How do I apply for a postgraduate programme in Computer Science and IT at Heriot-Watt University?
The procedure for making a postgraduate application is described here.
Do I need to specify a JACS code and fill in an ATAS certificate with my MSc application?
Neither a JACS code nor an
ATAS certificate
is required when applying for one of our taught MSc programmes in
Computer Science or Information Technology. However, overseas applicants
(i.e. those outside the EU and the EEA) to the
one year MSc in Advanced Computer Science, which is an
MSc by research, will
need a JACS code, which identifies the general area of research.
We will tell you what your JACS code is once your research topic has been
agreed with your supervisors. You can then use that to make an
ATAS application before you apply
for your visa to enter the UK.
Where is Heriot-Watt University?
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland.
Heriot-Watt University's main campus is on the western edge of the city of Edinburgh.
Heriot-Watt university also has campuses in the Scottish borders at Galashiels,
in Stromness, Orkney and in Knowledge Village, Dubai in the United Arab
Emirates.
A map of the Edinburgh campus can be found here.
What are the academic admission requirements?
The general admissions requirement to our MSc programmes is a good honours
degree or its equivalent. For most countries bar England, Wales and Northern
Ireland that means a good 4 year bachelor degree.
Computer Science MSc programmes such as Artificial Intelligence and Software Engineering require that degree be in Computer Science or a closely related subject. Other MSc programmes such as Creative Software Systems and IT (Software Systems) require a graduate be numerate and have studied some courses in computing at university. Advanced Internet Applications and Computer Systems Management require the applicant have a substantial academic background and understanding of IT issues. IT (Business) doesn't require any background in programming. It only requires evidence of numeracy.
Applicants without a good honours degree but having a similar level of academic education may be considered for admission to the postgraduate diploma version of each programme if they demonstrate the appropriate academic potential. All such candidates can progress onto the MSc version of the programme if they perform at MSc level in their coursework and on the exams. The duration of such a 2 phase programme would be the same as the MSc programme.
Candidates lacking the full academic qualifications for admission to an MSc programme but having other qualifications and experience will be considered for admission to either an MSc or postgraduate diploma programme but will be required to produce appropriate evidence that such other qualifications and experience is equivalent to the academic experience of an honours degree at a recognised institution of higher education.
Overseas applicants who only have the equivalent of a good ordinary degree in an IT related subject are not suitable for direction admission to one of our taught postgraduate programmes but may well be suitable for admission to our Graduate Diploma in IT. Successfully passing that at the MSc admissions level will enable them to go onto one of our MSc programmes in the following academic year.
Applicants lacking a good ordinary degree but with an HND or HNC or its equivalent should consider study for an honours degree in Computing first before attempting entry to one of our MSc programmes. Entry for our 4 year BSc in Computer Science or BSc Information Systems is possible at the beginning of the second or third year depending upon academic attainments and potential. Contact our undergraduate admissions person to discuss the possibility.
How much are the fees?
The fee for a full-time lectured MSc programme in Computer Science or IT
lasting one year from September 2013 to August 2014 will be
| £4610 | Scottish and non-UK EU students |
| £4930 | English, Welsh and Northern Irish students |
| £14930 | overseas students |
The fee for a part-time lectured MSc programme in Computer Science or IT at
the Edinburgh campus will be
| £2490 | each year for Scottish and non-UK EU students |
| £2940 | each year for English, Welsh and Northern Irish students |
| £7330 | each year for overseas students |
Study for a part-time MSc degree normally takes 2 years.
Study for the lectured Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (a postgraduate foundation programme for overseas students wishing entry to our MSc programmes) in 2013/14 will cost GBP 11950 without extra English. At our Dubai campus in the United Arab Emirates fees for studying full time for the MSc in IT (Software Systems), MSc in IT (Business) or the MSc in Computer Systems Management for 2013/2014 are AED 62300 (GBP 11390).
Students who are uncertain of their fee status (i.e. which fee rate they should pay) can fill in the university's fee status form and get their fee status determined.
When do I pay my tuition fees?
A tuition fee invoice will be forwarded to you prior to Registration. If
you have a sponsor, it is essential that you bring a current sponsorship
letter with you to Registration, and show it to the Finance section. If you
do not bring your sponsorship letter with you to Registration you will be
classed as self-financing, and therefore be liable for the tuition fees.
Secure payment can be made in advance via the university's secure online payment facility. Full payment of the fee can also be made by cash, cheque, bankers draft or credit/debit card at Registration or beforehand.
Please note that students and sponsors who fail to pay the full amount of their agreed contribution will be charged a late penalty of 4% on the outstanding balance 30 days after the start of each semester.
Can I pay my tuition fees by instalments?
Payment in
instalments
can be made by setting up an arrangement before 15th October 2013 called
a recurring card payment. If you choose to pay by this method you may
do so in 6 instalments commencing late October 2013 and then the 15th
of the month for each subsequent month. There is no charge for this
facility. Answers to various questions about fee payment can be found
here.
Details about payment are sent to applicants along with information about
registration.
How much does it cost to live while studying?
Living for 12 months from September to August is estimated by us
to cost a postgraduate student GBP 8500 altogether. The breakdown is given
here.
What scholarships are available?
Information on Scholarships available to support study for an MSc in
Computer Science or IT is available from the
Department of Computer Science and from
Heriot-Watt University.
What is a financial guarantee?
If you are going to pay your own fees and expenses, a financial guarantee
is a bank statement or reference to show that you have sufficient funds
to cover your costs. If someone else is going to pay (parents, another
relative, a friend, a company or government) a financial guarantee is a
signed letter from them. In the letter they should promise to pay your
fees and expenses or explain how much of them they are intending to pay.
If you have been offered partial financial assistance to pay fees by us or some other party, then you may be asked to supply a financial guarantee in relation to the remaining expenses (including living costs) which you will incur while studying.
What documents and details must I supply to you to get an official offer
letter?
In order for us to issue overseas students with an official unconditional offer letter called a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies or CAS, the UK
Borders Agency requires that you supply us with
If you are from outside the European Union and EFTA and are not from a majority English speaking country like Canada, then you must provide us with evidence that you have reached the CEF level of B2 in speaking, listening, reading and writing before we can issue you with a CAS. Without that letter you will not be able to get a tier 4 visa to enter the UK. The UKBA provide detailed guidance on obtaining such visas.
EU and EFTA students don't need to supply us with passport details.
See below for more details on English requirements.
Is it necessary to learn Java before coming on a MSc?
We teach the programming language Java in the course F21SF Software
Engineering Foundations in semester 1 on all our MSc programmes bar the
2 MScs for Computer Science graduates only - the MSc AI and the MSc
Software Engineering. So it is not necessary to know Java before starting
an MSc programme. However, F21SF Software Engineering Foundations assumes
familiarity with programming concepts in general so if you have never
written a computer program before then you would be advised to teach
yourself how to write programs in a programming language in widespread
use before starting the MSc programme. Usually only MSc in IT (Business)
students are likely to find themselves in this situation.
Several of our MSc courses (i.e. parts of degrees) presuppose knowledge of the Java programming language so if you plan to teach yourself a programming language, you might as well teach yourself some Java. You can then use the course F21SF to reinforce that knowledge.
There are many good books written about how to program in Java. None of them stands head and shoulders above the others. So choose a recently published one that seems to be in demand, buy it and learn Java programming from it. Alternatively you can probably find online learning materials on Java that are just as good and don't cost anything to access. Remember that Java programming is a practical art. So download a Java distribution and acquire practical programming skills as you read and understand the theory. Make it interesting for yourself by creating entertaining applications like simple games. Don't adopt a numerically oriented approach to Java programming. Practical programming is far more about string processing and event handling in interfaces than about plugging numerical values into equations.
What is a financial deposit or advance fee instalment?
Self or family financed international applicants from outside the
European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechenstein, may be asked to pay a
non-refundable advance payment of the first instalment of their tuition
fees in order to secure a place. This will be roughly 1/6 of the tuition
fee (i.e. GBP 2500). It is intended to enable the university to estimate
more precisely in advance how many international students will actually
come to study at Heriot-Watt university. Only if your visa is refused,
will the university refund the advance fee payment. To claim the refund
send us a copy of your visa refusal letter and we will get our finance
office to refund the advance fee instalment to the party who paid it.
If the student is corporate or government sponsored then only a financial guarantee from their sponsor will be necessary unless a full guarantee cannot be provided. If the student is self-financing or sponsored by a relative or friend then a non-refundable deposit will be payable in advance by 31st July 2013 for those starting programmes in mid September 2013. Secure payment can be made via the university's secure online payment facility or by a variety of other means
Can I study for an MSc programme in Computer Science and IT part-time?
Study for any of our full-time on campus lectured
MSc programmes can be done part-time. Arrangements for doing this
are individually negotiated with the MSc programme's director. Part-time
students can take a maximum of 7 years to complete such a programme. The
curriculum of such a lectured MSc programme taken part-time is the same
as the curriculum of the programme taken full-time except that study is
extended over more than one year. Since none of the lectured MSc programmes is
primarily designed as a part-time programme, part-time students are warned
that lectures and supervised labs taken part-time are not neatly bunched
together on one or two days but are spread throughout the week from
9.15 on Monday morning until 17.15 on Friday. No lectures are given in
the evening. This can make it difficult to combine study of particular
courses with working part-time on regular days and hours of the week.
A typical pattern of part-time study on a lectured MSc programme would be to study 4 subject courses in the 1st year and 4 subject courses in the second year and to do the MSc project extended over the 2 years. Typical courses consist currently of 36 or 24 lectures of one hour each and 24 hours of supervised labs. Such courses are usually delivered as 3 or 2 lectures of one hour each and a 2 hour lab session every week for 12 weeks of a semester. So part-time study could involve 6 hours of lectures and 2 lab sessions of 2 hours each week in semesters 1 and 2 (September to December and January to April) in each of 2 years. Most courses are assessed both at the end of the semester in a 2 hour exam paper and by submitted coursework. MSc project supervision sessions can be arranged in a very flexible way with your MSc project supervisor.
Britain won't grant a tier 4 visa to non EU students seeking to study part-time in Britain. Thus working in the UK part-time to finance study part-time is not a practical possibility for single overseas students.
What advice can you give me on getting a visa to the UK?
Getting a visa to study in the UK
from most third world countries is not easy. The British Council supplies
good general advice on
visa applications. Also read carefully all the advice given
on the web site of the local visa office you apply to. Chinese
students can find visa pages for their local UK visa office on the
British Embassy web site in
Beijing.
Many student visa applications are refused because of defects in the evidence of funding or inability to support the evidence of funding. Complete and accurate supporting documentation is therefore crucial. Pay attention to any advice given about supporting documentation. The visa service literally means all that it says. If they want original documents, don't give them photocopies. If they want bank statements over a given period don't supply less than that. Make sure all documents supplied are well printed, completely legible and translated into English.
Supply all the required documentation in the required way at the first application attempt. Reapplications after a failed first attempt are judged more critically in every respect just because the applicant has failed once already whatever the reason for a refusal. If you have failed in your first attempt to get a UK visa, get good professional advice to assist you in your re-application. The university has agents in many countries who can assist you to make a visa application for a fee. Information about these agents can be obtained from our International Office (tel: 44 131 451 3707).
Can I get accommodation in a hall of residence on campus?
All new postgraduate students are guaranteed accommodation if they
have accepted an offer of place on a full-time postgraduate degree
and have applied for accommodation by the due date (see below). Usually
this will be in a hall of residence on campus during their programme
of postgraduate study. Such accommodation gives students exclusive
use of their own room containing at least a bed, cupboard, chair and
desk and shared use of bathroom, toilet and cooking facilities. All
applications for such accommodation must be made online from 16 April 2013 to
our
Accommodation Service. They must be made by the 22nd August 2013 for
students starting in mid September to benefit from the guarantee.
The Accommodation Service will assist all Heriot-Watt students in any circumstances with finding accommodation.
What level of English do you require for postgraduate programmes in Computing?
For all our MScs bar the MSc Business Information Management and IT (Business)
we require non-native English speakers to be proficient in English
equivalent to:
For the MSc Business Information Management and IT (Business) we require a higher level of IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90 (IBT) or its equivalent. The higher level is needed to take courses offered by our School of Management and Languages. They expect proficiency across the board in reading, writing, speaking and listening at or near the required level.
We will also sometimes accept as proof of adequate English skills, proof that a student has been taught and assessed wholely in English at university level depending on the country the student has studied in and taking into account our own experience of whether that is generally sufficient. This usually suffices for India, Nigeria and Thailand but not for Malaysia, Pakistan or Saudi Arabia. We accept as well assessments by our own English language teaching professionals as to a student's academic English skills at an average of Grade C (grade B for the MScs in BIM and IT (Business)).
The UK Borders Agency also requires that overseas students (i.e. those from outside the UK, European Union, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein), who are applying for a tier 4 visa to enter the UK in order to embark on degree level study, must be proficient to Common European Framework Level B2 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Acceptable English language qualifications to establish that include IELTS, TOEFL (Internet Based Test), Pearson, Cambridge and TOEIC tests taken in the last 2 years.
The UK Borders Agency tier 4 English requirements and our English requirements are NOT the same. Nor does satisfying either requirement imply the satisfaction of the other requirement. A student with IELTS 5.5 in all 4 parts obtained by a test in the last 2 years would satisfy the UKBA but not us. A student with IELTS 6.0 but only 5.0 in reading would satisfy us but not the UKBA. Students requiring a CAS letter from us in order to get a tier 4 visa must satisfy both sets of requirements. The UK Borders Agency gives us no discretion in applying their rules, which it expects strict compliance with under pain of rescinding our power to issue CAS letters.
CEF B2 equivalence (according to UKBA) is shown by the following minimum levels:
| IELTS | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | TOEIC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 5.5 | 17 | 51 | 400 |
| Reading | 5.5 | 18 | 51 | 385 |
| Speaking | 5.5 | 20 | 51 | 160 |
| Writing | 5.5 | 17 | 51 | 150 |
Overall English language equivalences of these tests are:
| IELTS | TOEFL IBT | PTE Academic | Cambridge | TOEIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | 100+ | 68 | CPE grade C | 780 |
| 6.5 | 90-99 | 61 | CAE grade B | 725 |
| 6.0 | 79-89 | 54 | FCE | 665 |
| 5.5 | 69-78 | 51 | FCE | 605 |
The official list of equivalent qualifications is
here.
Applicants from majority English speaking countries like Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and USA don't need to do any English language tests. Applicants from countries like Ghana, India and Nigeria who have studied in English at school and university only need to provide some proof of that to us and shouldn't need to do any English test. The same applies to applicants from Thailand who have studied in English at university.
Other applicants such as those from Libya, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will be required to supply us with proof of their English language skills by recognised public standard tests such as IELTS or TOEFL (iBT). Our experience of students from these countries is that even though many do much of their university study in English, they often have not reached the level of English we require without further English language study.
On the Graduate Diploma in IT we require for September entry an IELTS level of at least 5.5, which must comply with the UK Borders Agency requirement of 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening or speaking) if the applicant wants a tier 4 visa.
Does Edinburgh get very cold and wet in winter?
Edinburgh and Scotland have a mild climate throughout the year. The
average temperature in Edinburgh
never falls below zero even in winter. The lowest average monthly temperatures
are 3 degrees centigrade in January and February.
Rainfall
in Edinburgh is also modest.
Can I get a job while studying in Scotland?
Students from the European Union or EU have an unrestricted right to work in
the UK. A
tier 4
student visa allows students from outside the EU to work up to 20 hours a week
during a semester and full time in the holidays. We recommend all full-time
students not to work as much as 20 hours a week during semester time if they
are not to risk failing to graduate.
Do I have to pay council tax while studying in Scotland?
Students attending full-time study programmes of at least 24 weeks in an academic
session and at least 21 hours study weekly can claim exemption from Council
Tax - a Tax collected by Local Authorities. However, the exemption only applies
to a student sharing a place to stay if all persons living there are similarly
exempt. The councils adjacent to Heriot-Watt University are:
The City of Edinburgh Council;
West Lothian Council;
East Lothian Council;
Midlothian Council
and
Fife Council.
They will be able to provide you with definitive guidance about whether you
need to pay the tax or are entitled to claim exemption.
Can I stay in Scotland after finishing my degree and get a job?
Students from outside the European Union, who have entered the UK under a
tier 4 visa to study here, must apply for a
tier 2 (skilled worker) visa from the UK Borders Agency to be allowed
to take up employment in the UK. To get a tier 2 visa you would need to
fulfil several conditions
However, the Scottish Government is keen to encourage talented individuals to come to live, work and study in Scotland. They provide advice to such individuals on their web site http://www.talentscotland.com/Students.aspx .
One of their schemes is open to international students from outside the EU, who are no longer in full-time education after graduating at a Scottish university within the last 4 years and have up-to-date visa documentation (tier 4 or tier 1) that covers the full length of the placement. These graduate placements are with established businesses or social enterprises and offer a minimum salary (pro rata) of £16000.
Can I get free health care while studying at Heriot-Watt University?
All undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking a programme of
study over 6 months are entitled to free medical treatment on the National
Health Service from the time of arrival. This will cover medical and
nursing consultations, consultant referrals if necessary, and emergency
care. Medication prescribed by the doctor may require payment at the current
NHS rate per item. Currently in 2013 there are no Scottish NHS prescription
charges. Help with health costs may be possible by applying
to the Health Benefits Division. Form HC1 is available for this from our
Medical Centre or from a Post Office. All students must register with
a general practitioner once they have a permanent semester-time address in
order to obtain the above service. The university has its own
health centre on campus. This
may be the most convenient general practioner service to register with
if students live on campus.
Can I get special help with my disability while studying at Heriot-Watt University?
Heriot-Watt university provides specialised facilities and a support
service for people with disabilities in order to enable them
to study while at the university. Students should disclose their
disability prior to starting their programme to a university disability
advisor so that a proper assessment can be made of their needs and
appropriate support can be arranged during their period of study at
the university. Disability support is provided in accordance with the
university's
equal opportunities policy on disability.
Are Heriot-Watt University programmes recognised by the Chinese Government?
The Chinese government through its Chinese Service for Cultural and Scholarly
Exchange recognises the degrees of Heriot-Watt University.
Does the university have child care facilities?
Heriot-Watt University has a commercial nursery on
its Edinburgh campus. It takes in children from the ages of 3 months to
5 years. It runs 5 days a week and children can be cared for either half
day or full day.
What is the rating of Heriot-Watt University in the National Student Survey?
Heriot-Watt University was
voted
best for Student Experience in the UK and the best university in Scotland by
the Sunday Times for 2012/13.
What is the research ranking of Heriot-Watt university in RAE 2008?
Heriot-Watt University is ranked 45 out of 132 Higher Education Institutes
by the Times Higher Education in their interpretation of RAE 2008 results
and 42nd out of 116 by
The Guardian.
Our Computer Science RAE 2008
result was
15% 4*, 45% 3*, 30% 2*, 10% 1*. We submitted 87% of our academic staff.
What is the ranking of Heriot-Watt university?
There is no universally accepted ranking system for UK universities. 4
newspapers attempt to supply such league tables but all use different
criteria.
The Sunday Times University Guide 2013 ranks Heriot-Watt University 9 out of 120. The
Guardian University Guide 2014
ranks Heriot-Watt University 18 out of 119 UK universities.
The Independent
Complete University Guide: University League Table 2014
ranks Heriot-Watt University 40 out of 124 UK universities.
The Times Good University Guide 2013
ranks Heriot-Watt University 42 out of 117.
The official versions of the
Times
and
Sunday Times university rankings aren't available for free.
Wikipedia reviews the criteria of these UK university rankings.
What is the ranking of Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University among UK universities?
The Times Good University Guide 2013
ranks Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University 39 out of 106
Computer Science/IT departments. The
Independent Complete University Guide 2014
ranks Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University 38 out of 105 Computer
Sciences and IT departments in UK universities.
The Guardian University Guide 2014
ranks Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University 48 out of 101 Computer
Sciences and IT departments in UK universities.
Can you recommend any books to buy and/or read before starting my MSc programme with you?
We do not publish a general reading list for prospective MSc students.
If you aren't familiar with the programming language Java then you could profitably teach yourself how to write programs in Java before starting any of our MSc programmes. Many of our MSc courses presuppose knowledge of the Java programming language so it is useful knowledge to have. We teach Java from the beginning on the course F21SF Software Engineering Foundations. So it isn't necessary to learn it beforehand. However, it is still useful. There are many good books written about how to program in Java. None of them stands head and shoulders above the others. So choose a recently published one that seems to be in demand, buy it and learn Java programming from it. Alternatively you can probably find online learning materials on Java that are just as good and don't cost anything to access. Remember that Java programming is a practical art. So download a Java distribution and acquire practical programming skills as you read and understand the theory. Make it interesting for yourself by creating entertaining applications like simple games. Don't adopt a numerically oriented approach to Java programming. Practical programming is far more about string processing and event handling in interfaces than about plugging numerical values into equations.
Suitable reading for other courses can often be discovered by finding out who is responsible for teaching a course. That can sometimes be found out from the course descriptor. Alternatively, you can go through the personal pages of CS academic staff members (try here) to find out what they teach. Quite often you'll find a link to online course materials they provide on their courses. In that material at the beginning you will often find last year's reading list. It is nearly the best guide as to what this year's reading list will be.
How do I get a European Diploma Supplement for the postgraduate taught course I have completed with you?
Under the Bologna Process every student graduating from 2005 at a Higher
Education Institution in the European Union is entitled to receive the European
Diploma Supplement automatically and free of charge. If you have not already
received it, please apply to
the university registry for your EDS.
The European Diploma Supplement
comprises a Transcript, Programme/Course Information, and the National
Framework description for an approved course of study at an EU HEI.
Higher education in Scotland is described here. It conforms to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
Are your MSc degrees accredited by any relevant professional association?
The following specialist MSc degrees that we run are accredited by the
British Computer Society
which is also known as the Chartered Institute for IT:
This means that graduates of these degrees that qualify without compensation (i.e. their MSc project was marked at 50% or more) will be exempt from the further education requirements of the BCS when applying to become a Chartered IT Professional. They will also be partially exempt from some admission requirements when applying for Chartered Scientist (CSci) or Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
The BCS no longer accredit what they call "generalist MSc degrees" like our MSc IT (Business) and the MSc IT (Software Systems) even though both degrees were accredited by the BCS a few years ago when they did do such a thing. However, the BCS will still take such education into account when assessing whether or not an applicant has met their various conditions for membership. The difference is that accreditation allows an applicant to satisfy some requirements automatically just by producing their degree certificate without having to argue the details with the BCS.
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