Places to study in Edinburgh

If you are considering studying in Edinburgh, there are plenty of reasons why you should go ahead and do it. Edinburgh is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including the University of Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University, and Edinburgh Napier University.

It is also a thrilling city with loads to see and do, from top-notch museums and galleries to cosy cafes and pubs to student-oriented nightlife. Student discounts let you explore all the city has to offer, and there are activities and events to keep you busy year round. Even with all that going on, though, it is a safe place to live, with affordable living costs. The transport system is excellent, and in addition to an extensive bus network, there are also direct trains to places like Glasgow, London, and Birmingham. If you do decide to attend school in Edinburgh, you will need to find the right places to study, to keep your university career on track.

Studying on Campus

If you are living on campus, you probably will not even have to ask, “Where are places to study near me?” At the University of Edinburgh, for example, there are 10 separate libraries, with study space in each of them, available to all students.

• The Main Library offers both quiet and silent study spaces. The lower ground floor and floors 1-4 are designated quiet study areas, and floor 5 is a silent study area, where pre-booking of seats is required. While this area does not have PCs, there are places where laptops can be connected. There are also study pods, designed for group study and equipped with a PC, plasma screen, headphone sockets, and a whiteboard. These are available on a first come first served basis, to be used by groups of three. On the lower floor, there are seven group study rooms that can be booked online and contain a PC, screen, and whiteboard. There are 616 computers available for student use in the Main Library and 20 accessible study rooms with assistive technology. Postgraduate students can access a dedicated area on the fifth floor, with 65 seats that must be booked in advance.
• At the ECA Library, you will find space for quiet and silent study. There are 57 permanent study spaces at desks and tables and 32 informal study spaces with soft seating. While there are no group study facilities, there are 11 open access PCs and an accessible PC workstation. Check the ECA Library webpage for information on restricted access times.
• The entire Art and Architecture Library is designated as an individual silent study space. There is wireless access throughout, five open access PCs, and a photocopier/printer/scanner.
• The Lady Smith of Kelvin Veterinary Library has 60 study spaces for quiet, informal study. There are also 32 study spaces and 10 workstations with PCs in the dedicated silent study space. By the tutorial room, you will find an adjustable height desk with an accessible PC with assistive technology.
• The entire Law Library is designated as a silent study space. There are 171 study spaces and two groups of study rooms that sit four people each. These rooms can be pre-booked. This library has 65 open access PCs and printing/photocopying, and scanning facilities, but currently, there is no accessible workstation. There are four height-adjustable desks.
• The Moray House Library has 140 study spaces, all for individual, silent study, except for the study rooms. This library has wireless access, 65 open access PCs, two study room PCs, and 75 workspaces with power sockets. The two study rooms are on the 2^nd floor balcony, seat eight people, and are equipped with PCs. If you want to prebook a study room, they can be found under the building name ‘Dalhousie Land’.
• The New College Library offers quiet and silent study spaces. There are 88 designated quiet study spaces in the main library hall and 24 study spaces in the David Welsh Reading Room, designated for silent study. There are no group study facilities and no accessible workstations, but there is an electrically controlled height adjustable desk and a manual heigh adjustable desk.
• The Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library at King’s Buildings offers quiet and silent study, as well as group and conversational study. The 2^nd floor is for quiet study, the 3^rd floor for silent study, and the ground and 1^st floor are for group and conversational studies. There are also study rooms that can be prebooked online. There is other study space available at King’s Buildings- almost 1,400 in all, and 500 of those have computers.
• The entire Royal Infirmary Library is designated for quiet study. There are 73 study spaces and 8 easy chairs, but no facilities for group study. Wireless access and power sockets are available throughout the library, and there are 50 open access computers.
• The Western General Hospital Library is a designated quiet study space. There are seven workstations with University networked PCs, 3 NHS Net computers, printing/photocopying, scanning facilities, and the University wireless network for personal laptops.

Ediburgh Napier University has three libraries with a variety of quiet and social study spaces, available 24 hours a day and featuring computers and loanable laptops. Queen Margaret University has one library, open 24 hours a day, with rooms available for booking.

Studying in Town

If you are in Edinburgh and search, “Where are coffee shops to study near me?” you are sure to get tonnes of results. Edinburgh has a vast array of coffee shops, and since the town is student heavy, it makes sense that many of those shops and cafes would be good places to study. Here are a few that seem to pop up on everyone’s list.

• Black Medicine Coffee Co.: Students and freelancers love this café, with its delicious treats, coffee brewed to perfection, and bohemian, woodsy ambience. The coffees are large, there are non-dairy milk options available, and among the scrumptious offerings are several vegan options. Black Medicine, named after the old native American term for coffee, is a lovely little haven, in a student-heavy part of Edinburgh. It’s laptop-friendly, with free Wi-Fi, and you can stay and study for as long as you want, in an atmosphere that’s lively but not overbearing, with plenty of seating.
• Söderberg: One of the most popular coffee shops in Edinburgh, Söderberg actually has several locations across the city. It is a great place to sit for an hour or two, with a nice menu of coffee and cosy teas, as well as Swedish-inspired treats and some savoury items and sandwiches. It is also vegan and vegetarian friendly, though the menu does vary between locations. While it is not somewhere to dig in and work all day, there is never pressure to leave, and there is free Wi-Fi.
• The Milkman: Another favourite for remote workers and students is the Milkman, a cosy café with thoughtfully sourced coffee and an inviting, comfortable atmosphere for working. The abundant seating includes large communal tables, and the spacious layout has fast Wi-Fi and plenty of power outlets throughout the space. It is a visually appealing place, with a great ambience for getting work done, and this independent coffee shop is committed to quality and supporting small businesses.
• Kilimanjaro Coffee: A relaxed atmosphere, rustic wooden tables, comfy sofas, and free Wi-Fi make this a great spot for working, and highly conducive to focus and creativity. There is a delicious and varied menu, with everything from paninis and soups to snacks, and it is one of the few coffee shops in Edinburgh to stay open into the evening, generally closing around 8:00 pm. The vintage décor and soft music make it an inviting spot, and the place is typically teeming with students.

Storing Your Things in Edinburgh

Finding a place to study in Edinburgh is easy enough, once you have answered the question, “Where are study spaces near me?” A bigger question may arise, though, and that is about where you will store your things when you go home on break. Storage Vault is the perfect place, offering a student discount in addition to already flexible terms and convenient access. Proudly owned and operated in Scotland, we have 15 years of experience in commercial property and a dedication to providing an exceptional storage experience. We offer a wide range of premium storage units to individuals, families, businesses, and students, and our unbeatable prices with no long-term commitment have made us Scotland’s fastest-growing self-storage company. We offer 24/7 extended access, so you can always get to your stored items, and our friendly team provides advice and support. Protected by state-of-the-art security systems, our 15 modern facilities across Scotland offer ideal storage solutions, no matter what you are storing. For more information about our wide range of storage units, convenient locations, and our flexible terms, with no up-front fees or hidden costs, reach us by telephone at 0131 297 0747 or contact us through our website.