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Mathematics

  • MA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • 14 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Central area campus
More about The University of Edinburgh

Course options

2026-2027
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Course summary

Studying mathematics at university encourages you to think in an entirely different way. Through the introduction to new mathematical concepts not explored at school level, you will develop a rigorous mindset, and by the end of your degree programme, you will specialise in an area of your particular mathematical interest.

This new way of approaching and analysing complex problems is a particularly valuable skill, and will serve you well throughout your degree programme and beyond.

The MA Mathematics programme combines the study of mathematics with an art or humanities subject of your choice from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Why study MA Mathematics

Whilst very similar to our BSc Mathematics programme, there are some subtle differences:

  • your outside subject must be selected from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

  • your outside subject should be the same in Years 1 and 2

If you would prefer more flexibility and variety with your outside subjects, you may prefer the BSc Mathematics programme.

Flexibility between BSc and MA

Provided you take the appropriate outside subjects, it is easy to switch between the BSc and the MA programmes once you are enrolled at the University.

From Year 3 onwards, our BSc and MA programmes are the same.

Please note that this degree is an undergraduate degree and not a masters qualification.

If you would like to study for a masters degree, please see our MMath integrated Masters programme. Alternatively, you may want to complete an MSc degree after your undergraduate degree.

Programme benefits

  • Develop your skills as a well-rounded mathematician by studying an arts or humanities subject alongside mathematics in Years 1 and 2.

  • Our teaching fosters interactive engagement that promotes long-term understanding. Teaching is enhanced by technology, including voting systems and online quizzes, and we actively encourage collaborative learning.

  • Employability skills are embedded in the curriculum. Our Student Development team and the University's Careers Service also give students careers support. This includes presentations from industry employers and alumni career showcases, which demonstrate the range of careers open to mathematics graduates.

  • We host regular workshops to help you prepare for applying to internships, jobs and further study.

  • The School of Mathematics has expertise in a variety of research areas, allowing you to tailor your degree programme to your area of mathematical interest.

This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Central area campus

Study options

  • MA (Hons) • Full-time • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
G102
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

How to apply

This course has limited vacancies, and is no longer accepting applications from some students. See the list below for where you normally live, to check if you're eligible to apply.
  • EU
  • Wales
  • England
  • International
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • Republic of Ireland

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
G102
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
Not accepted

A level
A*A*A* - A*AB

AAA* - AAB. These grades should be achieved in one set of exams. Required subjects: A levels: Mathematics at A. Applicants with Further Mathematics preferred. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. GCSEs: English at C or 4.

Scottish Higher
AAAAA

AAAAA (achievement by end of S5 preferred). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: Mathematics at A. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. Advanced Higher Mathematics is recommended. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. National 5s: English at C.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
38 - 34 points

from 38 points with 766 at HL to 34 points with 765 at HL. Required subjects: HL: Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 7. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. SL: English at 5.

Apply for only one degree in the School of Mathematics as we are only able to consider one application to this subject area. You will have the opportunity to switch between degrees in later years provided the required courses have been passed. We normally make offers to the highest qualified applicants. If competition for places is high this may mean that offers will only be made to applicants who are predicted, or who have achieved, above the single set of grades or the upper grade level in a range. Any conditional offer made may require you to achieve grades above the upper grade level. Therefore, achieving the top of our standard entry requirements does not guarantee a place on the relevant degree.

Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

UCAS Tariff Not accepted

A level A*AB

AAB. Required subjects: A levels: Mathematics at A. Applicants with Further Mathematics preferred. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. GCSEs: English at C or 4.

Scottish Higher AABB

AABB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: Mathematics at A. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. Advanced Higher Mathematics is recommended. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. National 5s: English at C.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 32 points

32 points with 765 at HL. Required subjects: HL: Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 7. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. SL: English at 5.

Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English Advancedtotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English Proficiencytotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.
You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C; GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

The University of Edinburgh welcomes students from the UK and all over the world. We accept a wide range of qualifications and our policies support students with diverse backgrounds and experience. UCAS entry grade data is currently not available for our degrees but we publish admissions statistics on our website. We also provide information on widening access offers and entry requirements.

Learn more on the The University of Edinburgh website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not available

Historical entry grades data is not currently available for The University of Edinburgh - we are working with them to try and make it available soon - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.

England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) students commencing or continuing their studies in September 2026, the tuition fees will be £9,790. This is subject to Parliamentary approval and is an increase of £255 on the fee rate for academic year 2025-2026.

EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.

Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme

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