The youthful vibe of Scotland’s sunniest city is reflected in a sense of purpose and regeneration in the University of Dundee’s curriculum — with a broad range of options from creative art to accountancy, law and dentistry. The new Binks Sustainability Institute, set up in 2023, focuses on research in food, fibre and feed; environmental science, law and policy; sustainable design; and engineering for sustainability. Off campus, the university is a founding partner of the striking V&A Museum and the Eden Project Dundee, which is being developed on former gasworks overlooking the River Tay.

What is the University of Dundee’s reputation?

Founded in 1881, the university developed alongside the city’s industrial rise. It was started with a donation by members of the Baxter family, who made their money from Dundee’s jute mills. Today  the university is renowned as a centre of research in life sciences, a field of expertise that has earned it a global reputation, and helped propel Dundee to rank joint 39th in our research quality index. 

The Scottish universities did not take part in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework 2023, but Dundee was rated gold in the previous assessment six years earlier. The Education Academy, created in 2023,  focuses on improving the student experience and employability. 

However, rates of student satisfaction have been patchy in recent years. In our latest analysis of the National Student Survey, Dundee ranks 63rd for satisfaction with teaching quality, climbing from 77= last year, but has sunk to 104th for the broader experience from 85=.

What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available? 

Degrees in Islamic accounting and finance were introduced for 2024, as well as international business with marketing in practice. A BSc in digital interaction design will be discontinued from 2025.

What are the University of Dundee’s entry requirements – and my chances of getting in?

Dundee’s entry standards are in the upper quarter of our academic league table: new students entered with an average of 179 Ucas tariff points in 2024. Course requirements for degree-level study range from AAA at A-level to CC, and in Scottish Highers it is AAAAB to CCC. In 2023, 14 per cent of entrants received a contextual offer, which include a guaranteed interview, reduced grades and a place at the university’s access summer school. 

The majority of Dundee students come from Scotland, with Northern Irish students representing the biggest cohort from the rest of the UK. Internationally, Dundee has noticed increased interest from Central Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. 

What are the graduate prospects?

Promising graduate careers have long been a strength at Dundee. Wide-ranging services are available to help students get a head start in the jobs market. Dundee is a partner in the Tay Cities biomedical cluster project, which aims to create 280 biomedical jobs by 2033 and generate more than £190 million for the local economy by 2053. The university has risen seven places to the top 20 in our analysis of the Graduate Outcomes survey, with 83 per cent of leavers in highly skilled work or postgraduate study within 15 months. 

What is the University of Dundee’s campus like?

Dundee’s self-contained city campus has benefited from about £200 million of redevelopment, adding the £50 million Discovery Centre to its modern facilities. The medical school has its own 20-acre site while nursing and midwifery students are 35 miles away in Kirkcaldy. Highly rated design courses are taught at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, one of the university’s ten schools. Dundee also offers joint biological sciences degrees with the National University of Singapore.

The Dundee International Institute of Central South University, a joint venture in Changsha, in Hunan province in China, began courses in maths; computer science; civil engineering, and mechanical engineering with transportation in 2021. 

What about student accommodation in the University of Dundee?

All full-time first-years are guaranteed accommodation if they apply by the deadline and Dundee strives to create balanced residences, taking into account factors such as existing friends, lifestyle options, gender preference and nationality. 

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

To help students with the rising cost of living, Dundee has introduced free breakfasts as well as a campus pantry. The main campus is just two minutes from the centre of the student-friendly city — where the West End was named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in Scotland in 2024 — and boasts low rents and a lively social scene.

Specialist services for student wellbeing include counselling and mental health nurses. There is also a listening service for students during the night. Dundee's Switch (student wellbeing initiative targeting community health) service steers students towards physical activities, volunteering and more than 200 student societies. A peer-to-peer buddying system helps new students settle in. There are excellent sports facilities on campus and at the Riverside sports ground.

What do the students say?

“I have had opportunities to grow and excel, shaping me into the person I am today. Beyond the campus gates, Dundee has become my second home. Its charm lies in its simplicity and the friendliness it fosters, and commitment to student welfare.”
Mubarak Babalola, Dundee students’ union deputy president and vice-president (academia)

How diverse and inclusive is the University of Dundee?

The university’s summer schools and outreach programmes engage with more than 2,000 potential entrants a year. Dundee is sixth in Scotland for recruitment from-low participation areas and fourth for its proportion of disabled students. It is ninth out of the 15 Scottish institutions in our guide for social inclusion overall. 

Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Dundee

Dundee offers one of the most generous financial support packages among UK universities. While Scottish students do not pay tuition fees, and qualify for funding from the Holyrood government, Dundee offers an uncapped number of awards based on academic merit and/or financial need. The Rest of UK bursary is worth £3,000 per year of study and the global citizenship scholarship for international students pays £4,000 a year towards tuition fees.