Universities

University of Aberdeen

Aberdeen City - United Kingdom

Overview

History

Founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, the University of Aberdeen is Scotland's third oldest and the UK's fifth oldest university.

William Elphinstone established King's College to train doctors, teachers and clergy for the communities of northern Scotland, and lawyers and administrators to serve the Scottish Crown. Much of the King's College still remains today, as do the traditions which the Bishop began.

King’s College opened with 36 staff and students, and embraced all the known branches of learning: arts, theology, canon and civil law. In 1497 it was first in the English-speaking world to create a chair of medicine. Elphinstone’s college looked outward to Europe and beyond, taking the great European universities of Paris and Bologna as its model.

Uniting the Rivals

In 1593, a second, Post-Reformation University, was founded in the heart of the New Town of Aberdeen by George Keith, fourth Earl Marischal. King's College and Marischal College were united to form the modern University of Aberdeen in 1860. At first, arts and divinity were taught at King's and law and medicine at Marischal. A separate science faculty - also at Marischal - was established in 1892. All faculties were opened to women in 1892, and in 1894 the first 20 matriculated female students began their studies. Four women graduated in arts in 1898, and by the following year, women made up a quarter of the faculty.

Into our Sixth Century

Throughout the 20th century Aberdeen has consistently increased student recruitment, which now stands at 14,000. In recent years picturesque and historic Old Aberdeen, home of Bishop Elphinstone's original foundation, has again become the main campus site.

The University has also invested heavily in medical research, where time and again University staff have demonstrated their skills as world leaders in their field. The Institute of Medical Sciences, completed in 2002, was designed to provide state-of-the-art facilities for medical researchers and their students. This was followed in 2007 by the Health Sciences Building. The Foresterhill campus is now one of Europe's major biomedical research centres.  The Suttie Centre for Teaching and Learning in Healthcare, a £20m healthcare training facility, opened in 2009.

Investing in our Future

2012 saw the opening of the £57 million Sir Duncan Rice Library in Old Aberdeen, a great modern building to match the splendour of the University’s 500 year old campus.

The fact that the University has become what it is owes much to the determination and vision of a handful of visionaries and pioneers, including a distinguished list of scholars who in their own unique ways, helped to shape the University into the world-class institution we have today.

Teaching and research is primarily based at our Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill campuses. Arts, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and the main University library are located in Old Aberdeen. The majority of Life Sciences and Medicine is based at Foresterhill.

Fast Facts

Founded in 1495, Scotland's third oldest university and the fifth oldest in the UK

Ranked in world top 1%

Annual turnover in excess of £220 million

Five Nobel Laureates are associated with the University of Aberdeen

Student community representing 120 nationalities

16,500 students: 49% men 51% women, and 12% mature undergraduates

93% of graduates enter directly into work, further study or training within 6 months

Top 10 in the UK for student experience

New curriculum introduced in 2010, including developing 'graduate attributes'

High quality teaching - with over 89% subjects rated Excellent / Highly Satisfactory

Over 550 first degree programmes and more than 120 taught Masters programmes

Study abroad opportunities worldwide

Teaching organised in three colleges: College of Life Sciences & Medicine, College of Physical Sciences, and College of Arts and Social Sciences

Over 3,000 staff - of whom 1,400 are academic

90% of research activity of international quality

Strong track record in commercialising research – with over 400 patents pending and 21 spin-off companies

One of the largest wireless campuses in Europe, and strategy to continually improve student accommodation and facilities

Libraries with over a million volumes, priceless historic material, and seven museum collections recognised as nationally important

Over 150 sports clubs and societies, an Olympic-standard Aberdeen Sports Village and an Aquatic Centre to open spring 2014

 

Faculties

College of Arts and Social Sciences

Business

Divinity, History and Philosophy

Education

Language and Literature

Law

Social Science

College of Life Sciences and Medicine

Biological Sciences

Medical Sciences

Medicine and Dentistry

Psychology

Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health

College of Physical Sciences

Engineering

Geosciences

Natural and Computing Sciences

English Requirements

	Undergraduate Standard	Medicine (MB ChB)
IELTS	Listening - 5.5 or above  Reading - 5.5 or above  Speaking - 5.5 or above  Writing - 6.0 or above  Overall - 6.0	Listening - 5.5 or above  Reading - 5.5 or above  Speaking - 7.0 or above  Writing - 6.0 or above  Overall - 7.0
TOEFL iBT  TOEFL DI code is 0818	Listening - 17 or above  Reading - 18 or above  Speaking - 20 or above  Writing - 21 or above  Overall - 78	Listening - 21 or above  Reading - 22 or above  Speaking - 28 or above  Writing - 21 or above  Overall - 100

Graduate:

IELTS	Listening - 5.5 or above  Reading – 6.0 or above  Speaking - 5.5 or above  Writing - 6.0 or above  Overall - 6.5
TOEFL iBT  TOEFL DI code is 0818	Listening - 17 or above  Reading - 21 or above  Speaking - 20 or above  Writing - 21 or above  Overall – 90

 

Scholarships

Scholarships and grants are available for international students who wish to study in Britain. There is a lot of competition for a limited number of awards but it is worthwhile applying for the ones relevant to you. Check what each covers and whether you will need to supplement it with your own money. You should not begin a programme without ensuring you have enough money for tuition fees and living expenses.

Chevening Scholarships

These scholarships, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council, are prestigious awards which enable overseas students to study in the United Kingdom scholarships are offered in over 150 countries and enable talented graduates and young professionals to become familiar with the UK and gain skills which will benefit their countries. The Chevening programme currently provides around 2,300 new scholarships each year for postgraduate studies or research at UK Institutions of Higher Education. Chevening scholarships are a great way of gaining access to high-quality education. Every year, hundreds of scholars come to the UK to learn new skills and make new friends.

Commonwealth Scholarships

Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded to students from countries of the British Commonwealth. Applications should be made to the Commonwealth Scholarship Agency in the student's own country.

Scotland's Saltire Scholarships

This exciting scholarship opportunity is open to Canadian, Chinese, Indian and US nationals. Awards worth £2000 each are available towards the cost of tuition fees for full time Masters Programmes in a wide range of subject areas.

These scholarships are supported and funded by the Scottish Government in partnership with University of Aberdeen.

Financial Aid for US Students

The University of Aberdeen is recognised by the US Federal Government as one of the foreign institutions that US students can come to study at and use their financial aid in the UK. You will need to apply for your Financial Aid in the US.

Scottish Overseas Research Student Awards Scheme

The SORSAS was set up to attract high quality international studies to the UK to undertake research. The scheme is open to overseas students undertaking a research degree in any area of study. The awards provide funding to pay the difference between the overseas rate of tuition fees and the home/EU rate of tuition fees. The awards DO NOT cover the home/EU fee element, maintenance or travel expenses. New awards are granted annually, on a competitive basis, to overseas postgraduate research students of outstanding academic ability and research potential.

The British Council

You should contact your local British Council Office or other equivalent offices for general information about scholarships. The British Council co-ordinate the Chevening Scholarships. 

St Andrew's Society Scholarships

The Saint Andrew's Society of Washington, D.C., accepts applications for US students of Scottish descent wishing to study in the UK to be awarded from its Washington Scots Charity and Education Fund Scholarship Program. 

Charities, Organisations and Companies

A number of governmental and non‑governmental bodies, including educational charities, provide financial assistance to a diversity of students seeking education overseas. Approaches can also be made to commercial and industrial companies in the fields related to your specialisation, eg in the medical field to pharmaceutical companies, in engineering to construction or electronics firms. Generally, apply to the Managing Director in the first instance. Note that certain bodies such as banks may specialise in student loans, e.g. the Hang Seng Bank in Hong Kong, KOJADI in Malaysia, and the Bangkok Bank in Thailand.

Your Country's Ministry of Education

Scholarships, grants and student loans could be available from your local government. Enquire with the Ministry of Education within your own country to find out what is available.

Tution Fee

For undergraduate tuition fee please click a link: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/infohub/documents/UG__Fees_overseas_2015-16.pdf

For graduate tuition fee please click a link: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/infohub/documents/PGTaught_2015-16.pdf