Arrivals Information

Matriculation 

As a new QMU student, you are required to formally register with QMU and sign a declaration that you agree to abide by the University’s regulations, including the payment of fees and other tuition costs. This registration process is referred to as ‘matriculation’. 

Registry will send you an email prompting you to complete the matriculation process. You should do this online in the QMU Portal before you arrive. 

Please do not attempt to matriculate before you have received an email from Registry. 

You will need your student number to log in to the QMU Portal. Your student number can be found on your offer letter. Once you have matriculated, you will be able to access student services such as your QMU email account and the university's intranet. 

If you have any questions about matriculation, please contact the Registry Team

Accommodation 

It is important to think about your accommodation early.  

QMU offers on-campus accommodation in our student village. There are 800 single bedrooms in self-contained flats for four to six students. Each flat has a shared kitchen/living area. We are unable to provide accommodation for couples or families. 

You can apply for on-campus accommodation with an unconditional or a conditional offer. You should apply online through our accommodation system.

Contact the Accommodation Team directly with any questions

What to bring to Scotland

Think about what type of clothing you will need to help you cope with the changeable weather in Scotland. Several thin layers of clothes are often more effective against the cold than one thick sweater or jacket. We recommend that you pack some long-sleeved jerseys or pullovers and a warm winter jacket. Sturdy footwear and thick socks will keep your feet warm in late autumn and winter. A hat, scarf and gloves are also recommended. Don’t worry if these are not readily available in your home country, as there are many shops in Edinburgh where you can buy outdoor clothing and accessories at reasonable prices. Edinburgh also has numerous ‘charity’ shops where you can purchase good quality second-hand clothes at bargain prices!

What not to bring

International students often like to bring food and plant products from home with them when they come to study in the UK. You may not realise that there are strict rules governing the import of these products. Please don’t pack any fresh, dried or cured pork or wild boar meat to bring with you. This includes any pork or wild boar products such as sausages, bacon, meatballs, pate, ham, salami, jerky, bak kwa and rougan, and products made of pork fat or wild boar fat, such as lardo and salo. It is illegal to bring these items into the UK from most countries outside of the EU. If your family or friends are sending you gifts by post, please ask them not to send any meat products.

For wider information about the products you can and cannot bring with you, visit the GOV.UK website.

Visit the UKCISA website as it is an excellent source of advice for international students, and includes many useful information pages.

Edinburgh Airport currently receives flights from over 150 destinations worldwide, including flights to major flight hubs such as Amsterdam, Paris, Istanbul and Doha. Many students may also initially enter the UK via a London airport, and then a transfer via a flight to Edinburgh Airport. Please visit the Edinburgh Airport website for a full list of destinations available.

The Induction and Welcome talk for students starting in September 2025 will be on Sunday 7th September at 10am. Details of the location will be shared once you arrive on campus. Admissions will send you an email to inform you of your exact course start date. Learn more about the induction programme. 

You may wish to plan your travel so that you have a few days to rest, get over any jetlag and get used to your new surroundings before the student induction, but remember that Edinburgh is exceptionally busy in August. If you do intend to arrive earlier than your lease begins, please contact your chosen accommodation in advance to make sure it is available.

Clearing Immigration

You will need to bring the following documents with you when travelling to the UK:

• Passport: A valid passport is required. Check that your passport is valid for a minimum of one year after you enter the UK. If in doubt, get a new passport.
• Visa or entry clearance: Refer to the Immigration page on how to obtain a visa/entry clearance.
• CAS statement: A digital or paper copy
• Offer letter: We would also recommend you bring a printed copy of your offer documents sent to you by our Admissions Team.

From Edinburgh Airport

Taxi

The easiest way to travel from Edinburgh Airport to the University is by taxi. Taxis (black cabs) run on a meter (fare between £45 and £55, journey time 30-45 minutes).

Follow the signs for ‘Taxis’ at Edinburgh Airport arrivals. Alternatively, you can book a black cab in advance. The two main black cab companies in Edinburgh are Central Taxis and City Cabs.

Both companies offer larger vehicles if you have a lot of luggage. The taxi companies are reliable, and you will be safe and secure on your journey.

Taking an Uber is also another option - Uber journeys are safe and reliable in the UK. You can access free WiFi in Edinburgh Airport to book an Uber, then follow the signs to the Uber pick-up point.

Most taxis and public transport options accept contactless payment.

Airport bus

A regular airport bus service to the city centre is available from outside the main airport terminal building (fare £5.50, journey time 20-30 minutes to Waverley Bridge - opposite Waverley railway station). From Waverley Bridge, you can either take a taxi to QMU (fare between £20 and £30, journey time 20-30 minutes) or take a train from Edinburgh Waverley railway station to Musselburgh railway station, which is next to the QMU campus (fare, £3.40, journey time 6 minutes).

Tram

A regular tram service to the city centre is available from outside the main airport terminal building (fare £7.50, journey time 30 minutes to St Andrew’s Square, near Waverley railway station). From St Andrew’s Square, you can either take a taxi to the University (fare approximately £30 and journey time 20-30 minutes) or take a train from Edinburgh Waverley railway station to Musselburgh railway station (fare, £3.40).

Train 

An hourly train service runs between Edinburgh Waverley station and Musselburgh station, which is next to QMU campus (fare £3.40, journey time 6 minutes).

Arriving by bus

Edinburgh Bus Station in St Andrew Square is the city’s main bus terminus. From there you can either travel to the University by taxi (fare approximately £30, journey time 20-30 minutes) or walk the short distance to Edinburgh Waverley station then take the train to Musselburgh station. Whilst there are several bus services to the University from the city centre, if you are travelling with a lot of luggage, the train or a taxi may be more suitable.

Arriving at Glasgow Airport

From Glasgow Airport arrivals, please follow the signs for Buses/Coaches and proceed to Stance 1. From there, board the Number 500 bus service to Glasgow Queen Street Railway Station, then take the train onward to Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station. There are also frequent buses between Glasgow and Edinburgh which leave from Buchanan St Bus Station.

You will be required to show immigration documents to the QMU International Team after you arrive on campus. We will email you in advance to explain what is required. Once we’ve seen your documents, you will receive a QMU student ID card. This entitles you to various discounts and can be used as your ID within the university. Your attendance will be recorded when you ‘swipe’ your student ID card for every class. This ensures that you meet the QMU attendance requirements and adhere to the terms of your Visa.

Paying your tuition fees

Details of fees are available on the QMU website.

After you have matriculated online, our Finance Team will issue you with an invoice for your tuition fees for one year of study. You will find the payment options on the QMU Portal as soon as you have matriculated. 

Your fees should either be paid in full, 21 days after the invoice date, or by instalment. Please note that if you miss one instalment, the Finance Team will automatically request the remaining outstanding balance.

One Single Payment: You can pay your tuition fees in full either before, or on your arrival. If you are self-funding and your fees are over £9,000, if you settle your fees in full before 31 October (or within 7 days from the date of invoice, whichever is later) a 5% discount will be applied. This discount will be calculated at 5% of the net fee payable (i.e. after any scholarship is deducted).

Instalments: You can choose to pay by instalments through Direct Debit or Recurring Card Payment (RCP). Instalments start in October and run through to May the following calendar year (8 payments). No other form of instalment plan is accepted.

Credit card payments: You can pay your tuition fees, in full, by credit card or debit card at the Finance Office on campus. Before you pay, you should check whether your bank will charge you for using your card abroad and what this charge will be.

Sponsored students: If you are a sponsored student, you should provide written evidence of who will be sponsoring your studies and exactly how much your sponsor is paying.

Regardless of how you decide to pay your tuition fees, you must arrange a payment method with the Finance Team within 21 days of your arrival at QMU. A full copy of our Student Debt Recovery Procedures can be found on our website.

All international students on a student visa are required to attend the International Student Induction on campus. There will be a face-to-face session on Friday 9th January at 10am in room 3170.