Abertay University Fees, Scholarships, Entry Requirements, Ranking & Courses for International Students
Abertay University is a small, modern university in Dundee, Scotland. It is best known for computer games, cybersecurity and ethical hacking, and it was the first university in the world to offer degrees in these areas. About a quarter of its students are international, and courses are taught in English.
This guide covers tuition fees, scholarships, entry requirements, rankings and the courses on offer for international students. All figures are taken from Abertay's official website for 2027/28 entry.
Abertay University Tuition Fees for International Students
Fees depend on your course. Undergraduate degrees run for four years, and most taught master's degrees run for one year.
- Undergraduate (computing, games, computer arts and cybersecurity courses): £17,950 per year
- Undergraduate (all other courses): £16,950 per year
- Postgraduate taught (most MSc courses): £18,950 per year
- Postgraduate taught (Applied AI and UX, Computer Games Technology, Ethical Hacking and Cybersecurity, MProf Games Development, Technical Art and Visual Effects, Global MBA): £19,950 per year
- Masters by Research: £22,000 per year
- PhD/MPhil: £13,750 to £15,750 per year, depending on subject
How to Pay and Save on Fees
You must pay a 50% deposit before Abertay issues your CAS (the document needed for your student visa). The rest is paid in three equal instalments on 1 November, 1 January and 1 March.
Applicants living in Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Telangana must pay a 100% deposit. Applicants living in Nigeria pay a flat deposit of £4,500.
For September 2027 entry, an Early Bird discount of £300 applies if you pay the deposit by 1 June 2027. A further £500 applies if you pay the remaining fees in full by 17 August 2027, and the maximum discount in any year is £500. Abertay also has a fee guarantee: the net fee you pay in your first year stays the same for every year of your course.
Check the latest figures on the official Abertay tuition fees page.
Scholarships for International Students
The main award is the Abertay International Scholarship. It is worth up to £3,000 per year, for up to four years, and is deducted directly from your tuition fees.
- It is open to new international undergraduate and postgraduate taught students studying full-time on campus.
- Postgraduate applicants need the equivalent of a UK 2:1 bachelor's degree (about 60% or above).
- There is no separate application form. Abertay assesses you automatically from your application and emails you after your offer.
- It can be combined with the Dean's Scholarship, Principal's Excellence Scholarship (Global) and the IB30+ Scholarship.
Browse all awards on the Abertay scholarships page.
Entry Requirements for International Students
Undergraduate applications are made through UCAS. Postgraduate applications go directly to Abertay through the course page.
Undergraduate (Indian Class 12 example): Abertay normally asks for 65% or better in Class 12 from CBSE, ICSE or a state board, or the equivalent of A-levels or IB. Requirements vary by programme:
- AABB programmes: 70% average, with 65% in the essential subject
- ABBB programmes: 65% average, with 65% in the essential subject
- BBBB programmes: 60% average, with 65% in the essential subject
Postgraduate: A relevant bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.9 out of 4 or 55% to 65%. If your degree had no research component, you need at least 60%.
English language: Most undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses need IELTS 6.0 with no component below 5.5, or an accepted equivalent such as PTE Academic 59, TOEFL iBT 78 or Duolingo 105. Some courses need more:
- MSc Cyber Law and Ethics, MSc Sports Therapy, MSc Counselling and BSc Mental Health Nursing: IELTS 7.0 (component minimums vary by course)
- Global MBA and the Food, Nutrition and Health degrees: IELTS 6.5 with no component below 6.0
- Research degrees: IELTS 7.0 with no component below 6.5
If you need a little extra time to reach the required English level, Abertay runs a Pre-Sessional English Programme for students holding a conditional offer.
Applicants from Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Telangana must apply through one of Abertay's accredited agents. See the India page and the English language requirements page for full details.
Abertay University Ranking
Abertay is not a large research university, so it does best in UK rankings that measure teaching and student experience.
- Guardian University Guide 2026: named Scotland's top modern university.
- Complete University Guide: top Scottish modern university for student satisfaction for the third year running. In the 2026 edition it also led Scottish modern universities for research intensity and facilities investment, and its 81% student satisfaction score ranked 12th out of 130 UK universities.
- Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide: top Scottish modern university for student experience.
- Princeton Review: its games design programmes rank in the global top 10 at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Courses Offered at Abertay University
Abertay offers more than 40 undergraduate courses across computing, games, art and design, business, psychology, science, health, law and social sciences.
Undergraduate courses (examples):
- BA (Hons) Computer Arts
- BSc (Hons) Computer Game Applications Development
- BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology
- BSc (Hons) Computing
- BSc (Hons) Computer Science
- BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Cybersecurity
- BSc (Hons) Ethical Hacking
- BA (Hons) Game Design and Production
- BSc (Hons) Visual Effects for Games and Real-Time Media
- Psychology, Criminology, Law, Forensic Sciences, Biomedical Science, Food Science, Sport and Exercise Science and Mental Health Nursing
Postgraduate taught courses:
- MSc Accounting and Finance (CIMA Gateway)
- MSc Applied Artificial Intelligence and User Experience
- MSc Biomedical Sciences
- MSc Civil Engineering
- MSc Computer Games Technology
- MSc Construction and Project Management
- MSc Counselling
- MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy Studies
- MSc Cyber Law and Ethics
- MSc Digital Marketing and e-Business
- MSc Environment and Business
- MSc Environment and Energy
- MSc Environmental Health
- MSc Ethical Hacking and Cybersecurity
- MSc Fintech
- MSc Food Quality, Safety and Innovation
- MProf Games Development
- MSc Geotechnical Engineering
- Global MBA
- MSc Human Resource Management
- MSc International Human Resource Management
- MSc International Management
- MSc Research Methods in Psychology
- MSc Sports Therapy
- MSc Structural Engineering
- MSc Technical Art and Visual Effects
- MSc Water and Environmental Management
Many of the master's courses are also offered with an Industrial Practise option. Search the full list on the Abertay course search.
How to Apply
Read the international how-to-apply guide and pick your course. Then apply through UCAS (undergraduate) or directly on the course page (postgraduate), and pay your deposit once you hold an offer. For questions, email international@abertay.ac.uk.
Fees, deadlines and requirements can change, so always confirm them on the official Abertay international students page before you apply.