University of Edinburgh central campus tour
By Aagoon, from India, studying Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science
If you search for the University of Edinburgh online, one of the images that usually appears first is Old College Quad. I remember seeing it when I was applying from India and thinking how unreal it looked; historic, grand, slightly cinematic.
Now, as a fourth-year Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science student, I often end Central Area campus tours standing in that same quad, watching prospective students take their own photos. (It’s a full-circle moment every time!)
If you can’t attend an Open Day, a student-led campus tour is one of the best ways to experience the University. The Central Area tour takes roughly an hour. Along the way, we stop at key buildings, student spaces and green areas, while sharing insight into what life here is really like.
Tours are led by current students, so you’re hearing lived experience. When I was applying, that perspective made everything feel more tangible and helped me picture myself here. Here’s an overview of what you’ll see on a campus tour.
The Main Library
The Main Library quickly becomes central to student life. It’s open 24/7 during term time and has over 2,300 study spaces, including silent floors, group study rooms and bookable pods. It also houses the Careers Service and UCreate, a makerspace where students can experiment with technologies like 3D printing and virtual reality.
As a student, many of my long coursework sessions have taken place here. During exam season there’s a shared sense of focus, everyone working towards their own deadlines, but collectively part of the same rhythm. It’s practical, busy and reassuringly familiar.
The Meadows
Just beside the Central Area and next to the Main Library is the Meadows, a large green space that feels like an extension of campus, something I find unique in the city of Edinburgh. In spring and summer, it fills with students revising outdoors, playing sports or taking a break between lectures.
One of my favourite routines is getting a hot chocolate from Uplands Roast (arguably the best in town, I’m probably 70% hot chocolate at this point!) and walking through the Meadows during study breaks. Even in the middle of deadlines, there’s space to pause.
Something that genuinely surprised me when I arrived was how student-friendly and safe Edinburgh feels. As an international student and a woman of colour, that mattered to me when choosing where to live away from home for the first time. The city is busy and vibrant, but also walkable and well-connected, which makes settling in easier. The Young Scot card offering free bus travel for under-22s is a bonus.
McEwan Hall
At Bristo Square, we stop outside McEwan Hall. This is where many students attend Welcome Week events at the start of their degree and return years later to graduate. There’s something fitting about beginning and ending your university journey in the same place.
It’s also a reminder that while university can feel long when you’re in the middle of it, it moves quickly. Building community and making the most of your time here really matters.
Teviot Row House and the Students’ Association
Teviot Row House sits at the centre of student life and the home of Edinburgh University Students’ Association. It recently reopended after extensive refurbishment to improve accessibility.Teviot itself is one of the oldest purpose-built student union buildings in the world.
The University has over 300 societies and sports clubs, covering everything from cultural groups to subject communities to creative arts. It’s a great opportunity to try something new or develop an existing interest. I’ve been involved in chess, salsa and bachata, and Diversity in Informatics, all of which helped me meet like-minded people and grow beyond my degree.
A question that often comes up on tours is whether it’s easy to find your place in a university this size. Personally, I’ve felt that while Edinburgh is large, day-to-day life feels more close-knit as your degree programme, tutorials, societies and regular study spaces naturally form smaller communities and close bonds.
Old College Quad
We finish at Old College Quad. With its Harry Potter-esque feel, it’s one of the most recognisable parts of the University and home to the Law School and the Playfair Library. For many prospective students, this is the image that first drew them in. Standing there at the end of a tour, it’s easy to reflect on how something that once felt distant and aspirational gradually becomes familiar.
A common myth
One assumption I notice is that students will mostly stay within their own subject bubble and only interact with people studying the same degree. Walking the Central Area makes it clear that isn’t quite right.
Your school community forms a close-knit space for peer support and academic growth, but the wider university community is interconnected. The Main Library is shared across disciplines. The Meadows is filled with students from every school. Societies bring together people from completely different courses.
Some of my closest friends study Mathematics, History and Medicine. That crossover happens naturally because the campus is shared. Seeing these spaces in person helps show that university life here isn’t siloed but collaborative and social.
My campus tour top tips
If you’re coming on a campus tour, wear comfortable shoes, it’s a mile of walking.
Additionally, come with questions. Ask about workload, accommodation, or anything you’re unsure about. The more specific your questions, the more helpful the tour becomes.
And if you can, take a few minutes afterwards to explore on your own and try to really imagine yourself here!
At one point, that was all this was for me, imagination. And now, it’s home! 😊
