University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is in Scotland, so its standard undergraduate degree runs four years rather than three. That single fact adds a full year of tuition, living costs and Immigration Health Surcharge against an English university charging the same annual fee, roughly a third more in total. A family comparing Edinburgh with an English university is comparing four years against three, not annual figures. Edinburgh publishes an unusually precise NIS equivalence: 'Three Higher Level subjects, to include any required subjects, at the A level entry requirement for the degree. An A in the Kazakhstan NIS Grade 12 Certificate equates to both A and A*.' That last clause is worth real money to an NIS applicant, because an A is treated as satisfying an A* requirement, so a course asking A*AA can be met with AAA at NIS. Applicants with other Kazakh qualifications 'would normally be required to complete a foundation year'. On cost, Edinburgh fixes international fees at the start date and exempts international students from the annual increase that home students face.