Aberdeen University (Detailed Info)

Founded: 1495 (King's College).

Location: 2 sites: King's College in Old Aberdeen; medical sciences at Foresterhill.

Getting there: Fast coach services from Edinburgh, Glasgow and all major cities; rail services north and south. For university, bus from Union St (nos 1, 2, 14, going east); by road, follow signs for A90 and Old Aberdeen.

Special features: Institute of Scottish & Irish Studies, medical sciences, plus initiatives in ethnology and cultural studies.

Academic features: Access courses and summer school. Courses in animal care, health & welfare, anthropology, celtic civilisation, off-shore engineering, petroleum geology, cultural history, safety engineering, sports & exercise science, social research and all biosciences including tropical environmental science.

Awarding body: Aberdeen University.

Main undergraduate awards: MA, BSc, BD, BTh, LLB, MB ChB, BSc Med Sci, BEng, MEng, BscEng, BEd, BMus.

Length of courses: 3 years (ordinary/designated), 4 years (Honours and divinity), 5 years (MB ChB, MChem, MEng).

Library & IT facilities: 5 library buildings, over 1 million volumes, inter-library loan service, short loan collections for course books in heaviest demand. Annual expenditure £140 per (FTE) student, plus departmental purchases. IT and library services converged. 1000+ networked PCs have access to internet and so to library catalogue (ratio workstations to students 1:8), open 24 hours/day. IT support from 4 help desks in main library and in computing centre. Information skills week for new students, plus departmental inductions; informal classes on use of library.

Other learning facilities: Interactive video; satellite TV for language teaching.

Specialist collections: Jacobite material, transport and photographic collections, pre-1800 british and european works, first editions of early science and medical volumes. Almost 250,000 maps, many historical.

Study abroad: 6% of students spend part of their course abroad, including those on courses in law with european law (or french, german, spanish law) who study abroad for local diploma. Erasmus links with 155 european institutions, plus 5 formal scholarship exchanges (Lausanne, Rennes, Zurich, Geneva and Kiel) and exchanges with 20 american and 4 canadian universities.

Careers & Jobs: Information and advice service; regular vacancy bulletins.

Student advice & services: Medical practice; chaplaincy; counsellors; nursery; international student adviser; welfare, disability and financial advisers; information and advice centre.

Amenities: New student centre; late buses, vacation employment office, university music groups; Students' Association, student newspaper, SA babysitting agency.

Sporting facilities: Swimming pool; two extensive sports fields including running tracks; cardiovascular performance gym; squash and tennis courts; rowing on River Dee; Cairngorms and Grampians (mountain hut) within easy reach for climbing, walking and skiing; 150 sports clubs and societies.

Accommodation: All first years who wish it are in university accommodation (guaranteed). 38% of first degree students. 2300 places available: 900 catered places (some ensuite) at £81-£94 per week, term-time only; 1400 self-catering at £50-164 pw, rentals 32-48 weeks. University can offer accommodation to most students though many prefer to live in privately owned accommodation for 1+ years: approx £50 pw for self-catering, £90 B&B, £100 for half-board (£110 with weekend meals). 25% of first degree students live at home.

Living expenses budget: No university-recommended minimum.

Term-time work: University allows term-time work for full-time students (30% believed to work): limit of 15 hours pw. Some work on campus in catering, bars, library and (in vacs) as porters, gardeners, groundsmen; also SU based Joblink agency helps in finding work off campus.

Financial help: Total available £555,000 government and other funds; awards of £200-£600 made to some 1000 students. 30 entrance bursaries.