Embarking on a university career can raise lots of questions, from students and parents alike. We recognise that many parents - or those fulfilling a parenting role - will want to support their child and make sure they get the most from their education.
Based on the questions asked by parents at our Open Days, we have collated a list of commonly asked questions from parents, to help your son or daughter make the right informed choice. You can also download our 
Parents' Survival Guide for more detailed information. Our Open Days in 2010 take place on Thursday 26th August and Saturday 30th October,
We understand that these guides may not answer all of your questions so please feel free to contact us at any time for additional support.
Choices
How much will it cost me?
Will my son or daughter get the support they need?
What about safety?
Will he / she be able to get a job?
Does he / she have the right qualifications to get onto the course?
Answers
Scotland’s inspiring capital, Edinburgh, is an exciting place to live and study. With streets steeped in history and a thriving cultural scene (including the world’s largest arts festival), Edinburgh offers something for everyone. Clean, compact and safe, Edinburgh tops the list of European cities where people would most like to live. It has a diverse, multicultural population and its four universities make Edinburgh a respected place of learning.
Edinburgh Napier University itself is a modern institution
with excellent resources, such as the Jack Kilby Computing Centre which is open 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. The Guardian University Guide 2009 has awarded us the title of best modern university in Scotland and one of the top 5 in the UK, and the Higher Education Statistics Agency (2010) have ranked us as Edinburgh's top university for graduate employability. We produce confident graduates with a high employability rating due to our relevant and flexible modes of learning, and emphasis on providing support when they need it - over 93% of our graduates are in work or further study within 6 months after graduating.
Undergraduate fees are currently £1,820 a year for UK and EU students on a full-time degree course. More information can be found at www.napier.ac.uk/ugfees.
Information on postgraduate fees can be found at www.napier.ac.uk/pgfees but a rough guide can be found below:
- PgCert - £1,730 – £2,410
- PgDip - £3,470 – £4,820
- MSc - £3,820 – £5,310
Please note that the fees for international students are different from the costs listed above. More information about fees, funding and scholarships for international students can be found at www.napier.ac.uk/internationalfees.
Including the essentials such as accommodation, food, heat & light, phone, travel, course costs and insurance - and the not so essential new clothing, toiletries and socialising, the cost of living in Edinburgh is estimated to be £799 per month. This compares favourably with other UK university towns.
Students from Scotland may be eligible for a means-tested low interest loan from SAAS to help with living expenses. The interest on these loans is subsidised by government, so the final repaid amount is very close to the original amount borrowed. This only starts to be repaid once the borrower is earning £15,000 or more a year and comes directly from their wage packet so is not missed.
For more information see the SAAS website (opens in a new window)
A Young Person's Bursary is available from SAAS to students under 25 from low income families. It is designed to help towards living costs and can be up to £2,640 a year depending on family income. This takes the place of part of the loan, reducing the amount that the student has to pay back to SAAS once they start working.
See our Support from SAAS pages for more information.
NB: This bursary is not available to EU or international students.
Student Accommodation
Leases for student accommodation provided by Edinburgh Napier University commence in September, and most run for 39 weeks, although a 50-week lease is also available. The costs are:
A deposit payment will be required to secure a place, and the balance paid in monthly installments by Direct Debit. A discount is available for students who wish to stay for a year and pay the full amount in advance. Full details are available on our Rents and Payments page. You can find out more about our Student Accommodation at our Accommodation pages.
Our Special Needs & Diversity team offers advice and support for students and staff on a range of issues relating to disability, health conditions and specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. They can provide information, discuss and assess the individual needs of students and put any required support into place. They can also help eligible students with the application and assessments process for Disabled Students' Allowance, and provide training in the use of specialist software and equipment. Some equipment is available for loan from our Assessment & Training Centre. Find out more at our Special Needs & Diversity pages.
What if they are not enjoying their course?
As well as being able to access support from course leaders and the student's own personal tutor, our team of Student Advisers offers an informal and confidential service to help students sort out priorities, clarify their thoughts, and consider all of the options available. They can be contacted on
sar@napier.ac.uk. The Advisers can also put students in touch with other support staff within the University that may be able to help, such as other members of the Student Support team and the advisers at the
Independent Student Advice Service (link will open in a new window).
We also run a Student Mentoring programme, where new students can benefit from the experience and insight of trained student mentors who have been at the University for at least one year.The mentors are people from a wide variety of age groups and backgrounds who understand the challenges being faced when entering University from school, college or the workplace. Contact studentsmentoring@napier.ac.uk.
Edinburgh is one of the most student friendly cities in the UK, and is regularly voted one of the most desirable places to live in the world. There are no 'no-go' areas in the city, and it is both easy & safe to get around on public transport.
The City of Edinburgh Council, Lothian & Borders Police, and Lothian Fire Rescue Service are all pro-active about community safety, and co-ordinates the Edinburgh Community Safety Partnership (link opens in a new window) to provide a response to community safety issues across the city.
CCTV is installed at the larger developments and security patrols are regularly carried out throughout the night and over weekends. University Security staff are on hand 24hrs a day to ensure there are no problems in the student flats, and there are also senior residents (older students) at each development to check that everything is running smoothly throughout the year.
Edinburgh Napier graduates have one of the best employment prospects of all Scottish universities (Higher Education Statistics Agency, 2009), with over 93% entering employment or further study within 6 months of graduating. We have a team of careers advisers who can provide tailored advice and support with finding a job after graduating, including searching our Online Vacancies site which lists hundreds of jobs from around the UK for graduates as well as current students.
The majority of students at Edinburgh Napier University actually have a part-time job to supplement their loan. Students are in class on average 20 hours a week, so there is plenty of time for a few hours work as well as fulfilling additional study needs. Edinburgh is a large city so there are plenty of opportunities for part-time or summer work for students, which our Careers Advisers can help you prepare and search for.
If your son or daughter is struggling to cope with their finances, part-time job or university studies they should contact Student Support, who can help with any issues they may be experiencing.
What is UCAS?
UCAS is the UK body that manages all applications to colleges & universities in the UK at undergraduate level. Your child will need to fill in a UCAS application stating their university & course choices, which will then be forwarded to the relevant universities on their behalf. This is designed to help them save time by only having to complete one application.
For the best chance of getting a place, your child's application needs to reach UCAS before 15th January of the year that you want to start studying. The earliest they can send in their application is 1st September of the year before they want to start university. For example, if they want to start in September 2011, they can apply between 1st September 2010 and 15th January 2011. For more information please visit the UCAS site for parents or see our Guide to Applying through UCAS.
Entry requirements for similar courses at different universities may not be the same, so students should always check in advance. At Edinburgh Napier University, the entry requirements for each course are shown on the relevant course description page.
If a student is applying from outside the UK, they can contact the International Office for information on country-specific entrance requirements by emailing international@napier.ac.uk or phoning +44(0)131 4554701.
In the first instance your son or daughter should contact us on 08452 60 60 40 or info@napier.ac.uk to get in touch with a course leader. Depending on previous experience and number / level of qualifications attained, they may meet the minimum level of knowledge required to enrol on the course.
Alternatively they can improve their basic skills if required, with a Top-up course, or ask about our partnership agreements with colleges where study at HNC or HND level can actually count towards credits for Edinburgh Napier University degrees.