Abertay Dundee University - In Depth

Founded: 1888 as Dundee Technical Institute; university status from 1994.

Site: City centre; all buildings within 5 minutes' walk.

How to get there: Close to bus and rail stations (good road and rail connections; daily flights from London).

Academic features: All courses have strong vocational bias, communications and IT; many have supervised work placements. Small class sizes. Courses in forensic sciences and sport.

Special features: Good staff links with commerce and industry. International centre for computing & virtual entertainment.

Awarding body: Abertay Dundee University.

Main undergraduate awards: BA, BSc.

Length of courses: 4 years (Hons), 3 years (ordinary degrees).

Library & information services: Purpose-built library: 140,000 volumes, 500+ journals and periodicals, 700 study places (50% with PC and internet). Annual expenditure on information provision, £100 per (FTE) student. IT and library services converged. 1000+ PCs with access to library and internet (ratio 1:4 workstations to students), open 13 hours/day. IT support from help desk 9 hours/day. Module for all new students on using eg databases, spreadsheets, internet and wordprocessor; some evening and weekend classes also available on IT skills.

Other learning facilities: Audio-visual laboratories, self-access language centre; bibliographic and full text databases. Study skills courses.

Specialist collections: Faculty of Procurators' legal collection.

Study abroad: Most courses have opportunity to study abroad in Europe, Japan or America.

Careers: Information, advice and placement service.

Student advice & services: 4 part-time counsellors; advisers for international students and those with disabilities; student health adviser; information on childcare; health and money advice. Chaplaincy centre for all faiths (full-time chaplain plus associate chaplains; Christian Union; room for Muslim prayers).

Amenities: Bar, laundrette, etc in Student Association building.

Sporting facilities: SA sports hall and gym; access to all city sporting facilities including swimming pools and astroturf pitches.

Accommodation: 20% of all students in university accommodation - all first years who apply by deadline (1 September). Single rooms in self-catering flats for first years, £39-£65 per week, Sept-May; ensuite rooms for other students.

Privately owned accommodation: rents £40-£60 pw for self-catering or B&B, £50-£70 for half-board.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £4500 pa (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university.

Term-time work: University does not discourage students from part-time work, as long as it does not affect their studies. Student employment centre (SCOPE) helps students find part-time work.

Financial help: £337,000 government funds. Scholarships for overseas students, and elite athletes; fee waiver for part-time students on state benefits. Apply for help to Student Finance Adviser.

Tuition fees: Scottish and EU students pay no fees during course; other UK home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005). International students pay £7250 pa.