How To Apply

Most of our undergraduate programmes use the UCAS system for applications. All UCAS applications must be made online.

Deadlines

UCAS applications can be made between 1st September and normally 15th January preceding the September when you wish to commence your studies (or the better part of two years in advance if applying for deferred entry to have a 'year out').

There is an earlier closing date of 15th October for applications to Medicine or Dentistry.

To ensure our selection is transparent, consistent and fair you may not receive a decision from us until after the 1st February. This is to ensure we consider all applications equally that apply by the UCAS deadline.

UCAS EXTRA starts in February 2013, you can find out more and check our EXTRA vacancies on our UCAS EXTRA webpage.

Exceptions

The main exceptions to UCAS are:

Information about UCAS

The UCAS website gives full information about completing your application. UCAStv has a range of "how to" video guides, including How to Apply (right).

We have picked out a few helpful videos for you:

How we process your application

It is important for us to understand your motivation for the course you wish to study and for selecting the University of Dundee.

We use to help us:

your UCAS application form,
your personal statement,
references,
any work experience,
your examination results,
interviews,
knowledge of the course of study and of the university.

Evidence of work experience is needed for some courses to demonstrate that you have taken steps to find out about the profession they hope to enter.

Additional information about applying to specific courses can be found on individual course webpages.

The individual course webpages and the printed prospectus state the typical minimum academic entry requirements, required at first examination sitting, for consideration of your application. You may receive a higher offer if you have not met these requirements in one sitting or if we receive a higher than expected number of applications for a particular course.

The following table shows the most popular qualifications taken by our applicants, and the grades we accept as passes:

Examination Board	Qualification	Pass Grades
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)	Advanced Higher (AH)	A-C
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)	Higher (H)	A-C
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)	Intermediate 2 (Int2)	A-C
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)	Standard Grade (SG)	1-3
General Certificate of Education (GCE)	A Level (A-L)	A-E
General Certificate of Education (GCE)	AS Level (AS)	A-E
General Certificate of Education (GCE)	GCSE	A-C
Irish Leaving Certificate (ILC)	Higher Level (H)	A-C
Irish Leaving Certificate (ILC)	Ordinary Level (Ord)	A-C
International Baccalaureate (IB)	Higher Level (HL)	4-7
International Baccalaureate (IB)	Standard Level (SL)	4-7

Throughout the selection process, all decisions will involve a minimum of two staff members. This includes invites to interview and offer decisions.

The majority of courses do not interview but give successful applicants (those receiving an offer of admission) the opportunity to find out more on a Post-Application Visit.

Contextual Data

The University recognises that applicants come from a variety of different backgrounds and have not all had the same opportunities to realise their academic potential. The selection process will therefore take account of a range of additional factors or contextual data. The University will therefore consider circumstances where an applicant:

attends a low progression school where a relatively small number of students go on to higher education or where the number and level of examination passes is below average,
resides in an area which has been identified by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, as an area of deprivation,
has been in care,
is the first in family to attend university

The University will also take into account where such applicants have actively sought to enhance their academic profile by participating in a recognised access programme, such as Lift Off (Tayside) or alternative regional initiatives. This will include access to the professions, such as REACH and ACES or participation in a recognised summer school or similar.

Furthermore, the University will give particular consideration to applicants who have experienced serious disruption to education or disadvantage, such as illness or personal adversity. Notwithstanding this, applicants have a responsibility to ensure that any such circumstances have already been taken into account by the appropriate.

Interviews, Portfolios & Selection Tests

The undergraduate courses which require an interview at the University of Dundee are:

Architecture
Dentistry
Digital Interaction Design (& portfolio)
Primary Education
Forensic Anthropology
Medicine
Nursing
Oral Health Sciences
Product Design (& selection test)

The undergraduate courses which require a selection test at the University of Dundee are:

Community Learning & Development
Product Design (& interview)
Social Work

The undergraduate courses which require a portfolio at the University of Dundee are:

Animation
Art & Design (General Foundation)
Art, Philosophy, Contemporary Practices
Design
Digital Interaction Design (& interview)
Fine Art
Illustration
Time Based Art & Digital Film

The above courses require this additional round of selection to help determine your suitability. Each course runs an individual interview or selection programme, so there are no set dates or times for interviews or tests, but generally they take place between January and April. If there are dates when you are unavailable for interview (e.g. due to examinations) you can mark these in the appropriate space on your UCAS application.

If you are applying to a course that requires an interview, portfolio or selection test we will provide guidance of what is expected of you once we have made our initial assessment after the UCAS deadline.

Our Decision

UCAS allows our admissions tutors to make three types of offers of admission:

Unconditional Offer - if you have already obtained the necessary entry qualifications.
Conditional Offer - if you still need to obtain the passes/grades specified in the offer, in examinations still to be taken, to secure entry. If you obtain these passes, your offer will change to become an unconditional offer, meaning you definitely have a place. To secure a place in 2011, all conditions of an offer must be met by 31 August 2011. This date refers also to applicants who have deferred their entry to 2012.
Rejection - if you are not suitably qualified.

If you decide to accept our offer, then you may find our Pre-Arrival webpages useful.

If you apply for Level 2 or Level 3 entry to a course but you do not meet the conditions of the offer, you will not be automatically considered for entry to a lower Level of entry as there may no longer be vacancies.

Examination Board Appeals

Candidates who do not do as well as expected in examinations and therefore do not meet the specifics of the UCAS offer that the University sets, may consider submitting an appeal to their exam board. The University will reconsider the decision of any applicant successful in their appeal who then have the qualifications required to meet the offer set.

The final date for submitted details of the appeal to the University is 31 August 2011. If vacancies are still available on the programme we will accept the applicant onto the course. If no vacancies are available for 2011 entry, we will offer the candidate an Unconditional offer for a deferred place commencing in September 2012.