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Our applicants often have a wide range of qualifications and experience. To help them on their way to achieving a degree, we offer various access courses, preparation programmes and entry routes, both in-house and in partnership with local colleges.
Entry requirements for many accepted qualifications can be found on our course pages. We also accept Scottish Foundation Apprenticeships (when offered alongside Highers) and the new UK t-Levels. If you’re unsure whether your qualifications will be accepted, contact sro@abertay.ac.uk for more information.
Students who have been in local authority care might face particular difficulties moving into university. As the first university in Scotland to receive the Frank Buttle Trust's Quality Mark, we're committed to supporting you.
We can liaise with social work departments to help you secure financial support while you study. We can also offer year-round places in university accommodation. Contact advisory@abertay.ac.uk (t: 01382-308051) for more information.
For applicants without traditional qualifications (such as Scottish Highers) looking to develop their skills and subject knowledge and gain access to a range of undergraduate programmes.
AHEAD: AHEAD is a part-time evening course delivered by Abertay University which, upon completion, gives you access to a wide range of Abertay's undergraduate programmes.
If you have been out of education for 3 years or more and do not have sufficient qualifications, AHEAD could be your access to higher education at Abertay.
SWAP: The Scottish Wider Access Programme is a one year programme run by further education colleges for the purposes of facilitating access to higher education programmes. You can read more information on the SWAP website, and find out if it's for you here. Have a look at the degree search to see what access programmes, at which colleges, will lead to a degree here at Abertay.
Preparation courses are for students keen to prepare for studies in the weeks before the academic year begins. They last a few days and focus on core skills like academic referencing, researching and writing.
The Abertay College Transition (ACT) Programme is for students about to start year 2, 3 or 4 of an undergraduate degree.
Abertay works closely with local partner Further Education colleges so that students studying HN courses at college can articulate seamlessly to Abertay degree programmes (delivered at FE colleges, Abertay or a combination of both). You can find out about the range of routes to an Abertay degree on our Coming from College page.