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Email:futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
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The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
Primary Education with Gaelic (Fluent Speakers)
- MA (Hons)
- 4 Years
- Full-time
- 14 September 2026
- Undergraduate
- Central area campus
Course summary
Our MA Primary Education with Gaelic (Fluent Speakers) prepares you to teach the full range of the pre-school and primary curriculum for children through the medium of Gaelic, as well as in English.
The Gaelic language is a vital part of Scotland’s heritage, national identity and cultural life. As an official language of Scotland, Gaelic influences and shapes Scottish literature, music, art, film and TV, festivals, of course, education.
Study with us, and you will be a part of a proud tradition of teacher education spanning nearly 200 years.
Our MA (Hons) in Primary Education with Gaelic (Fluent Speakers) has been developed to help meet the national shortage of Gaelic teachers and to enhance the professional capacity of future Gaelic-medium education teachers.
By the end of the 4-year programme, not only will you meet the need for Gaelic teachers in Scotland, ensuring your career viability, but also the sustainable future of Gaelic in Scotland.
Our degree is an innovative programme delivered jointly between Moray House School of Education and Sport (MHSES) and the School of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures (LLC).
Mental health and wellbeing partnership
Student teachers at the University of Edinburgh can also engage with our mental health and wellbeing programme.
This is provided through our unique partnership with children’s mental health charity Place2Be and helps you to support mental wellbeing in your classrooms and yourself.
Programme benefits
-
Take a full-year placement in a Gaelic-medium primary school setting, unique to the University of Edinburgh
-
Graduate with a qualification enabling you to teach in Gaelic or English
-
Dedicated courses on bilingualism and immersion education, with a focus on Gaelic and Scotland
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
- Primary
How to apply
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:
- 3T59
- Institution code:
- E56
- Campus name:
- Central area campus
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
UCAS TariffNot accepted
A levelABB
ABB. Required subjects: A levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English Language and English Literature, both at C or 4, and Mathematics at C or 4. Additional requirement: SQA Higher: Scottish Gàidhlig at B, or Scottish Gàidhlig National 5 at A. Applicants with SQA Higher are preferred. SQA Higher/National 5 Gaelic (Learners) is not accepted for this programme; please apply instead for the Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) programme (UCAS code 3R67).
Scottish HigherABBB
ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at C. Applicants with Scottish Gàidhlig at B preferred. National 5s: Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at C and Scottish Gàidhlig at A (if not at Higher). SQA Higher/National 5 Gaelic (Learners) is not accepted for this programme; please apply instead for the Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) programme (UCAS code 3R67). For alternative acceptable Mathematics qualifications please contact the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions Office.
https://cahss.ed.ac.uk/about-us/staff-contacts/college-office
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme34 points
34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English at 5. SL: Mathematics at 4. Additional requirement: SQA Higher: Scottish Gàidhlig at B, or Scottish Gàidhlig National 5 at A. Applicants with SQA Higher are preferred. SQA Higher/National 5 Gaelic (Learners) is not accepted for this programme; please apply instead for the Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) programme (UCAS code 3R67).
It is important that applicants for teacher education degrees show commitment, motivation and suitability for their degree and the profession.
This can be demonstrated in your personal statement by reflecting on relevant work experience, and explaining your understanding of the teacher's role.
For more guidance please see the school website:
https://education-sport.ed.ac.uk/
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 ABB
ABB. Required subjects: A levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English Language and English Literature, both at C or 4, and Mathematics at C or 4. Additional requirement: SQA Higher: Scottish Gàidhlig at B, or Scottish Gàidhlig National 5 at A. Applicants with SQA Higher are preferred. SQA Higher/National 5 Gaelic (Learners) is not accepted for this programme; please apply instead for the Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) programme (UCAS code 3R67).
Scottish Higher ABBB
ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at C. Applicants with Scottish Gàidhlig at B preferred. National 5s: Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at C and Scottish Gàidhlig at A (if not at Higher). SQA Higher/National 5 Gaelic (Learners) is not accepted for this programme; please apply instead for the Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) programme (UCAS code 3R67). For alternative acceptable Mathematics qualifications please contact the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions Office.
https://cahss.ed.ac.uk/about-us/staff-contacts/college-office
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 34 points
34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English at 5. SL: Mathematics at 4. Additional requirement: SQA Higher: Scottish Gàidhlig at B, or Scottish Gàidhlig National 5 at A. Applicants with SQA Higher are preferred. SQA Higher/National 5 Gaelic (Learners) is not accepted for this programme; please apply instead for the Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) programme (UCAS code 3R67).
Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.
Additional entry requirements
- Health checks
- There is fitness to practise guidance for people who wish to become teachers. We strongly advise you to make yourself aware of this before you apply. Consult the Higher Educational Occupational Physicians/Practitioners (HEOPS) website for fitness to practise guidelines for this degree. https://heops.org.uk/guidance/
- Interview
- Admission to this degree programme includes an interview process. Further details on the process will be sent to candidates shortlisted for interview.
- Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | total 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) | 92 | total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | total 176 with at least 162 in each component. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | total 176 with at least 162 in each component. | |
| Trinity ISE | ISE 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.
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
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|
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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