Undergraduate study

The SQA Higher Entry Requirements for each subject can be found on that subject page in the degree programme A-Z.

Standard and Minimum Entry Requirements

• The Standard Academic Entry Requirements represent the grades normally needed for an offer to be made (subject to success in any interview and/or other admissions test that is required for that subject).
• For some degree programmes, offers may be made below the standard SQA Higher entry requirements. The Minimum Academic Entry Requirements indicate the minimum grades that must be achieved for an offer to be considered.
• All Highers must have been attained at one sitting of the examination

Advanced Highers

• The majority of subjects do not require Advanced Highers but check the degree programme A to Z for the subject(s) you are interested in.
• Where attainment at Advanced Higher is included in offer conditions, a B grade will be regarded as equivalent to an A grade at Higher, and a C grade the equivalent of a B grade at Higher.
• Double-counting of Advanced Highers and Highers to meet entry requirements is allowed for Accountancy  & Finance and all Arts, Engineering, Science and Social Sciences subjects, and may be accepted for other subjects – check with the relevant admissions contact.

Subject specific requirements

• All subject specific requirements at Higher and at Standard/National 5 for each degree programme can be found on that subject page in the degree programme A-Z.

In addition to attaining any subject specific grades, ALL of our degree programmes require applicants to have a broad range of qualifications and as such applicants must ensure that their portfolio of qualifications meet the following criteria:

1.  Where subjects contain a high proportion of common material (such as Biology and Human Biology) these will not normally be counted (recognised) as two distinct subjects;
2. For applicants to be admitted after S5 their Higher Grades can only include ONE subject from the General Field of Study subjects listed below.
3.  For applicants to be admitted after S6 their Higher Grades can only include TWO subjects from the General Field of Study subjects listed below.

General Field of Study Subjects

• Administration & IT
• Art & Design (Design)
• Art & Design (Expressive)
• Care
• Childcare & Development
• Dance
• Design & Manufacturing
• Fashion & Textile Technology
• Graphic Communication
• Health & Food Technology
• Music Technology
• Photography
• Physical Education

Foundation Apprenticeships

Foundation Apprenticeships will be accepted as equivalent to one additional Higher Grade subject for applicants to degree programmes in Arts, Social Sciences, Science, Engineering and Accountancy. They are not accepted for entry to Law, Medicine, Dentistry or Vet Medicine. Where specified subjects are required for entry to a degree programme (for example Maths and Physics for Engineering), a Foundation Apprenticeship in Engineering would NOT replace that requirement but WOULD count as one of the additional subjects making up the total compliment of Higher / Advanced Higher qualifications.

A-Level subjects accepted for University entry

The University recognises the value of all A-Levels and with very few exceptions all are accepted for General Admission to the University.

Due to the increased range of A-Level subjects, applicants should be aware of the following Admissions Policies which impact the A-Level subjects accepted by the University for specific degree programmes:

• Required Subjects:Some of our degree programmes require specific subjects (Required Subjects) for entry whilst others will state that subjects must be from a specific ‘Field of Study’ such as Science, Social Sciences, Arts, Humanities or Modern Languages. In order to avoid any ambiguity, the University has classified all A-Levels into four ‘Fields of Study’:
  • Arts/Humanities/Modern Language Subjects (ARTS)
  • Social Science Subjects (SOCIAL SCIENCE)
  • Science Subjects (SCIENCE)
  • General Subjects (GENERAL)
• Range of Subjects:In addition to attaining grades in Required Subjects or subjects from a specific Field of Study, ALL of our degree programmes require applicants to have a broad range of qualifications and as such applicants must ensure that their portfolio of qualifications meet the following criteria:
  • Where subjects contain a high proportion of common material (such as Economics and Economics and Business) these will not normally be counted (recognised) as two distinct subjects
  • With very few exceptions, applicants can only have one A-Level subject classified as being in a General Field of Study.  
• Extended Project and Advanced Extension Awards: We welcome the use of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and, in Mathematics, the Advanced Extension Awards (AEA) as a means of challenging students and encouraging an interdisciplinary approach to learning. However, we recognise that not all students have equal opportunity to access them and so we do not require them for entry and they do not normally provide additional credit in the selection process of applicants for an offer of a place.

The table below details all A-Level subjects accepted by the University and their associated Field of Study classification:

A-Level subjects not approved for general admission

• General Studies

Please see our 2018 Undergraduate Admissions Policy (A level/IB/BTech) [PDF] relating to applications to degrees in Accountancy, Arts, Education, Engineering, Sciences and Social Sciences.

The University welcomes applications from candidates who have sat BTEC National Diploma (Level 3) Qualifications. The University recognises that an increasing number of schools/colleges are offering a combination of BTEC qualifications together with A Levels.

Depending on the type of BTEC qualification they may be used:

• For direct access to 1^st year of some Degree Programmes (without any other qualifications); OR
• For direct access to 1^st year of some Degree Programmes provided applicant also has specific A Level or GCSE subjects; OR
• For admission to some Degree Programmes as a substitute for 1 A Level subject (ie applicant requires BTEC qualification plus 2 A Levels); OR
• For admission to some Degree Programmes as a substitute for 2 A Level subject (ie applicant requires BTEC qualification plus 1 A Level)

The table below details:

• The BTEC subjects which are accepted by the University (only those listed are accepted);
• The various qualification levels for that subject currently offered by BTEC;
• The grades required for each qualification level in order to be accepted for direct access to the University (1^st year), or as a substitute for 1 or 2 A Levels. Where access to the University is accepted with only BTEC qualifications, the table also indicates the Degree Programmes accepting these qualifications.

Due to the number of BTEC qualifications, combinations of BTEC and A Levels, requirements for specific subjects at A Level or GCSE, and range of Degree Programmes offered by the University (some of which have very specific requirements).

Applicants are strongly advised to use the following table for guidance only and seek further clarification from the University Admissions department prior to submitting their application.

The following BTEC subjects are not accepted by the University for admission (irrespective of qualification level or grade achieved:

• Agriculture
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Animal Management
• Aviation Operations
• Beauty Therapy
• Blacksmith & Metalwork
• Children's Care, L&D
• Children's Play, L&D
• Construction & the Build Environment
• Countryside Management
• Creative Digital Media Production
• Creative Media Production
• Equine Management
• Fish Mgt
• Floristry
• Forestry and Arboriculture
• Horse Mgt
• Horticulture
• Hospitality
• Land Based Technology
• Personal and Bus Finance
• Public Services
• Travel and Tourism
• Vehicle Technology

As with all entry qualifications, BTEC qualifications must have been awarded within 7 years of the date of entry to the University to be accepted as meeting entry requirements.

Please see our 2018 Undergraduate Admissions Policy (A level/IB/BTech) [PDF] relating to applications to degrees in Accountancy, Arts, Education, Engineering, Sciences and Social Sciences.

For applicants to the School of Medicine, please see School of Medicine Admissions.

The University welcomes applications from all European countries.

• European requirements: Arts, Science, Engineering, Accountancy, Social Sciences
• European Requirements: Education Degree Programmes (M.Educ, BTEchEd and MA RPE)
• European requirements: Psychology BSc, MA (Arts), MA (Social Sciences)
• For information about admission to Dentistry: med-sch-dental-ug@glasgow.ac.uk
• For information about admission to Law: law-ug-admissions@glasgow.ac.uk
  
• For information about admission to Medicine: med-sch-admissions@glasgow.ac.uk
• For information about admission to Veterinary Medicine: vet-sch-admissions@glasgow.ac.uk

The University does not accept applications from UK and EU students to transfer from another institution. Exceptions will be made only if it can be proven that a student  who is currently living away from home needs to return to their home city due to significant personal problems such as family or personal illness, bereavement or other circumstances. These situations will be considered on a case by case basis and documentary evidence, such as medical reports, will be required. All applications from students currently studying at another Higher Education Institution must be made through UCAS and applicants must have met the SQA Higher or A level entry requirements to be considered for an offer. Any offer is likely to be to year one of study.

For applicants to the School of Medicine, please see School of Medicine Admissions.

The University of Glasgow welcomes applicants to undergraduate degree programmes who have already completed an undergraduate degree. Attainment of an undergraduate degree does not on its own guarantee admission to another degree programme. The following criteria will be considered when reviewing graduate applications:

• Applicants must have attained a minimum of a 2:2 (Lower second class) honours degree; AND EITHER
• Would have met the current year (year of admission) entry qualifications prior to being admitted to their current degree programme; OR
• Has studied a minimum of two papers in subjects relevant to the degree programme they are considering applying for (so for example, an applicant to Arts or Social Sciences will be required to have studied a two Arts or Social Science subjects as part of their degree programme). 

Please note: the University of Glasgow only recognises qualifications attained within 7 years of the proposed date of admission to the University. This includes undergraduate degrees. Applicants whose degree was attained more than 7 years from the date of entry, should apply to the University as a mature student  through an alternative route such as the University's Access courses (see: Centre for Open Studies). This policy is designed to ensure that University entrants can cope with the academic rigour of our degree programmes.

For applicants to the School of Medicine, please see School of Medicine Admissions.

An interview will be part of the selection process for:

• Community Development
• Dentistry
• History of Art & Art-world Practice
• Medicine
• Music
• Nursing
• Teaching
• Veterinary Medicine & Surgery

You may also be interviewed if you’re applying for entry into Year 2 in any subject.

The selection processes for both Dentistry and Medicine involves the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) as well as interview.

The selection process for Law involves the LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test).

For Dentistry, Nursing and Veterinary Medicine programmes we are unable to consider applications for deferred entry. In other subjects deferring may be possible but is not granted automatically. 

For applicants to the School of Medicine, please see School of Medicine Admissions.

The University of Glasgow Admissions Policy sets entry tariffs (grades) that must be achieved at one sitting (one year). This applies to all qualifications, from all countries and exam bodies.

Exceptions to this policy will be considered, where there are genuine extenuating circumstances such as family bereavement, applicant illness, serious illnesses within the family or other significant family or personal circumstances. Any extraneous or extenuating circumstance should be notified to the University as part of the application process, via email direct to the Admissions Department, and/or inclusion in the UCAS application (explicit reference in the personal statement or school reference). Extraneous/Extenuating circumstances will not be considered after submission of the application (or any rejection made by the University), unless it can be proven that the relevant event occurred during that specific time period.

Where an extenuating circumstances has been properly notified to the University, the following process will apply:

1. The Admissions Department will request appropriate documentary evidence to be provided. This may include letters from GP's, Consultants, Social Work Department, Schools or Colleges.
2. Upon receipt of appropriate documentary evidence, a meeting will be held to consider the specific case. This meeting will include the Head of Admissions (or Deputy Head of Admissions), Senior Admissions Officer and appropriate admissions Officer. This meeting will decide:
   1. If the extraneous/extenuating circumstance should be upheld; AND
   2. In the event that the extraneous/extenuating circumstances is upheld, what alternative offers should be made to the applicant.

1. No applicant will be admitted below tariff even where there is a valid extenuating circumstance. The applicant will be made an offer which:
   1. Achieves the standard entry tariff over 2 sittings (cumulatively); OR
   2. Ignores the first sitting outcome and allows the applicant to attain the standard entry tariff at his/her second sitting.
2. The approach adopted in point 3 above will depend on the individual circumstances and severity of the case. The revised offer will be approved by the Head of Admissions or Deputy Head of Admissions.

For applicants to the School of Medicine, please see School of Medicine Admissions.

Part-time degrees

Our flexible  degrees are designed to allow part-time students access to a wide range of Arts or Science subjects and ultimately graduate with a MA Arts or BSc Science degree from the University of Glasgow.

We are unable to offer part-time degrees in the following subjects: Accountancy & Finance, Dentistry, Engineering, Film & Television Studies, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Veterinary Biosciences, Veterinary Medicine. OR in any of the Social Sciences MA (SocSci) degrees.

The list of undergraduate courses offered by the University is available at: Degree programmes A‑Z

Course delivery

The individual courses which make up the degree programme follow the timetable undertaken by the full-time undergraduate students and part-time students attend the same on campus lectures, tutorials or practical sessions Part-time study is study by day, and will require attendance on several days of the week.

Level of commitment and timeframe for completing part-time studies

An honours degree, normally takes a full-time student 4 years to complete, and can be completed in as few as 6 years by a part-time student.  Full-time students study 120 credits per year, and all students are required to complete a total of 240credits before commencing honours studies.

• Science part-time students are expected to commit to 80 credits per year for the first three years and then progress to full-time studies to complete the final two years of honours. 
   
• Arts students have much greater flexibility and a part-time student can take between 20 and 80 credits per year. The structure of the degree is discussed with the Adviser for part-time students in the College of Arts and an agreed programme of study set out.

For further advice on Arts degrees please you may contact the Adviser to part-time students, Mrs Linda Knox, at linda.knox@glasgow.ac.uk

Entry requirements for part-time applicants

The entry requirements for part-time students are generally the same as for full-time students, but if you would like us to consider any additional qualification then you may contact the admissions office at: catherine.donegan@glasgow.ac.uk

Standard entry requirements can be found in the individual programme pages of our Degree programmes A‑Z.

It is advisable to have recent academic experience and, if you feel you need to update your qualification in preparation for degree studies, then we recommend that you consider an Access programme or relevant credit bearing courses offered by the Centre for Open Studies at the University. Further details are available from:

• Access Programme
  

Students with disabilities

Applicants with disabilities or special needs are considered on the same basis as all other applicants.  However, we advise applicants to liaise with the University Disabilities Service to explore any potential difficulties or access any additional support they may require. See:

• Disability Service

Fees & funding

Tuition fees are charged annually and based on the number of credits studied.  Further details regarding tuition charges are available from our Registry website:

• Fees: part-time students

For information regarding the Part-time Fee Grant, administered by SAAS: see

• Financial aid

How to apply

Applying for a part-time degree is made directly to the University and not through UCAS. The closing date for applications is 31 July each year preceding the start of the academic session in September. If you would like to check whether your qualifications would gain you entry to part-time study prior to applying please contact catherine.donegan@glasgow.ac.uk

Apply now