The Student Room GroupThe Student Room Group

Course name

Find a course

Search, shortlist and compare thousands of courses to find that perfect one.

Search for a course

Personalise your search by expected grades and more.

A-level explorer

See where your A-level subjects will lead you.

Where to study

See what makes a university special and discover where you belong.

0
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland
Image from University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland

(4.2)
29 reviews
Guardian University Guide 2025 ranking
121
128
121

Overview

University of the West of Scotland information
Level of study
Undergraduate 72%Postgraduate 28%
Mode of study
Full-time 0%Part-time 0%
Gender ratio
Female 0%Male 0%Other 0%
Where students come from
International 0%UK 0%
Number of students
16,780
Source: HESA
About University of the West of Scotland

UCAS Code: U40

UWS is among the fastest growing institutions, offering modern, job market relevant degree courses to a wide demographic of students through different learning platforms. The Students' Association is on campus to support, enable and represent all students. It also offers the ultimate recreational and safe spaces in our campuses in Ayr, Hamilton and Paisley.

Source: University of the West of Scotland
Tuition fees at University of the West of Scotland
  • First year tuition fees for UK students range from £1,820 to £9,535 with the most common fee for a course being £9,250.
  • International students pay between £14,500 and £18,000 in the first year, with most courses having a fee of £15,500.
Job prospects

Undergraduate

£23.7k

Average graduate salary

91%

Graduates in work or further study

Postgraduate

84%

Graduates in work or further study

Average graduate salary is determined 12 months after a student graduates from University of the West of Scotland

Graduates in work or further study percentage is determined 15 months after a student graduates from University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland open days

Are you thinking of applying to this university?

Before you do, it's a good idea to go to an open day. You can have a good look around campus, getting a better idea of what it's like to study there. You'll meet current students and staff and get the chance to ask them questions.

Universities will list upcoming open days on their websites. Most will also have virtual open days; these are a great alternative if you really can't get there in person. For tips on preparing for open days, check the advice section here on The Uni Guide.

Courses

Search courses

Here are University of the West of Scotland's top 20 courses, based on UCAS points

144 UCAS points

Accounting

BAcc (Hon) 4 Years full-time 2025

Lanarkshire Campus

135 UCAS points

Accounting

BAcc (Hon) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

120 UCAS points

Community Education

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

120 UCAS points

Midwifery

BSc 3 Years full-time 2025

Lanarkshire Campus

120 UCAS points

Social Work

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Dumfries Campus

114 UCAS points

Business

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

114 UCAS points

Business

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

114 UCAS points

Cyber Security

MEng (Hon) 1-5 Years full-time 2025

Lanarkshire Campus

114 UCAS points

Mechanical Engineering

MEng (Hon) 1-4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

114 UCAS points

Education

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Ayr Campus

114 UCAS points

Business and Human Resource Management (HRM)

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

114 UCAS points

Aircraft Engineering

MEng (Hon) 1-5 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

114 UCAS points

Paramedic Science

BSc 3 Years full-time 2025

Lanarkshire Campus

108 UCAS points

Filmmaking and Screen Writing

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

New College Lanarkshire

108 UCAS points

Business with Human Resource Management (HRM)

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

108 UCAS points

LLB Scots Law

LLB (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

108 UCAS points

Psychology

BSc (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

108 UCAS points

Community Education

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Lanarkshire Campus

108 UCAS points

Social Work

BA (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

108 UCAS points

Collaborative Health and Social Care

BSc (Hons) 4 Years full-time 2025

Paisley Campus

University of the West of Scotland reviews & discussions

(4.2)
Based on 29 reviews from University of the West of Scotland's students and alumni
5 star
41%
4 star
38%
3 star
17%
2 star
3%
1 star
0%
All reviews

Showing 5 reviews

1st year student

We have enough time to complete Assessment and tasks. A lot of group work which makes it easier to get things done rather than working alone. The lecturers are nice and approachable. The course is interesting and we learn a lot.

(4)

2 years ago

Graduate

They course was very interesting, with a few different routes in which you could specialise in/ explore further. I got the chance to pick and choose modules from what I was interested in at that time and had more of a say in my own learning

(4)

2 years ago

1st year student

Four stars: Great

(4)

2 years ago

3rd year student

Three stars: Good

(3)

2 years ago

Foundation year student

THe tutors are excellent and really dedicated. They are all professional photographers and love their subject. One day in person teaching. Online teaching is very flexible, but doesn't encourage discussion among students.

(5)

2 years ago

Undergraduate students were asked to rate University of the West of Scotland on each of the following attributes. You can see their ratings here, along with whether these ratings are high, medium or low in comparison to other universities.

50%

Nightlife

low

46%

Political

low

56%

Creative

low

60%

Sporty

med

58%

Student Union

low

Source: University Student Reviews and Survey

National Student Survey (NSS) scores

The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.

Select an option to see a detailed breakdown

How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?

89%

med

How good are teaching staff at explaining things?

93%

med

How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?

86%

med

How often is the course intellectually stimulating?

84%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?

86%

med

How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?

86%

med

How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?

86%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?

84%

med

To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?

77%

med

How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?

84%

med

How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?

84%

med

How often does feedback help you to improve your work?

76%

med

How often have you received assessment feedback on time?

81%

med

How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?

81%

med

How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?

81%

low

How well have teaching staff supported your learning?

88%

med

How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?

70%

med

How well organised is your course?

62%

low

How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?

77%

med

How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?

88%

med

How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?

84%

med

How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?

67%

med

To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?

85%

med

To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?

79%

med

How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?

70%

med

Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course.

77%

low

How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?

72%

low

Discussions
Mobile phone in hand

University of the West of Scotland socials

Tap these links to go to this university's social media channels

Explore more universities and colleges

Heriot-Watt University

66

Guardian University Guide

(4)

15 reviews

University of Aberdeen

12

Guardian University Guide

(4.1)

50 reviews

University of Strathclyde

17

Guardian University Guide

(4)

42 reviews

University of Glasgow

14

Guardian University Guide

(4.2)

543 reviews

University of Suffolk

Ipswich | Suffolk

99

Guardian University Guide

(4.7)

46 reviews

University of Stirling

94

Guardian University Guide

(4)

19 reviews

Northumbria University, Newcastle

Newcastle-upon-Tyne | Newcastle upon Tyne

38

Guardian University Guide

(4.4)

65 reviews

Robert Gordon University

95

Guardian University Guide

(3.6)

22 reviews

University of Hertfordshire

Hatfield | Hertfordshire

75

Guardian University Guide

(4.2)

87 reviews

London Metropolitan University

London | City of London

93

Guardian University Guide

(3.8)

39 reviews