Glasgow Caledonian University

Address and Location

Glasgow Caledonian is a city-centre campus university located a few minutes north of Glasgow's main shopping precinct, Buchanan Street. The university campus is fairly compact, making travelling between facilities easy.

 

Background and History

Glasgow Caledonian became a university in 1993, the product of Glasgow Polytechnic's merger with the city's Queen's College. Both institutions had a long tradition of providing practical and vocational training. These continue to form the core subjects offered at the new university.

Location and Accessibility

By Road: If visiting the university by car, exit the M8 at Junction 16 or 17 and follow signs for the city centre.

By Rail: The university is a five-minute walk from Glasgow Queen Street Station, the main hub for railway services in Scotland. Glasgow Central Station, the terminus for most English services, is a straightforward fifteen-minute walk up West Nile Street. The city's Buchanan Street and Cowcaddens subway stations are both a five-minute walk from campus.

Accessibility: Most university facilities are wheelchair-accessible and accommodation is provided for students with disabilities.

What's on Offer

BA, BEng, BM, BSc, LLB, MSc, MEng, MBA, DBA, DMan, PhD

Entry Requirements

Entry standards vary between subjects, with most requiring BBB-CCC at A-Level. Specific course information can be found on the university website.

University Accommodation

The university's own accommodation is across the road from the main city campus. Halls can be over-subscribed, however, so new students are advised to apply for accommodation as early as possible.  

Private Accommodation

A large proportion of Caley students are from Glasgow and live at home with their parents. If you are coming to study at the university from further afield then plenty of flat-share opportunities exist in the centre, West End or South Side of Glasgow, all of which have easy access to the campus via the city subway.

Academic Strengths and Research Profile

In recent Research Assessment Exercises, the university has scored highly for its work in the allied health professions. The majority of courses offered at GCU have a professional or vocational focus, and most research done by the university is designed for application in industry.  

Tuition Fees

Undergraduate courses currently cost £9,000 per year. Fees for international students and postgraduates vary. Financial Support: A variety of scholarships and means-tested bursaries are available to undergraduates and postgraduates. Check the university website for more details.

Academic Facilities

Since opening, the university's main library, the Saltire Centre, has won praise for its striking aesthetic and innovative learning facilities. Ever wanted to study in a pod that looks a bit like an igloo? At the Saltire, you can! The university's other buildings offer the state-of-the-art IT facilities one would expect from a modern, tuition-focused university.

Other on-site Amenities

Unfortunately, Caley's social facilities and services lag behind the quality of its academic buildings. On-campus is a bar, a small number of shops and several cafes. Glasgow city centre has much more to offer in terms of entertainment facilities. The university's Arc sports complex is better, offering a gym and various types of exercise classes and courses.

Medical and Social Care

The Positive Living Team offers a range of counselling services to students. The university lacks its own health service, however, and students are asked to register with a local GP.

What's on in the Area

Glasgow has something to offer everyone. Excellent museums and art galleries offer daytime entertainment and an unrivalled range of bars and clubs keep things ticking in the evening. Edinburgh is a fifty-minute train ride away for those looking for something more elegant and historical.  

Moving On

The university's Careers and Employability Centre provides an excellent range of resources to students. Graduates are also entitled to make use of the service for two years after they leave the university. The Centre works closely with a large number of local and national businesses to arrange work experience opportunities and on-campus recruitment events.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown worked as a politics lecturer at Caley. Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran, comedian Kevin Bridges and WWE superstar Drew McIntyre all attended the university.  

Is Glasgow Caledonian University the place for you?

Glasgow Caledonian offers a number of innovative courses in various fields of design: be sure to consider the university if these match your academic interests. It's important to note, however, that the majority of Caley's students are from Glasgow, meaning that many of them already have established groups of friends. A large proportion of students are also older or only study part-time. Both facts mean that the university isn't the easiest place to make new friends and socialise. For institutions with greater social opportunities, try Manchester Metropolitan or Leeds Metropolitan.