The University of Edinburgh - Postgraduate Discovery Day
18 Mar 2026, 09:00
Edinburgh
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PGDE Geography (Graduates only)
- PGDES
- 1 Years
- Full-time
- 08/2026
- Undergraduate
- Central area campus
Course summary
This Professional Graduate Diploma in Education is for graduates wishing to enter the teaching profession in Scotland at secondary level. The one-year programme is the Scottish route to qualified teacher status. We aim to prepare you for the range of roles that teachers are expected to play: a competent, reflective classroom practitioner; a collaborator who contributes to the wider informal curriculum of the school; a subject specialist and curriculum developer; and a teacher in society, whether building strong relationships with parents or contributing to national policy debates. The 36-week secondary programme is divided equally between University- based and school-based activities.
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:
- Secondary
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:
- F8X1
- 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
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - Not accepted
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - Not accepted
Access to HE Diploma - Not accepted
Scottish Higher - Not accepted
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
A UK undergraduate degree, or its international equivalent. You should hold at least 80 UK credits, at least 40 of which should be at SCQF level 8 or above, in the subject you wish to teach. These credits can either be as part of your undergraduate degree, or completed through additional university study. Please contact the admissions office for further advice.
You should also hold the following:
• SQA Higher English at minimum grade C or GCSE English Language AND GCSE English Literature, both passed at grade C/4 or above
• SQA National 5 Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics (formerly Lifeskills Maths) at grade C or above, GCSE Mathematics at grade C or above, or equivalent
We also expect you to have experience of working with children in formal or informal settings (both employment and volunteering roles will be considered) and an ability to reflect thoughtfully on that experience. You should have some knowledge and understanding of the Scottish curriculum. Please note selection involves a professional interview.
We also offer dual Qualification status in selected subject areas. Dual qualification means that a teacher is qualified to teach two different subject areas within schools, eg such as History and Geography, or Mathematics and Physics.
For more information on entry requirements visit the University of Edinburgh
Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.
Additional entry requirements
- Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
- Interview
- Other
- We also expect you to have experience of working with children in formal or informal settings (both employment and volunteering roles will be considered) and an ability to reflect thoughtfully on that experience. You should have some knowledge and understanding of the Scottish curriculum.
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 BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted 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
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | £1820 | Year 1 |
| England | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| EU | £29600 | Year 1 |
| International | £29600 | Year 1 |
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
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
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
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Course contact details
Student Recruitment & Admissions
Have a question about undergraduate study?
Email:futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:0131 650 1000
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