Any suggestions for a safe, inexpensive place in central edinburgh for female university student?
The Ibis is central and about as cheap as you can get. Have you looked into a college room? We stayed in one in Aberdeen.
Greetings
You can also try the University of Edinburgh - they run an inexpensive B&B in the middle of town. Do a google search for Kenneth MacKenzie Suites.
The Castle Rock hostel also has a very good reputation and is quite central and the backpacker's hostel on Grassmarket has also looked quite quite nice to me.
Also there's the Travelodge (I think) on St. Mary's St.
Kate
Try smartcityhostels.com .
you can get great last minutes rates sometimes at Travelodge hotel website. I landed a few at 15GBP last November.