Abertay University

Set in the heart of Dundee on Scotland's east coast, Abertay University is a compact institution whose origins go back to 1888, when a bequest from Sir David Baxter led to the creation of a technical institute in the city. University status followed in 1994. Around 4,000 students are enrolled, giving Abertay the character of a small campus community, while the city centre lies immediately outside.

Abertay has earned its international standing in computing and digital technology. It launched the world's first computer games degree in 1997 and, in 2006, the first ethical hacking degree, while the National Cyber Security Centre has named it an Academic Centre of Excellence in the field of cyber security. Since opening in 2022, the cyberQuarter has given researchers and industry a shared base for work on security challenges. The curriculum also takes in business, nursing, counselling and computer science, together with sport, fitness and nutrition, and placements or comparable experience with employers feature in many courses. One campus landmark is the Bernard King Library, which Queen Elizabeth II opened in 1998.

Information for International Students

International applicants have three routes into Abertay: a direct application, UCAS for undergraduate study, or an accredited agent operating under the Agent Quality Framework. Most undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses set an English standard of IELTS 6.0 overall, with a 5.5 minimum per component, but a higher score applies to certain programmes, including sports therapy, counselling and mental health nursing.

Conditional offer holders who need a Student visa go through CAS Shield, an online stage for uploading documents and confirming finances, with a credibility interview where required, before the CAS is released. An international team handles pre-arrival queries, and a guide for overseas students covers visas, banking, part-time employment, housing and daily life in Dundee. On campus, help comes from the library's Support Enquiry Zone and a dedicated international adviser in the Student Advisory Service, while Welcome Week introduces new arrivals to the university. Private companies run most student housing in the city, several of them discounting rooms for Abertay students who have firmly accepted an offer. Scholarships for international students are offered at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, while eligible graduates can then apply for the Graduate Route.