Academic rigour and contentment on campus go hand in hand at Strathclyde. The university attracts the fourth-highest entry standards in the UK and boasts the biggest engineering faculty in Scotland with more than 40 degree courses, across eight departments. Building on its founding ethos to be “the place of useful learning”, Strathclyde’s goal is to be a significant stimulus for Scotland’s economy and skills development, and rates of graduate employment rank the university in the top 20 nationally. 

Students succeed with a smile — of Glasgow’s three universities, Strathclyde enjoys the highest rates of student satisfaction — as expressed in the National Student Survey. Occupying a prime spot in the heart of the city, students can fall out of lectures and straight into Glasgow’s legendary cultural life. On campus, Scotland’s third-largest university is in the final throes of a decade-long £1 billion investment in its campus, which has transformed provision for sport, learning and teaching, and student support while adding dedicated academic resources across areas including physics, biomedical engineering and manufacturing.  

What is the University of Strathclyde’s reputation? 

Founded from a bequest in 1796 by the natural philosopher John Anderson, it has been the alma mater of some big hitters across the centuries, from physician and explorer David Livingstone to the inventor John Logie Baird. In more recent times, alumni have included Sir Tom Hunter, the Scottish businessman and philanthropist, and Alex Kapranos, the lead singer with the rock band Franz Ferdinand.

Holding its own in the top 20 overall, Strathclyde’s entry standards (at an average of 203 Ucas tariff points) are behind only St Andrews, Glasgow and Cambridge (aided by the high conversion rate for Scottish qualifications in the Ucas tariff system). In common with all Scottish universities, Strathclyde did not enter the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), but feedback from undergraduates in the National Student Survey 2024 reflects positive experiences for most, with Strathclyde ranking 38= for teaching quality and 30 for the broad student experience in our analysis. Continuing campus upgrades should reinforce rates of student satisfaction. The university is regenerating the streets surrounding the former Rottenrow maternity hospital as part of its Heart of the Campus project, which will enhance biodiversity and create pedestrianised areas.

The university performed strongly in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), with almost 90 per cent of its research rated world-leading or internationally excellent. The submission by Strathclyde’s School of Government and Public Policy achieved the best results, while work within allied health subjects; and architecture, built environment and planning also did particularly well. However, against rising standards elsewhere Strathclyde dropped nine places to rank 30th in our research quality index.

Strathclyde is home to one of Europe’s largest university research groups for electrical power, engineering and energy. In 2023 it opened the National Manufacturing Institute, next to the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Inchinnan, near Glasgow airport.

The university is part of Scotland’s graduate apprenticeship network as well as delivering degree apprenticeships validated in England. Across both sides of the border, subject areas include cybersecurity; design and manufacture; medical statistician; civil engineering, and senior leadership. 

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

The first students of a new integrated master’s in chemistry with data science began courses in September 2024. No degrees are closing in 2024 or 2025.

What are the entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?

Almost all undergraduates are from Scotland, with English students the biggest cohort from the rest of the UK. Students arrive highly qualified, but there is some concession afforded to those eligible for a contextual offer, which applies a one A-level grade concession in a non-essential subject.

What are the graduate prospects?

Links with employers such as Rolls-Royce, GlaxoSmithKline and the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics provide opportunities for student internships and graduate roles. An SME internship programme has also proved a fruitful path to graduate jobs. Strathclyde ranks 20= in the UK for graduate prospects, based on 83 per cent being in high-skilled jobs or postgraduate study, 15 months after the end of their degree. 

What is the University of Strathclyde’s campus like?

Strathclyde’s ten-year campus overhaul ends in 2025. Among its fruits is the £60 million Learning and Teaching building, which houses student support and the students’ association. A £15.5 million transformation of the Wolfson Building, where the Centre of Excellence in Rehabilitation Research is based, is another recent development and a £12 million refurbishment of the John Anderson building has developed facilities for advanced laser and plasma physics research.

The Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, endowed by Sir Tom Hunter, is one of Europe’s leading centres for innovation in business, especially SMEs, and offers degrees in business enterprise.

Thanks to a £50 million donation from Dr Charles Huang, an alumnus and entrepreneur — the university’s biggest gift to date — Strathclyde has plans for a new building at its Technology and Innovation Zone and will fund entrepreneurship awards and a scholarship programme.

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

Known as “StrathLife” by insiders, the university’s student experience involves about 200 societies and nearly 50 sports clubs. Music is well represented with a university concert band, jazz orchestra and symphony, which rehearse regularly and perform several times a year. The £31 million sports centre has a six-lane, 25m swimming pool, two sports halls, squash courts, a café and specialist health facilities. 

Outdoor pitches and West Boathouse are at the Stepps Playing Fields, five miles from the university's Cathedral Street headquarters.

All students who reach out for mental health and wellbeing support are offered a triage appointment and services are delivered through a blend of in-person and online support. Counselling is available Monday to Friday and a daily Zoom drop-in facilitated by counsellors is available to all, either for direct support, advice or just as a friendly ear. A 24/7 phone line is manned by counsellors. Sexual consent and bystander training has been provided by StrathUnion (the students’ union) for a number of years.

Glasgow is one of Britain’s leading student cities, brimming with culture and nightlife, and with more than 90 parks and gardens.

What do the students say?

“At the beating heart of Glasgow’s city centre, StrathUnion is a cultural hub where student life thrives with societies and sports clubs to suit everyone. We have our student bar with weekly events and affordable prices, our own coffee shop with (in my opinion) the best iced vanilla lattes, and tons of volunteering opportunities. I've had an amazing time at Strathclyde. The thing I've loved most about my time here is the people.”
Eva Curran, StrathUnion president, business administration and marketing

What about student accommodation at University of Strathclyde?

A room in halls includes sports centre membership. Priority goes to first-years who apply by the deadline.

How diverse and inclusive is the University of Strathclyde?

With 13.4 per cent of students from ethnic minority backgrounds, Strathclyde is more ethnically diverse than all but four other Scottish universities. Nine out of ten students were state-educated and the university ranks seventh in our Scottish social inclusion index. Strathclyde was the first in Scotland to sign a commitment to support access to higher education for the Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showman and Boater communities.

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

There is a range of scholarships and bursaries to support students from the rest of the UK and abroad, who do not benefit from Scottish students’ funding arrangements. The Strathclyde Access Bursary provides up to £3,000 to students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and an Accommodation Bursary adds another £1,000 to those from the rest of the UK. The Faculty of Engineering offers a number of £1,000 one-off scholarships to rest-of-the-UK students who achieve AAB or higher at A-level (or equivalent).