Our Performance Programme
What do we offer? The Individual Performance Programme (IPP) offers essential support for student athletes who are committed to succeeding on the international stage.
What is an 'Individual Performance Programme'? IPP covers sports in which athletes compete in an individual capacity, as opposed to team sports such as Rugby or Hockey, which are supported by our Team Performance Programme. The IPP has supported athletes from a wide range of sports, including Athletics, Golf, Squash, Canoeing and Diving.
How does it work? IPP status and support is considered on an annual basis and open for application to any University student competing at minimum of Junior or Senior International standard in their sport. The University of Edinburgh has a commitment to the development of Performance Sport and close links with Scotland’s elite sport network, including the Scottish Institute of Sport and National Governing Bodies. Wherever possible, an involvement in University of Edinburgh Sport and BUCS competition is expected from IPP recipients.
UK Anti Doping- Clean Sport Policy
The University of Edinburgh is a UK Anti doping accredited institution. We are fully committed to clean sport principles and educating all of our athletes in applying these principles correctly. Please feel free to read through our full Clean Sport Policy.
Studying at Edinburgh
Edinburgh mixes architectural beauty and history with a lively, fun environment and has regularly been voted as one of the most desirable places to live in the world. As part of our Performance Programme, you will develop your athletic and academic skills in tandem, competing for one of the United Kingdom’s best sporting higher education institutions and studying at a university that is consistently ranked in the top 50 in the world.
- Over 650 degree programmes
- Flexible study options
- Ranked 10th in the UK for graduate employability by the Times Higher Education, Global Employability Ranking 2018
- An international university, with just under half of our students representing 180 nations across the world
Our Alumni & Associates
Our alumni have a distinguished track record in their fields. Here is just a selection of our recent graduates and what they have achieved with us:
Eilidh Gibson (Canoe) - Biomedical Sciences (2018)
- C1 Team winning gold at the European, World and U23 World Championships (2017)
- Had her best individual result finishing 4th at the World Championships in Pau
- Six World Cup medals including an individual C1 silver at Lee Valley in 2014 and five C1 Team medals.
Chloe Maclean (Karate) - Sociology Undergraduate and PHD (2008-2016)
- 2x Commonwealth Champion and 9x British Champion
- Bronze medallist in U21 World Championships, World Wadokai Championships and European University Championships
Grace Reid (Diving) - Applied Sports Science (Interruption of Study)
- Became the first woman ever to win a Commonwealth diving gold for Scotland when she achieved a gold medal in the 1m Springboard at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
- Multiple World Cup, World Series and British, European and World Championship medallist.
Sam Ingram (Judo) - Sport Policy, Management and International Development (MSc)
- A pioneer of disability sport, Sam is currently the most decorated athlete on the British Judo Paralympic Programme and is an inspiration for the younger athletes on the team
- Bronze medal at 2008 Beijing Paralympics, Silver Medal at 2012 London Paralympics, two time European Champion, 2010 World Championships silver medallist, and a gold medal at the 2017 IBSA Judo World Cup, earned while studying towards his Master’s degree at the University
- Prolific competitive success in all the major global competitions, including European and World Championships, and three Paralympic Games
Our Current Students
Meet our current cohort of talented athletes that you could be joining:
Name: Gemma McArthur
"The close knit sporting community within the university, high quality training facilities and the location in such a vibrant city attracted me to Edinburgh."
Sport: Diving
Achievements: British National Cup Champion and Commonwealth Games Finalist, World University Games bronze medallist, multiple FINA Diving Grand Prix medallist (individual and syncro)
Course: MA Psychology
Name: Holly Page
"The IPP has been incredible in helping me develop as an athlete with Strength & Conditioning coaching and other valuable services, including Physiotherapy and Sports Psychology."
Sport: Athletics
Achievements: Competed in World and European Junior Championships
Course: Ecological and Environmental Science
Name: Anna MacFadyen
"The IPP has really helped me combine sport and academics to make the most of my training in Edinburgh."
Sport: Athletics
Achievements: GB Cross Country athlete, winner of British Inter-Counties Cross Country (2017) and European Mountain Running silver medallist (2019).
Course: Law & French
Name: Ajda Remskar
"Edinburgh is a beautiful city and the University is fantastic. I’ve made lots of friends and progress in my climbing. I don’t think my choice could have been better."
Sport: Climbing
Achievement: European University Champion (Bouldering), World University Championships finalist
Course: PG Diploma Performance Psychology
Our Facilities & Expertise
In return for your dedication and hard work, we will offer you world-class training facilities and support to allow you to be the best you can be:
- Supervised Strength and Conditioning support from our coaches
- Complimentary membership to our gym facilities and access to our bespoke Performance Gym
- Academic support and flexibility
- Accommodation assistance and dedicated athlete flats
- Performance lifestyle, mental skills and nutritional advice
- Access to the world-renowned FASIC Sport & Exercise Medicine Clinic
- Performance Sport kit from our clothing partner PlayerLayer
- Various Athlete Education sessions including anti-doping, career support and media training
- Social media exposure and potential press coverage
Scholarships
We offer a number of named scholarships available through the IPP application process.
Eric Liddell High Performance Scholarships: Created in memory of one of the University’s sporting greats to help our most talented student athletes attain their sporting ambitions.
The University of Edinburgh Elite Athlete Scholarship Fund: Awarded to support talented student athletes with the purpose of enhancing their dual career (academic and sporting) ambitions and positioning the University as the UK’s foremost Higher Education Institution for performance sport.
The University of Edinburgh is also part of the Winning Students Network, which provides financial scholarships from the Scottish Funding Council to support student athletes.
Further information is available on our website:
We are always looking for ambitious, academic athletes to realise their potential with us. Some useful links with information on entry requirements, scholarships and fees & funding can be found below:
Applications for the IPP cohorts go live in March and are usually open for 4 weeks but we are happy to hear from athletes interested in our programme at any time. To find out more about what we offer, please contact us:
Performance Sport Coordinator: Katrina Bass
Credits:
Created with images by Jonathan Ricci - "Victoria Street, Edinburgh, Scotland" • pohjakroon - "trophies show award" • Zaini Izzuddin - "untitled image" • rawpixel - "laptop document paper"