King’s College, University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen was established in 1495, making it the third oldest university in Scotland and the fifth oldest university in the English-speaking world. Aberdeen is one of seven Ancient Universities of Great Britain and Ireland, along with the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of St Andrews, the University Glasgow, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Dublin.
Brig o’ Balgownie, Old Aberdeen
The beautiful setting of our historic Old Aberdeen campus provides a daily reminder of our proud history and heritage. This hidden gem of Scotland, which was recently named amongst the Top Ten Most Beautiful Historic Universities in the UK by QS Top Universities website, features numerous architectural treasures including King’s College, with its crown tower and chapel.
Other major attractions include the medieval St Machar’s Cathedral, the Brig o’ Balgownie and the 18th century Old Townhouse, which today houses one the University’s numerous museum collections.
The University has also invested heavily in new teaching, research and recreational facilities in recent years, including most notably the £57 million Sir Duncan Rice Library, which was officially opened on 24th September 2012 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
Conceived as a cube evoking the ice and light of the north, the library has a sharp, modern design, with spectacular views of the Granite City and the North Sea. Rated as Excellent in the world’s leading ratings system BREEAM, the new building maximises energy efficiency and is home to the University’s distinguished collections of unique historic manuscripts, rare books and archives.
The Danish-designed building, presents a high tech contrast to the University’s historic campus and was recently listed amongst the “20 Most Spellbinding University Libraries in the world” by the Independent newspaper.
Sir Duncan Ric Library, University of Aberdeen
Sir Duncan Ric Library (interior), University of Aberdeen
Suttie Centre for Teaching and Learning in Healthcar, University of Aberdeen
Other recent additions include the Aberdeen Sports Village and our new Aquatics Centre, which features an Olympic standard Swimming Pool and Diving Pool.
Aquatics Centre, University of Aberdeen
The university campus is also home to a number of other fascinating curiosities, including the Cruickshank Botanic Garden, which features numerous varieties of plants, including a rose garden, arboretum, lawns and ponds stretching over 11 acres. The University’s Zoology Museum is officially classified as a Recognised Collection of National Significance to Scotland and features displays from protozoa to the great whales, including taxidermy, skeletal material, study skins, fluid-preserved specimens and models.
Teaching and Research
Teaching and research at the University of Aberdeen is organised
across 14 schools:
- Business School
- Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health
- School of Biological Sciences
- School of Divinity, History and Philosophy
- School of Education
- School of Engineering
- School of Geosciences
- School of Language and Literature
- School of Law
- School of Medical Sciences
- School of Medicine and Dentistry
- School of Natural and Computing Sciences
- School of Psychology
- School of Social Sciences
Rankings
- The University of Aberdeen is ranked 55th in the world in the CWTS Leiden Rankings based on the proportion of research appearing in the top 10% of international journals.
- The University of Aberdeen is ranked 137th in the QS World University Rankings, placing it in the top 1% of universities around the world.
- Aberdeen is ranked 37th in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) 2016 list of the world’s most international universities. This list ranks universities on the basis of student diversity and the extent of its global academic collaborations.
- The University of Aberdeen is ranked 65th in the world for Life Sciences in the THE World University Rankings, 2014.
- The University of Aberdeen is ranked 6th in the UK for Geology, according to the latest Complete University Guide rakings.
- According to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) – the largest ever survey of research in UK higher education institutions, 76% of our research is ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
- The University of Aberdeen’s Medical School was ranked the number 1 medical school in Scotland by the Complete University Guide, 2014-15.
- In the QS Subject Rankings 2015, the University of Aberdeen is ranked in the Top 100 in the world for Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Science, and in the Top 200 in the world for English Language & Literature, History, Law, Philosophy, Geography, Civil Engineering, Medicine, Pharmacology, Education and Earth & Marine Sciences
Famous Scholars and Alumni
James Blair (1656-1743), Aberdeen alum and founder of the College of William and Mary, USA
Our students share a great sense of pride in our 500 year record of scholarship, which includes the work of eminent scholars such as:
- James Blair (1656-1743), founder and first President of the College of William and Mary in the USA
- George Campbell (1719-1796), afounding member of ‘The Wise Club’, or Aberdeen Philosophical Society, and leading figure in the Scottish Enlightenment
- Nicky Campbell, Journalist, Radio and TV Presenter
- Bruce Allan Clark, prominent Canadian lawyer and indigenous tribes activist
- Mathematician James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), Einstein’s hero, who carried out revolutionary work on electricity and magnetism
- Kezia Dugdale, leader of the Scottish Labour Party
- Martin James Gilbert, Chief Executive and co-founder of Aberdeen Asset Management plc, one of the largest international investment management companies in the UK
- Sarah Gillett, British Ambassador to Norway
- Mathematician and Astronomer, James Gregory (1638-1675), who described the first practical reflecting telescope now called the Gregorian telescope
- Actor Iain Glen, known for his roles in the Resident Evil films and for portraying Ser Jorah Mormont on Game of Thrones
- Professor Lesley Anne Glover, Professor of Molecular Biology and Cell Biology at the University of Aberdeen, serves as Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission. Professor Glover was named as the 19th most powerful woman in the United Kingdom by BBC Radio 4 in 2013
- Professor Andrew Hurst whose awards include the Geological Society of London s William Smith Award (1993); the European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers Wegener Medal (2004); and the American Association Of Petroleum Geologists Distinguished Service Medal (2007)
- Dr Adrian Ivinson, Director, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Harvard Medical School
- Professor Marcel Jaspars, Chair in Chemistry and Director of the University’s Marine Biodiscovery Centre, and recognised authority in the discovery of new pharmaceuticals and enzymes from marine biodiversity
- Sir Kai Ho Kai, a founder of the University of Hong Kong.
- Professor Alex Kemp, Professor of Petroleum Economics, and advisor to the UK government and the Scottish government on forecasts for oil production and revenue
- Richard Klein, former Controller of BBC4
- Professor Hans Kosterlitz, widely regarded as the discoverer of endorphins, the body’s own natural opiates
- Nobel Prize winner JJR McLeod (1923) for his research which led to insulin as a treatment for diabetes
- Hugh Mercer (1726-1777) Brigadier General in the US Continental Army and close friend to George Washington
- Professor John Mallard OBE, whose ground-breaking work at Aberdeen led to the development of the modern MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine
- Patrick Manson, the founder of the field of Tropical Medicine and a founder of the University of Hong Kong
- Dr Paul Mealor, Professor in Composition at the University of Aberdeen, who composed the music for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011
- Nobel Prize winner Lord Boyd Orr (1947), in recognition of his contribution to the worldwide fight against hunger
- Professor Hugh Pennington, Chair of Bacteriology from 1979-2003, one of the world’s leading experts on food safety
- Professor Roger Pertwee, recipient of the Wellcome Gold Medal (2011), which is presented every two years by the British Pharmacological Society
- The Hon A Gail Prudenti, Chief Administrative Judge of the Courts of New York State
- Philosopher Thomas Reid (1710-1796), the founder of the Scottish School of Common Sense who played an integral role in the Scottish Enlightenment
- Ali Smith, prize-winning author of Hotel World and The Accidental
- William Smith (1727-1803), the first Provost of the University of Pennsylvania
- Nobel Prize winner Frederick Soddy (1921), for his work on radioactivity and isotopes
- Sir Thomas Sutherland (1834-1922), founder of HSBC Bank, then known as the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
- Nobel Prize winner, Richard L M Synge (1952), for the invention of partition chromatography – a technique used in the separation mixtures of similar chemicals that revolutionised analytical chemistry
- Nobel Prize winner Sir George Paget Thomson (1937) who, together with the American physicist C J Davisson, was awarded the Nobel prize “for their (independent) experimental discovery of the diffraction of electrons by crystals”
- Dr William Thornton (1759 – 1828) the architect who designed the United States Capitol in Washington DC
- Professor Iain Torrance, President of Princeton Theological Seminary
- Bertha Wrenham Wilson, Canadian jurist and the first female Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
Royal Connections
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and wife of Prince Charles was formally installed as Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen at a special ceremony in June 2013. Dr Paul Mealor, Professor in Composition at the University of Aberdeen composed the music for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.
The University of Aberdeen’s Sir Duncan Rice Library was formally opened on Monday 24 September 2012vby HM The Queen, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
HM The Queen at the offical opening of the Sir Duncan Rice Library
Useful Links
Undergraduate Programmes
Postgraduate Programmes
Country-Specific Information
Tuition and Scholarships
Student Housing
.
Advertisement
FAQs
University of Aberdeen? ›
Is University of Aberdeen a good University? ›Ranked 13th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2023 and 19th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.
What is Aberdeen Uni famous for? ›It also has an excellent reputation for medical research and many of its subjects are ranked in top 10 in the UK, including Accounting & Finance (ranked 4th in the UK, Complete 2021), Civil Engineering (10th in the UK, Complete 2021), Computing Science (9th in the UK, Guardian 2021), Dentistry (9th in the UK, Complete ...
What is Aberdeen University acceptance rate? ›Q. What is the acceptance rate at the University of Aberdeen? A. The University has a 78% acceptance rate.
Is Aberdeen a good place for international students? ›It is a thriving university city located in northeastern Scotland and is also known as the “Granite City” or 'the Silver City with the Golden Sands' Aberdeen is a vibrant, historical hub for international students”, surprisingly Aberdeen is the only city in the United Kingdom to be on the list of top 50 affordable ...
Is Aberdeen affordable for international students? ›The University of Aberdeen is committed to ensuring that international students can project their costs in advance of arriving in Aberdeen. Our fixed fee structure will allow you to plan ahead and save money. Total cost of tuition for a four year degree is £79,200. Total cost of study for a four year degree is £91,200.
Is University in Scotland free? ›University fees in Scotland
Students who live in Scotland can get free university tuition if they stay in Scotland to study. To be eligible, they need to have lived in Scotland for the three years before they applied to university. Students from the rest of the UK who study in Scotland need to pay tuition fees.
There is something to suit everyone. Live music acts perform at venues across the city. This includes new and local acts on the scene as well as tribute acts to those artists that you love. There are a number of great bars and pubs to choose from and most of them also offer hearty meals.
Is Aberdeen a good place to live? ›Aberdeen has been named as one of the top places to live in the country. The Granite City was ranked third behind Worcestershire and Edinburgh, writes the Daily Record.
Is Aberdeen in Scotland or UK? ›Our sparkling city of Aberdeen, in the North-east of Scotland, is the happiest city in the UK to live and work in (Shawbrook Bank 2021).
Which University is better Aberdeen or Glasgow? ›
The 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) world league table shows Aberdeen has moved up 20 places from 178th to 158th. Glasgow is ranked 86th - up from 92nd last year. In a generally solid showing for Scottish institutions, Edinburgh retained 30th place. St Andrews and Dundee were also in the top 250.
Is Aberdeen hard to get into? ›The way it works for Aberdeen as with many other universities is that once you've got the entry requirements they normally scrutinise your personal statement and application forms. As long as you have the entry requirements you should get accepted just fine.
Does Aberdeen give unconditional offers? ›Should the application be successful, the candidate will be made one of the following offers: An Unconditional Offer: This means the candidate has met all the entrance requirements for Aberdeen. A Conditional Offer: Specific conditions must be met prior to starting the course.
Is Aberdeen a cheap place to live? ›A single person estimated monthly costs are 766$ (634£) without rent. Aberdeen is 41.44% less expensive than New York (without rent). Rent in Aberdeen is, on average, 79.80% lower than in New York.
Do they speak English in Aberdeen? ›While most people in Aberdeen City could speak English, over 12% said they used a language other than English or Scots at home. Following English, the most common language used at home was Polish with 3% of the population speaking Polish at home.
How many foreigners live in Aberdeen? ›Aberdeen has the highest proportion of foreign residents in Scotland, with one in four born outside the UK. Of the 228,000 people living in the city, 55,000 were not born in the UK.
Is it cheaper to study in Scotland or England? ›Of course, the extra year of study at undergraduate-level in Scotland can make a significant difference in overall tuition fee costs. In terms of living costs, Scotland is generally considered cheaper than England.
Can foreigners study for free in Scotland? ›International students from outside the EU are required to pay tuition fees at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Tuition fees vary depending upon your chosen institution. EU undergraduate students wishing to study in Scotland are entitled to have tuition fees paid by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
Do students pay in Scotland? ›Students ordinarily resident in Scotland and doing their first degree will generally be eligible for free tuition. SAAS will pay the tuition fees of eligible students for five years in total.
Which university is free in UK? ›The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. It offers tuition-free education to UK students. In addition, it has a wide range of scholarships and financial aid options available.
Do English students pay fees in Scotland? ›
Yes, you can study in Scotland tuition-free, but only in one special case: If you are a UK citizen already resident in Scotland, or a citizen of another EU country, and you are studying for your first undergraduate degree (meaning a Bachelor's degree or a Scottish undergraduate Master's degree) then there are no direct ...
Is Scotland good for international students? ›According to Universities Scotland's report titled Scotland: A great place to study, live and work, each year more than 58,000 international students from 180 countries study in Scotland. About 91% of foreign graduates expressed their satisfaction with the study experience in the country.
Is University of Aberdeen a Russell Group? ›The following UK universities are ranked firmly among the world's top 200 (in the THE or the QS rankings) but are not members of the Russell Group: Lancaster University. University of Aberdeen. University of Bath.
What rank is University of Aberdeen in the world? ›University of Aberdeen is ranked #277 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.
What is the night life like in Aberdeen? ›- The second furthest north city in the UK certainly knows its nightlife – from whisky dens and historic pubs to some of the best cutting-edge clubs in Britain, you'll find it all on nights out in Aberdeen.
- Bars. Start your journey at CASC on Stirling Street. ...
- Pubs.
Scots is one of the main languages of Scotland but even Scots has numerous dialects, one of which is Doric, the dialect of Aberdeen and the northeast of Scotland. Doric is such a distinct dialect that some even argue it is a language of its own.
Are houses cheap in Aberdeen? ›With house prices more reasonable in Aberdeen than the majority of other UK cities, you'll find locating affordable houses easier.
Does Aberdeen get snow? ›When can you find snow in Aberdeen? Weather stations report very large amounts of snow likely to be deepest around April, especially close to early November. The best time to ski (if at all) in Aberdeen is often around around December 3rd when fresh powder is deepest.
Is Aberdeen a wealthy city? ›Net zero will make or break Aberdeen, one of the UK's wealthiest cities.
Is Aberdeen the richest city in Scotland? ›Bieldside is a suburb to the west of Aberdeen City Centre, Scotland. Together with the neighbouring suburb of Cults, it is the wealthiest area in Scotland.
Is Aberdeen UK worth visiting? ›
Visit Old Aberdeen
The city has some incredible architecture, but a trip to Old Aberdeen has to be on your itinerary. King's College, a university founded in 1495, is a highlight for most tourists and be sure to visit Powis Gate Towers just along the road, as well as St Machar's Cathedral and The Spittal.
12 Oct, 2022: THE World University Rankings updated with The University of Edinburgh ranked highest among 13 listed universities in Scotland.
Is it better to study in London or Scotland? ›London and Scotland are among the popular places in the UK to move and study for international students. According to QS Best Student Cities, London has been ranked the best student-friendly city in the world while Scotland is known for being a major hub for world-renowned research, culture, and its highlands.
What is the easiest University to get into UK? ›- Coventry University.
- London Metropolitan University.
- University of Exeter.
- University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
- Newman University, Birmingham.
- University College Birmingham.
- University of Winchester.
- Cardiff Metropolitan University.
- Aberystwyth University – 96.1% (Offers extended to students who apply) ...
- University of Roehampton – 93.9% ...
- Bishop Grosseteste University – 92.2% ...
- University of Portsmouth – 89.9% ...
- York St John University – 89.4% ...
- Leeds Trinity University – 89%
- Harvard. Cambridge, MA. 3.19%
- Columbia. New York, NY. 3.73%
- Caltech. Pasadena, CA. 3.92%*
- Stanford. Stanford, CA. 3.95%*
- MIT. Cambridge, MA. 3.96%
- Princeton. Princeton, NJ. 4.38%*
- Yale. New Haven, CT. 4.47%
- Brown. Providence, RI. 5.03%
If you receive an unconditional offer then you've already met the entry requirements for a college or university – the place is yours if you want it. If you still have exams to take when you get this offer, the results of those exams will not affect whether or not you're accepted.
How long does it take to hear back from the university of Aberdeen? ›'All applicants should receive an offer or an invitation to interview within ten working days.
How much is the deposit for university of Aberdeen? ›Tuition Fee Payment Plans
The minimum deposit (50%) of tuition fees must be paid prior to the agreement being approved and preferably on-line through the Online Registration portal in advance of Registration.
- 1 – Rosemount & Midstocket. Situated northwest of Aberdeen's city centre, the area around Rosemount and Midstocket is popular with young professionals and families alike. ...
- 2 – Ruthrieston. ...
- 3 – Old Aberdeen. ...
- 4 – Bridge of Dee/Garthdee. ...
- 5 – Bridge of Don. ...
- 6 – Cove Bay. ...
- 7 – Cults & Bielside.
How are house prices in Aberdeen? ›
Properties in Aberdeen had an overall average price of £190,242 over the last year.
Is Aberdeen cheaper than Glasgow? ›Cost of Living Comparison Between Aberdeen and Glasgow
You would need around 3,363.61£ in Glasgow to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with 3,000.00£ in Aberdeen (assuming you rent in both cities). This calculation uses our Cost of Living Plus Rent Index to compare cost of living.
“Fit like?” is the typical Doric greeting that you will hear in North-east Scotland. No, it doesn't mean do you like to keep fit? It is the equivalent of “hello, how are you?”. Similar to “foos yer doos?”.
Are there Muslims in Aberdeen? ›The Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre (AMIC) is the largest main mosque and Islamic centre in North East of Scotland and Aberdeen, Scotland.
How many Muslims are in Aberdeen? ›Serving Aberdeen's Muslim population Aberdeen is Scotland's third largest city with around 217,000 people and a further 246,000 in the surrounding area - altogether nearly 9% of Scotland's population. Currently, around 4,000 Muslims live in Aberdeen and the surrounding area.
What is Aberdeen famous for? ›Aberdeen Is Home To A Record Number of Whiskey Distilleries. Scottish whiskey is famous all over the world for its quality and history, and distilleries all over the country have been perfecting their craft for literally hundreds of years.
Is Aberdeen good for international students? ›It is a thriving university city located in northeastern Scotland and is also known as the “Granite City” or 'the Silver City with the Golden Sands' Aberdeen is a vibrant, historical hub for international students”, surprisingly Aberdeen is the only city in the United Kingdom to be on the list of top 50 affordable ...
Who is a famous person from Aberdeen? ›Of the many notable Aberdonians from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in Scotland, the film producer and director Ara Paiaya, British Open winning golfer Paul Lawrie and the musician Annie Lennox are the most famous in modern times.
Is Aberdeen University hard to get into? ›In terms of entry qualifications for Aberdeen University I would say they are pretty fair. Of course, it depends what course you are looking to study. I can only speak to the law school entry grades but if I recall they were AAAB. Law is one of the more demanding entry requirement courses due to the demand for it.
Which University is hardest to enter? ›Harvard ranked as the toughest school in the country to get into. It has a 5% acceptance rate, according to Niche. Stanford came in second on the list— with an acceptance rate of 5% as well. However, it accepts students with slightly lower test scores, Niche says.
Is Aberdeen a good city to live? ›
Aberdeen has been named as one of the top places to live in the country. The Granite City was ranked third behind Worcestershire and Edinburgh, writes the Daily Record.
Which is the No 1 University in world? ›A UK institution – the University of Oxford – takes the top spot in our Europe table (and in the overall rankings), while 102 other UK universities appear in the league table. Spain and Italy are also well represented, with 55 institutions each.
What is the #1 University in the world? ›Rank | University | Country |
---|---|---|
Rank | University | Country |
1 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | USA |
2 | Harvard University | USA |
3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | USA |
- University of Birmingham.
- University of Bristol.
- University of Leeds.
- University of Liverpool.
- University of Manchester.
- University of Sheffield.
Russell Group universities also tend to have higher completion rates. In the Complete University Guide's 2021 League Tables, 9 out of the top 10 universities that ranked highest for degree completion were in the Russell Group.
What are the top 3 Russell Group universities? ›- University of Oxford.
- University of Cambridge. ...
- London School of Economics. ...
- Imperial College London. ...
- Durham University. ...
- University College London. ...
- University of Warwick. ...
- University of Edinburgh. ...