Bringing your family to Edinburgh

The School of Divinity is a warm and welcoming place to all our students including those with families.
Watch our interview with Daniel to find out more

Bringing your family 

We encourage postgraduate students to socialise together and to bring their families to foster connections and community. Families are always invited to one of the informal events in Welcome Week and to the annual School away day. In addition the University has set up several different specific support options for parents, including a child friendly room in the Main Library. 

Find out more about information on accommodation, healthcare and support for students accompanied by family or dependents

University family accommodation

Find out about family accommodation options.  

The flats at Blacket Avenue provide a nice leafy setting with a grassy area at the back.  They are close to the local primary school and on many bus routes in and out of town. They are about a 30 minute walk to New College

Living in Edinburgh with children

Edinburgh is a great place to live and raise a family, offering a mix of historic charm, modern amenities, and excellent schools. It's a walkable city with plenty of green spaces and kid-friendly attractions. The city is known for its family-friendly events, festivals, and a wide range of activities for children.  There are plenty of sport and recreation leagues in the city, along with youth theatre and other creative groups.

The beach is in easy reach of the city centre as are the Pentland hills.  Bus travel is free for under 22s and children aged 5-15 can travel on Scotrail with an adult for £1.  There are plenty of museums and historic sites, alongside many entertainment options such as cinemas, trampoline parks and adventure playgrounds.

Testimonials 

The City:

  • Edinburgh is a family-friendly city with free public transportation for children under 5, and free entry for all ages to everything from museums to galleries and botanic gardens.
  • Beautiful city parks for the family to enjoy, including the Meadows play park, the playpark at Princes Street Gardens, and Arthur's Seat
  • Lots of family friendly attractions around the city including Edinburgh Castle, Dynamic Earth, the Royal Yacht Britannica, Craigmillar Castle, Camera Obscura.
  • Being in the city provides lots of options for healthcare with excellent hospitals nearby.

The Schools:

  • Edinburgh has excellent state (government run) schools
  • Scotland provides state-funded childcare from the age of 3.
  • The nurseries, primary schools, and secondary schools near to the university are extremely diverse due to the international draw of the university. The schools celebrate this diversity.
  • Edinburgh is easily navigable as a family, due to being easy to walk around and the ease of the public transport system.

New College normally has several students with families studying here at anytime. 

Julia Mayo, PhD candidate 

New College has been so friendly and welcoming for my husband and teenage daughter. My husband has attended several seminars with me, as well as a couple of conference days, which he has really enjoyed. These experiences have helped my student experience to feel more like a family affair- which I greatly appreciate. 

Josie Gwin, PhD Researcher, Ethics & Practical Theology

This article was published on