State school kids at Edinburgh university- how bad is it for them?

[StartingAgainFGS]

I keep hearing reports of state school kids not fitting in at Edinburgh uni (at best) and at worst some real bullying going on. Heard it described on here as "pony club bullying". We are very far away from the private school demographic and I wonder how my DD would cope. We would be scraping by to send her there in the first place and I would not like her to feel so out of place that she's uncomfortable/unhappy.
Are these reports exaggerated? Does anyone have a state school DC there?
Thanks!

It’s a long time now since I went but I would recommend going into a uni flat in first year rather than Pollock Halls. The snobby ones will be more likely to be in the highest cost housing but she’d likely make good friends in a flat. I think it’ll depend on course as well e.g law will have a different vibe than STEM subjects for state school kids.

Loads of kids from my Scottish Town go to Edinburgh University. It is heaving with state school kids. If you get into halls, just choose the cheaper ones. The main worry about Edinburgh is that you get a hall or course which is too full of foreign students who are not inclined to mix. This is something which has happened quite a few times to my friends and seems to be with the more expensive halls, and subjects like maths.

Sorry just seen you said it’ll be the art school. In that case I’d say she’ll be grand and will have a great time.

I went to Edinburgh from a state school, never had an issue and because friends with people from varied background. There were idiots and nice folk of all educational types. Private didn’t equal rude, and neither did state equal nice.

If DC is shy they might want to try catered halls where it's easier to get to know people because you all eat together. Also good idea to sign up to lots of clubs in freshers week to meet people. Could continue with or try a new sport. If they haven't decided in a degree yet, a course with labs and contact hours can have more camaradery or one with a place where they hang out. I don't know if you can find out the percentage private Vs state at a university but on average its7% so I think overrepresentation could take it up to 30% but unlimited than half. A course with a lot of Chinese students could be difficult as they would hang out together but I think that's more for masters than degree level.

I was bullied horrifically at university. I was from a state school and so were they.

Edited to add that this wasn’t Edinburgh, so not entirely relevant to the OP - but to make the point that unpleasant people can come from anywhere.

I think the art college has a different vibe anyway, it’s only been officially part of Edin Uni for about 15. I went to Edinburgh (a long time ago now!) from a state school to study a very arts subject. There were a lot of yahs but also lots of Scottish state school students.

@Blackcordoroys which paper? I'd be keen to read that!

@weebarra that's what i hoped, slightly different vibe?

Scottish version of the times. Hopefully this works

https://www.thetimes.com/article/995cc876-836f-438c-9079-5d7a4c9aae6d?shareToken=007a45c1cf0bae3fcace0645853b748e

https://thetab.com/2025/01/17/the-russell-group-unis-where-the-most-private-school-students-are-lurking-in-2025
Has she visited open and offer day?
We did open day at one near top of this list (not Edinburgh) and it was heavily private school dominated and vibe was a complete turn off to my dc. She also knew of a dc from her school a couple of years older who’d had a horrible time and left, mocked for her northern accent.

i was there in the 90s. Generally speaking, private school kids ( at least those from elite private schools) kept to themselves ( I had one friend from a private school). So everyone else made friends from amongst the state school kids.

Thank you all! We did the open day...the lecturer felt they had to explain what Highers were to the audience which didn't bode well. Can't do the offer holder unfortunately as it clashes with a school event.
I guess it's a lot of luck too, who you end up living with and being in classes with. A lot of individual/independent work in art too.

I had a great time at Edinburgh (finished 3 years ago). My friends were mostly quite posh but they were also lovely. Nice privately educated people do exist!

I went, not from a privileged background at all, from a council estate. I found it really difficult, didn’t fit in generally. I did meet some nice people individually but on the whole I felt really out of place. I didn’t have as much money as others which was difficult as almost everyone I met was subsidised by parents where I supported myself.

this was 20 years ago though so may have changed!

I fear it has not @NauseousNancy at least anecdotally. But maybe as I said there's also an element of luck. Which course did you do?

Overseas students and English, Welsh and N.I students don’t do Highers so that is fair enough I think? I remember being confused by the different terminology when I started.

@TheMarzipanDildo I know, you're right! Tbh it's not so much the state v private thing, but the financial implications of that. Scraping by vs larging it up on a substantial allowance

Yes, you are right I guess. It was just put over in a way that implied people with highers would be in the minority

Durham has the highest percentage of private school students in the UK at 39.1% More than Edinburgh, Oxford and Cambridge. My state school kids went there and were fine

It’s a shame can’t do offer day. I’d proritise it over most school things except an actual exam. They are leaving in a few weeks.
The Scottish privately educated yp in dc’s flat did A levels not highers (Fettes)

I did history! Ended up just doing 3 years as I was skint and just never settled. I did however make some awesome friends at my part time job who I am still close with now! So definitely wasn’t all bad, I just didn’t fit in generally. I definitely wasn’t bullied though!

Well for the overall undergrad body at Edinburgh Uni those with Scottish Highers will be in the minority. No escaping that.

I went to Edinburgh in the 90s. Most of my friends were state educated, but were from England. Students with Highers were in the minority though I'd say even then. This was in history, politics, english sorts of subjects, obviously law was different. My best friend had done Highers, and I had a boyfriend who had done too, but they were pretty much the only people I knew who had.

Based on the HESA data https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from Full time undergrads at Edinburgh

From

Scotland 8585

RUK 8650

International 8230

More Yahs and rich kids in the expensive bit of Pollock Halls. If she goes for a cheaper halls, she will likely find plenty of state kids on similar circumstances to her.