BEng (Hons) Structural and Fire Safety Engineering Bachelor's degree at the University of Edinburgh
BEng (Hons) Structural and Fire Safety Engineering at University of Edinburgh. Rather than treating fire safety as an add-on to structural design, this course puts the two side by side from the outset, reflecting the reality that structural engineers increasingly need to understand fire behaviour as part of their…
About this course
BEng (Hons) Structural and Fire Safety Engineering is a Bachelor's degree (BEng (Hons)) at the University of Edinburgh, based in Central. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Engineering graduates from this provider, 87% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 91% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Engineering, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 87% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 93% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 19 modules
- Engineering Mathematics 1aCompulsory
- Engineering PrinciplesCompulsory
- Engineering Mathematics 1bCompulsory
- Chemical Engineering Design 1Optional
- Civil and Environmental EngineeringOptional
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering 1Optional
- Mechanical Engineering 1Optional
- General EngineeringOptional
- Our Changing WorldOptional
- Sustainability and Social Responsibility (UG)Optional
- Wicked problems: Reason and RhetoricOptional
- Understanding decolonisation in a globalised worldOptional
- Sustainable Development Goals: History, Progress and Beyond 2030Optional
- Living in the AnthropoceneOptional
- Understanding Society with Big Data: Computational Social ScienceOptional
- Health in a Changing ClimateOptional
- Understanding Gender in the Contemporary WorldOptional
- Navigating Energy TransitionsOptional
- Healthy Eating for People and PlanetOptional
Year 2 10 modules
- Civil Engineering DesignCompulsory
- Civil Engineering Construction and SurveyingCompulsory
- Structural MechanicsCompulsory
- Soil MechanicsCompulsory
- Fluid MechanicsCompulsory
- Engineering Mathematics 2ACompulsory
- Environmental Engineering and SustainabilityCompulsory
- Fire Science and EngineeringCompulsory
- Engineering Mathematics 2BCompulsory
- MaterialsCompulsory
Year 3 7 modules
- Conceptual Design and Sustainability for Civil EngineersCompulsory
- Water Engineering, Transport and TreatmentCompulsory
- Structural AnalysisCompulsory
- Transport EngineeringCompulsory
- Geotechnical EngineeringCompulsory
- Fire Safety Engineering 3Compulsory
- Structural EngineeringCompulsory
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The course structure builds progressively across the four years, moving from foundational material through to independent, self-directed work. Areas covered include core theory, giving students the mathematical and engineering fundamentals that underpin structural analysis and design. Research and methods components introduce the techniques used to investigate structural and fire behaviour rigorously, while applied practice modules connect that theory to real design problems. As students progress, they can engage with specialist options, allowing some tailoring of study towards particular interests within structural and fire safety engineering. Professional skills are woven through the degree too, reflecting the expectation that graduate engineers can communicate technical findings clearly and work within professional and regulatory frameworks. The degree culminates in an independent project, giving final-year students the chance to investigate a structural or fire safety question in depth, applying everything built up over the previous three years to a substantial piece of individual work.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who is curious about buildings not just as static structures but as systems that must perform safely under a wide range of conditions, including the worst-case scenario of fire. If you're the sort of person who wants to know why a structure fails as much as how it's designed to succeed, this dual focus will hold your interest. It requires a genuine aptitude for mathematics and physics, alongside patience for detailed technical work, since structural and fire engineering both demand precision and careful reasoning rather than quick guesswork. Students who thrive here tend to enjoy problem-solving that has real safety implications and who take satisfaction in rigorous, methodical analysis. Over four years, the experience shifts from learning established theory towards conducting independent investigation, so a willingness to take ownership of your own project work by the later stages is important. It also suits those with an eye on professional practice, engineers who want to understand not just design codes but the reasoning behind them, particularly around fire risk, which is an area of increasing relevance in construction and the built environment.
Careers & job market
Nationally, Engineering graduates report strong continuation and progression figures: 88% of students continue past their first year, and 90% are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with 80% of working graduates in highly skilled roles or further study. These are national Graduate Outcomes figures across Engineering courses generally, not specific to this course or university, but they give a useful sense of the broader landscape graduates enter. On earnings, national data (again not specific to any one course or guaranteed to any individual) shows starting salaries 15 months after graduation typically ranging between £29,000 and £35,000, rising to between £26,775 and £37,800 after three years, and between £33,150 and £46,800 after five years. Structural and fire safety engineering knowledge is relevant across construction, infrastructure, fire risk consultancy and regulatory bodies, given the combined technical grounding the course provides in both structural performance and fire behaviour.
University & format
The University of Edinburgh is a public, Russell Group institution founded in 1583, with a student body of 26,138 and a central campus location. The BEng (Hons) Structural and Fire Safety Engineering (UCAS code HH21) is a four-year, full-time course taught in English, leading to a Bachelor's degree with Honours. Most entrants arrive with A-levels or equivalent (around 75% of accepted students in recent years), typically within a UCAS tariff band of 208–223 points, though this reflects what entrants have held rather than a stated minimum requirement.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 73%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 75% |
| Other | 10% |
| a previous degree | 5% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| a Baccalaureate | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code HH21). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page. Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Edinburgh →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Engineering graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £32,500 | £31,000 – £37,500 | 60 |
| 3 years after | £33,000 | £28,000 – £38,000 | 175 |
| 5 years after | £41,000 | £32,500 – £50,000 | 185 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in engineering · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Engineering nationally
National figures for Engineering graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Engineering courses at the same study level.
Compared with 2,256 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 69% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 25; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Engineering graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Engineering graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Engineering & manufacturing firms
- Automotive & aerospace
- Energy & utilities
- Defence & consultancies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Engineering graduates.
Engineering Surveyor (Machine Control)BAM UK & IrelandEngineering Operations Project ManagerFdo Consulting LimitedEngineering ManagerVerto PeopleEngineering ManagerRobert WaltersEngineering ManagerPremier Technical RecruitmentEngineering ManagerRedline Group LtdIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
87% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.6 out of 10: NSS 78% · in work or study 87% · continued 93%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Edinburgh
Engineering and technology across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Engineering right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Edinburgh from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £18,552 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Edinburgh’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Edinburgh and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Edinburgh
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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