilNHS HighlandMarine Renewables firms
Career Services
- Graduate School Careers: Support for remote internships and apprenticeships
Location & Transportation
Nearest Airport
Inverness Airport
15 km • 20 minutes by bus
Public Transport
- Rail: Inverness station links to Aberdeen & Edinburgh • £12-£45 return
- Bus: Scottish Citylink services across Highlands • £10-£20
Local Area
Highland city with access to Cairngorms and Hebridean islands.
Cost of Living: Medium
Attractions: Loch Ness, Cairngorms National Park, Culloden
Shopping: Inverness Victorian Market, Eden Court shops
Entertainment: Highland cultural festivals, Live ceilidh nights
Additional Information
Accreditation
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Engineering Council accreditation for energy programmes, Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)
Partnerships
- Research: European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) — World-leading tidal and wave energy test site in Orkney providing student placements and research collaboration
- Industry: Highland Council — Joint initiatives on rural development, Gaelic language promotion and community healthcare
- Clinical: NHS Highland — Nursing and allied health placements across rural hospitals and community care settings
- Academic: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig — National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture offering immersive learning on the Isle of Skye
Research Highlights
- Orkney Tidal Energy Research — Pioneering research on tidal stream turbines achieving world-record energy generation at EMEC test site (2024)
- Rural Healthcare Innovation — Developing telemedicine and community nursing models for remote and island communities (2023)
- Gaelic Language Revitalisation — Research into bilingual education and digital resources supporting Gaelic language preservation (2023)
Notable Alumni
- Dr Emily Shuckburgh OBE — Climate scientist and Director of Cambridge Zero, started research career through UHI environmental partnerships (2005)
- Calum MacLeod — Award-winning Scottish Gaelic broadcaster and documentary maker for BBC Alba (2010)
- Eilidh Doyle — Olympic bronze medallist in athletics (400m hurdles), studied at UHI while training (2012)
Metadata
Source: University of the Highlands and Islands 2025 prospectus
Last Updated: 2025-12-03T00:00:00Z
Verified: Yes
Contact Email: data@ukuni.io