students on campus, climbing the stairs to the Bute Hall

Before starting as a commuting student, you will need to research and plan carefully. For example,

  • what will the financial implications of study be, and can you apply for funding or financial support to help you?
  • how will you travel, will the timings work for you, and how much will it cost?
  • if you have other commitments, how will you balance these effectively alongside study.

Click through the options below to find out how we can help you - even before you've arrived.

 

Funding & finance

 

There are a range of options to help fund your course, support you as a student or help you in times of financial crisis.  

We particularly encourage you to apply for scholarships and bursaries if you meet any of our widening participation criteria. 

 

Transitioning into University

We know that starting university can be a difficult transition. You might already know the city, but adjusting to student life is a new challenge. That's why we offer a dedicated early introduction to the University for you: the Local Student Orientation.

We also recommend the Transition to Glasgow (T2G) programme. This two-week summer course gives you an insight into learning, teaching and assessment at UofG and an opportunity to meet other students and staff before Fresher's Week.  

Supporting your studies

Our students develop as independent learners throughout their time at the University of Glasgow, but are never expected to work everything out for themselves! If you study with us, you will have access to a range of support to help enable you to achieve your potential. This includes   

  • Peer support: we know that sometimes talking to another student is more comfortable than approaching a member of staff, so we have trained peer leaders across the University to help you with 
  • Learning development: our sector-leading Student Learning Development team are there to help you become a more effective learner at every step of your journey. They are even on hand before you start studying with us, offering pre-arrival transition courses for undergraduates (T2G) and taught postgraduates (T2G: Postgrad). Then once you've started your degree programme, they provide a range of classes, resources and one-to-one appointments whatever your stage or subject.    
  • Disability Service: if you're disabled, neurodivergent, have a mental health difficulty, or live with an ongoing medical condition, the Disability Service can support you through your academic journey.
  • Wellbeing & counselling: as well as peer support, the University provides a range of specialist mental health and wellbeing support to meet diverse student needs. 

Pros and cons of commuting

There are pros and cons to being a home student and although every student is different, the comments below reflect things home students at the University of Glasgow have told us about their experiences. For most home students the perks outweigh the challenges, and there are lots of opportunities to make the most of being a home student.  

Challenges of living at home 

  • Depending on where your home is, commuting to university can take up a lot of time. You might need to leave social events early to catch the last bus or train home. Commuting can also be tiring, stressful, unreliable and expensive. 
  • Some home students struggle to meet others who live in university accommodation or near campus. Having to commute can sometimes feel a little isolating and you might struggle to get involved with night time events or club nights. We have advice on building social and peer networks for current students.
  • If you live with your parents or guardians, you might find you have less independence than if you'd moved out, and you might feel like you're missing out on this part of university.
  • You'll have to budget for getting to uni if you don't live within walking distance. Check our funding & finance information to see what help might be available.

 Perks of living at home 

  • You might save money on renting a property if you're still living with family members.
  • You might find staying in contact with friends from your school or community easier, and be able to keep up with existing hobbies or activities.
  • You can enjoy home comforts like eating home cooked meals, sleeping in your own bed and spending time with family, friends and pets.
  • You don't need to update your contact details for your address or worry about changing doctors or dentist. 

Chat to current students

You can chat to current students using Unibuddy to find out more about what life is really like as a UofG student.