Abertay University

Abertay University is a public university in Dundee, on Scotland’s east coast, that punches far above its weight in one field above all others: computer games. In 1997 it became the first university in the world to offer a degree in computer games technology, and it has been the launchpad for generations of games developers ever since — its graduates work at studios including Rockstar Games, Ubisoft, Naughty Dog, Blizzard and 4J Studios. But Abertay is more than games: it is also a respected centre for ethical hacking and cyber security, food science, environmental science, sport, business and law, with a reputation for small class sizes, personal support and excellent student satisfaction.

Not to be confused with the University of Dundee — its larger city neighbour — Abertay is a compact, modern institution of around 4,000 students with roots in Dundee’s technical institutes dating back to 1888. It gained university status in 1994 as the University of Abertay Dundee and formally became Abertay University in 2019. For international students, Abertay offers an attractive combination: specialist, industry-connected degrees, some of the UK’s most affordable international tuition fees, automatic scholarships worth up to £12,000, and life in Dundee — a compact, creative, affordable coastal city.

This guide covers Abertay’s recognition and standing, popular programs, admission requirements with country-specific guidance for India and Bangladesh, English language requirements, indicative tuition fees, cost of living in Dundee, scholarships, campus and facilities, accommodation, deadlines, how to apply, and UK student visa essentials.

Abertay University Recognition & Accreditation

Abertay University is a fully recognised UK public university with degree-awarding powers and university title granted in 1994, regulated in Scotland under the Scottish quality framework. Its degrees are recognised nationally and internationally, and programs carry accreditation from relevant professional bodies across computing (BCS), engineering, food science, sport and business disciplines.

In league tables, Abertay holds position #89 in the Complete University Guide 2026 — and within that guide it is ranked the top Scottish modern university for student satisfaction, research intensity and facilities investment. The National Student Survey 2025 gave Abertay an overall satisfaction score of 82.6%, with its Biomedical Science, Mental Health Nursing and Food Science programs ranked top in Scotland for overall satisfaction. On teaching quality, Abertay holds a Silver rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework — awarded in the 2017 TEF round, when it was one of only five Scottish universities to take part (TEF participation is voluntary in Scotland). Assessors found that Abertay students “consistently achieve excellent outcomes,” praising the university’s small class sizes, personalised support, widening-access admissions and systematically embedded employability.

The university’s signature distinction is in games: the first computer games degree in the world (1997), multiple TIGA Game Development University of the Year wins, one of the largest Sony PlayStation teaching labs in the UK outside Sony itself, and a £18 million CyberQuarter hub for cyber security teaching and enterprise. Dundee itself has more games developers per head of population than anywhere else in Europe — students study at the centre of a genuine industry cluster, with studios such as 4J Studios (which brought Minecraft to consoles), Denki and Ruffian Games on the doorstep.

Popular Programs at Abertay University

Abertay’s teaching is organised across the School of Design and Informatics, the School of Business, Law and Social Sciences, the School of Applied Sciences, and the Graduate School. Durations are typically 4 years for Scottish honours degrees (3-year options and advanced entry exist) and 1 year full-time for taught master’s degrees. Twelve popular choices for international students:

Undergraduate programs

• BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology — the world-famous program: programming, game engines, graphics and physics, taught with PlayStation and Xbox development kits. Graduates are hired across the global games industry.
• BA (Hons) Game Design and Production — game design, narrative, production and user experience for aspiring designers and producers; Abertay graduates regularly win UK games festival awards.
• BSc (Hons) Ethical Hacking — one of the UK’s pioneering cyber security degrees, covering penetration testing, digital forensics and network security, closely linked to the CyberQuarter.
• BSc (Hons) Computing — software development, AI and data with strong industry placement links.
• BA (Hons) Business Management — management, marketing, entrepreneurship and international business with practical project work.
• BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science — physiology, biomechanics and performance science with excellent lab facilities.

Postgraduate programs

• MProf / MSc Games Development — professional master’s placing students in development teams; Chinese graduates of this course have gone straight into roles at MiHoYo (Genshin Impact) and Tencent.
• MSc Ethical Hacking and Cybersecurity — advanced security operations and digital forensics for cyber careers.
• MSc Artificial Intelligence and Data Science — machine learning, data engineering and applied AI.
• MBA (Master of Business Administration) — one-year leadership and strategy-focused MBA.
• MSc Sustainable Business Practices — sustainability, ESG and responsible management.
• MSc Food Innovation and Safety / MSc Sports Performance and Coaching — specialist applied-science master’s routes building on Abertay’s food and sport research strengths.

Abertay also offers LLB Law, biomedical science, mental health nursing, environmental science and civil engineering. Class sizes are deliberately small, teaching staff include veterans of some of the biggest games ever made, and the university’s employability strategy is embedded across every program — a factor the TEF panel singled out for praise.

Abertay University Admission Requirements 2026

Requirements vary by course; figures below are indicative. Always confirm on the official course page.

Undergraduate entry

• UK applicants: typically 96–112 UCAS tariff points (A-Levels, Scottish Highers or equivalent), with subject requirements for science and games-technology courses.
• India (CBSE/ISC/State Boards): Standard XII with an average of 65% or higher for most programs; requirements vary by course and higher grades strengthen scholarship chances.
• Bangladesh (HSC): the Higher Secondary Certificate alone is usually not sufficient for direct entry. Bangladeshi applicants typically enter via a foundation year or after one year of a recognised bachelor’s degree. Contact admissions for the right pathway for your grades.
• International Baccalaureate: minimum 24 points.
• Advanced entry: applicants with relevant diplomas or prior university study may enter directly into Year 2 or 3.

Postgraduate entry

• UK: a 2:2 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject; games and computing master’s may ask for a portfolio or programming background.
• India: a recognised bachelor’s degree with typically 55–60% or higher.
• Bangladesh: a four-year bachelor’s with good grades (typically CGPA 2.75+/4.0 or 60%+) or a three-year honours degree with strong marks.
• Research degrees (MPhil/PhD): a master’s with merit/distinction or first-class bachelor’s plus a research proposal aligned with Abertay’s strengths (cyber security, games and AI, food innovation, environmental engineering, psychology).

Applications are made through UCAS for undergraduates (institution code A30) and directly to the university for postgraduates. A strong personal statement matters at Abertay — it is also the basis for automatic scholarship assessment.

English Language Requirements

The standard requirement is IELTS 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5 for both undergraduate and postgraduate entry (some programs may set higher requirements):

Pre-sessional English programs (5-week and 9-week options, indicatively around £1,100–£2,200) are available for students who narrowly miss the requirement. Requirements may differ for some programs — check the course page.

Abertay University Tuition Fees for International Students (2026)

All figures are indicative annual fees for international (overseas) students; Scottish, rest-of-UK and EU fee levels differ. Confirm exact fees on the official course page.

Abertay’s international fees are among the most affordable in the UK, and automatic scholarships (up to £3,000–£5,000 per year) reduce them further. Budget additionally for the CAS deposit, visa fee and immigration health surcharge. Pre-sessional English, if needed, costs extra.

Cost of Living in Dundee (2026)

Dundee is one of the UK’s most affordable student cities — compact, walkable, and regularly cited for its low cost of living. The university describes it as offering the best-value degrees in the UK when tuition, accommodation, travel and living expenses are combined. An indicative monthly budget:

Money-saving tips: live within walking distance of campus and skip transport costs; cook at home; use student discounts across the city’s shops and venues; and work part-time — Student visa holders may work up to 20 hours per week in term time (full-time in vacations), worth roughly £4,000–£6,000 a year at current minimum-wage rates. Dundee is just over an hour from Edinburgh and Aberdeen by road or rail, and 90 minutes from Glasgow, so weekend travel is cheap and easy.

Abertay University Scholarships for International Students

Abertay’s scholarship offer is generous and mostly automatic — awards are assessed from your course application and personal statement, with no separate form for the main awards. Indicative values (verify current terms on the official scholarships pages):

• Abertay International Undergraduate Scholarship — up to £12,000 total (£3,000 per academic year, up to 4 years). For new international undergraduates with strong academic records; awarded automatically on merit. Advanced-entry students joining Year 2 or above are also eligible.
• Principal’s Excellence Scholarship — up to £5,000 per year (up to 4 years). For outstanding new international undergraduate and postgraduate applicants, awarded at the university’s discretion for academic and/or extracurricular achievement; no separate application.
• IB30 Scholarship — up to £5,000 per year. For undergraduate applicants scoring 30+ in the International Baccalaureate.
• International Postgraduate Scholarship — £3,000. For new international postgraduate students with strong academic backgrounds.
• Thorntons Law Scholarship — £1,400. For LLB (Hons) Law students entering Year 3 or 4.
• Chevening Scholarships. Fully funded external awards (tuition, stipend, airfare) for exceptional one-year master’s applicants with leadership potential.

How to maximise your chances: the personal statement does double duty at Abertay — it supports both admission and automatic scholarship assessment, so invest real effort in it, highlighting academic excellence, projects (especially games or coding portfolios), and leadership or community involvement. Apply early, and note that awards are typically confirmed by email after your offer of study.

Campus and Facilities

Abertay’s campus is concentrated on Bell Street in the centre of Dundee (DD1 1HG) — compact, walkable, and minutes from shops, restaurants, rail and bus links. Key facilities:

• CyberQuarter — the £18 million cyber security hub for teaching, research and enterprise collaboration.
• Games labs — PlayStation and Xbox development labs, one of the largest Sony PlayStation teaching facilities in the UK outside Sony itself.
• Specialist labs — forensic investigation suites, £3.5 million science labs, engineering and computing labs, digital media and sound studios.
• Bernard King Library — transformed through a £4 million investment, with digital learning support and 24/7 IT access labs.
• Abertay Student Centre — cafés, lounges and social spaces; plus an on-campus gym and fitness centre.
• Student accommodation — affordable university and private halls within walking distance of campus.

The Students’ Union and Abertay’s societies span gaming, esports, culture and sport, and the university’s small size means genuinely personal support — the TEF panel noted teaching “personalised through small class sizes and integrated student support services.” Dundee itself adds plenty: the V&A Dundee design museum, the McManus galleries, a thriving independent games and creative scene, and the title of Scotland’s sunniest city.

Research at Abertay is deliberately applied and interdisciplinary, organised around real-world challenges. Key strengths include cyber security and digital forensics (anchored by the CyberQuarter), computer games and AI, environmental engineering and water management (through the Urban Water Technology Centre), food science and biotechnology (supported by the Abertay Food Innovation Centre), and psychology and mental health. Close collaboration with industry and government bodies means research feeds directly into teaching — games students learn from staff active in the sector, and food and environmental students work on live innovation projects with commercial partners.

Accommodation Options

Affordable accommodation within walking distance of campus is one of Abertay’s selling points. Indicative costs:

Tips: first-years usually prioritise university halls for simplicity and community. From the second year, shared flats in the city centre or West End offer the best value. Book early, confirm bills inclusion and contract length, and use the university’s accommodation advice rather than unverified listings.

Application Deadlines and Intakes 2026

Abertay’s main intake is September, with a January intake for selected postgraduate programs. Indicative deadlines:

Deadlines are indicative. International applicants should apply 3–6 months before the course start to allow time for offers, scholarship assessment, CAS and the visa process.

How to Apply: Step-by-Step

1. Choose your program. Browse Abertay’s undergraduate and postgraduate course pages; for games and computing, check portfolio or programming prerequisites.
2. Check entry requirements. Match your qualifications (Standard XII 65%+, IB 24+, bachelor’s degree) and English score against the course page.
3. Apply. Undergraduates apply through UCAS (institution code A30); postgraduates apply directly via the university website.
4. Prepare documents. Transcripts and certificates, passport copy, English test results, a strong personal statement (it drives scholarship assessment), and one reference; portfolios for games/design courses.
5. Receive your offer. Conditional or unconditional; scholarship awards (e.g. the £3,000/year International Scholarship) are typically confirmed by email after the offer.
6. Pay your deposit and receive your CAS. Accept the offer, meet conditions, and pay the deposit to trigger CAS issuance.
7. Apply for your Student visa. Apply online with your CAS, financial evidence and immigration health surcharge payment.
8. Arrange accommodation and arrival. Book halls, plan travel to Dundee, and attend welcome week.

UK Student Visa — Key Points

International students need a UK Student visa for full-time degree study in Scotland. Key points for 2026 applicants:

• CAS: issued by Abertay once you accept your offer and meet all conditions.
• Maintenance funds: from January 2025, the Home Office requires £1,136 per month for study outside London (Dundee), for up to 9 months (up to £10,224), plus unpaid first-year tuition. Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days. Confirm current figures on GOV.UK.
• English language: meet the SELT requirement unless exempt.
• Immigration health surcharge: currently £1,035 per year, giving NHS access.
• Work rights: up to 20 hours per week during term time, full-time in vacations.
• Graduate Route: 2 years of post-study work in the UK after your degree (3 years for PhD), with no sponsorship required — particularly valuable for games and tech graduates building portfolios.
• Dependants: since January 2024, taught master’s students generally cannot bring dependants; research postgraduates can.

Immigration rules change — verify current requirements on the official GOV.UK student visa pages before applying.

Notable Alumni

Abertay’s alumni list reads like a credits roll for the games industry. David Jones, founder of DMA Design and creator of Lemmings and the original Grand Theft Auto, is the university’s most famous graduate — and fittingly, GTA itself was born in Dundee. Chris van der Kuyl, chairman of 4J Studios (the team that brought Minecraft to consoles), is also an Abertay graduate. Games alumni in senior industry roles include Grant Campbell (senior producer at Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft), Michael Barclay (game designer at Naughty Dog — Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, The Last of Us Part II), Maria Camenzuli (principal software engineer at Boss Alien), and Chris Bell, co-creator of the esports giant Dota 2. Beyond games, alumni include comedian and actor Rab Florence (BA English, 2000). Recent graduates continue the tradition: Abertay teams and alumni regularly win honours at the TIGA UK Games Education Awards and UK games festivals.

Final Thoughts

Abertay University is a specialist’s choice: if you want to make games, hack ethically, or build a career in applied computing, food science or sport, few universities offer Abertay’s combination of industry heritage, tiny class sizes, TEF Silver-rated teaching and genuinely affordable fees — with automatic scholarships that can cut £12,000 off a degree. Dundee sweetens the deal further as one of Britain’s cheapest and most creative student cities, sitting at the heart of a real games industry cluster.

The trade-off is scale: Abertay is small and specialised, without the sprawling campus or vast course catalogue of a large civic university — and it is frequently confused with the University of Dundee, so be precise in applications and visa paperwork. If Abertay fits your ambitions, invest in a strong personal statement (it drives scholarship awards), prepare a portfolio for games courses, and verify fees, scholarships and deadlines on the official Abertay University website before deciding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Abertay University the same as the University of Dundee?

No — they are separate institutions in the same city. Abertay University (founded 1994, ~4,000 students) is the specialist modern university famous for computer games degrees; the University of Dundee (founded 1967, ~18,000 students) is a larger research-intensive university. Make sure you apply to the right one — Abertay’s UCAS code is A30.

What is Abertay University famous for?

Computer games. Abertay launched the world’s first computer games technology degree in 1997, has won TIGA Game Development University of the Year multiple times, runs one of the UK’s largest PlayStation teaching labs, and counts the creator of Grand Theft Auto among its alumni. It is also well regarded for ethical hacking, cyber security, food science and sport.

What is Abertay University ranked in 2026?

Abertay is ranked #89 in the Complete University Guide 2026, where it is the top Scottish modern university for student satisfaction, research intensity and facilities investment. It holds a TEF Silver rating for teaching excellence, and the National Student Survey 2025 gave it an 82.6% overall satisfaction score.

What are the tuition fees at Abertay University for international students?

Indicative fees: £14,000–£15,500 per year for undergraduate programs and £16,000 for taught postgraduate degrees — among the most affordable in the UK. Automatic scholarships of £3,000–£5,000 per year reduce costs further. Confirm exact fees on the official course pages.

What scholarships can international students get at Abertay?

The International Undergraduate Scholarship offers up to £12,000 total (£3,000/year for up to 4 years, automatic); the Principal’s Excellence Scholarship offers up to £5,000/year; the IB30 Scholarship offers up to £5,000/year for IB students scoring 30+; and there’s a £3,000 International Postgraduate Scholarship. Most are assessed automatically from your application and personal statement — no separate form.

What IELTS score does Abertay require?

IELTS 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5 for most undergraduate and postgraduate courses. TOEFL iBT 78 and PTE Academic 54 are accepted equivalents. Pre-sessional English courses are available if you narrowly miss the requirement.

Can I get into Abertay with a Bangladesh HSC or Indian 12th?

Indian Standard XII applicants typically need 65% or higher. Bangladeshi HSC holders usually need a foundation year or one year of a recognised bachelor’s degree before direct entry — contact admissions for the right pathway.

How much does it cost to live in Dundee as a student?

Budget roughly £900–£1,200 per month including accommodation — one of the lowest totals of any UK university city. A room in a shared flat can cost £350–£500 per month, and most students walk to campus.

Can I work while studying at Abertay?

Yes — Student visa holders may work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time in vacations. After graduation, the UK Graduate Route allows 2 years of unsponsored work in the UK, which is ideal for games and tech graduates building industry experience.

How do I apply to Abertay University?

Undergraduates apply via UCAS (institution code A30); postgraduates apply directly on the university website. You’ll need transcripts, a passport copy, English test results, a strong personal statement (it drives scholarship assessment) and a reference. Apply 3–6 months before your start date to allow time for the CAS and visa.

Sources and Verification

Figures in this article are indicative unless stated as official, and should be verified on the university’s official website before applying. Sources consulted include: Abertay University official website (abertay.ac.uk), including its TEF statement and games-program pages; the Complete University Guide 2026; the National Student Survey 2025 (Office for Students); Wonkhe analysis of Scottish TEF participation; admissionsdirect.com and standyou.com entry-requirement and fee summaries (indicative); universityliving.com scholarship summaries (indicative); and UK Home Office (GOV.UK) student visa guidance. Disclaimer: StudyGraduate is an independent information portal and is not affiliated with Abertay University. Rankings, fees, scholarships and deadlines change each year — always confirm current details on the official university website and GOV.UK before making application or financial decisions.