Studying
Art & Design
in Glasgow
There is a growing
trend for students to spend all or part of their studies
at overseas higher education institutions. Experiencing
different cultures and different methods of teaching can
be extremely beneficial for all students, particularly for
artists, designers and architects
The
City of Glasgow is the largest in Scotland, but despite
its size it is often considered the friendliest of cities.
There is a large and varied student population attending
courses at the five higher education institutions in Glasgow.
Many students who come here for a short period of study
decide to stay, for a full year, full 4-year degree or to
work when their studies have finished.
Acclaimed
for fashion, shopping and nightlife Glasgow also offers
a truly rich diversity of provision in the arts and has
a flourishing, exciting and active arts community. Tramway,
which is one of the largest and most innovative art spaces
in the UK, has regular contemporary art exhibitions and
live events. The Centre for contemporary Arts (CCA) on Sauchiehall
Street has a year round programme of exhibitions, events
and discussions and is currently undergoing a large scal
investment and expansion. Transmission Gallery, an artist-run
space at the forefront of developments in contemporary art,
is also based in Glasgow.
The
weather in Glasgow is infamously wet and unpredictable.
It can change dramatically over a period of just a few hours.
It can rain at any time of the year and rainfall is often
heavy and persistent, however, extremes of heat or cold
are infrequent and usually of short duration. When the weather
is better, there are lots of opportunities for outdoor activity.
Although Glasgow is Scotland’s biggest city, the countryside
is never out of reach with many country parks in and around
the city and the 
mountains
of the Highlands less that one hour away.
We
would recommend allowing $19,500 for a single student per
year, inclusive of tuition fees, accommodation and subsistance.
Art, Design and Architecture students need to remember to
find out about and budget for material costs, which can
vary considerably depending on your course. Also remember
that you need to budget for airfares home and for any travel
you may wish to do while you are in Scotland.
If
committing yourself to 4 years study in Scotland seems a
daunting prospect, a place as a visiting student could be
the answer. Visiting students normally stay for 1 term or
a full year. You have to pay tuition fees according to the
length of time you stay and you must be able to cover your
living expenses including transportation, materials, accommodation
and health insurance.
All
international students whose mother tongue is other than
English have to provide evidence of their ability to follow
their studies in English before they are offered a place
to study at any institution in the UK. This normally means
you have to attain 
a
score of at least 550 on the TOEFL scale or 6.0 on the IELTS
scale. The English as a Foreign Language Unit at the University
of Glasgow offers pre-sessional courses of 12, 8 or 4 weeks
(normally July - September) designed for students commencing
their studies in September/October of the same year.
EEA
nationals are free to take employment without requiring
a work permit. If you are a non-EEA national you may have
a restriction stamped on your passport. However, since the
summer of 1999, all full time students can take part-time
employment of up to 20 hours a week. This cannot be taken
into account when assessing if you have sufficient funds
to cover the cost of your studies in Glasgow. Students studying
under 6 months will not be able to take up part-time work
if they have a restricted stamp in their passport unless
they register an interest to do so as they clear immigration.
It is best not to rely on the possibility of finding part-time
work to supplement your studies.
Whether your
chosen course is Fine Art, Design or Architecture, you can
be sure that your time in Glasgow will be busy, lively and
invigorating.
Contributed
by: Ian Thomson,
International Officer, Glasgow School of Art
