Glasgow Caledonian University

Glasgow Caledonian University

Age: 17, as a university

History: Formed in 1993 out of a marriage between Glasgow Poly and the Queen's College.

Address: Right in the centre of Glasgow.

Ambience: A modern city centre campus, right in the thick of the city's hustle and bustle. Most students come from the local area and many are mature. Recent investment of over £50m has upgraded the campus to include the state of the art Saltire Centre, which houses the university library and a range of innovative learning spaces, including 1,800 study spaces.

Vital statistics: A modern university with more than 10,000 full-time undergraduates. More than a quarter of students come from non-traditional backgrounds. Trains one in five of Scotland's nurses and healthcare professionals.

Added value: The biggest business school in Scotland and a new games technology lab. Has flexible credit accumulation and transfer based on the American model, which is good news for adult learners. Close links with employers and professions, and with many FE colleges (to allow students to transfer onto specially designed programmes). Many of the courses include work placement opportunities.

Easy to get into? Varies between courses and does not use the UCAS points system. A typical offer for an undergraduate course is BCC at A-level (or BBBC at Scottish Highers).

Glittering alumni: Stewart Maxwell, former Scottish executive minister for communities and sport; Cathy Jamieson, former Scottish executive justice minister; Andy Kerr, former Scottish executive health minister; Rhona Martin OBE, Olympic gold medallist in curling; Louise White, TV presenter; Heather Suttie, XFM Scotland DJ.

Transport links: Good access for trains and buses, as well as Glasgow airport.

Who's the boss? Professor Pamela Gillies is principal and vice-chancellor.

Teaching: 71st out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Research: 85th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise.

Overall ranking: Came 77th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: The bright lights of Glasgow offer many a delight.

Any accommodation? Yes – it's between £86 and £99 per week for a room in halls.

Cheap to live there? Pretty inexpensive – you'll be paying around £65 per week for a private rental – but many students still choose to live at home.

Sports Ranking: 77th in the BUCS league table.

Fees: Scottish and EU students do not have to pay any fees. Students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales are charged a standard Scottish tuition fee, which for 2011/2012 is £1,820 per year. Fees for 2012/2013 are yet to be decided, but it is expected they will rise by the rate of inflation.

Bursaries: A number of scholarships based on subject, excellence and background are available. See the website for details.

Prospectus: 0141 331 3000; www.caledonian.ac.uk

UCAS code: G42