Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Junior or above
Location: Europe, United Kingdom, Scotland
GPA: 3.0

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Dates & Deadlines
Applications for Fall Semester close on 02/01/2026
Applications for Academic Year close on 02/01/2026
Applications for Spring Semester close on 02/01/2026

Program Overview

In this exchange program, you will enroll directly in classes at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, the 5th oldest university in the English speaking world. Scholars associated with the university include five Nobel Prize winners, and the inventor of the modern MRI machine.  Aberdeen is recognized for studies in medicine, psychology, nutrition, and Scottish studies. Aberdeen is an excellent setting for student life and a good starting point for travel by air, train, and sea. The campus is home to world-class teaching and research facilities, as well as sporting and recreational amenities, all in close proximity.  
 
Aberdeen provides a range of support services for exchange students, including a comprehensive orientation session at the beginning of each semester. Aberdeen will assign you to an academic advisor.  You may access the normal student support services provided by the university, including:  International Student Advisers, International Centre, Counselling Service, Chaplaincies, and AUSA Student Advice Centre. You may join sports clubs covering indoor and outdoor sports such as volleyball, basketball, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, snow sports, sailing, hillwalking and climbing  
 
Aberdeen is Scotland’s third largest city, with a population of over 220,000 people. With a number of art galleries and historic theatres, to museums and libraries, Aberdeen is steeped in culture.  The city’s venues host hundreds of theatrical productions a year including ballet, opera and drama, as well as the popular Aberdeen Student Show, which raises significant sums for charity.  The Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre holds more than 600 events annually, consistently attracting world-famous bands, singers and comedians.  The area around Aberdeen offers a great selection of outdoor pursuits including surfing and kite boarding at the beach, as well as hillwalking, skiing, snowboarding and equestrian pursuits.  Aberdeen is the second most ‘affordable student city’ in the UK (Royal Bank of Scotland Student Living Index 2017). 

Exchange students at Aberdeen are eligible for the Butex Scholarship - Visit this link to get more information about this scholarship: http://www.butex.ac.uk

Dates and Deadlines

Term Year Deadline Arrival Date Departure Date
Fall Semester 2026 02/01/2026 Early September Mid-December
Academic Year 2026-27 02/01/2026 Early September Late May
Spring Semester 2027 02/01/2026 Early January Late May

The application process for this program is competitive: GEO staff will review your application materials, and a decision about your enrollment will not be made until after the application deadline. In some cases, an interview is required. If your program requires an interview, you will be contacted with further details about this process after the application deadline. Early applications are encouraged.

Successful applicants will receive an exchange nomination from GEO. Selection will be based on a holistic review of your application. This includes a review of your GPA, transcripts (including courses taken and in-progress), any additional requirements or prerequisites (see section "Additional Requirements"), and written statements. 

Applying for an exchange program involves 2 steps. If you receive a nomination from GEO, you will also need to complete the host university's application, which is administered and reviewed by your host university directly. Instructions will be provided after acceptance by GEO. The host university makes the final decision regarding acceptance into the program.

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Discount for Pell Recipients

To expand access to study abroad, GEO is offering a $500 discount for this program to UO students who currently have the Pell Grant as part of their federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Academic Details

Aberdeen encourages students to plan and manage their own work and study. This emphasis on independent study means you will be asked to read widely on a subject, make notes, research, write and revise outside of formal teaching. On all courses you will be expected to study extensively on your own. Lectures are the most traditional form of teaching, but most modules include seminars, discussion groups, computer work and independent study. Learning in this system requires self-motivation, with instructors serving more as guides than as teachers, in the traditional sense. 

Course Availability:

You will concentrate your course work in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and/or the Faculty of Sciences. You will have the opportunity to take courses across disciplinary lines. 

  • You may enroll in courses offered at Levels 2 and 3.
  • Pending you meet pre-requisites and get approval from Aberdeen, you may be able to enroll in courses offered at Level 4.
  • Restricted courses: Clinical Medicine & Dentistry courses, Level 5 (postgraduate) courses, Level 4 English or Linguistics courses, Education courses with in-school placements

Please review the course offerings for exchange students on the University of Aberdeen’s website using the "Course Search" link on the sidebar menu. You may need to use the current academic year’s course list as a guide for what might be available for the term you want to study at the University of Aberdeen.

You need to be flexible with choosing courses and have multiple back-up courses in case you do not get into your top choices. You are responsible for ensuring you meet any pre-requisites for courses at the University of Aberdeen. 

Note: Students should consult with their UO academic advisor before submitting their unit enrollment to the University of Aberdeen. 

You will be assigned an advisor at Aberdeen and will also be able to consult with designated persons in your respective departments for general academic questions, but this typically happens after you arrive in Aberdeen.

Credits: 
Aberdeen courses are worth 15 or 20 credit points. You must take a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 70 Aberdeen points per semester. A typical course load is three or four courses. 

Aberdeen credits are converted to the European Credit Transfer Scheme (ECTS) in your transcript: 

  • 120 Aberdeen credits represents a full year of study (equivalent to 60 ECTS credits)
  • 60 Aberdeen credits represents one semester of study (equivalent to 30 ECTS credits) 

ECTS credits are transferred to the UO at the rate of 1 ECTS credit = 0.75 UO quarter credits. To maintain full-time student status at the UO while on a university exchange program, UO students need to earn at least 12 UO credits per UO term abroad. 

 

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Additional Requirements

  • Complete WR 121 and 122 or 123 with grades B- or higher
  • Math/Science students: completed 200-level Math/Science sequences
  • GPA requirement of 3.5 or above for graduate students.  

Housing Description

Accommodation mainly consists of apartment (suite) style living, with each student having his or her own single room. Some halls also have private en-suite bathrooms. The majority of students opt for self-catered accommodation; however, the University also offers a number of catered halls, but please note that a typical catered plan would not generally be as extensive as a meal plan at the UO.  


You are guaranteed an offer of accommodation provided your application reaches Aberdeen by the deadline. After you complete the host university's application and are accepted into the program, Aberdeen will email you with information on how to apply for accommodations and the deadline. If you are arranging your own housing, you are advised to arrive in Aberdeen early.