Welcome to Glasgow
International students have been joining our Study Abroad Programme for over 25 years and we offer a tailored programme of study with flexibility and choice. Studying in Glasgow: Find out why the University of Glasgow is a top destination for Erasmus, Exchange and Study Abroad students.
We have around 900 undergraduate and 250 postgraduate students in the School of Law, and the School has approximately 40 Erasmus and International student exchange partners.
How to apply
Find out if your university is one of our partners by asking your own university's International Officer or exchange co-ordinator.
If your school accepts you for an exchange place at Glasgow, your co-ordinator will nominate you and you will receive further information by e-mail from the School of Law and the International Service at Glasgow University.
Pre-sessional courses
Orientation Course: The University of Glasgow’s Study Abroad Team run an orientation course, as an introduction to the University and the city.
This is open to all international students from outside the United Kingdom, who have been offered a place at the University of Glasgow for the coming session.
This course normally takes place during the first or second week of September - details can be found on their web page.
Attendance at the Orientation Course is not compulsory but it highly recommended. You should only miss it for important and valid reasons, for example, if you must complete exams in your home university.
Language Courses: UofG English for Academic Study provides various English language courses.
Academic year dates
Information on the University of Glasgow's session dates can be found here.
Please note: Visits home should be booked for dates during vacation periods only.
Visiting students have three study period options at the University of Glasgow:
- full academic year (Semesters 1 and 2)
- Semester 1 only
- Semester 2 only
Registration and enrolment
Before you arrive in Glasgow, you must register on the MyCampus system and you will receive instructions on how to do this, normally during August for those starting in September. Registration is essential - it means that you become a University of Glasgow student which in turn allows you to enrol on classes.
Please note at the outset that all applicants are required to have good English language proficiency and you will be asked to confirm this by completing a form which your home university must sign. Note that particularly for courses at level 4, we recommend an excellent command of English is required for success in these courses.
You should ideally aim to arrive in Glasgow in time for Orientation in September, so that you can:
- settle into your accommodation
- attend the orientation days at the Unviersity of Glasgow
- attend an advising meeting (details will be advised) with Advisers of Study to explain some details of the administrative arrangements
Course selection
Please consult the for a list and description of the courses available for enrolment in the current or forthcoming academic session.
The School of Law does not set any restrictions on the minimum or maximum workload for visiting students. You should therefore seek guidance from your home institution on this point, before choosing your courses at Glasgow. However, the normal average workload is 60 Glasgow credits per semester or 120 for the whole year. You should aim to choose courses to these approximate totals.
You should note that there are important differences between Levels 1 / 2 courses and Levels 3 / 4 courses. Levels 3 / 4 courses involve a great deal of self-learning and a good ability in English at the start of the course.
Level 1 and 2 courses
(No restriction on number of visiting students per course)
Courses at levels 1 and 2 are normally undertaken by UK students during their first two years of study. Assessment normally involves a written exam and/or written coursework.
Level 3 and 4 courses
(Restriction on number of students per course, entry not guaranteed):
Courses at levels 3 and 4 are normally undertaken by UK students during their final two years of study and take place over 2 semesters, i.e. they are taught over Semesters 1 and 2. These courses can be studied in their entirety by full-year exchange students. Semester 1 only students can take the first part of the course, for half of the available credits. This means that if you will not be in Glasgow at the time of the examination, you will be asked to submit another piece of assessment in lieu of the examination.
These courses cannot be studied by students who are in Glasgow for Semester 2 only, with the exception of those marked with an ** in the there are a few courses at levels 3 and 4, the second part of which can be studied separately by Semester 2 only students, for half of the total available credits.
Generally there are more places in level 3 courses than in level 4 courses and because of this, there is a separate application process for level 4 Law courses: you will receive an e-mail with guidance on this.
Other Colleges at the University of Glasgow teach a very wide range of courses which may be available to visiting law students, but entry cannot be guaranteed. For further information, consult the course catalogue available via MyCampus.
Study Period Options
Option 1 - Studying Law Courses in Glasgow for the Full Academic Year
Students who are studying law for a full academic year at the University of Glasgow are eligible to apply for law courses indicated in the Guides linked to this page . Note that places are limited on level 4 courses and entry cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, there is a separate application process for Law level 4 courses, which will be explained by e-mail.
Students need not specialise and we encourage Glasgow students to select a range of subjects. However, it may be easier to think about course selection if courses are presented in terms of the areas of law which they cover. Therefore we suggest some potential pathways through course selection in the .
Option 2 - Studying Law Courses in Glasgow for Semester 1 Only
Students who are studying law courses at the University of Glasgow only for Semester 1 are eligible to apply for any law courses taught by the School of Law which commence in Semester 1, and courses at levels 3 and 4 listed in the
Courses which are taught solely in Semester 1 will be examined during December. Courses which are taught during Semesters 1 and 2 are normally examined during April and May, but special assessment arrangements can be made if students would like to take only the Semester 1 part of the course.
If students achieve a pass in a special assessment, they will be eligible for 50% of the credits attached to the full course.
Option 3 - Studying Law Courses in Glasgow for Semester 2 Only
Students who are studying law courses at the University of Glasgow only for Semester 2 are eligible to apply for any law course taught by the School of Law which commences in Semester 2, or if the second part of a full year course commences in Semester 2 and is available for visiting students. Special assessment arrangements can be made if students would like to take only the Semester 2 part of a full year course.
Students need not specialise and we encourage Glasgow students to select a range of subjects. However, it may be easier to think about course selection if courses are presented in terms of the areas of law which they cover. Therefore we suggest some potential pathways through course selection in the
Teaching and assessment
Courses in the School of Law are classified as:
- Levels 1 or 2 (normally taught to students in their first two years of undergraduate study)
- Level 3 (third year courses)
- Level 4 (fourth year courses)
Levels 1 and 2
Lectures (of 50 minutes duration) are given for most level 1 and 2 courses normally on either two or three days a week, but sometimes more frequently.
Tutorials (of 50 minutes duration) are given in almost all level 1 and 2 courses, usually fortnightly. For these, the student is expected to prepare work on a given theme and to discuss it in the group.
Levels 3 and 4
Seminars (of 2 hours duration) are conducted for most level 3 and 4 courses, with one or two students producing papers in some depth for presentation to, and for discussion by, the group. Active student participation is expected during seminars, and a good knowledge of English is essential at the start of the course.
All level 3 and 4 courses running over 2 semesters are worth 30 Glasgow credits = 15 ECTS
Assessment (all levels) Most courses are assessed by a mixture of written course work (e.g. essays) during the academic year and a final written exam (normally either of two or three hours’ duration). Students who are in Glasgow for only Semester 1 may take the semester 1 part of a full-year course and receive half the available credits. This option is also available for Semester 2 for a limited number of Law courses (detailed in the Guide) and alternative assessment will be offered. See Assessment of Visiting Students
Students who are not native English speakers are allowed to consult a dictionary during the examination. Please note that although some dictionaries may be available for borrowing from language centre, we strongly recommend that you either bring a dictionary from home or purchase one from a Glasgow bookshop as it can be difficult to borrow one at busy period, e.g. at examination time.
Courses are marked individually. If a student fails one course, it is not an option to compensate by success in a different course. If courses at levels 1 or 2 are failed, resit examinations are available, normally in August: therefore incoming exchange students, in case of failing an exam, should ensure that they are available in August to take the resit. There is a possibility of taking the resit examination in the home university to avoid the cost of travelling back to Glasgow in August.
Examination dates
Final examinations for all level 1 and 2 courses take place in December for Semester 1 courses, and in May for all other courses.
Final examinations in all level 3 and 4 courses normally take place between April and May. If you are in Glasgow only for semester 1, and have studied the first part of a 2-semester course, you will be given a “special assessment” which is normally an essay under examination conditions, and these exams normally take place over a short period in early December. Note that the dates are usually in advance of the main diet of examinations and you should look out for notification of these. If you are studying 2 or more courses at levels 3 and 4, you should expect to have 2 or more exams within this concentrated period of a few days.
There is resit diet of examinations for courses at levels 1 and 2 and this takes place in August. If you are not in Glasgow at this time, it may be possible to arrange to send the examination papers to your home university. Note that these arrangements need to be made well in advance, normally by mid-June, and you should contact the Registry for details as soon as your first sitting results are announced.
Contact us
In case of real EMERGENCY, e.g. acute medical problem or serious accident, the University of Glasgow emergency number is: +44 141 330 4444
Advising and Administration Mr Steven McKinnon Room 226 Undergraduate Office, ground floor, Stair Building School of Law University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
Tel: +44 141 330 6486 e-mail: Steven.McKinnon@glasgow.ac.uk
School of Law International Officer Professor Jim Murdoch Room 435, 2nd floor, Stair Building School of Law University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
Tel: +44 141 330 4178 e-mail: Jim.Murdoch@glasgow.ac.uk
Accommodation issues Level 1, Fraser Building, 65 Hillhead Street, Glasgow, G12 8QF UK
Tel: +44 141 330 4743 e-mail: accomm@glasgow.ac.uk
University's Study Abroad Team: Fraser Building University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ United Kingdom
Enquiries from International Exchange Students: +44 141 330 5439 e-mail: rio-abroad@glasgow.ac.uk