University of Aberdeen: (Excluding Primary and Secondary Teacher Training (PGDE) Admissions)
University of Aberdeen: (Excluding Primary and Secondary Teacher Training (PGDE) Admissions)
University of Aberdeen: (Excluding Primary and Secondary Teacher Training (PGDE) Admissions)
After I apply:
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BEFORE I APPLY
The entry requirements for degree programmes are listed in the University of Aberdeen
Postgraduate Prospectus at www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectus/pgrad
The University of Aberdeen makes no application charge if you wish to apply for postgraduate
study.
For Primary and Secondary Teacher Training (PGDE) Admissions, completed GTTR application
must be submitted to GTTR with the applicant’s fee. Information on how to pay the charge is
contained in the GTTR web pages at: www.gttr.ac.uk
Yes. You may apply to as many degree programmes as you like. You should submit a separate
application for each one.
Early application is encouraged, ideally up to one year in advance of studies, but you can apply
at any time. Most taught programmes commence in mid-to-late September each year, while
some start in January. Lists of programmes can be found at
www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectus/pgrad
Overseas students should apply in sufficient time to allow their applications to be processed
before their visa interviews take place. Six months in advance is a suggested timeframe. (An
appointment for a visa interview might take 8 weeks.)
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Note 7. Is there a closing date by which time I must submit my application?
Please check our website for information on the dates for receipt of applications. For
international students, applying to taught programmes, there may be a deadline. Any
application received after the deadline, will be considered for the next available intake. Please
note this deadline is to ensure students have sufficient time to complete the application
process and apply for their visa, and arrive in Aberdeen in time for the start of their
programme.
There is no deadline for those students classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes but allow
time for your application to be processed (approximately 4 weeks) and for you to make
arrangements to come to Aberdeen in time for the start of the session. There is also no
deadline for application to Research programmes as students can start at a time agreed with
the relevant College.
The University endeavours to process all applications for taught programmes within 21 working
days of receipt, (approximately 4 weeks). Applications for research degrees can take longer to
process. In both cases this is dependant upon applications arriving complete with references
and other supporting documents.
Note 8. How will I know that you have received my application (on-line or hard
copy)?
If you apply on-line you have thirty days in which to make amendments to your application
before submission. If your application is still incomplete after thirty days have elapsed your
application will be deleted from our systems. Once you have submitted your application you
will receive an e-mail confirming that it has been received. The acknowledgement will contain
your 10-digit personal ID number which you should quote in any correspondence with us. For
example, it will look like 9109361257.
Your application will be forwarded to the relevant Graduate School for consideration by an
academic Admissions Selector. The School will be in contact with you (normally by e-mail),
shortly after receipt of your application in the School. They will notify you if there are any
supporting documents missing which may delay consideration of your application.
Yes, in most cases, but only once and for entry at the start of the next academic session.
Applications are only retained for 1 year, therefore after this time you would have to submit a
new application.
If you wish to defer your entry date after an offer of admission has been made, you should
write to request this. The Postgraduate Admissions Office will confirm whether a later start
date is permitted and, if it is, will issue you with an Amended Offer of Admission letter.
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Note 10. What supporting documents do I need to provide with my application?
• *Degree certificate(s)
[A good photocopy is required. Applies for degree(s) already completed.]
• *Transcript(s)
[An original transcript is required. If the degree is not yet complete an original
transcript to the present date is permitted]
• A valid TOEFL or IELTS certificate (if applicable)
[A good photocopy is required. If you have not yet taken a test please state your
anticipated test date on your application form.]
• References
NOTE 1: Some Schools may vary their reference requirements from the above e.g. some
programmes may ask for work references rather than academic. Applicants are therefore
strongly encouraged to check individual school websites to confirm reference
requirements for applications
NOTE 2: If your referee(s) agrees to share the reference(s) with you, the reference(s) can be
uploaded along with your online application. The reference(s) must be on institutional
headed paper and signed by your referee(s). The original copy must be produced if
required by the University. If your referee(s) is unwilling to share the reference(s) with you
then it should be forwarded, in a sealed envelope signed by the referee(s) across the seal,
to the PG Admissions address.
[*Denotes that the above documents must be translated into English and authenticated by
a Notary Public, or similar authority]
The University of Aberdeen reserves the right to scrutinise the originals of applicants’
certificates at any time. If you become a registered student at the University you have the
opportunity to check the information we hold on your qualifications. Corrections can be made
at Registration or via your Student Portal.
Please note that consideration of your application will be delayed if there are any required
documents missing.
If your first language is not English, it is important that your proficiency in English is good in
order for you to study successfully at the University of Aberdeen. Without this ability you will
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find great difficulty in understanding lectures, producing written work and sitting examinations.
Even if you have been educated in the medium of English you must meet our English Language
requirements. These are located at www.abdn.ac.uk/international/english-requirements.php
If you are in doubt about your proficiency in English, contact the British Council office or its
equivalent in your country.
Applicants with a criminal conviction can make an application for admission. Section 3 of the
University of Aberdeen Postgraduate Application Form states ‘If you have a relevant criminal
conviction, enter X in the box’. The Instructions for Completion provide full information on
how to complete, in addition to the definition of a relevant criminal conviction. If you enter X in
the box the University of Aberdeen will write to you to request further information. Your reply
should be sent to the Head of Postgraduate Admissions who will treat the information in the
strictest confidence. A recommendation on whether or not an offer should be made may be
considered by the University Secretary. The outcome is communicated to you by the Head of
Postgraduate Admissions.
Note 13. How will I know that you have received my references?
Any references received are passed to the relevant School concerned to be matched up with
your application form. The School will notify you if references have not been received.
If you submit an application with all the required supporting documents, the outcome of your
application should be known within 21 working days.
You will be sent an Offer of Admission letter detailing any academic and/or English language
conditions that you must satisfy before you are allowed to proceed to registration and
matriculation. Our formal offer will also contain: a document detailing the Standard Terms
Governing Offers of Admission to the University, available at:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/documents/standard-terms-governing-offers.pdf and a combined
Acceptance/Decline and Financial Guarantee Form, available at:
www.abdn.ac.uk/documents/finance-guarantee.doc
If you still wish to study at the University, you should accept the offer of the place that we have
made to you and show that you agree to pay your costs of study. To do this you must return
the ‘Financial Guarantee and Acceptance/Decline Form’, along with any documentation
showing that you meet the conditions set down in the offer. If you are to be sponsored
through your studies, you must tell us on the form who is to pay your costs and attach
supporting evidence. If you are sponsored by a company, this will be a letter of confirmation
from your sponsor.
If you no longer wish to study at the University, you should decline the offer that we have
made to you. For popular programmes we will then be able to offer your place to the next
applicant on the waiting list.
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Any letter Postgraduate Admissions sends to you will contain your 10-digit personal ID number
which you should quote in any correspondence with us. For example, it will look like
9089361257.
If you do not reply to the Offer of Admission letter within 3 months of the date it was sent to
you, your application will be withdrawn.
Note 15. What happens if I have a disability, medical condition or specific learning
difficulty?
The University welcomes applications from disabled applicants and, the University aims to
make all of the services it provides as accessible as possible. The University’s Disability
Advisers are the main point of contact for discussing any requirements you may have. Each
School also has a designated Disability Co-ordinator who is responsible for ensuring that any
provisions that have been agreed are put in place.
The University’s Disability Advisers are based in the Student Advice and Support Office, Student
Support Services. They are informed of all applicants who have disclosed a disability or
impairment. The Disability Advisers contact each of these applicants to discuss support
arrangements and to ensure that appropriate guidance is given.
If you think it would be helpful, you are welcome to contact a Disability Adviser for a
confidential discussion on your application. More information can be found on our web pages
at www.abdn.ac.uk/disability or by email: student.disability@abdn.ac.uk
The application for admission provides applicants with the opportunity to disclose a disability
and the University of Aberdeen encourages early disclosure. In line with the Admissions Policy,
the University makes the reassurance that a disability will not affect the outcome of an
application. Early disclosure enables the University to work with you to ensure that
appropriate support systems are in place to allow you to participate fully in your studies.
For some programmes, especially for entry to a research degree, an interview forms part of the
admissions process. If you live overseas, sometimes it is possible for an academic International
Officer to interview you when he/she is scheduled to visit your country.
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Doctorate/Postgraduate Masters by Research. Further detailed information is available at
www.fco.gov.uk/atas
When you receive an offer letter from the University you will also receive confirmation of the
JACS code for your area of research and a short statement summarising the area of research
you hope to undertake, which will have been agreed with your lead supervisor. You must then
proceed to apply for an ATAS certificate before applying for your student Entry Clearance or
Visa. You must do this on-line via www.fco.gov.uk/atas
AFTER I APPLY
Note 19. My Offer of Admission letter says that I have an unconditional place.
What does this mean?
An unconditional place means that you have provided the University with sufficient
documentary evidence that you meet the academic and/or English language conditions
stipulated in your Offer of Admission letter. However, even though you have an unconditional
offer, you must still meet the Financial Guarantee requirements.
If you do not provide documentary evidence of who will be paying your tuition fees (in advance
of your start date), your registration will be delayed, or you may not be permitted to register
for your chosen programme of study.
Note 20. My Offer of Admission letter says that I have a conditional place.
What does this mean?
A conditional place means that you must send us documentary evidence that you have met the
academic and/or English language conditions stipulated in your Offer of Admission letter. In
addition you must also meet the Financial Guarantee requirements.. Once your degree result
or English language test result is known you should send these to the Postgraduate Admissions
Office as soon as possible.
If you do not provide documentary evidence of who will be paying your tuition fees (in advance
of your start date), your registration will be delayed or you may not be permitted to register for
your chosen programme of study.
Note 21. Degree equivalences – my Offer of Admission letter states that I have to
provide evidence that my degree is equivalent to an honours degree in the UK. What
does this mean?
Successful candidates in British honours degrees are placed in different classes: Class I (a 'first');
Class II, Division 1 (an 'upper second'); Class II, Division 2 (a 'lower second'); Class III (a 'third').
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Upper Second 60 – 69%
Lower Second 50 – 59%
Third 40 - 49%
Pass 35 - 39%
Fail Below 35%
If your degree result is not as good as expected, you should still contact us. The Postgraduate
Admissions Office will consult with the relevant School to find out if an alternative programme
could be offered.
For example if you had originally been offered a place directly onto a Master’s programme it
may be possible to offer you a place on the corresponding Postgraduate Diploma programme
as an alternative. If you are registered on a particular Postgraduate Diploma programme, it is
normally possible to transfer to the Master’s programme if your assessment results are at the
required standard for progression.
If your English language result is not as expected, it will probably be the case that you will have
to wait until your test result improves. The pace of teaching on postgraduate taught
programmes is such that you may fall behind very quickly if your language skills are not at the
required standard.
If you have not met the conditions of your Offer of Admission letter and we cannot offer you
an alternative, you could write to request that your offer of a place be deferred to the next
available intake. Application forms are only retained for one year so, after this time, you would
have to submit a new application. If you request deferral, the Postgraduate Admissions Office
will confirm whether a later start date is permitted and, if it is, will issue you with an Amended
Offer of Admission letter. You can also request deferral if you are unable to meet the Financial
Guarantee requirements of the offer.
The University of Aberdeen has an 'Open Door' policy, which means that you are welcome to
contact us to arrange a private visit at any time. A visit tailored to your interests is the most
informative and enjoyable way to find out what it is really like to be a student at the University
of Aberdeen and is to be encouraged.
To arrange a visit, simply fill in our on-line form at: www.abdn.ac.uk/sras and select the
Arrange a Visit link towards the top of the page. Alternatively you can telephone +44 (0) 1224
272090/91 or email: sras@abdn.ac.uk You are asked to give at least two weeks notice of when
you wish to visit and which departments you would like to see, so that adequate arrangements
can be made for you. In November each year the University holds a Postgraduate Open Day
which would be an ideal opportunity to visit.
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FEES STATUS AND TUITION FEES
Tuition fees have to cover the full cost of a programme and, for eligible students, the UK
government subsidises that cost. These students are known as Home students and they have
to meet set criteria to be eligible. Overseas fees are payable by students who do not meet the
criteria. Further information on determining your Fee Status can be found at
www.abdn.ac.uk/international/finance.php Alternatively you can contact UKCISA The UK
Council for International Student Affairs who have an advice line for students +44 (0) 20 7107
9922.
Your Offer of Admission letter will state whether the University has classified you as a home or
overseas student for the purposes of tuition fees.
In situations where it is not clear if you should be classified as a home fees or overseas student
the University will write to you to request further information. In such circumstances you will
be sent a Fees Classification Form for completion. Until such time as your situation is re-
assessed your status will remain as that of an overseas student.
Note 25. How can I find out how much my tuition fees will be?
Information on tuition fees is updated once a year and is normally available by May once all
fees have been approved by the University. When updated the information will be displayed
at: www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/tuitionfees
Note 26. Do I have to tell you how my tuition fees will be paid and, if so, what
information do you need from me?
Yes. You must return the ‘Financial Guarantee and Acceptance/Decline Form’. The Form is
sent to you with your Offer of Admission letter. If you are to be sponsored through your
studies you must tell us on the Form who is to pay your costs, and attach supporting evidence.
If you are sponsored by a company this will be a letter of confirmation from your sponsor.
Information on Costs of Study is displayed at: www.abdn.ac.uk/international/finance.php
No. Information about tuition fees and ways to pay them can be found at
www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/tuitionfees/payment.shtml
Note 28. What is a Certificate of Acceptance and when will I receive it?
When you have satisfied all academic, English language and financial conditions laid down in
your Offer of Admission letter, the University will send you a Certificate of Acceptance. You
will then be known as an applicant who is ‘cleared for admission’. The Certificate will be sent
you as soon as possible after you have been cleared for admission. International students
commencing studies in September will not receive their Certificate until end of April at the
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earliest. It means that you are now eligible to register at a start date determined by your
School. The date given on your Offer of Admission letter is the official date of the start of the
term. However, some courses commence slightly sooner or slightly later than the official start
of term. Your Department/School will notify you directly of the actual start date of your course
where it varies from the official start date stated on your Certificate of Acceptance.
If you do not receive your Certificate of Acceptance and you think you have satisfied our
requirements, please contact us as soon as possible.
Note 29. What are Joining Packs/Instructions and when will I receive them?
If you are ‘cleared for admission’ you will be sent a Joining Pack from June onwards. Cleared
for admission means that you have satisfied all academic, English language and financial
conditions laid down in your Offer of Admission letter. Joining Pack information is updated
annually, around May of each year, and you will be sent Joining Pack details from then
onwards. Joining Packs contain important information and useful web-site addresses that you
should take time to read prior to registration. You will also find them useful during your time
as a student at Aberdeen. The current Joining Pack information is available electronically at
www.abdn.ac.uk/newstudents The information is updated in the middle of December each
year for January starts.
The Joining Pack also includes an Accommodation Form and details of accommodation
available. If you have any questions on accommodation you can contact the Accommodation
Office at www.abdn.ac.uk/accommodation
The University of Aberdeen makes no stipulation about where its students should live and new
students may arrange their own accommodation or apply to the University for a place in one of
the Halls of Residence.
Accommodation Application Forms are sent out with Joining Packs from June onwards to
applicants who have satisfied all academic, English language and financial conditions of
admission. If you have any questions about accommodation you can contact the
Accommodation Office at www.abdn.ac.uk/accommodation
Please be aware that, if you accept a place in Halls, you are entering into a contract for a set
period of time. If you break this contract, you will almost certainly still be liable to pay
accommodation fees for the remainder of your contract.
Dates of term can be found on the University web pages at: www.abdn.ac.uk/students/term-
dates.php
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Note 32. Where can I find regulations and more information on the degree
programmes that you offer?
Information on degree programmes that we offer can be found in the current Postgraduate
Prospectus at www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectus/pgrad If you are looking for more in-depth
information on the content of your degree you can follow the taught programme or research
option links from the Prospectus or you can contact the relevant Programme Selector for the
programme that you would like to undertake.
Regulations for Postgraduate Study and a list of the individual modules that make up each
taught postgraduate degree programme can be found in the University Calendar at
www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/calendar
Please contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office or Student Recruitment using the
information below. You may also wish to speak to the relevant Graduate School.
Graduate School
College of Life Sciences and Medicine
Web: www.abdn.ac.uk/clsm/graduate
Tel: +44 (0) 1224 559970
It is the policy of the University at all times to provide the highest possible level of service to its
applicants. Nevertheless, it is recognised that there will be occasions when applicants may feel
that the level of service, or the treatment they have received from staff, has fallen short of that
normally expected.
If you are unhappy in regard to your application for admission, you can raise your concerns in
the first instance with the person who answers your call. In many cases staff in the Student
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Recruitment and Admissions Service will be able to sort out your problem over the phone. Or
you can write, giving your applicant number if you know it, to the Head of Admissions, Office of
External Affairs, Student Recruitment and Admissions Service, University of Aberdeen,
University Office, King’s College Aberdeen, AB24 3FX.
If you are unable to resolve your concerns, guidance on the procedure for submitting a
complaint is given in the University’s Policy on Student Complaints which can be accessed at
www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/appeals and its accompanying Guidance Note.
When you agree to the declaration on your application you agree that we can process your
information and keep a copy of your application to collect statistics and to use the information
for any other legitimate purpose.
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