How to Apply to Psychology at the University of Glasgow: BSc, MA or MA (SocSci), and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

The University of Glasgow is in Scotland’s largest city. Psychology is taught by the School of Psychology and Neuroscience on the Gilmorehill campus. There are three psychology degrees, all four-year honours degrees and all accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), for single and joint honours. Here is what you need to know for September 2027 entry, based on Glasgow’s official information, for students at high schools in China (including A-level and IB students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Choosing a degree

• Three degrees:
  • Psychology BSc (Hons): UCAS code C800;
  • Psychology MA (Hons): C801;
  • Psychology MA (SocSci) (Hons): C802.
  A Scottish MA is an undergraduate degree. The psychology courses are the same in content and level; the differences are the other subjects you take in Years 1 and 2 and the entry requirements.
• BSc: Year 1 combines psychology with two other subjects, usually sciences such as biology, mathematics, statistics or chemistry, and entry requires two science subjects. Glasgow calls it the most common route, with a fallback: if Year 2 results are not enough for honours psychology, science students can take the three-year designated degree in psychology and then a BPS conversion route elsewhere.
• MA (SocSci): entry requires English and a humanities subject or a language. Common first-year pairings include sociology, politics and business and management.
• MA: entry also requires English and a humanities subject or a language. At least half of your courses in Years 1 and 2 must be Arts courses (not including psychology), such as English language or philosophy, which gives an Arts honours route if needed.
• All three require mathematics; other requirements differ.
• Joint honours: psychology can be combined with computing science, mathematics or statistics (BSc); archaeology, classics, English language and linguistics, French, history, philosophy, music and more (MA); and business and management, economics or sociology (MA (SocSci)), each with its own UCAS code.

2. Where it gets competitive

• First-year entry is limited to 600, with priority for applicants who use a psychology UCAS code. Glasgow stresses that to be considered for honours psychology you must apply with a psychology UCAS code, single or joint.
• Entry to honours at the end of Year 2: to be guaranteed progress to Year 2 and on to honours (Years 3 and 4), you must meet the college requirements and the grade set by the school.
• Years 3 and 4: cognitive, developmental, individual differences, physiological and social psychology, statistical models, psychometrics and qualitative and quantitative projects, then a Year 4 dissertation in a lab (such as eye-tracking or brain imaging) or an applied setting like a school or community partner.
• Study abroad at partner universities is available without extending the degree.

3. Students at high schools in China

• Check the psychology grades first: the degree page shows A-level/IB requirements by country and degree; select China and your degree before applying.
• Gaokao and high school GPA equivalences (from Glasgow’s China page):
  • A*AA: GPA 95% or higher, Gaokao 90%;
  • AAA: GPA 90% or higher, Gaokao 85%;
  • AAB: GPA 85% or higher, Gaokao 80%;
  • ABB: GPA 80% or higher, Gaokao 80%.
• International curricula:
  • Maple Leaf World Schools Program (MLWSP) Diploma: AAA equals five 1.0-credit Grade 12 subjects at 80% including mandatory subjects;
  • the Ontario Secondary School Diploma taught in China is accepted only from the 19 international schools approved by the Ontario Ministry of Education;
  • students with US qualifications (SAT/ACT/AP) should see the USA page.
• Foundation: students who do not meet the academic requirements can take a foundation program at partner Glasgow International College.

4. Students at Canadian high schools

• Equivalences on the Canada page: provincial Grade 12 diplomas with five Grade 12 subjects (six in Quebec and Ontario) or CEGEP at B or better, or an average including relevant subjects of:
  • 85% for A*AA or AAA;
  • 80% for AAB;
  • 75% for ABB;
  • 70% for BBB.
• For BC students: all three degrees require mathematics; the BSc also needs two sciences, while the MA and MA (SocSci) need English and a humanities subject or language. Plan your Grade 12 courses accordingly.

5. Transfer students

• The psychology page does not describe entry from another university into a later year; contact admissions before applying.

6. English requirements

• IELTS Academic: 6.5 with no subtest under 6.0; One Skill Retake is accepted.
• TOEFL (iBT, MyBest or Home Edition): tests up to 20 January 2026 need 90 overall with Reading 20, Listening 19, Speaking 19 and Writing 21; for tests from 21 January 2026 Glasgow lists 92 overall with Reading 22, Listening 20, Speaking 23 and Writing 21.
• Others: PTE Academic 59 (59 in all); Cambridge CAE/CPE 176 (169 in each); Oxford ELLT 7 (6 in each); LanguageCert 70 (60 in each). Tests must be taken within two years and five months of the start date.
• School qualifications: for example IGCSE English First Language at C, IB English A at SL5 or HL5, or English B at SL6 or HL5.
• If you are short: Glasgow’s pre-sessional English courses lead directly to your degree for successful students, with no need to take IELTS.

7. Timeline for September 2027 entry

• 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time: UCAS deadline. Late applications are not considered.
• Many programs wait until after the deadline to review all applications; highly qualified applicants who already meet or are predicted to exceed the requirements may receive offers earlier.
• All qualifications, whether achieved, pending, failed or awaiting results, must be declared on your UCAS application.

8. Tuition and scholarships

• 2027/28 international tuition (expected): £28,275 a year for Arts and Social Sciences programs and £33,708 for Science, Engineering, Nursing and College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences programs. Glasgow’s scholarship table places the Psychology BSc in the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, the MA in the College of Arts and the MA (SocSci) in the College of Social Sciences.
• World Changers Global Excellence Scholarship: for new international and EU undergraduates entering in 2027, assessed automatically once you hold an offer, renewable each year with satisfactory progress.
  • Psychology BSc: £10,000 off tuition each year;
  • Psychology MA and MA (SocSci): £7,000 each year;
  • the guaranteed threshold for all three psychology degrees is AAA at A level or 38 IB points (or local equivalent).

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Check the psychology requirements on the degree page for China; Gaokao around 85% with a 90% GPA equals AAA
• BSc: math plus two sciences; MA and MA (SocSci): math, English and a humanities subject or language
• IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in each, One Skill Retake accepted)
• AAA or IB 38 brings an automatic £7,000 or £10,000 annual scholarship

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Five Grade 12 subjects at B or better, or an 85% average in relevant subjects (equal to AAA)
• Take Grade 12 math, plus two sciences for the BSc

All applicants:

• Apply through UCAS by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time, using a psychology code (C800, C801, C802 or a joint code)
• Transfer students should confirm with admissions whether entry to a later year is possible

Sources: University of Glasgow, Psychology degree page; Admissions guidance; China entry requirements; Canada entry requirements; International tuition fees; World Changers Global Excellence Scholarship. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check the University of Glasgow for the latest details.