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Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners)

Course details
  • Master of Arts (with Honours)
  • 5 Years
  • Full-Time
  • 13 September 2027
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Central area campus

Course summary

Our MA Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) 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 and, of course, education.

Study with us, and you will be a part of a proud tradition of teacher education spanning nearly 200 years.

Our specialised programme was 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 5-year programme, you will help meet the need for Gaelic teachers in Scotland, ensuring your career viability and 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).

Programme benefits

  • Live and study for a year on the beautiful Isle of Skye, for an immersion experience at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.

  • 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.

  • Study 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:

  • Has qualified teacher status

How to apply

Apply by
13 January 2027

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:
3R67
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Typical qualification requirements

A level
ABB

Required subjects: A levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English Language at C or 4; English Literature at C or 4; a language other than English at B or 6; Mathematics at C or 4.

UCAS Tariff
Not accepted

Scottish Higher
ABBB

ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6 (Standard). ABBB by end of S6 (Minimum). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at C. National 5s: a language other than English at B; Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at C. For alternative acceptable Mathematics qualifications 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
Offer: 34

34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English Language and Literature at 5. SL: Mathematics at 4; a language other than English at 5.

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.

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. https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/2027/629-primary-education-with-gaelic-learners?utm_source=ucas&utm_medium=programme&utm_campaign=ug_institution_profiles&utm_content=listing

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Typical qualification requirements

A level ABB

Required subjects: A levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English Language at C or 4; English Literature at C or 4; a language other than English at B or 6; Mathematics at C or 4.

Scottish Higher ABBB

ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6 (Standard). ABBB by end of S6 (Minimum). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at C. National 5s: a language other than English at B; Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at C. For alternative acceptable Mathematics qualifications 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 Offer: 34

34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English Language and Literature at 5. SL: Mathematics at 4; a language other than English at 5.

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.
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland Check

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)total 92 with at least 20 in each component (before 21 Jan 2026); total 4.5 with at least 4.0 in each component (from 21 Jan 2026). 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: 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. 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. We also accept other English language tests and qualifications from around the world. 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, Oxford Test of English Advanced, Trinity ISE. 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.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

International entry requirements

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/international-qualifications

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
Scotland£1820
England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & Republic of Ireland£10050
EU & International£31100

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 2027, the tuition fees will be £10,050.

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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