These volumes provide a list of names of matriculating students at the University of Edinburgh. Throughout most of them ( up until about the 1920s) only a signature or name of the matriculating student is recorded. The University of Edinburgh was unique in this process, where only a signature or name was necessary to matriculate. No details were recorded, for example about parentage or date of birth. Occasionally some classes taken by the student, the professor from whom tuition was received or the nationality of the student has been recorded.

These typically contain: matriculation number, name, faculty and place of origin. From 1811, they became form based and also recorded year of study.