Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney Campus students

Make sure you have everything you’ll need. You might need things like study supplies, laptops, clothes, kitchenware and anything you need to make university feel like home.   See our What to Bring to University Checklist to help you prepare.

Refer to our Recommended student technology guidance when deciding what laptop to choose for university. While at Heriot-Watt you will have access to a wide range of IT resources and services, you can find out more from our Getting Connected Digital Tour.

Being a student comes with a lot of financial obligations, and it is important that you are aware of these before you start your studies with us.

Tuition fees will most likely be the biggest financial obligation you have, and you should make sure you understand how and when to pay these before you start with us.

There may also be Scholarships and Bursaries available to you, which can give you some additional support and funding during your university career.

If something unexpected happens to you during your studies which means you come into financial difficulties, the University may be able to support you during this time.

Help is available to Heriot-Watt students in with dealing with the page cost of living.

Accommodation

We offer on-campus accommodation in Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. For students studying at our Orkney Campus, the University provides information and advice on looking for accommodation.

If you have questions about Edinburgh on-campus accommodation, you can email halls@hw.ac.uk. For Scottish Borders accommodation, you can email bordershalls@hw.ac.uk.  For information about accommodation in Orkney, please email icit@hw.ac.uk.

Travel

If you are commuting to campus, you should plan how you are going to get there and how long it may take. Also consider how often you may be on campus and how long you will spend travelling every day/week.

Maps and directions to the UK campuses:

• Edinburgh Campus
• Scottish Borders Campus
• Orkney Campus

Enrolment is the process of formally joining the University and becoming a Heriot-Watt student. You agree to abide by the rules of the University and to pay any fees, and we ask you to confirm that we have your correct details.

When enrolment opens and as long as you have a confirmed offer, you will enrol online using Student Self Service.

You log in using your Heriot-Watt University username, which will be sent to you in an email with the subject line Welcome to Heriot-Watt. 

You will need this username to set up your password. By clicking on the link to set up your password you accept the University's IT and Communications Acceptable Use Policy.

Set up your password  Note: see the guidance on creating a password. 

To help keep your Heriot-Watt account safe you will need to set up Multi-Factor Authentication.  You may have used a similar system to access online banking or a personal email account.   

After you complete online enrolment you will need to register for your courses online and attend the enrolment completion event on campus. If you require guidance before making course choices, ask your lecturers during induction if you have any questions.  

Once you have created your account, you will be given access to the myHWU Student Portal through which you can access many other services and facilities.

To login to Heriot-Watt online services you will need to use your Heriot-Watt username and the password you create.  

Please note you can only enrol online once you have an unconditional offer.

After you enrol online, you will need to register for your courses (each programme – the degree in the subject you are studying – is made up of a number of courses).  You register for these online.  Access to course registration may vary depending on your programme, as you may require guidance before making your choices, so if you have questions about your courses, make sure you discuss these with academic staff at your induction.   You register for your courses using Student Self Service.

Plan how to get to campus, are you driving? Getting a train? Flying? If you are flying, it’s a good idea to know how you’re getting to campus from the airport. If you need it there is a guide to getting to Edinburgh Campus and getting to Scottish Borders Campus. 

Induction takes place during Welcome Week, 6 to 10 January 2025 and is an organised programme of welcome and introductory activities you will participate in as a new student joining a particular programme of study. Once you enrol, you can go to your subject subject on Canvas, our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to find out more about your induction.  

Induction is your opportunity to -

• Meet your lecturers.
• Find out about the programme.
• Find out about the resources and support available to you for study.
• Ask any questions. 
• Meet the students you will be studying with.

After you enrol online, you log in to the myHWU Student Portal and go to your subject site on Canvas where you will find details of your induction programme including times, venues and activities.  To help you find induction venues, you can access a map of your campus.  You need to make sure you participate in all of your induction programme.  The Canvas site for your subject will also give you access to a range of resources and information about the University and your programme.

Taught postgraduate students starting in January 2025 will need to register for Kick-Start Your Success by using this online registration form