Overview
Glasgow Caledonian University (informally GCU, Caledonian or Caley) is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland. It was formed in 1993 by the merger of The Queen’s College, Glasgow (founded in 1875) and Glasgow Polytechnic (founded in 1971).
In June 2017, the university’s New York partner institution, which was founded in 2013, was granted permission to award degrees in the state, the first higher education institution founded by a foreign university to achieve this status.
The University traces its origin from The Queen’s College, Glasgow (founded 1875) and the Glasgow Polytechnic (founded 1971). The Queen’s College, which specialised in providing training in domestic science, received the Royal accolade of being named after Queen Elizabeth in its centenary celebrations in 1975. Queen Elizabeth was, herself, Patron of the College since 1944. Glasgow Polytechnic, which was one of the largest central institutions in Scotland, offered externally validated degrees and diplomas in engineering, science, and the humanities: the first of which was a BA in Optics, followed by degrees in Social Sciences (1973) and Nursing (1977).
On 1 April 1993, the two institutions amalgamated to form Glasgow Caledonian University. The new university took its name from Caledonia, the poetic Latin name for present-day Scotland. The main campus of the university is built on the site of the former Buchanan Street Station, built by the Caledonian Railway.
Independent research carried out in 2015 revealed that the University contributes over £480m to Scotland’s economy each year with the quantifiable lifetime premium of a one-year class of graduates estimated at around £400m, bringing the University’s total annual economic impact to around £880m in Scotland alone.
Annie Lennox was installed as GCU’s first female chancellor, taking over the role from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, at a ceremony in July 2018. Pamela Gilliesis the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, appointed in 2006.
GCU offers academic programmes in all of the Scottish Funding Council funding groups but medicine, dentistry and teacher education. The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise gave the University an ‘internationally recognised’ research profile in a multitude of disciplines. Over 70% of the University’s research submissions were judged as being internationally recognised and 30% were deemed world-leading or of international excellence. In 2015, the QAA awarded the University its highest judgement for academic standards, whilst praising the University’s innovative academic approaches. In 2013, GCU was awarded the HR Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission, in recognition of its commitment to the development of researchers. This has been retained in 2015 following its two-year review.
16,415 Students
Location
Learning
TEF Rating
Courses Available
- Accounting, Business, Management and Marketing
- Architecture, Building, Planning and Design
- Biology and Biomedical Sciences
- Computer Science and Information Technology
- Engineering
- Foreign Studies (Language, Literature and Linguistics)
- Health Professions
- Hospitality and Culinary
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Law and Legal Studies
- Veterinary, Agricultural and Food Sciences
Applying
How to Apply?
For International Students
(in lieu of IELTS)
Deadlines and Important Dates
Cost and Scholarships
(For International Students)
Types of Scholarships Available
Scholarships
ICAS Foundation Bursary
| Total Worth | £2,500 per year |
|---|---|
| Eligibility and Requirements | If students are a recipient (or will receive) a Scottish Government Young Students Bursary, they are eligible to apply for a bursary from the ICAS Foundation, provided they intend to study an accountancy or finance course at university. If students can answer yes to these questions they are eligible to apply for an ICAS Foundation Bursary: 1. Have you applied, intend to apply or are currently studying an undergraduate course in accountancy or finance course at university? 2. Is your parental/guardian income under £34,000? 3. Will you receive Student Bursary from the Scottish Government? If the answer is yes to all of the above then students are eligible to apply for an ICAS Foundation Bursary. |
| Available for International Students | No |
| Application Deadline | -- |
| Other Details | The bursaries aim to help alleviate the costs of studying and, for example, day-to-day living costs. Bursaries are available to secondary school students, college students or students already at university who are applying to study on an approved course, for example an accountancy or finance degree. Individuals receiving an ICAS Foundation bursary are automatically enrolled in the ICAS mentoring scheme which aims to help young people to reach their fullest potential with the help and support of an experienced Chartered Accountant (CA). |
Common Good Award
| Total Worth | £6,000 |
|---|---|
| Eligibility and Requirements | It is open to any full time undergraduate applicant from England, Wales or Northern Ireland who will be paying their tuition fee via a Loans from Student Finance England , Student Finance Northern Ireland or Student Finance Wales or self funding. |
| Available for International Students | No |
| Application Deadline | -- |
| Other Details | This is a non-repayable bursary and scholarship. The Common Good award entitles students to: 1. £2,000 cash bursary for each of the first three of your degree years paid over three instalments each year 2. Plus, a tuition fee waiver in their final year if students are completing a 4-years Honours programme worth £9,250. |
New to GCU
| Total Worth | £4,000 |
|---|---|
| Eligibility and Requirements | The fee discounts are applicable to self-funded undergraduate international students only. |
| Available for International Students | Yes |
| Application Deadline | -- |
| Other Details | Undergraduate students receive £1,000 towards their first annual fees and £1,000 for each subsequent year of their degree. Up to £4,000 over 4 years. |