University of Aberdeen
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
Website:
Language of instruction: English
GPA Requirement: minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA (5.0/9.0 GPA at UVic)
Part-time option: only available for single term exchange, and not for two term exchanges
Terms: Fall semester (late September - late December) // Spring semester (mid-January - mid-May)
Highlights
- Aberdeen has a lot to offer visitors coming to the sparkling ‘Granite City’. Shops, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, sports facilities, music venues, art galleries, parks and gardens, sandy beaches, gorgeous countryside and a warm friendly welcome.
- The University of Aberdeen was recognized as Scottish University of the Year in 2019, and is the 3rd oldest University in Scotland and 5th oldest university in the English-speaking world.
- A new state-of-the-art which is due to open in early 2022. The building has been designed around the provision of specialist teaching, training and learning for students across a number of disciplines, and will be a fully digitized space where students can benefit from advanced lab facilities that mirror industry standards along with cloud based learning systems that encompass live data acquisition and analysis capabilities.
- , located just across the road from the main campus, provides outstanding sports and exercise facilities, including a 50 metre Olympic swimming pool, a 25 metre Olympic diving pool, a full-sized 3rd generation FIFA approved indoor football pitch and exclusive memberships for students.
- The (AUSA) runs more than 120 departmental, cultural, creative arts and general interest societies and more than 50 sports clubs.
- The city is only half an hour's travel away from the magic of Scotland's countryside, including the mountains, and the heart of the and historic trail.
Area of study
Courses are offered in the following faculties:- Biological Sciences
- Business
- Divinity, History, Philosophy and History of Art
- Education
- Engineering
- Geosciences
- Law
- Language, Literature, Visual Culture & Music
- Medical Sciences
- Natural & Computing Sciences
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Engineering Project Courses
- Any Level 5 course
- Clinical Medicine & Dentistry courses
- Level 3 English Creative Writing courses
- Level 4 English and Linguistic courses
- BM 4501 Biomedical Science Honours
- JB, JC, QB, QC, QI and QL coded courses
- Education Courses*
- Level 3 English and Linguistic Courses*
- Field Courses*
Most of the University of Aberdeen's undergraduate courses are available to incoming study abroad and exchange students. See the for a complete overview.
Credits
Credits at Aberdeen:
- Full-time option (7.5 UVic units): 60 SCQF per term at Aberdeen
Course Evaluations at UVic:
- Before departure, UVic students will be able to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will indicate how many UVic units each exchange course is worth, as well as the course equivalency.
- Students must use the evaluation results to ensure their exchange courses credits add up to the equivalent UVic units. The total number of units for each exchange term should be 4.5 UVic units for part-time exchange or 7.5 UVic units for full-time exchange.
- This course evaluation process will be made available and explained in detail during the pre-departure session in early October for Spring exchange terms and in late March for Fall exchange terms. Evaluations take 2-6 weeks to complete and will be emailed to students.
- Course evaluations results are tentative until the end of the exchange term, when a second, final evaluation is conducted by OREM using the students’ exchange transcript, and the results are applied to their UVic record.
Exchange credit history
- Click here to check out the exchange credit history of courses that have been previously evaluated by UVic for this host university.
- Students are not limited to this list when selecting courses for their upcoming exchange and should consult the host university’s course catalogue for a full list of offerings.
- Important note: this document is a guide only and previously evaluated courses are not guaranteed to be evaluated in the same way in the future.
- After being accepted into the ICS Exchange Program, students will have the chance to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will provide updated unit and credit equivalency information.
Transcript Information
Host university transcript release varies by school and region. As a result, students should plan their exchange and return to UVic accordingly.
At the University of Aberdeen, grade results are released at the end of the student's study period approximately three weeks after the exam period for ex. December and May. For more information about assessment results please visit the official information page on the .
Exchange students are responsible for requesting their host university send their final official exchange transcript directly to the ICS exchange team at goglobal@uvic.ca, as soon as it is available.
Housing
- On-campus housing: Guaranteed
- As long as exchange students apply for Aberdeen housing by the deadline, they will be guaranteed a spot in either Aberdeen-owned housing or with a preferred housing partner.
- For details, see the university's website.
- Part-time exchange students must stay in Hillhead Student Village (Aberdeen's student accommodation) to avoid paying residential council tax.
- Off-campus housing: Available
Medical Insurance, Immigration & Orientation
Medical Insurance:- Single Semester Students: Students coming for six months or less are strongly encouraged to purchase health/medical insurance in their home country before departing for Aberdeen.
- Full Year Students: International students who require a Student visa to study in the UK also must pay the NHS health surcharge and associated additional costs when applying for a visa.
Immigration:
- Students coming for one semester (six months or less) with a non-UK or non-Irish passport should enter the UK on a Standard Visitor Visa. The cost and process of applying for this visa depends on where the student is applying/country of domicile and nationality.
- Students coming for longer than six months on a non-UK or non-Irish passport must apply for a student visa. This visa has a strict application process.
- More information can be found on the , as well as the .
- Students are normally given a dedicated orientation on the Monday after arrival weekend. This is then followed by a week of registration and induction where students will meet with their Go Abroad Tutor (academic advisor) to finalize their curriculum, complete their registration and acquaint themselves with campus and the city.
- Further orientation events will be held during welcome week in September / refreshers week in January for the general student population, and exchange students may take part.
SDGs-in-Action
Add a United Nations CIFAL qualification to your international experience (and your CV!) by taking the SDGs-In-Action challenge. Below are resources and some of the many ways to get involved at University of Aberdeen.
- Explore through the Aberdeen University Students’ Association and .
- Browse the already in place at the Aberdeen University Students’ Association, from a Hedgehog-friendly Campus campaign, a FoodSharing Hub to weekly meeting of The Secret Garden Society.
- View an already up and running. You might choose to join Conservation Society, the Energy Transition society and more.
- Read about the current Sustainability Community and Engagement partnerships in place at the University of Aberdeen or check out their for greater emissions transparency.
- Read the University of Aberdeen’s .