Academic calendar
September Semester 2026 runs Sep 7, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- September Semester 2026Relevant now
- December Break 2026-2027
- January Semester 2027
- May Semester 2027
- August Break 2027
- September Semester 2027
- December Break 2027-2028
- January Semester 2028
- May Semester 2028
- May Semester 2028
- August Break 2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 15 of 15 terms
C
- CM
- Christina Miller Hall, a popular on-campus student residence.
E
- Elements
- The main food court located within the Hugh Nisbet Building.
H
- HWUSU
- Heriot-Watt University Student Union, the representative body for students.
L
- LH
- Leonard Horner Hall, one of the older residential blocks on the Edinburgh campus.
- Liberty's
- A coffee shop and cafe located in the central campus hub.
R
- RS
- Robin Smith Hall, a student accommodation building.
S
- SBC
- Scottish Borders Campus, referring to the university's textile and design campus in Galashiels.
T
- The Bistro
- A dining outlet in the Hugh Nisbet Building often frequented by staff and postgraduate students.
- The Gait
- The system of numbered walkways and roads that navigate the campus (e.g., 'Gait 10').
- The Loch
- The large pond/lake located in the center of the Edinburgh campus, a popular meeting spot.
- The Residences
- The collective term used by students and staff for the on-campus housing area.
- The Union
- The Student Union bar and catering area, the primary social hub for food and drinks.
- The Watt
- A common shorthand name for Heriot-Watt University used by the student body.
- The Watt Club
- The official alumni association of Heriot-Watt University, the oldest of its kind in the UK.
W
- Watties
- The nickname for students who attend Heriot-Watt University.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- caf_brio
- Café Brio
- Canvas
- The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) used for course materials, grades, and announcements.
- central
- Central
- elements
- Elements
- geordies
- Geordies
- Hugh Nisbet
- The central hub building containing the Student Union, shops, and main dining facilities.
- James Watt
- The primary building for engineering and physical sciences, named after the university's co-namesake.
- Oriam
- Scotland's Sports Performance Centre, located on the Edinburgh campus and used by students for gym and sports.
- SafeZone
- The mobile app used by students to contact campus security or request emergency assistance.
- The 25
- The primary Lothian Bus route (Service 25) connecting the campus to Edinburgh city centre.
- The Grid
- The Discovery and Innovation Centre, a modern facility for collaborative projects and tech.
- The Hub
- The Student Service Centre located in the Hugh Nisbet Building for administrative and support queries.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- September Semester 2026 runs Sep 7, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 15 approved campus terms and 12 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.