Key information
Heriot-Watt University was ranked 2nd in Scotland by the National Student Survey 2025 and 5th in the UK by the Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- GradCert
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
The Graduate Certificate Mathematical Sciences is designed for applicants who wish to study one of our masters programmes in mathematics or actuarial sciences but who don’t yet have a sufficient level of mathematics or statistics at university to meet the entry requirements. This programme will allow you to gain the knowledge and skills of mathematics and statistics required for progression into one of the following MSc programmes.
- MSc Actuarial Management
- MSc Actuarial Management with Data Science
- MSc Actuarial Science
- MSc Actuarial Science and Management
- MSc Applied Mathematical Sciences
- MSc Computational Mathematics and Data Analysis
- MSc Mathematics
- MSc Applied Mathematical Sciences with Climate and Environmental Modelling
- MSc Mathematical Biology, Ecology and Medicine
You can follow a non-graduating programme of study as a pathway onto an MSc programme or you can choose to graduate with a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma.
The exact courses you will study if you apply to this programme will depend on:
- the level of mathematics you have studied at university to date
- the MSc you are planning to study the following year
If you are an applicant from Scotland, the United Kingdom or European Union, it is possible to be issued with a combined offer for the Graduate Certificate followed by your chosen MSc in the following year. Progression to the MSc in the following year will require an overall average of at least 65% in all examinations taken. Unfortunately if you are joining us on a Tier 4 visa this option is not available to you. Nonetheless, Tier 4 applicants can use this Graduate Certificate pathway as an entry qualification for a separate follow up application to one of our many MSc programmes.
Programme duration
9 months
Watch a video
Visit our YouTube channel to see videos from our staff, students and recent graduates.
The Future Shapers scholarship
The Future Shapers scholarship is looking for students who want to use research to create solutions to solve major global challenges. This has been established for 2026 by one of our generous donors and is a testament to the talent and world-shaping potential of our University's students and researchers. We are offering 12 scholarships across our 4 research areas, worth 50%, 75% and 100% of your tuition fee respectively.
Apply nowProgramme Video
Mathematics subject video (PG progs)
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| UK | £10,864 |
| International | £20,456 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
Entry requires a good first degree, of at least UK 2.1 standard or equivalent, containing some maths and/or statistics content.
Applicants who apply for an MSc programme but don't meet the entry requirements (in terms of relevant maths/statistics content) will automatically be considered for the Graduate Certificate as an alternative, where appropriate.
The programme is not suitable for graduates who have not studied any maths and/or statistics at degree level.
Please contact the School if you wish to discuss your suitability for the programme in more detail.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5.
If you do not have IELTS 6.0, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We have been producing career-ready graduates since 1821. With our roots as the world’s first Mechanics Institute, Heriot-Watt is a pioneering university with a global reach.
At Heriot-Watt, learning goes beyond the lecture theatre. We tackle real world challenges through extraordinary research – from climate change to protecting our oceans, to advancing life-saving medical breakthroughs and shaping the next generation of AI. We are also committed to developing forward-thinking design and sustainable business practices that impact industries worldwide. On our campuses you’ll find some of the world’s most advanced facilities, while our strong industry links set you up for career success. This is why almost 90% of our graduates are in employment or further education (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024).
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