Sited in western Scotland overlooking the Scottish highlands, the University of Glasgow (estb. 1451) is one of Britain’s oldest and most prestigious education institutions. With an academic heritage spanning six centuries, Glasgow University was recently (2007) ranked in the top 100 universities of the world (and 12th in the UK) by the Times Higher Education Supplement. The university is a member of the elite Russell Group of research-led British universities, and a founding member of the organisation Universitas 21, an international grouping of universities dedicated to setting globally accepted standards for higher education.

With an enrollment of 16,000 undergrad and 4,000 postgrad students in over 100 academic departments across nine faculties, Glasgow is also one of Britain’s largest universities offering a complete range of professional studies including law, medicine, dentistry and engineering, combined with a comprehensive range of academic studies including science, social sciences, ancient and modern languages, literature, and history.

"We are continually developing our work-related learning opportunities and encouraging entrepreneurship: you can get involved in voluntary work, study abroad, become involved in student organisations and societies, and take advantage of a whole range of services which help you build and develop your own particular set of skills," says Sir Muir Russell, principal and vice-chancellor.

Glasgow U has the fourth largest financial endowment — £124 million (Rs.992 crore) — among UK universities. During the past five years, the university has invested £152 million (Rs.1,216 crore) in new facilities and has appointed over 400 new academic staff, including 68 professors, in leading academic areas. Moreover a sum of £300 million has been earmarked for infrastructure upgradation over the next three years.

Glasgow. Scotland’s largest city with a population of 600,000, Glasgow offers students the bustle of a large city as well as picturesque parks and gardens for quiet contemplation. Recently Glasgow was named the second favourite city of the UK, after London, by readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine. Reputed for its Gothic architecture and extensive parklands (there are over 80 public parks in Glasgow), Scotland’s most vibrant city is well-connected by road, rail and air to London and other major cities in the UK and Europe. The city boasts numerous shops ranging from ethnic art to high fashion, many bars and restaurants offering authentic Italian, Chinese, Indian and traditional Scottish fare at prices suitable to most pockets.

The average temperature in summer is 14oC while in the winter months it’s 5oC. Rainfall is common in all seasons and rapid weather changes can take place over a period of a few hours. It’s cold and damp in winter, though severe snowfalls are infrequent.

Campus facilities. One of the oldest universities of the United Kingdom, Glasgow has a compact tree-lined campus surrounded with Victorian/ Gothic buildings in the scenic West End of the city, a site it has occupied since 1870. The major attraction of the Gilmorehill campus is the imposing main university building designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in quintessential Gothic style. Most of the university’s departments are located on the Gilmorehill campus, which hosts over 100 heritage buildings reflecting a vast range of styles. The university’s Garscube campus houses the Vet School and outdoor sports facilities and is just four miles further out of the city. The Crichton campus is located on the outskirts of Dumfries, in south-west Scotland.

The Glasgow University Library, built on 12 levels in 1968, is located beside the Hunterian Art Gallery, the oldest public museum in Scotland. With over 2 million books and journals, the library’s collection covers a plethora of subjects ranging from anatomy to Soviet studies.

Its exotic and scenic locale apart, the university offers an array of sports facilities including a 25-metre heated swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, muscle conditioning and cardiovascular suites, squash courts, all-weather synthetic pitches, grass pitches for football and rugby, cricket oval, tennis courts and extensive walking and jogging routes. There is also a new centre for theatre, film and television with its own cinemas and theatre space.

With two student unions on campus and over 100 clubs including a world famous debating society, student life at Glasgow U is exciting and vibrant. The Glasgow student union’s extension area houses the Hive nightclub and seven bars including its world-famous Beer Bar.

Admission. Applications for admission to the University of Glasgow should be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). For details on how to obtain a UCAS form visit www.ucas.ac.uk. Applications must be submitted to UCAS no later than October 15 for medicine, veterinary medicine, or dentistry degree programmes. For all other programmes, applications should be made by January 15, 2008.

For its undergrad programmes, the minumum eligibility is a Plus Two certificate. To prove proficiency in English, students whose first language is not English must pass TOEFL with a minimum score of 570 or 6.5 in the IELTS test conducted by the British Council. If applicants are still not upto the mark, the university’s English as a Foreign Language unit offers English language courses. Moreover overseas students who don’t have a Plus Two qualification recognised by the university have the option to enroll in the Glasgow International College’s one-year foundation courses.

For further information contact the Central Admissions Service, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. Tel: +44 (0)141-330 2000; E-mail: ug-international@gla.ac.uk: Website: www.gla.ac.uk.

Accommodation. Glasgow University offers housing ranging from halls of residence and student houses to self-contained flats. The five halls of residence and student houses, all located within easy walking distance of the main campus, comprise single or shared bedrooms. Most halls of residence provide meals while student houses are self catering with cooking facilities.

Other university-owned accommo-dation includes university flats in Glasgow city and private housing. The university’s accommodation office assists students in finding private housing.

Degree programmes. As one of the largest universities in Britain, Glasgow University offers a wide variety of undergrad and postgrad degree programmes across nine faculties (see box). The university’s medical school is internationally reputed for academic excellence and was ranked first in The Times Higher Education Supplement’s 2004 ranking of UK university medical departments.