Address: University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering
Founded in 1451, the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. A public research university and member of the Russell Group, with a rich history of innovation.
The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451 by a papal bull of Nicholas V, and it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. It has about 36,000 students and 8,200 staff, and around 30 percent of the students come from abroad. The main campus at Gilmorehill, in the West End of the city, is dominated by the neo-Gothic tower and cloisters designed by George Gilbert Scott in the 1870s. The university moved there from the old High Street site in 1870.
Glasgow was a centre of the Scottish Enlightenment. Adam Smith studied and later taught moral philosophy at the university, and James Watt worked as an instrument maker there, where he was asked to repair a model steam engine, an episode that led to his separate condenser. William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, held the chair of natural philosophy for more than fifty years. Joseph Lister developed antiseptic surgery while professor of surgery at Glasgow in the 1860s.
The Hunterian, founded in 1807 with the bequest of the anatomist William Hunter, is the oldest public museum in Scotland, and it houses scientific collections, art, and a replica of the interior of the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s house. The university offers a broad range of subjects, and it is strong in medicine, veterinary science, life sciences, physics, engineering, law, humanities and social sciences. The Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Conservatoire are separate institutions in the city.
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Scottish students normally pay no tuition fees, while students from the rest of the United Kingdom pay up to about nine and a half thousand pounds a year, and international students pay much higher fees, often between twenty-five and thirty-five thousand pounds depending on the course, and more for medicine. Check the current tariff. Teaching is in English, and many degrees in Scotland last four years.
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, with a lively music and arts scene and lower living costs than Edinburgh or London. The campus is served by the subway at Hillhead, and student housing is available in halls and in the West End.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of Russell Group and Universitas 21. Extensive global research partnerships. Strong links with Scottish industry, NHS, and government.
Research:
World-leading research across a broad range of disciplines, including cancer studies, chronic diseases, quantum technology, precision medicine, and arts & humanities.
Famous Alumnis:
Adam Smith, James Watt, Lord Kelvin, Nicola Sturgeon, Gerard Butler, John Logie Baird
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8200
Current students***:
36000
Foreign students***:
30%
Cumulative former students***:
255000
Pros
Historic and prestigious Russell Group university, strong research output, located in Scotland’s largest city, beautiful campus, wide course choice.
Cons
Large university, some older buildings alongside modern facilities, highly competitive.
Best For
High-achieving students seeking a world-class education at a historic research powerhouse in a dynamic city, with strengths across STEM, medicine, and humanities.
The comparison with The University of Edinburgh is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on physics, life sciences and AI and machine learning, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers robotics and data analytics as well.
The University of Manchester shares the core fields of this university, namely chemistry, physics and life sciences; it covers materials as well, and is slightly larger, at about 46,500 students against roughly 36,000 here.
University of Bristol sits close to this university on chemistry, physics and life sciences; it is also a public institution and does not run the mba programmes found here.
For students who like the chemistry, physics and mathematics focus of this university but want another option nearby, University of Oxford fits well: it does not run the mba programmes found here, and is slightly smaller, at about 26,500 students against roughly 36,000 here.
The comparison with Durham University is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it covers astroscience as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 20,500 students against roughly 36,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For a study option in the United States with a comparable spread of chemistry, physics and life sciences, University of California, Berkeley is the reference point: it covers data analytics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 45,300 students against roughly 36,000 here.
Nanyang Technological University offers an international parallel to this university, with chemistry, physics and mathematics as common ground; it covers materials and data analytics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 37,458 students.
Students considering a move abroad can look at Columbia University in the United States, where physics, life sciences and AI and machine learning also form the core, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers project management and data analytics as well.
Henan University in China shares the chemistry, physics and mathematics orientation of this university, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Trinity College Dublin in Ireland pursues a similar profile in chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it is smaller, enrolling about 19,750 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Glasgow?
The main campus is at Gilmorehill, in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland.
When was it founded?
In 1451, by a papal bull of Nicholas V.
How large is it?
About 36,000 students and 8,200 staff.
Who designed the main building?
George Gilbert Scott, in the 1870s.
Which famous people studied or worked there?
Adam Smith, James Watt, Lord Kelvin and Joseph Lister.
What did Joseph Lister do at Glasgow?
He developed antiseptic surgery while professor of surgery in the 1860s.
What is the Hunterian?
The oldest public museum in Scotland, founded in 1807 with the bequest of the anatomist William Hunter.
What is it known for?
Medicine, veterinary science, life sciences, physics, engineering, law and the humanities.
What does it cost?
Scottish students normally pay no tuition fees. Students from the rest of the United Kingdom pay up to about nine and a half thousand pounds a year, and international fees are much higher. Check the current tariff.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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