Edinburgh Napier’s own accommodation at Bainfield, Slateford Road, and Orwell Terrace provides over 1,200 bed spaces, but places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis with no blanket guarantee, so plenty of students end up in private accommodation, particularly those coming from outside Scotland or moving into their second year and beyond.
Plenty of private student accommodation sits within easy reach of the Merchiston campus, which is where most students spend the bulk of their time. The Mill House in Fountainbridge is one of the closest options on this page, with en-suite rooms and studios, bills included, and a walk or short bus ride to Merchiston. Gorgie and Westfield are both just over a mile from campus, offer en-suite rooms with bills included, and are on good Lothian Bus routes for getting to Craiglockhart and Sighthill when you need to.
If you want to be closer to the city centre, or you’re splitting time between campuses, iQ Fountainbridge and Haymarket are both well placed near Edinburgh’s main transport hub, making it easy to reach any of the three campus sites by bus. Haymarket Yards is a newer development in the same area, with modern studios and strong transport links. It’s worth figuring out which campus you’ll be based at most before you start looking, because with three sites spread across the city, location makes a real difference. Browse our full range of student accommodation in Edinburgh for the complete picture.
Edinburgh Napier was founded in 1964 as Napier Technical College, taking its name from the mathematician John Napier, whose family seat was Merchiston Castle — the same building that forms the centrepiece of the university’s Merchiston campus today. The university gained its current status in 1992 and has grown into one of Scotland’s largest modern universities, with over 20,000 students studying across three Edinburgh campuses. It is ranked the top modern university in Scotland by the Times Higher Education 2025 rankings and 86th in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2025, with a strong focus on practical, industry-connected learning.
Unlike most universities, Edinburgh Napier runs three separate campuses across the city, each focused on different subjects. Merchiston campus on Colinton Road is the most central and houses the Schools of Arts and Creative Industries and Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. Craiglockhart campus, further along the same road, is home to the Business School and law courses. The campus buildings were formerly Craiglockhart War Hospital, where First World War poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were treated, and a permanent exhibition on the poets remains open to students. Sighthill campus at Bankhead Avenue is home to the Schools of Health and Social Care and Applied Sciences, and includes clinical skills suites, sports science labs, and the EN GAGE sports centre following an £80 million redevelopment.
Edinburgh Napier is ranked the top modern university in Scotland by the Times Higher Education 2025 rankings and 86th overall in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2025. It is ranked 4th in the UK for Biosciences and 5th among modern universities for Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism by the Guardian University Guide 2025. For the latest rankings, visit the Complete University Guide.
95% of Edinburgh Napier graduates go on to work or further study within 15 months of completing their degree. The university has direct NHS partnerships for health and social care students, and its computing and creative programmes have strong links with industry in Edinburgh and beyond. Visit the Edinburgh Napier careers pages for more detail.
Visit the Edinburgh Napier University website for current tuition fee information across undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Edinburgh Napier offers a range of bursaries and scholarships including the Access Bursary for students with lower household incomes, and the Find-a-Fund scheme which covers the EnCourage Scholarship, the Student Grant Initiative, and the Santander Universities Scholarships among others. Full details are on the Edinburgh Napier scholarships page.
Edinburgh is one of the UK’s great student cities. It’s compact enough to feel genuinely navigable, extraordinarily rich in history, culture, and green space, and has a nightlife scene that punches well above its size. The Old Town, Holyrood Park, and Arthur’s Seat are all within easy reach of the main accommodation cluster around Fountainbridge, and the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and the Grassmarket are all walkable from most private accommodation on this page.
Edinburgh Napier’s Students’ Association (ENSA) has its main office at Merchiston, with satellite offices at Craiglockhart and Sighthill, and runs a full programme of societies, sports clubs, and events throughout the year. The ENSA Union Bar is based above The Three Sisters on the Cowgate, one of Edinburgh’s best-known student strips, and is a natural first port of call for Napier freshers. The Cowgate and neighbouring Grassmarket are the heart of the student nightlife scene, alongside Teviot Row House, one of the oldest purpose-built students’ unions in the world.
Beyond the Cowgate, Bristo Square, Leith, and Stockbridge all have their own character and are worth getting to know. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August is one of the world’s great cultural events, and being a student in the city means genuinely cheap or free access to a huge amount of it. For getting out of the city at weekends, Glasgow is under an hour away by train and the Highlands are accessible in a few hours.
Edinburgh Napier doesn’t guarantee accommodation for all students. The university provides over 1,200 bed spaces across its own sites at Bainfield, Slateford Road, and Orwell Terrace, and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The university recommends applying as early as possible after accepting your offer and notes that it makes one offer per student with reallocation rarely possible. Students who don’t secure university-managed accommodation typically look to private student accommodation nearby, and there are good options close to all three campuses.
Private student accommodation in the surrounding area ranges from more budget-friendly en-suite rooms in Gorgie and Fountainbridge through to higher-spec studios closer to the city centre. Edinburgh is one of the more expensive cities in Scotland, but private student accommodation here is still considerably cheaper than equivalent options in London. Use the price filter to find options that work for your budget.
Lothian Buses covers all three campus areas and is the most practical way to get around. A Ridacard gives you unlimited travel on Lothian services and works out considerably cheaper than paying per journey. Students under 22 in Scotland can travel free on all bus services using a National Entitlement Card via freebus.scot. From Fountainbridge and Gorgie, Merchiston is walkable for most students, Craiglockhart is around 20 to 25 minutes by bus, and Sighthill is around 25 to 30 minutes.
Edinburgh Napier was ranked the top modern university in Scotland by the Times Higher Education 2025 rankings and 86th in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2025. 95% of graduates go on to employment or further study within 15 months, and the university has particular strengths in Biosciences, Hospitality and Tourism, Computing, and Nursing.
For university-managed accommodation, apply as soon as possible after accepting your offer as places go on a first-come, first-served basis. For private student accommodation, the earlier the better — the most popular properties in Fountainbridge and Gorgie tend to fill from around January or February for the following September. Browse our current listings of student accommodation near Edinburgh Napier University to see what is available.
Edinburgh is one of the more expensive cities in Scotland, though considerably cheaper than London. Students under 22 benefit from free bus travel across Scotland, which makes a real difference day to day. The city has a strong student discount culture across bars, restaurants, museums, and venues. For more on managing costs, read our guide to student budgeting.
Edinburgh is consistently rated one of the best student cities in the UK. Beyond the Cowgate and Grassmarket nightlife, the city has world-class museums, galleries, and green spaces, most of them free. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August fills the city with theatre, comedy, and music from around the world. Arthur’s Seat and the Pentland Hills are both within easy reach for getting outdoors, and Glasgow is under an hour away by train. For more ideas, read our guide to things to do in Edinburgh for students.
Edinburgh is the attractive capital of Scotland and home to three universities, including the highly-rated University of Edinburgh, as well as Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt University. Thanks to a high student population and plenty of tourist interest, there are abundant fun things for students to do in Edinburgh. Fret not if you don’t know where…
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