Why this programme

• The graduate diploma route allows graduates in cognate subjects to augment existing skills with astrophysics-specific subject knowledge, opening routes to a new suite of careers and further education opportunities.
• The graduate diploma can be combined with a University of Glasgow 1-year MSc programme otherwise only available to physics and astrophysics graduates. You will be eligible for the 20% alumni discount when going on to study on the MSc programme.
• The School of Physics and Astronomy is active and highly rated in research spanning physics and astrophysics, from radio and solar astronomy to gravitational waves, particle and nuclear physics to quantum information, and from nanoscale imaging to quantum optics and sensing.
• You will benefit from our membership of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance. The alliance brings together internationally leading physics researchers across Scotland to form the largest physics grouping in the UK.
• You will benefit from direct contact with our group of international experts who will teach you cutting-edge physics and supervise your projects.

Career prospects

Successful completion of this programme will equip you for graduate-level careers in astrophysics and in disciplines such as:

• data-science
• quantitative analysis
• software engineering.

It will also equip you to progress to a Masters or PhD programme in astrophysics.

In particular, this programme guarantees entry to MSc programmes in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. This opens up a variety of future options in:

• academic research based in universities, research institutes, observatories and laboratory facilities
• industrial research in a wide range of fields including energy and the environmental sector, IT and semiconductors, optics and lasers, materials science, telecommunications, engineering
• banking and commerce
• higher education.

Fees & funding

Additional fees

• Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
• Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
• Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

2:1 or above in a first degree in a cognate subject: e.g. Maths, Chemistry, Computing Science, Engineering. Previous study must include modules in Mathematics, providing a core of calculus and linear algebra needed for physics study.

International students

We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.

• Find out more about entry requirements and other country-specific information
• International student support & visas

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

Documents

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

• A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
• A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
• Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
• One reference letter on headed paper
• Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
• Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
• A copy of the photo page of your passport

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form. 

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.

• Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
• Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
• Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
• Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
• Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
• English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
• Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

Application deadlines

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

• 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
• IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Common equivalent English language qualifications accepted for entry to this programme:

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

• 90 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

• 92 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 23; Writing 21
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

• 65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
• Online PTE not accepted for entry
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

• 176 overall with no subtest less than 169
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Oxford English Test

• 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

LanguageCert Academic/ Academic Online

• 70 overall with no subtest less than 65
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Password Skills Plus

• 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II

• Two subtests at 96 or higher, and two subtests at 80 or higher
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Kaplan Test of English

• Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

• Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
  • students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
• Undergraduate 2+2 and 3+1 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
  • students must have completed their final year of study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

• direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS);
• essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University;
• flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

More information on our Pre-sessional courses.

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

• Heriot Watt
• Kingston Upon Thames
• Middlesex University
• Manchester University
• Reading University
• Edinburgh University
• ST Andrews University
• UCL
• Durham

International & EU applicants

Due to demand for degree places on this programme, the University has an application process with application rounds which recognises that different geographical areas complete and submit their applications at different times of the year. This process aims to ensure fairness and equity to applicants from all geographic regions.

Round 1 application dates: 1 October 2025 to 5 November 2025

All International and EU applications submitted within these dates will be reviewed with no priority given to any geographic region. You will receive our decision on your application by 16 January 2026.

Round 2 application dates: 6 November 2025 to 17 December 2025

All International and EU applications submitted within these dates will be reviewed with no priority given to any geographic region. You will receive our decision on your application by 4 March 2026.

Round 3 application dates: 18 December 2025 to 4 February 2026

Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 15 April 2026.

Round 4 application dates: 5 February 2026 to 25 March 2026

Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 6 May 2026.

Round 5 application dates: 26 March 2026 to 13 May 2026

Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 17 June 2026.

Round 6 application dates: 14 May 2026 to 8 July 2026

Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 29 July 2026.

All international applications submitted by 17 December 2025 will be reviewed and processed normally with no priority given to any geographic region. From 18 December 2025, priority will be given to applications from geographic areas which have been unable to submit applications before that point.

As we receive a great number of applications, prospective students are only allowed to apply once per year to the same programme. However, students may submit multiple applications in a year as long as each application is for a different programme.

Home applicants

• 21 August 2026