International students
A guide for parents and carers

We understand you have the same issues about your student leaving home, but bigger. They aren’t just leaving home, they are also leaving their home country. It can be very stressful, so we want to help you as much as we can.

Abertay hosts hundreds of students from overseas each year - from China, India, Pakistan, South-east Asia, Africa, the USA, Canada, South America and Europe. We have nearly 60 nationalities studying here. They will tell you that we are friendly place with a lots of support and a strong student focus.

We have a guide about how to apply from oversesas and some information about support particularly for international students.

Visit the International section which should give you all the information you need. Or contact the International recruitment and partnerships team who are here to help.

Specifically for international students:

About Abertay University

Abertay University is a modern university that is 25 years old, borne from Dundee Institute that was founded in 1888. We have quickly become one of leading universities in Scotland. We are highly ranked for our academic performance, and it is our talented students and academics that make us successful. Abertay University is small, friendly and world class.

The campus is in the centre of Dundee, one of the safest and most affordable places to be a student in the whole of the UK

Scotland is a small country, but mighty when it comes to education. Scotland has invested in education for centuries, which means no matter where your student chooses to live afterwards, their Scottish degree will be recognised. Find out more about studying in Scotland

Where is Abertay University?

We are based in the heart of Dundee. Dundee is a coastal city in eastern Scotland.

Located on the north bank of the River Tay (see Dundee on the map), Dundee is Scotland's sunniest city. We are just over an hour away from Edinburgh by train or car, 1.5 hours by car from Glasgow, and six hours by train from London.  We have beaches where you might see a dolphin or two, as well as a vibrant city culture and busy nightlife.

Getting here is straightforward.

Most people fly into Edinburgh Airport and then travel by train or car from there (approximately 1 – 1.5 hours). If your flight arrives via London, we also have a local airport where flights go to/from London City Airport. We are also only a 6 hour direct train journey from London.

Find out more on the Dundee Wikipedia page.

 

 

How to apply for international students

Before you start, you and your student need to look at the entry requirements by country, and also see our how to apply section.

Everyone needs to use the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, called UCAS, to apply to any university in the UK. This is the organisation responsible for managing applications to UK universities. They have produced a useful guide for overseas parents about applying, and you can also contact our international recruitment team if you have any questions.

International fees, finance & scholarships

Student budgets go further here - that's a fact. Weekly household costs are roughly 20% lower than in London, and 10% cheaper than the UK as a whole.

A survey named Dundee the cheapest city in Scotland for students, and one of the cheapest the UK. The survey looked at areas like the cost of accommodation and grocery shopping. 

Fees

The fee they pay depends on the course they decide to study. Find out more in the fees and funding section.

Scholarships

There are many scholarships for international students. One provides an award of up to £12,000 for prospective new international undergraduate students. This scholarship is given to help with living and travel costs.

Check our scholarship section for other potential sources of funding.

Faith and belief

The University is a multi faith and multicultural institution. The Chaplaincy serves the whole university community in a spirit of openness, friendship and mutual respect. There is a multi faith group space. This is for group activities such as meetings and communal worship. The Chaplaincy also holds a directory of the many places of worship in Dundee and Tayside, together with contact numbers.

Find a local agent

Qualified agents can make the application process easier, so it is a great option if you are don’t know which course to apply for. Find your local Abertay agent on our list.

They can help you decide on the right course. After discussing what you are looking for, they will go through the options with you. They will also go through the application process with you in detail, and explain what studying at Abertay is really like. They can help you apply, get the right student visa and many even help with transport and accommodation arrangements.

Please see the page about using our international Agents.

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