International

International and European Students

As one of the leading Art Schools in the UK, The Glasgow School of Art welcomes international students to all of its programmes. The School offers an environment in which difference is encouraged and diversity of background and approach is valued.

International students at the School come from over 79 countries, ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Each year we welcome around 500 students from outside the UK, each, in their turn, further contribute to the international dimension of the learning experience at the GSA, where international students make up over a quarter of our student population.

As a relatively small institution, and one that is very focused, we are a creative community, situated in the centre of the city of Glasgow. Students are encouraged to engage with Glasgow which becomes more than just the city in which to live. It becomes a source of both inspiration and research. Glasgow is home to over 80,000 students at its 5 institutions of higher education, which might explain why it's been voted Britain's best student city. International students will find Glaswegians friendly, and the city is renowned for offering a warm welcome.

Orientation

All new students, full-time, visiting and exchange will be invited to take part in a series of activities during the first weeks of the semester designed to provide you with enough information to pursue your studies. You will be able to access details of this through the Pre-Enrolment Gateway. You will be sent details of how to access this usually from June onwards before your programme starts in September.

You will be inducted into your department, which will involve you being shown the relevant health and safety procedures and finding out what your programme of study entails. It will be explained to you how you will be assessed and examined and a tour of the facilities will be central to the induction.

Accommodation

If you are looking accommodation you should contact the GSA welfare team as soon as possible and staff will offer you as much assistance as possible. You can read find out more on our accommodation pages here.

Entry Requirements

‍Undergraduate‍

Most of our programmes require a digital portfolio of your work. More guidance on this can be found within the Application Guidelines for each programme on the individual programme page. We accept a range of qualifications - including the national curriculum in the majority of countries. For guidance, theInternational Baccalaureate Diploma entry requirements are 30 points overall, with 18 at Higher Level including Visual Arts or Design Technology subjects at Higher Level (For Architecture this must also include Maths or Physics).

Postgraduate

Students who have graduated with a Bachelors degree can be considered for a Masters degree. Students must have a minimum GPA score of 3.0. Applicant guidelines for each programme can be found on the individual programme page.

English Language Requirement

‍The Glasgow School of Art expects all students to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. For international students required to evidence their English language proficiency, the GSA’s preferred test is theIELTS for UKVI (Academic) test taken at a UKVI approved test centre. A full list of other tests that may be presented can be found here. A full list of UKVI approved test centres can be found here.

English For Creative Disciplines

To apply for the Pre-Sessional English for Creative Disciplines course, students must have a conditional offer for any GSA programme which requires them to improve their language skills up to a level required by the prospective programme. These requirements will be different for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and so they affect the entry requirements for the Pre-Sessional course.

An application form can be found here. To submit an application or for further information please contact pre-sessional@gsa.ac.uk.

Student Visa Requirements

Students from outside of the UK and Ireland planning to study at GSA for more than 6 months may need to apply for a UKStudent Visa to live and study in the UK.

GSA’s Guide to Applying for a UK Student Visa information is in the video below.

• The UK Government have added a small increase to the visa application fee,
• Some students will not receive a BRP (visa card) but instead will be provided with a digital immigration status (eVisa), which can be used to view and prove your immigration status online,
• Students are no longer required to registry with the Police,
• There are currently no Covid-19 related travel/quarantine restriction in the UK
• The UK Government have announced that the Immigration Health Surcharge will be increasing to £776 per year for students.  An implementation date for this increase has not yet been announced.

Full details can be found in GSA’s Guide to Applying for a UK Visa. The UK Government have produced a short introductory guide to applying for a UK Visa here.

HOST UK

GSA is a partner organisation with HOST UK.  HOST UK is a charity, supported by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and many universities. They offer international students the opportunity to be guests in the homes of approved hosts all over the UK in order to promote international friendship and cultural exchange.

Spend a weekend in a UK home and experience true British culture for yourself. Meet new people, learn about the country, and immerse yourself in a different culture. For further information please visit www.hostuk.org. 

UK Agent Quality Framework

The Glasgow School of Art is proud to be a signatory to the UK Agent Quality Framework (AQF). Jointly led by the BritishCouncil, British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA), UKCouncil for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), and Universities UKInternational (UUKI), the AQF has been put in place following extensive research with students, education providers, education advisers and agents. The framework is designed to enhance, promote, and share best practice between the UK education sector and agents for assisting students in their applicant and learner journey. Embodied within the AQF is the NationalCode of Ethical Practice for UK Education Agents.

 If you wish to use an agent in assisting you with your application to GSA then we strongly recommend using the StudentGuide to Choosing an Agent when making your decision on which agent to use. A full list of British Council certified agents can be found here.

If you have a complaint about an agent we use please notify us by following our complaints procedure here.

Our Agents‍

The Glasgow School of Art works with a range of approved agents that help applicants select the most suitable institution and degree programme including providing assistance with their application. Full list of the agents we work with are in the International agents list below.