Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about our courses

What courses do you offer?

We offer a variety of courses covering subjects relating to planning and conducting clinical research, collecting data, analysing data and communicating findings. Please refer to our website for a full listing.

How do I know if a course is suitable for me?

Course descriptions will outline the target audience for that specific course, but in general our courses are suitable for anyone working in Clinical Research or students, as well as those who have an interest in Clinical Research.

Are courses held online or in-person?

We offer a mixture of Online, In-person, Hybrid, as well as some online self-directed courses. Note, the same course might be delivered in different formats on different dates, so please check the course description when you book.

How many people are on each short course?

This varies, depending on the course. Numbers are considered to ensure the best learner experience for each course.

When do you run courses?

Some courses are run annually, whilst most are run twice a year; please refer to our website for upcoming dates

What if the course I want to go on isn't scheduled?

If you are interested in one of our courses, but there isn't a date available, please complete a "register your interest" form from our website and we will email you to let you know once a date is scheduled. If you are interested in a course topic which isn't listed, please complete the Course Suggestion Form from our website. You can also Join our mailing list to be kept informed of all our courses, events and news from the Edinburgh CRF Education Core.

Are courses repeated every year?

Most courses are run every year, however the programme may change depending on demand and tutor availability.

Are courses accredited & do you provide a course certificate?

We normally provide you with a certificate of attendance after the course within 2 weeks of the end of the course. Unless stated in the course description, our courses are not CPD accredited.

Can I just attend one day of a multiple day short course?

Our courses are very popular and we often have a waiting list. We ask that you try to attend all of the sessions. It isn't possible to pay for just one session unless the option is given on the course description.

How do I notify you about my accessibility requirements?

We will endeavour to meet any accessibility requirements advised. Please make clear what your needs are when booking.

Are online sessions recorded?

No, unless otherwise stated, we don't record the sessions.

How do I book?

To book a place on one of our courses please visit our website, and click 'Book' on the course you would like to attend. Please ensure you have made your booking through the link before organising any payment by invoice. We will provide information on how to make payment with your booking confirmation. We are unable to process any Purchase Orders without a course booking. For further information on 'How to book' please refer to our website.

Can I book a place for someone else on the course?

Yes, just add their details when completing the ePay booking.

Can I book more than one person onto a course at once?

Yes, you can normally book up to five people on ePay on one booking.

When should I book the course?

Our courses are very popular and can quickly become fully booked once advertised. We recommend booking early so you don't miss out.

When do bookings close?

This varies. As our courses are very popular you are advised to book early. The closing date is indicated on the ePay booking link for the course. However registration will close automatically once the course is full.

Funded (No charge) places

A limited number of fully-funded places are available on some of our courses.  Funded places are only available to staff and students of the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian. If there are funded places available on a course, this will be indicated in the course fees section of the course description. See Terms and Conditions for booking Fully-funded Places. 

Do I still need to book if my place is Funded?

Yes, you must still book your place via the link from our website.

How much are courses?

The cost of each course varies, the fees will be displayed on our website along with the cancellation date. There is a discount if you pay by card.

Do you have a waiting list for fully booked courses?

Yes, if the course is full, please email us at education@edinburghcrf.ed.ac.uk with your name and contact details. We will contact you if a place becomes available. For information about our funded place waiting lists please see Terms and Conditions.

What happens if I need to cancel my place on a course?

There will be a cancellation date on our website for each course. If you cancel after this date, you will not be given a refund. For our in-person courses, in the rare event that we have to cancel, we strongly recommend that you have travel and accommodation insurance.

What is your strike policy?

Strikes may affect our ability to run a course which may result in last minute cancellation. Whilst your course fee will be refunded or place transferred onto another course, we cannot cover any other costs incurred. We therefore recommend that you have appropriate travel insurance in place. We will email attendees as soon as we identify that a strike may potentially affect a course. Please note that our normal cancellation policy applies should a strike affect your ability to attend one of our courses.

Can I give feedback for a course that I have attended?

You will be sent a short evaluation questionnaire following the course, to seek your feedback. We use feedback received to tailor our courses so that we can best meet the training requirements of the clinical research community.

How do I pay course fees?

We use ePay to take course bookings. We accept payments by credit/debit cards, invoice and University of Edinburgh (UoE) internal transfer. For further instructions please see Guidance on how to book and pay for courses.

How do I prepare for an online course?

If there is any pre-course work, this will be sent to you in advance of the course. If there are any IT requirements, e.g. software to download, we will notify you of this in advance.

How do I join an online course?

Most of our online courses are conducted using Zoom. The Zoom joining instructions will be emailed to you a few days in advance of the course. If you have not received the link 24 hours before the course, please email us at education@edinburghcrf.ed.ac.uk. Please remember to check your junk/spam mail first - occasionally our emails may go into there.