International Stage One (IS1)

The IS1 is the equivalent to the first year of a four-year Scottish undergraduate degree. This programme is designed to help you develop your academic knowledge and skills within your subject area. You will also focus on improving your English academic literacy in preparation for continuing onto your chosen University of Dundee undergraduate degree. Typically studied across three terms, you will continue straight onto Year two* of your degree course at the University once you have successfully completed your IS1. For Business, Computing, Life and Biomedical Sciences and Nursing, two term ‘accelerated’ options are available for students with higher English language levels.

Your IS1 journey at ICD
Pathways
Depending on your chosen undergraduate degree, you will study subject-specific modules which relate to your degree course. You can choose a specialist pathway in the following subjects:
IS1 Continuation Degrees
When you apply to International College Dundee you make your continuation degree choice from a wide selection of well-regarded academic routes.
View our full list of continuation degrees
Core modules
As well as modules unique to your specific route, you will also study several core modules common to each course. The core modules vary for the three term and two term course options.
For the three term IS1 the following core modules are studied:
For the two term IS1 the following core modules are studied:
Course start dates
Flexible enrolment dates with robust catch-up plans in place to support students who might experience travel delays.
IS1 (3 term) | Apr-25* | Sep-25 | Nov-25 | Jan-26 | Apr-26* |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
IS1 Course Start | 7 April 2025 | 29 September 2025 | 10 November 2025 | 12 January 2026 | 30 March 2026 |
Last Enrolment Date | 28 April 2025 | 20 October 2025 | 17 November 2025 | 2 February 2026 | 20 April 2026 |
IS1 End Date | 19 December 2025 | 19 June 2026 | 4 September 2026 | 4 September 2026 | TBC |
University Start of Teaching | 19 January 2026 | 21 September 2026 | 21 September 2026 | 21 September 2026 | 18 January 2027 |
* April start date only available for IS1 (3 term) Business
IS1 (2 term) | April-25 | January-26 | April-26 |
---|---|---|---|
Course start | 7 April 2025 | 12 January 2026 | 30 March 2026 |
Last Enrolment Date | 21 April 2025 | 26 January 2026 | 13 April 2026 |
IS1 End Date | 22 August 2025 | 19 June 2026 | 4 September 2026 |
University Start of Teaching | 22 September 2025 | 21 September 2026 | 21 September 2026 |
*Preparation for Jan-25 intake for IS1 Accelerated Two Term
Entry Requirements
Course | Academic Requirements | English Language Requirements |
---|---|---|
IS1 (2 term) | High school diploma or equivalent from your home country | IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 (6.0 in Writing) |
IS1 (3 term) | High school diploma or equivalent from your home country | IELTS 5.5 with no less than 5.5 |
Pre-Sessional English (PSE) options delivered online by Oxford International Education Group are also available for interested applicants who don’t meet the minimum English language requirements as detailed below:
Course | Academic Requirements | English Language Requirements |
---|---|---|
IS1 + 6 week PSE | High school diploma or equivalent from your home country | IELTS 5.0 with no less than 4.5 |
IS1 + 12 week PSE | High school diploma or equivalent from your home country | IELTS 4.5 with no less than 4.0 |
Full details on Entry Requirements can be found on the ICD Entry Requirements page.

Faye from India IS1 Life and Biomedical Sciences