Phoebe Davies

Overseas IVF and egg-donation companies are targeting students at UK universities, offering roughly £3,000 to £9,000 for egg donation and, in some cases, much larger sums for surrogacy. Students describe using the money to manage debt and living costs, while experts warn that research on long-term medical risks remains limited and that donor-conceived children may later contact donors through DNA testing. The report highlights concerns that financial pressure could encourage young women to accept significant medical, legal and personal risks, particularly when treatment or surrogacy takes place abroad.

Edinburgh University Cricket Club is being required to secure attendance at active bystander training from 75 percent of its previous membership after complaints alleging misogyny, sexual comments, classism and a “boys on tour” culture. The club says failure to meet the target could lead to further investigation and restrictions on its social activities, including tours. Although it considers aspects of the process unfair, the club condemns the conduct that prompted the action and says its current committee is committed to creating a more welcoming and inclusive environment in cooperation with the Edinburgh University Sports Union.

Staff at Heriot-Watt University voted by 70 percent to support further strike action and by 85 percent to support action short of a strike, giving the University and College Union a 12-month mandate. The dispute concerns proposed staffing reductions, including 11 full-time-equivalent posts in Languages and Intercultural Studies and the closure of Chinese and German degree programmes. UCU says the university has moved away from an earlier commitment to avoid compulsory redundancies, while Heriot-Watt cites sector-wide financial pressures and says most reductions have been achieved voluntarily, leaving fewer than 10 further cuts. Additional strikes could continue into the 2026/27 academic year.

Third year at university brings greater academic pressure because courses carry more weight toward degree classifications, reading lists expand, and deadlines become harder to manage. Students are advised to work consistently rather than rely on all-nighters, focus on sources that support a clear argument instead of reading everything, and remember that classmates are likely struggling too. Seeking help, relying on friends, and maintaining confidence can make the demanding year more manageable.

The guide offers Edinburgh residents practical ways to cope with the city’s disruption during the August Fringe festival. It recommends avoiding the Royal Mile and other crowded routes, allowing extra travel time, politely declining flyers, booking restaurants in advance, wearing comfortable shoes and planning alternative routes. Despite the crowds and inconvenience, the festival is portrayed as a valuable source of performances, energy and cultural discovery, with locals encouraged to balance enjoying the atmosphere with knowing when to escape it.

Heriot-Watt University has closed Clearing for Scottish-domiciled applicants across all programmes after filling its Scottish Government-funded places. Students and members of the public criticized the decision as unfair and argued that Scottish students should be prioritized at Scottish universities, while others said the university had reached its mandated limit. Heriot-Watt said the move reflected strong demand and limited available funded places, and encouraged applicants to consider alternative options.

University of Edinburgh graduate and elite breaststroke swimmer Archie Goodburn, who was diagnosed in 2024 with three rare and incurable oligodendrogliomas, has qualified to represent Scotland in the men’s 50-metre breaststroke at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. He has continued competing while undergoing treatment and completing chemical engineering studies, using the drug vorasidenib through an early access programme to delay chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Goodburn is also campaigning for increased brain tumour research funding, better treatments and improved access to clinical trials. University representatives praised his determination and the support provided by the university’s academic and performance sport programmes.

Part of Princes Street in Edinburgh will remain closed for several weeks after a fire at the former Debenhams building, with disruption expected to continue into the Edinburgh Fringe. Buses will be diverted via George Street, whose usual festival closure has been cancelled, potentially affecting venues, hospitality businesses and visitor footfall. The City of Edinburgh Council is prioritising structural safety and the preservation of historic features, while Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service investigate the fire's cause; no reopening date has been confirmed.

Heriot-Watt University has filled all of its Scottish Government-funded places and will therefore not accept Scottish applicants through Clearing this year. Scottish students can still apply through Clearing to the university from elsewhere in the UK or internationally, while the helpline will provide guidance on alternatives. The decision reflects funding constraints and capped publicly funded places in Scotland, prompting criticism from Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives over the impact on student choice and university finances. The Scottish Government defended its commitment to free tuition and pointed to a sector-wide sustainability review, while Universities Scotland highlighted direct applications, further education and other routes to degree-level study.

University of Edinburgh student Edwin Ivanescu launched Go The Distance while studying abroad in Melbourne to raise funds and awareness for mental health. The initiative has raised more than £1,200 for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), and Ivanescu and three fellow students plan to complete a combined 100-kilometre swimming challenge on 24 June. The movement aims to support people experiencing mental health struggles, encourage friends and loved ones to offer help, and continue through community walking, running, swimming, cycling and hiking challenges after the swim.

A Scottish student identified by the pseudonym Bethany described her first year at the University of Edinburgh as one of the worst periods of her life, citing loneliness, pressure to fit in, an incompatible course, family problems, poor mental health, disordered eating and insomnia. She said she missed almost six months of classes and felt the university failed to accommodate her difficulties, leaving her humiliated and unable to catch up. After transferring to the University of Warwick, she reported feeling seen and much better. The University of Edinburgh said student wellbeing is a priority, highlighted its counselling and support services, and acknowledged that there is room for improvement.

The University of Edinburgh is often stereotyped as an English-dominated, wealthy, elitist and overly competitive university whose students look down on other institutions. The piece argues that these perceptions contain limited elements of truth but overlook the university’s international population, broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds, numerous societies and varied social experiences. Edinburgh’s large size, distinctive weather and diverse student communities mean that students experience the university in very different ways, making no single stereotype representative.