Student satisfaction
National Student Survey
Relative position35th percentile
Official source →
University profile
Glasgow Caledonian University in profile
Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university with around 17,000 students. Profile, courses, entry and funding at a glance.
17,045
Students
1993
Founded
60
Programmes listed
Published outcomes & experience
Comparable indicators for GCU, calculated from published official datasets. This is not an overall university ranking.
Graduate outcomes
Graduate Outcomes survey
Relative position94th percentile
Official source →Continuation
Students continuing after their first year
Relative position67th percentile
Official source →Provider percentiles are StudySmarter calculations across providers with sufficient comparable coverage. Missing or stale dimensions are omitted, and small differences should not be overinterpreted. No commercial review scores are used.
Subject strengths
GCU ranks in the UK top 10 for 5 subjects. UK subject ranks from the Complete University Guide league tables.
#3 Complementary Medicine#5 Optometry Ophthalmics & Orthoptics#8 Counselling Psychotherapy & Occupational Therapy#8 Physiotherapy#8 Social Work#12 Information Technology & Systems#14 Food Science#17 Building#18 Paramedic Science#20 Forensic Science
Complete University Guide subject league tables. Only subjects where GCU ranks in the UK top 25 are shown.
About GCU
Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is a public university with around 17,000 students, founded in 1993.
It is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so its degrees are nationally recognised. It is based in City Campus 70, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA.
Numbers & facts
The key facts about GCU at a glance.
1993
Founded
17,045
Students
Glasgow
Location
60
Programmes listed
Public university
Institution type
✓
Degree-awarding body
Ways to study
How you can study at GCU:
On campus
Full-time
The standard route at GCU, a full timetable of teaching, typically three years for an undergraduate degree (four with a placement or year abroad).
Complete in the standard duration
Full access to campus life & societies
Eligible for the full maintenance loan
Around work
Part-time
Spread the same degree over more years and study alongside work or other commitments. Available on selected courses.
Study around a job or family
Same qualification, longer timeframe
Part-time student finance available
I am a …
Applying from school or college
With A-levels, Scottish Highers or Advanced Highers, a BTEC, T-level, IB or another accepted Level 3 route, you apply to GCU through UCAS, up to five choices in one application, by the late-January equal-consideration deadline. Offers are usually conditional on your predicted grades, confirmed on results day.
Returning to study
If you're 21+ or don't have traditional qualifications, GCU considers an Access to HE Diploma, relevant work experience and contextual factors. Many courses also offer a part-time route, and a foundation year can bridge the gap where entry requirements aren't yet met.
Applying from outside the UK
International applicants apply to GCU through UCAS too, with an English-language qualification (typically IELTS) and international fee status. An International Foundation Year is a common entry route if your qualifications aren't a direct match.
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Programmes at GCU
60 programmes at GCU. Search live or filter by subject, level and study mode:
| Course | Award | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | BA (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Business Management | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | BEng (Hons) | Engineering |
| 3D Animation and Visualisation | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Biomedical Science | BSc (Hons) | Medicine & Dentistry |
| Building Services Engineering | BEng (Hons) | Building & Construction |
| Accountancy | BA (Hons) | Accounting & Finance |
| Media and Communication | BA (Hons) | Media & Communications |
| Social Sciences | BA (Hons) | Sociology & Social Sciences |
| Applied Psychology | BSc (Hons) | Psychology |
| Biological Sciences | BSc (Hons) | Biological Sciences |
| Food Science | BSc (Hons) | Agriculture & Animal Science |
| Fashion Design with Business | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| Finance, Investment and Risk | BA (Hons) | Accounting & Finance |
| International Business | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| International Business and HRM | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| International Fashion Branding | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| International Marketing | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| International Tourism and Events Management | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| Multimedia Journalism | BA (Hons) | Media & Communications |
| Risk Management | BA (Hons) | Business & Management |
| Electrical Power Engineering | BEng (Hons) | Engineering |
| Mechanical Engineering | BEng (Hons) | Engineering |
| AI and Data Science | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Audio Technology | BSc (Hons) | Engineering |
| Building Surveying | BSc (Hons) | Building & Construction |
| Computing | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Construction Management | BSc (Hons) | Business & Management |
| Cyber Security and Networks | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Diagnostic Imaging | BSc (Hons) | Medicine & Dentistry |
| Digital Design | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Environmental Civil Engineering | BSc (Hons) | Engineering |
| Environmental Management | BSc (Hons) | Business & Management |
| Forensic Investigation | BSc (Hons) | History |
| Games Development | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Human Nutrition and Dietetics | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Adult) | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Child) | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Learning Disability) | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Mental Health) | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Occupational Therapy | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Ophthalmic Dispensing | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Orthoptics | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Pharmacology | BSc (Hons) | Medicine & Dentistry |
| Physiotherapy | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Podiatry | BSc (Hons) | Nursing & Health |
| Quantity Surveying | BSc (Hons) | Building & Construction |
| Radiotherapy and Oncology | BSc (Hons) | Medicine & Dentistry |
| Software Development | BSc (Hons) | Computer Science |
| Nursing Studies (Adult) | BSc | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Child) | BSc | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Learning Disability) | BSc | Nursing & Health |
| Nursing Studies (Mental Health) | BSc | Nursing & Health |
| Oral Health Sciences | BSc | Nursing & Health |
| Paramedic Science | BSc | Nursing & Health |
| Bachelor of Laws | LLB (Hons) | Law |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | MEng (Hons) | Engineering |
| Electrical Power Engineering | MEng (Hons) | Engineering |
| Mechanical Engineering | MEng (Hons) | Engineering |
| Optometry with Independent Prescribing | MOptom | Nursing & Health |
No course found. Browse courses at every UK university.
Complete programme list for GCU; full-time, part-time and delivery variants are grouped (60 programmes, 2026).
Campus & locations
GCU is a campus-based public university in Glasgow.
Teaching runs on campus: lectures, seminars and labs alongside libraries and study spaces, with a student community of societies, sport and events around them. The day-to-day exchange with tutors and coursemates is a big part of the experience.
On campus
Libraries & study spaces Labs & teaching facilities Students’ union & societies Sport & fitness Support services
Locations
Glasgow
Typical campus facilities; the university’s own pages are authoritative.
Students & campus life
Who you’d study alongside at GCU in Glasgow. The student body in numbers, from official HESA data.
22,205
Students
enrolled (HESA, 2024/25)
23%
International
students from outside the UK
38%
Mature students
aged 25+ on entry
UK students by ethnicity
White83%
Asian9%
Black4%
Mixed2%
Other1%
Ethnicity of UK-domiciled students (HESA); international students not shown here.
Is GCU right for you?
A particularly good fit if you …
- want a recognised UK degree with student finance eligibility
- like the idea of student life in Glasgow
- prefer campus teaching with societies, sport and people around you
Less suitable if …
you need a fully flexible, distance-learning degree alongside a job. Check whether the individual programme offers online or part-time study.
For parents
The questions parents ask most about GCU, answered briefly.
A recognised UK degree
Glasgow Caledonian University awards its own degrees and is regulated in the UK higher-education framework. Its degrees are nationally recognised and a basis for postgraduate study.
Regulated fees & student finance
Tuition is set under Scotland’s own student-finance system. SAAS pays tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students; living-cost support is applied for separately.
A clear, structured route
Fixed term structure, defined assessment rules and academic support give orientation from day one.
Support from day one
Personal tutors, wellbeing and careers services accompany students from enrolment to graduation.
Career prospects
Graduate outcomes are tracked in the national Graduate Outcomes survey. Every course page here shows real earnings and employment data where available.
Structure & campus life
A fixed term rhythm in Glasgow with in-person teaching, exchange and campus life gives structure and motivation.
Accreditation & recognition
How to read GCU’s formal standing, the seals and what they mean:
Recognised degree-awarding body
Recognised UK degree-awarding body
Glasgow Caledonian University awards its own degrees, which are accepted nationally and are the basis for Master’s and doctoral study.
Student finance eligible
Courses at recognised providers may qualify for tuition and maintenance support; eligibility depends on the student, course and home-nation system.
Admissions & entry routes
Apply through UCASUndergraduate applications run through UCAS, up to five course choices in one application.
Check the entry requirementsCheck the course’s accepted route: A-levels, Scottish Highers or Advanced Highers, BTEC, T-level, International Baccalaureate, Access qualifications or an international equivalent.
Mind the deadlinesThe main UCAS equal-consideration deadline is in late January; Clearing runs from July for remaining places.
Offers & resultsUniversities respond with conditional or unconditional offers; places are confirmed on results day.
Fees & funding
GCU is in Scotland. Your funding route depends on where you normally live, not only where you study. Eligible Scottish-domiciled students apply through SAAS. The main routes:
SAAS tuition payment
Paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students. Applied for through SAAS, not Student Finance England.
Living-cost support
A mix of bursary and loan, depending on household income.
Scholarships & bursaries
University-specific awards for grades, subjects or circumstances. Check the university’s funding pages.
Repayment
Only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
Tuition fees vary by course and fee status (Home vs International). Please check the university's own course page.
Frequently asked questions about GCU
Is GCU officially recognised?
Yes. Glasgow Caledonian University is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; its degrees are nationally recognised.
How big is GCU?
Around 17,045 students, founded in 1993.
What can I study at GCU?
60 programmes are listed on this page, each with entry requirements, outcomes and fees. Use the filter above to find your subject.
How do I apply to GCU?
Undergraduate applications run through UCAS, with up to five course choices in one application. Each course page lists the typical entry requirements.
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