University of Aberdeen

History

On 10 February 1494, William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen, Chancellor of Scotland, and a graduate of the University of Glasgow, drafted a proposal on behalf of King James IV to Pope Alexander VI, resulting in a papal bull that established King’s College, the first university in Aberdeen. James seems to have wanted to provide Scotland the same number of universities that England did at the time, and for those universities to have the same perks as the illustrious institutions in Paris and Bologna.

Built in imitation of the University of Paris and designed primarily as a law school, the institution quickly rose to prominence as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in all of Scotland, thanks in large part to Elphinstone and his friend Hector Boece, who was named as the university’s first principal in the year 1500. It was established to educate civil servants for the Scottish Crown, including attorneys and government officials, as well as medical professionals, educators, and clergy to serve the people of northern Scotland.

It was a university with a staff of 36 people, including students, and it was enclosed by walls. The college created the first medical chair in the Anglophone world in 1497. Particularly at King’s College, the university grew substantially in the twentieth century. Throughout the 20th century, new buildings were developed on the site around King’s College.

New King’s lecture rooms and Elphinstone Hall are two examples of such structures that were originally created to resemble their historic counterparts. However, beginning in the 1960s, a number of these were replaced by brutalist-style buildings. In the meanwhile, in the 1930s, medical students were first trained at the Foresterhill site adjacent to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

After years of fundraising, in the fall of 2011 a brand new university library (the Sir Duncan Rice Library) opened on the King’s College campus to replace the ageing Queen Mother Library. It was formally opened by the Queen in September 2012. Today’s students spend the vast majority of their time in state-of-the-art buildings that boast cutting-edge classroom, library, and dining hall infrastructure. It’s important to note that King’s College is still making use of its older facilities as classrooms and offices for various departments.

Ranking

• 19th in the Times University Guide 2023
• 13th in the Guardian University Guide 2023
• 220th in the QS World University Rankings 2023
• 158th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022

Achievements

• 5th in Scotland for Research Power
• 1st in the UK for Theology and Religious Studies
• 1st in Scotland and 8th in the UK for Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care
• Top quartile for Research Power in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

Courses

Departments and Faculties

• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Computing Science
• Department of Physics
• Department of Mathematics

Fees Structure

• Tuition fees £14,300-18,000 for international students.

Facilities & Services

• Sports facilities 
• Libraries 
• Info Hub
• The Language Centre
• Computing Services
• Students’ Union Building

Accommodation

University of Aberdeen accommodation services-

First-year undergraduates at the University of Aberdeen are assured a place to live. The university has recently spent £20 million on brand new dorms, and all residents have free access to wifi internet.

Depending on your preferences and finances, you can choose between catered and self-catered housing, and the Student Accommodation Office can help you find private homes in the city using its newly updated online database designed specifically for students.

Location

Aberdeen, where the University of Aberdeen can be found, is a city with a long and storied history in many fields. Aberdeen, with a population of about 220,000, is a lovely and friendly metropolis. Aberdeen is sizable enough to be comparable to other “major cities,” yet small enough to be readily explored on foot.

There is a large choice of museums, galleries, and recreational and sporting facilities all within easy walking distance of student housing in Aberdeen, so the city has something for everyone’s interests in the arts, culture, leisure, and entertainment. Students, in particular, will appreciate the city’s vibrant nightlife. The city of Aberdeen is served by an airport with connections throughout the UK and Europe, while the city’s train station provides direct service to both Edinburgh and London.

Final Words

Aberdeen is a top-tier school with a reputation for excellence in both arts and sciences. Located in the heart of Scotland, it offers one of the best education experiences in all of Europe. When choosing where to study abroad, there is no wrong choice when you look at Aberdeen’s curriculum, facilities, and surrounding city.