Glasgow Caledonian University (informally GCU or Caledonian) is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland. Home to more than 20,000 students, it is now one of Scotland's largest universities and, with over £ 45million recently invested in state-of-the-art facilities, its main campus in Glasgow city centre is regarded as one of the most modern campuses in the UK.
School for Business and Society, and School of Health and Life Sciences. GCU also has a presence in New York City and Spitalfields in London, which offers postgraduate courses in fashion. Programme subject areas include business, engineering, health, vision sciences, nursing, life sciences, computing and the environment. GCU prides itself on being a practical institution that offers a unique range of degree programmes. It is the only university to offer an Honours degree in Risk Management and its London-based school of fashion is the only one of its kind to offer an MBA in Luxury Brand Management.
Key statistics
| Total UG Students | Total PG Students | International Students | Students Faculty Ration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13,800 | 2,780 | 18% | 19:4 |
It prides itself on its overseas initiatives such as the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing in Dhaka, which it co founded in 2010 to help improve healthcare standards in Bangladesh. The university's practical approach has led to the development of teaching facilities such as a virtual hospital, broadcasting suite and a fashion factory. It’s an approach that’s been commended by the Confederation of British Industry and Future Fit, among others, for successfully preparing its students for employment. GCU is also a popular choice among students for its courses in nursing and midwifery, and the university boasts strong links with the NHS.
It has a strong reputation for implementing effective widening access policies. Its award-winning initiative. The Caledonian Club works with young people in Glasgow and London to tackle below average progression rates into higher education. The university's motto is 'For the common good' and it is one of only 29 universities and colleges in the world to be certified as a 'Changemaker Campus' by Ashoka U, for promoting higher education as a vehicle for social change. It is also the first Scottish university to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation. Commonly referred to as the 'culture capital' of Scotland, Glasgow was also cited by National Geographic in 2016 as being one of the top places in the world to visit.
Notable Alumni
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Rhona Martin MBE – Scottish curler, gold-medallist in Olympic Winter Games, 2002.
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Khalid Abdulrahim – CEO and Chairman of construction company, Cebarco Bahrain which has over 4,500 staff.
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Laura Bartlett – bronze medallist member of Team GB hockey squad, 2012 Olympics.
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Gary Lewis – actor in Billy Elliot, My Name is Joe and Gangs of New York among other productions.
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Professor David Gartry – first to perform laser eye surgery for short-sightedness in the UK.
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David Sibbald OBE – co-founder of Atlantech Technologies, sold to Cisco systems in 2000 for $180milion; and a Vice-President of UK UNICEF.
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Professor Ian Deary – internationally renowned for work on human cognitive ageing and cognitive abilities, Professor of Differential Psychology at the University of Edinburgh.
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Gordon Smith – former Rangers football player, former BBC pundit and former Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association.
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Phyllida Law – acclaimed actress and writer.
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Henry Simmons – Chief Executive, Alzheimer’s Scotland
English Language Requirements
Please note: some programmes may have higher minimum requirements.
General standards are:
Academic IELTS 6.0 with no single element below 5.5; or Trinity College London
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Integrated Skills in English (ISE) – Pass at Level III; or Pearson PTE.
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Academic with overall score of 54
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Minimum score of 51 in Listening, Readingm, Speaking and Writing elements; or GCSE or IGCSE in English
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English as a First Language with grade C
INTO GCU offers programmes and courses for international students seeking additional support to meet the academic and English language requirements for direct entry to university.
- Please refer to the university website for details.
Qualifications and grades
Undergraduate
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Minimum 65% in each subject from XII Standard exams
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Advanced entry to Level 2 or 3 can be considered with equivalent study from Bachelor's degree programme
- Pearson PTE Academic overall score of 54 with no element less than 51
- TOEFL internet-based test overall score of 78 with minimum element scores of reading at 18, listening at 17, speaking at 20 and writing at 17
- NO English Waiver
Postgraduate Taught
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4-year Bachelor's degree (55% minimum; second class average over programme duration)
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3-year Bachelor's degree (60% minimum; first class average over programme duration)
- Pearson PTE Academic overall score of 54 with no element less than 51
- TOEFL internet-based test overall score of 78 with minimum element scores of reading at 18, listening at 17, speaking at 20, and writing at 17
- English Waiver: 70% & IELTS required for: PUNJAB, HARYANA UTTRAKHAND
Accommodation for International Students
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International students who apply early are guaranteed accommodation.
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Students tend to be housed together, depending on age group, and do not have to move out of their accommodation during Christmas and Easter vacations.
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Accommodation is at GCU’s Caledonian Court, located just across the road from the campus. Housing 660 students in 100 modern self-catering apartments, it offers a friendly atmosphere in a secure, convenient location with staff on site. All rooms have internet/Wi-Fi access. Accommodation fees include Internet access, electricity and heating.
| Conditional Offer | Unconditional Offer | CAS |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Weeks | 1 Week | 1 Week |
Scholarships
GCU has a variety of scholarships to offer international students. These include a guaranteed scholarship of £1,000 available to self-funded students on undergraduate and postgraduate full-time taught programmes, merit based country scholarships, alumni scholarships and more. GCU also offers joint scholarships, such as the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship.
There are numerous other scholarships. Kindly refer to the university website for detail qualifications required.
Other scholarships
You can also apply for the British Government's Chevening Scholarships, and a variety of private agencies and charities for scholarships, bursaries and grants to study in the UK. For more information visit the British Council website or the UK Council for International Student Affairs website.
Some key facts of Glasgow Caledonian University
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Top 10 in the UK for world-leading
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social work and social policy impact (REF 2014).
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Top 20 in the UK for allied health research (REF 2014) at world's leading and internationally excellent standards.
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Top 20 in the UK for built environment research impact (REF 2014).
