A student in a navy quilted jacket stands on a riverside path beside a granite campus wall in Aberdeen, heading to Robert Gordon University.

Robert Gordon University for International Students: Fees and Entry

UK
November 01, 2026

TL;DR: Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen, Scotland, charges international students about £17,000 to £21,100 a year in 2026/27, and takes £3,000 off international master's fees automatically. It has September and January intakes. For January 2027, applications close at 12:00 PM UK time on 6 November 2026, and all offer conditions, including the deposit, must be met by 12:00 PM on 20 November 2026.

Robert Gordon University is a career-focused university in north-east Scotland, known for courses in energy, computing, health and business. If you are weighing a Scottish university for a master's, the fees, the fee reduction and the January dates below are what you need to plan around. To see whether your degree meets RGU's entry rules, check your eligibility with Prosper.

What does Robert Gordon University offer international students?

Robert Gordon University is a public university in Aberdeen. All teaching is at its riverside Garthdee campus, which the university says has seen £120 million of investment. RGU has about 18,000 students from more than 150 countries.

International students often look at RGU for:

  • Energy and engineering, such as the MSc Oil and Gas Engineering.
  • Computing and data, such as the MSc Data Science and BSc Software Development.
  • Business, such as the MSc International Business Management and MSc Business Analytics.
  • Nursing and health, such as the BSc Nursing (Adult).

Scotland has its own way of doing things, from four-year honours degrees to the cost of living in a smaller city. Our guide to studying in Scotland explains the differences.

Robert Gordon University fees for international students

RGU publishes the fee on each course page. These are full-time, on-campus 2026/27 fees:

Course Length International fee (2026/27)
MSc Oil and Gas Engineering 12 months (September) or 16 months (January) £20,210
MSc Data Science 12 months (September) or 17 months (January) £21,090
MSc International Business Management 12 months, or with a placement year £18,760 (plus £6,400 for the placement year)
MSc Business Analytics 12 months £18,030
BSc (Hons) Software Development 4 years £18,940 a year
BSc Nursing (Adult) 3 years £17,080 a year

Fees for 2027/28 had not been published when we checked. Our guide to UK tuition fees for international students shows how these compare.

Robert Gordon University scholarships and fee reductions

  • International master's fee reduction: £3,000 off, applied automatically, for international students from all countries.
  • International undergraduate fee reduction: £2,000 off each year for self-funded students starting year 1 in September.
  • Merit-based scholarship for master's students: £8,000 off for applicants with a first-class degree or equivalent, for September 2027 entry. The deadline is 1 June 2027.
  • Early deposit award: an extra £500 for January 2027 entrants from listed countries who pay the deposit by 13 November 2026.

Check your eligibility ›

Robert Gordon University entry requirements and English scores

Postgraduate: normally a 2:2 honours degree or equivalent in any subject. Lower grades, or relevant work experience, are considered case by case. If you do not meet direct entry, the International College Robert Gordon University (ICRGU) on campus runs a pre-master's route into RGU. Undergraduate: applications are assessed individually. Students without a recognised international high school qualification take a pathway at ICRGU first, and HND or associate degree holders may get advanced entry.

Level IELTS PTE Academic
Undergraduate 6.0 overall, 5.5 in each part 61 overall, 59 in each part
Postgraduate taught 6.5 overall, 5.5 in each part 65 overall, 59 in each part (test centre only)
BSc Nursing 7.0 overall, 6.5 in writing See course page

Some master's course pages, including Data Science, list IELTS 6.0, which is lower than the general postgraduate rule. Always follow the course page for your programme. For the UKVI version of the test, see our guide to IELTS for UKVI vs IELTS Academic.

Robert Gordon University intakes and deadlines

RGU's main intakes are September and January, with a few courses starting in other months.

  1. Apply by 12:00 PM UK time on 6 November 2026 for January 2027.
  2. Pay the deposit shown on your offer letter. RGU issues a CAS only after the deposit is paid.
  3. Meet every offer condition by 12:00 PM UK time on 20 November 2026.
  4. Receive your CAS and apply for the UK student visa.

September 2027 deadlines are marked "to be confirmed". The deposit is normally refunded only if you are refused a visa, and it is lost if you arrive and then switch to another institution. Read our guide to the CAS for what happens next.

Applying from Sri Lanka

RGU publishes a Sri Lanka country page. Most undergraduate courses ask for IELTS 6.0 and most postgraduate courses 6.5. RGU also works with the Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT) in Colombo, whose students can enter RGU degrees in year 2, 3 or 4.

Sri Lanka is on the list of countries for the £500 early deposit award for January 2027. Because the deadlines are close, prepare your degree certificate, transcripts, English test result and bank evidence now. You will also need the TB test at the IOM clinic in Colombo and funds held for 28 days before the visa application.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Robert Gordon University?

Robert Gordon University is in Aberdeen, in north-east Scotland. All teaching is at the riverside Garthdee campus.

How much are Robert Gordon University fees for international students?

Robert Gordon University's 2026/27 international fees run from about £17,080 a year for BSc Nursing (Adult) to £21,090 for the MSc Data Science. International master's students get £3,000 off automatically.

What is the Robert Gordon University January intake deadline?

For January 2027, Robert Gordon University's application deadline is 12:00 PM UK time on 6 November 2026. All offer conditions, including the deposit, must be met by 12:00 PM UK time on 20 November 2026.

What IELTS score does Robert Gordon University need?

Robert Gordon University asks for IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each part for most undergraduate courses, and 6.5 with 5.5 in each part for most taught master's courses. Some master's course pages list 6.0, so check your course.

Does Robert Gordon University accept a 2:2 degree?

Yes. Robert Gordon University normally asks for a 2:2 honours degree or equivalent for taught master's courses, in any subject, and considers lower grades with work experience case by case.

PS: With the January deadline on 6 November, the order of your documents matters more than usual. Check your eligibility with Prosper and we will tell you whether January or September is the realistic start for you.

Check your eligibility ›

References

  1. International students, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/international-students (accessed 01/11/2026)
  2. Garthdee campus, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/life-at-rgu/garthdee-campus (accessed 01/11/2026)
  3. Application deadlines and course closures, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/application-deadlines-course-closures (accessed 01/11/2026)
  4. Sri Lanka country page, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/international-students/your-country-or-territory/sri-lanka (accessed 01/11/2026)
  5. Postgraduate taught English requirements, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-language-requirements/postgraduate-taught-study-accepted-english-qualifications (accessed 01/11/2026)
  6. Undergraduate English requirements, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-language-requirements/undergraduate-study-accepted-english-qualifications (accessed 01/11/2026)
  7. International student fee reduction for master's students, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/finance-funding/funding-and-scholarships/2279-rgu-international-student-discount-for-master-s-students (accessed 01/11/2026)
  8. Early deposit payment award, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/finance-funding/funding-and-scholarships/rgu-early-deposit-payment-discount (accessed 01/11/2026)
  9. Merit-based scholarship for master's students, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/finance-funding/funding-and-scholarships/rgu-international-merit-based-scholarship-for-masters-students (accessed 01/11/2026)
  10. After you apply (deposit and CAS), Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/international-students/after-you-apply (accessed 01/11/2026)
  11. MSc Data Science course page, Robert Gordon University, https://www.rgu.ac.uk/study/courses/pgcert-pgdip-msc-data-science (accessed 01/11/2026)

Team Prosper

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Team Prosper
Team Prosper|Editorial Team
Team Prosper is the editorial desk at Prosper Global Education, the Colombo-based study abroad consultancy co-founded in 2023 by Lasantha Jayawardena and Sandeepani Wickramasinghe. Articles carry this byline when they report a policy update, a university announcement, or an intake change, rather than draw on either founder's first-hand experience of guiding students. The desk links to the primary government or university source behind every factual claim, and says plainly when a rule is still changing or a detail has not yet been confirmed. Requirements move, and an article that pretends otherwise is worth less than one that tells you what is settled and what is not. For guidance on a specific application, Prosper's counsellors work directly with students and families from the Colombo office.
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