Queen Margret University
About Us
Founded in 1875, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh has a proud history of achievement and progress extending for well over a century. We aim to shape a better world through education, research and innovation. In doing so, we enable individuals and communities to flourish.
At QMU, you can go far. Our person-centred approach to learning makes us stand out from other universities, along with our focus on making society better. Our academic offering also distinguishes us. We dedicate ourselves to subjects where we can offer a distinctive offering through a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in healthcare; social sciences; creative arts; business, management and enterprise; and primary and secondary teaching.
Our career-focused courses, friendly and supportive staff, green and spacious campus with easy access to Edinburgh city centre and active students’ union offer a vibrant community environment, where you can become your best you.
Academic & Scientific Research
Our research addresses complex societal challenges through our interdisciplinary understanding of people and place, critical thinking, and transformative insights. QMU staff, academics, researchers and experts have united across our schools to form our Research Centres and Knowledge Exchange Centres which aim to explore innovative and reflective research topics across various fields. These centres include:
- The Centre for Applied Social Sciences
- The Clinical Audiology, Speech and Language Centre
- The Centre for Culture in Society
- The Institute for Global Health and Development
- The Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research
- The Centre for Person-centred Practice Research
- The Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation
- The Queen Margaret Business School
Queen Margaret University is proud of its internationally excellent research across various fields:
- 100% of research impact in Communications, Cultural, and Media Studies, as well as Nursing and Allied Health Professions, is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021).
- Research in Speech and Language Science and Global Health also achieves high ratings, with 75% rated as world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021).
- The university has also hosted more than 100 graduate start-ups in its Business Innovation Zone and is the first Scottish university to host a Business Gateway on campus.
Our History
On 21 April 1875, the Scotsman newspaper carried an advertisement for a public meeting ‘to consider the expediency of establishing a course of lectures on cookery with demonstrations and relative arrangements’. This meeting led directly to the opening of the Edinburgh School of Cookery, the institution that would ultimately become Queen Margaret University.
The public opening of the Edinburgh School of Cookery took place on Tuesday 9 November 1875 in temporary classrooms in the Royal Museum, now the National Museum of Scotland. The School was founded by Christian Guthrie Wright and Louisa Stevenson with a vision to provide educational opportunities for women and address key societal issues to help bring about an improvement in diets of working-class families.
Throughout our history, we have always focused on making a practical difference, and never was that truer than during the two world wars. Based on our expertise in nutrition, we advised on the formation of rationing allowances, drawing up guidance for households on how to make the most of chronically scarce food supplies, and in 1944, our final year students travelled to London to take over and run a hotel for bomb repair workers.
The institution was renamed to Queen Margaret College due to its expanded course portfolio and remit. The name Queen Margaret was chosen because the venerated 11th century queen was seen to personify our key values of serving the community and enhancing quality of life. To allow further expansion of the courses offered, Queen Margaret College moved to a new campus in Corstorphine, which would become the main base for QMU for the next 30 years.
Ranking and Strengths
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh stands out as a leading institution in Scotland and the UK, consistently achieving high rankings and recognition for its innovative approach to education, strong student satisfaction, and excellent graduate prospects. Here are some of the key highlights that showcase the university’s strengths and reputation
- QS 2026
- QMU is in the top 80% of world universities.
Results from the National Student Survey (NSS) 2024, one of the largest student surveys in the world, showed that 72.66% of students at QMU are satisfied overall with the quality of their course, with several courses achieving 100% or very high overall satisfaction. In the same survey, Queen Margaret University’s Students’ Union (QMUSU) is ranked top in Scotland for its representation of students’ academic interests.
- There is 100% overall satisfaction with QMU’s undergraduate Master of Nursing course.
- There is 93.8% overall satisfaction with QMU’s BA (Hons) Drama.
- There is 91.4% overall satisfaction with QMU’s BSc (Hons) Nursing.
- There is 90% overall satisfaction with QMU’s BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy.
- There is 90% overall satisfaction with QMU’s undergraduate Master of Diagnostic Radiography.
QMU was crowned Higher Education Institute of the Year at the prestigious Herald Higher Education Awards 2025 in its 150th anniversary year. The university impressed judges with its outstanding achievements across multiple categories, and secured wins for ‘Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member’ – honouring podiatry lecturer Evelyn Weir for her decades-long service to Scotland’s homeless community – and ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community’ for its pioneering Wooden Spoon Frame Running Equipment Hub, the first of its kind in Scotland.
In the Complete University Guide 2026, QMU is ranked:
- 1st of UK universities for graduate prospects in Occupational Therapy;
- 1st of UK universities for graduate prospects in Radiography;
- 1st of UK universities for graduate prospects in Physiotherapy;
- 1st of Scottish universities for our Occupational Therapy programme;
- 2nd of Scottish universities for our Podiatry programme;
- 3rd of Scottish universities for our Nursing and Physiotherapy programmes
- 3rd of Scottish universities for our Radiography programme
In the Guardian Good University Guide 2025, QMU is ranked:
- 2nd amongst UK and Scottish higher education institutions for Paramedic Science
- 1st in Scotland and 2nd in the UK for satisfaction in Nursing
- In the top 3 of Scottish higher education institutions and 8th in the UK for Nursing
- 2nd in Scotland and 11th in the UK for Drama
In The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025, QMU is ranked:
- 5th in Scotland for social inclusion
- 1st in Scotland for Teaching Quality & Student Experience in Nursing
- 2nd in the UK for Radiography
- 4th in the UK for Physiotherapy and top in the UK for graduate prospects for that subject
In the Daily Mail University Guide 2025, QMU is ranked in the top 2 of Scottish higher education institutions for first generation students.
For the second year in a row, QMU ranked 1st in Scotland for Career Prospects in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) – an achievement which reflects the university’s commitment to preparing students for successful futures through career-focused degrees and strong industry links. In 2025 QMU also ranked:
- 2nd in Scotland for student support
- 2nd in Scotland for Students’ Union
- 2nd in Scotland for accommodation
- 3rd in Scotland for lecturers and teaching
- 6th in the overall UK rankings for accommodation
- 14th in overall UK rankings for Students’ Union
- 20th in overall UK rankings for career prospects
We are in the top 5 of Scottish universities for the number of graduates in full-time employment 15 months after they have graduated (Graduate Outcome Statistics 2021/2 published by HESA in 2024). In the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024 and 2025 (WUSCA) (which are based on student reviews) we ranked top in Scotland for Career Prospects two years running, while our Employer Mentoring Scheme for students was shortlisted in the Herald Higher Education Awards 2025.
For the 23/24 academic year, QMU has:
- 11483 students (including 4988 studying via our partners overseas)
- 38.8% are from Scotland
- 7.3% are from the UK outside of Scotland
- 32.1% are from the EU
- 21.7% are international (non EU)
- Situated in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh: Situated in Edinburgh, near Musselburgh.
- Sustainable Design: Award-winning eco-friendly campus design.
- Accommodation: On-campus housing for 800 students with modern facilities.
- Transport links: Excellent transport links to Edinburgh city centre (six minutes by train) and East Lothian’s beautiful coast and countryside.
- Facilities: QMU’s airy and bright campus offers ready access to student services, food outlets, student accommodation, sports facilities, a renovated Learning Resource Centre with modern study spaces, and its on-site Students’ Union.
- World-Leading Research
- 100% of research in Communications, Cultural and Media Studies and Nursing rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
- Graduate Start-Ups
- Hosted more than 100 graduate start-ups in the Business Innovation Zone.
- Research Excellence
- 1st Scottish university to host a Business Gateway on campus.
QMU’s strategic goals are underpinned by its values:
- To provide distinctive, accessible and high quality education;
- Deliver transformative research and innovation;
- Seek out partnership and collaboration;
- Invest in the long-term future of the University;
- And embed sustainability across its portfolio and practices.
Student Programmes
At Capital Universities Foundation (CUF), we prepare you to launch your career by offering a diverse range of innovative programs. Gain practical skills, build industry connections, and experience real-world applications.
