University of Aberdeen

The UK’s fifth-oldest university has promised to be “open to all and dedicated to the pursuit of truth in the service of others” since Pope Alexander VI granted permission for the seat of learning in 1495, when divinity was top of the academic agenda. Today Aberdeen’s centre of excellence in soil science is a point of pride, and its work investigating solutions for the climate crisis and environmental change won a Queen’s Anniversary prize — the highest national honour awarded in UK further and higher education, now known as the Queen Elizabeth prize — in 2021. The campus reflects the university’s long history: students can study in the medieval King’s College as well as one of Europe’s largest health campuses, at Foresterhill, jointly run with NHS Grampian. 

The Granite City has relatively low living costs – Aberdeen was voted the fifth-best value for money university in the 2025 StudentCrowd awards – as well as bracing sea swims, the oldest shinty club in the world and the chance to glimpse the northern lights, and this top 30 institution has rising demand for places.  

Need to know

Category

Result

Rank

Entry standards (Ucas points)

175

10

Teaching quality

85.7%

78=

Student experience

84.9%

32=

Research quality

38.7%

62=

First and 2:1s

78.9%

57

Continuation rate

96.7%

19=

Graduate prospects

74.7%

44=

People & Planet

45.3%

94

How much it costs

Scots fees

£0-£1,820

RUK fees

£10,050

Fees (placement year)

Full fees (RUK £1,470)

Fees (overseas year)

Full fees (RUK £1,470)

Fees (international)

£20,800-£24,800

Fees (international, medical)

£50,100

Places in accommodation

2,004

Rent per week

£107-£184

Rent for catered accommodation per week

n/a

Social inclusion index

Scottish social inclusion ranking

11

State school (non-grammar) admissions

85.3%

Grammar school admissions

2.2%

Independent school admissions

12.3%

Ethnic minority students

18.1%

Black awarding gap

-19.5%

White working-class males

3.5%

First-generation students

26.1%

Deprived areas

7.3%

Mature students

13.6%

Overseas students

20.9%

Disabled students

27.3%

Student satisfaction with teaching quality

Accounting and finance

87.2%

Anatomy and physiology

92.8%

Anthropology

82.4%

Archaeology and forensic science

90.6%

Biological sciences

90.4%

Biomedical Sciences

82.2%

Business, management and marketing

85.8%

Chemical engineering

71.8%

Chemistry

91.8%

Civil engineering

82.2%

Computer science

63.4%

Cultural Studies

85%

Drama, dance and cinematics

84.8%

Economics

83.2%

Education

89.6%

Electrical and electronic engineering

90.2%

English

89.1%

General engineering

82.2%

Geography and environmental science

87.6%

Geology

94%

History

91.9%

History of art, architecture and design

99.6%

Iberian languages

88.6%

Law

86.2%

Linguistics

84.9%

Mathematics

83.6%

Mechanical engineering

82.1%

Medicine

82.9%

Music

84.8%

Pharmacology and pharmacy

91.2%

Philosophy

93.7%

Physics and astronomy

90.7%

Politics and international relations

84%

Psychology

87.2%

Sociology

82.7%

Sports science

85.3%

Theology and religious studies

89.5%

What is the University of Aberdeen’s academic reputation?

Its association with five Nobel laureates reflects Aberdeen’s academic weight. Some of the university's best results in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) were in the fields of theology and religious studies, Earth systems and environmental sciences, and public health. However, Aberdeen slipped 20 places to 62= in our research quality ranking. 

Beginning with 36 staff and a cohort of students that studied the arts, divinity and law, today the university offers almost 400 degrees. In August, as part of a restructuring, the 12 schools were consolidated into four faculties. All focus on maximising flexibility: undergraduates have the opportunity to switch and mix subjects as their interests broaden. Languages are offered only as part of joint honours degrees, not as single-honours study. 

Longstanding links with Aberdeen’s offshore oil and gas industries include a partnership with the National Decommissioning Centre in Newburgh, a research facility with engineering laboratories and hangar space for designing and developing oil and gas decommissioning technology.

Further afield, AFG College is the first dedicated campus to open in Qatar, and in July approval was granted for the University of Aberdeen Mumbai to welcome its first students from September 2026. 

Contentment has dipped. Aberdeen ranks 32= (down seven places year-on-year) for the wider experience in our analysis of the National Student Survey. For satisfaction with teaching quality, Aberdeen has dropped 34 places to 78=. 

The university’s response to sector-wide financial constraints includes a £10 million savings plan announced in May 2026. In June the university announced a £4 million surplus forecast for the 2025-26 financial year. 

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What are the University of Aberdeen’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?

Aberdeen’s highest entry requirements are AAA at A-level or AAAAB in Scottish Highers to BBC/BBBB. For applicants eligible for the university’s contextual offer scheme (including those from deprived areas or who have served in the armed forces or whose parents are in the armed forces, those who were eligible for free school meals, have had caring responsibilities or are estranged from their families), Aberdeen requires one less Higher, or a two-grade A-level reduction. Fifteen per cent of entrants in 2025 gained their places through clearing.

What are the graduate prospects and how will the university help me get career-ready? 

From a top 30 high in 2025, Aberdeen has sunk to 44= in our analysis of the Graduate Outcomes survey, with 74.7 per cent of leavers in highly skilled jobs or further study within 15 months. 

An internship programme provides paid part-time opportunities to students from all academic disciplines and across all years of study. There are also year-long industry placements and work-based learning is embedded as part of some degrees. 

What is the University of Aberdeen’s campus like?

The Old Aberdeen campus houses the imposing King’s buildings as well as modern facilities such as the Sir Duncan Rice Library and the £35 million Science Teaching Hub. Opened in 2022, it has digitised teaching spaces alongside flexible laboratory areas for cross-disciplinary projects. Life sciences and medical students share one of Europe’s largest health campuses, at Foresterhill, run jointly with NHS Grampian. The medical school’s Polwarth auditorium and social spaces have benefited from recent upgrades. Aberdeen has also opened a Centre for Zoology and Osteoarchaeology. 

The Hillhead Student Village includes a social area with decking and there is also an outdoor gym and a community garden with plants from the Cruickshank Botanic Garden — an oasis of greenery on the King’s College campus.

When can I visit?

abdn.ac.uk

Everything you need to know about the University of Aberdeen’s student life and wellbeing support

There are more than 120 societies, including 50 sports clubs, many based at the Aberdeen Sports Village. This features Olympic-standard sports and exercise facilities, including a 50m swimming pool to support the university’s national performance swimming programme. There is a boathouse on the River Dee, and a climbing bothy in Royal Deeside. Activities in the great outdoors abound: the region has more than 150 miles of coastline and the university is within striking distance of the Cairngorms National Park and the Glenshee Ski Centre. 

Activities in the great outdoors abound: the region has 150 miles of coastline and the university is within striking distance of the Cairngorms National Park and the Glenshee Ski Centre. 

Students have access to a free counselling service, along with support from the student advice and support office. There is practical study-related support for prospective and existing students who have sensory or physical impairments. 

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What do the students say? 

“My internship has been instrumental in refining my research and teamwork skills, and deepened my understanding of cultural heritage.”
Kathryn, history and international relations student

What about student accommodation at the University of Aberdeen?

All first-years are guaranteed a room if they apply by the deadline, with allocation on a first come, first served basis. Halls start at a budget-friendly £107 a week and do not exceed £184 a week. Rents off campus are about £115 a week. 

How diverse and inclusive is the University of Aberdeen?

Aberdeen is fourth among Scottish universities for the proportion of black and ethnic minority students it recruits (18.1 per cent) but its achievement gap between such groups and their white counterparts is third in Scotland overall. 

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What financial assistance is available?

The university has introduced scholarships for students from the “Rest of the UK” (England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and also the Republic of Ireland) in recognition of the distance they travel to get there, providing a £2,000 discount for accommodation and £50 a week as a meal card during their first year. It also offers free first-year accommodation to those from the most deprived 20 per cent of Scottish postcodes.

Sports scholarships and bursaries of up to £3,000 a year are offered to those competing at national and international level. Awards of up to £5,000 are available to Scottish students from widening participation backgrounds. 

There is also financial help towards field trips and hardship funds for those in short-term difficulties.