Frequently Asked Questions

Consult our Course Catalogue

Course Prerequisites are the courses at University of Aberdeen that students are expected to have passed/studied, before they can register for a specific course, and are listed in the course catalogue.

Prerequisites relating to programme level/year of study are waived for study abroad and exchange students, but students will still need to meet other prerequisites as necessary.

Study abroad and exchange students will be assessed whether they meet the prerequisites of their preferred course options based on their previous studies as part of our application process, but can contact the Go Abroad Team about any subsequent course options they wish to register for.

While the majority of undergraduate courses are available to study abroad and exchange students, there are a small number of courses which are unavailable or have limited enrolment capacity.

Students should consult the relevant section of our website for more information as linked below:

• Course restrictions for European Exchange Students
• Course restrictions for International Exchange and Study Abroad Students

Students are expected to take 60 Aberdeen credits per term but need to take a minimum of 46 credits to be classified as a full time registered student. Single term students can take less than the full time credit load if agreed with their home university, and after discussion with the Go Abroad Team. Full year students must remain full time at all times to fulfil immigration requirements. Students are allowed to take extra credits at their discretion up to a maximum of 75 credits per term.

To help you identify an appropriate number of courses, below you will find details on equivalent credit figures pertaining to the European and American credit systems. If you are unsure of how many credits you should take while in Aberdeen, please don't hesitate to speak to us and your home institution for guidance.

ECTS Credits

The University of Aberdeen uses a credit system which is double the ECTS system. For example, 15 Aberdeen credits corresponds to 7.5 ECTS.

US Credit Hours

The expected course load of 60 credits per term equates to approximately 12-15 US credit hours. Most courses are 15 credits each, which equates to 3-4 US credit hours depending on your home university.

European and International Exchange students, studying under a school specific Inter-Institutional Exchange Agreement, are required to register for 50% of their courses in the discipline(s) which correspond to that agreement. Their remaining courses can be from any of our available disciplines.

Study Abroad students and Exchange students studying on a university wide agreement, can select from any of our available courses without associated discipline restrictions.

Regardless, students should consult with their home university to ensure they are registering for appropriate courses, as they may need to complete specific courses to not interrupt their studies when returning to their home institution.

If you are unsure about the nature of the exchange agreement you are studying under, please contact your home university or the Go Abroad Team.

Before applying, European and International Exchange students must first be nominated by their home university. The nomination deadline for Term 1/Full year exchange is April 15, and for Term 2/Calendar Year exchange is September 15. Please consult with your home university to request nomination for exchange, as they will likely have their own internal application process.

Study Abroad students do not need to be nominated by their home university, and should contact the Go Abroad Team (goabroad.incoming@abdn.ac.uk) to self nominate.

The Go Abroad Team will then distribute our application details directly to applicants once applications open in April/September.

We can assess your English language proficiency through a variety of means: through your nationality, through the qualifications you gained in high school, through the degree you undertook or are undertaking at university, or through a recognised English language test. 

Students from approved nationalities do not need to provide English language evidence. 

All other students need to provide evidence as detailed below:

Single Semester Students:

• Please provide a signed Statement of Language Level, confirming English is B2 or 
  above on CEFR scale.

OR

• Please provide a document from the list of approved English language evidence.

Full Year / Calendar Year Students:

• Please provide a document from the list of approved English language evidence.

When submitting courses in our application form, you will be prompted to select a minimum of eight options (maximum of ten) for your period of study. We ask applicants to provide more than the minimum number of credits required for their period of study so we can assess their suitability for a range of courses, including back up options. You are not restricted to courses submitted with your application, and can choose to register for a completely different set of courses after you arrive.

The courses submitted with your application are still provisional, and are intended to allow you to be better informed about available course options prior to starting your studies at University of Aberdeen.

University accommodation is guaranteed to all of our incoming exchange and study abroad students, but you cannot apply until you have received your student ID number alongside your formal acceptance documents. Students will be emailed information on how to apply once they are accepted into the programme.

Please contact our Accommodation Team, at studentaccomm@abdn.ac.uk, for any questions relating to accommodation, as the Go Abroad Team are unable to advise/assist in this area

Once your application has been processed you will receive an offer letter confirming your provisional course selection and which of these courses you have been approved for.

If you wish to be considered for courses not submitted with your application, and you are unsure about whether you meet the course prerequisites, then please contact the Go Abroad Team so we can advise accordingly.

Students can check for timetable clashes using the Course Overlay tool. 

This overlay allows students to compare the timetables of several courses, and will automatically identify any lecture clashes among the submitted options. Please note, the overlay will not identify clashes between class options where there are multiple options, such as tutorials/labs, and will show all available classes in a course without indicating which classes are necessary.

If you do have a clash, or if you are uncertain about the information presented by the overlay, please contact the Go Abroad Team so we can advise accordingly. Often course clashes can be mitigated, and do not necessarily preclude you from your preferred course combination.

If your home university requires certain documentation to be completed, they should be forwarded to the following individuals:

Learning Agreements

• Your learning agreement needs to be completed by your assigned Go Abroad Tutor (GAT). Their name and contact details can be found in your Offer Letter, alongside your confirmed provisional course approvals. Please give GATs an appropriate period of time to respond to document requests before submitting follow up requests. If you have not heard back from your tutor in a reasonable period of time, please contact the Go Abroad team so we can follow up accordingly.

All Other Documentation (Including Arrival/Departure Certificates)

• This will be completed by the Go Abroad Team, not your Go Abroad Tutor, and should be sent to goabroad.incoming@abdn.ac.uk. 

All incoming exchange and study abroad students will be allocated a Go Abroad Tutor. Your assigned Go Abroad Tutor will be listed in your official offer letter, and is a member of academic staff who can guide you with any problem that is affecting your experience at University. Whether it's a personal matter or related to your course, your Go Abroad Tutor is available to offer advice about any concerns you're having and will refer you to specialist support services when necessary.

Incoming exchange and study abroad students are not responsible for completing their course registration - this will be completed on your behalf by a member of the Go Abroad Team. More details on how this process is completed will be provided as we approach the start of term.

If you wish to make course changes, please contact the Go Abroad Team so they can update your records and action this on your behalf. Please note, course changes for each term are only permitted up until the end of the second week of teaching.

Currently, study abroad and exchange students are expected to enter the UK on either:

• A Standard Visitor Visa, for students studying for a single semester.

OR

• A Student Visa, for students studying for a full or calendar year.

More information concerning entry clearance and visa requirements will be provided alongside your acceptance documents. Any questions about immigration and visa requirements can be emailed to student.international@abdn.ac.uk.

The option to work or volunteer during the course of your studies is determined by your visa.

Students should consult the UKVI website for the latest information to check whether they are permitted to work or volunteer. Most students will enter the UK on either a Standard Visitor or Student visa.

Generally speaking, students studying for a single term will not be permitted to work or volunteer, while full year / calendar year students will be able to work or volunteer to a limited capacity.

Yes! The university has a wide range of social and sports clubs which you are permitted to join.

Check the Aberdeen University Student Association (AUSA) website for more information on the clubs available.

Students studying in the UK for more than six months, and under the age of 22, are permitted to apply for a National Entitlement or Young Scot card, which provides free bus travel and other discounts across Scotland.

Unfortunately, students studying for only a single term, or over the age of 21, do not qualify for free bus travel.