What support can you expect?

SIMD stands for the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. It is a relative measure of deprivation across area data zones in Scotland. You can find out more about the measure on the Scottish Government webpages. The University of Aberdeen is fully committed to supporting students from SIMD20 Postcode areas, including providing free accommodation for your first year of study!

You can check if your home postcode is in a SIMD 20 (Quintile 1) area using our postcode checker tool. 

If you have any difficulties in determining if your postcode is in a SIMD 20 (Quintile 1) area please contact the University’s Access & Articulation Team. 

At the University of Aberdeen we can offer you a range of support during the application process and during your studies, such as: 

• Support through Access Aberdeen 

• Consideration under the University's Contextualised Admissions and Access Thresholds Policy

• Specific guidance on entrance requirements;

• Visits to our campus;

• Advice on financial support, including help with filling out funding applications.

• Free Accommodation for your first year of study!

At the University of Aberdeen we can offer you a range of support during the application process and during your studies, such as: 

• Support through Access Aberdeen

• Consideration under the University's Contextualised Admissions and Access Thresholds Policy

• Specific guidance on entrance requirements;

• Visits to our campus;

• Advice on financial support, including help with filling out funding applications.

We recognise that committing to University study when on a tight budget may be worrying, therefore we want to make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. The link below gives advice on finance and funding and we also have a dedicated guide with more information.  Further Information 

Check out our Finance and Funding guide for more tailored information.

As a corporate parent the University of Aberdeen is fully committed to supporting Care Experienced applicants and students. Anyone who is care experienced or has been looked after by a local authority is especially welcome to apply to us. 

"The term care-experienced refers to anyone who has been or is currently in care or from a looked-after background at any stage in their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked-after. This care may have been provided in a one of many different settings such as in residential care, foster care, kinship care, or through being looked-after at home with a supervision requirement" Scottish Funding Council 

The University of Aberdeen is proud to have achieved the Buttle UK Quality Mark for Care Leavers in recognition of its commitment to care experienced young people. The University provides a range of support mechanisms and services which can be tailored to meet the needs of individual care experienced students.

Support offered to Care Experienced students includes:

• Pre-entry: Applicants with experience of care are eligible to support through Access Aberdeen and Reach. We would be delighted to provide tailored support and guidance to care experienced students, for example advice on entry requirements and pathways, funding, and accommodation. 

• Admissions: Guaranteed offer of admission to care experienced applicants who meet the minimum entry requirements, or guaranteed interview for courses requiring an interview or audition. Applicants with experience of care will be considered under the University's Contextualised Admissions and Access Thresholds Policy

• Accommodation: The University offers year round accommodation to students who are Care Experienced. Care experienced students can also apply for the University's Rental Guarantor Scheme should they wish to rent from a private landlord. 

• Financial assistance: Care experienced students are eligible to apply for a range of scholarship opportunities. Care experienced undergraduate students can also apply for a funding package from SAAS which includes a non-income assessed Care Experienced Students Bursary. 

• Transition Support: Access to bespoke online transition courses developed to help boost confidence when starting university. 

• Advice and Support Office: The University’s Support and Advice Office offers impartial and confidential advice and support on a range of issues, including finance, disability support and more.

Should you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated points of contact Sally Middleton at accessaberdeen@abdn.ac.uk

If you are estranged from your family the University of Aberdeen can provide you with support before you apply, during the application process, and whilst you are studying with us. 

Estranged students live without support from their family due to a breakdown in their relationship. We can support students who have no contact with their family in a number of ways. These include:

• Access to pre entry support from Access Aberdeen and Reach Aberdeen
• Advice and guidance on applying to University, personal statements, and the UCAS process 
• Guidance on finance and funding 
• Access to Student Advice and Support Services 
• Year round accommodation contracts in University Halls of Residence
• Access to the University's Rental Guarantor Scheme if you choose to rent with a private landlord 
• Support with applying for bursaries and scholarships
• One-to-one meetings with a dedicated point of contact, (virtually) 
• Signposting to a range of services and support both within and external to the University. 

Should you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated points of contact Anna Johnston at accessaberdeen@abdn.ac.uk

In this vlog current student, Samuel Munyeza, shares his experience of coming to university as an estranged student, discussing the obstacles he had to overcome and the support available to him.

The University of Aberdeen is fully committed to supporting Student Carers. According to the Carers Trust:

"A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support".

At the University of Aberdeen we can offer you a range of support during the application process and during your studies, such as: 

• Support through Access Aberdeen and Reach. 

• Consideration under the University's Contextualised Admissions and Access Thresholds Policy

• Specific guidance on entrance requirements;

• Visits to our campus;

• Advice on financial support, including help with filling out funding applications. For more information check Finance and Funding page;

• Access to the University's Rental Guarantor scheme should you wish to rent accommodation from a private landlord

• A named contact for questions or worries you might have before and during your studies;

• A range of student support services available throughout your studies.

• Support via our Parents and Carers Network

The University of Aberdeen is a supporter of the Going Higher in Scotland Campaign undertaken by the Carers Trust.  

We are currently developing a new Staff & Student Carers Policy which will outline our policies and support initiatives for applicants and students who are unpaid carers. 

More information on support for unpaid carers can be found at the following websites: 

• Carers Trust Scotland
• Going Higher in Scotland- 'putting Student Carers on the map' 
• Carers UK 

The University has strong links with the Armed Forces, through the Military Education Committee and the University Officer Training Corps. The University signed the Armed Forces Covenant in August 2016.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the University to those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families. The Covenant promises the University will do all it can to ensure that this community is treated fairly and not disadvantaged in their day-today lives. The Armed Forces Covenant relies on people, communities, businesses and organisations such as the University, to actively support it in order to make a difference.

The University has strong links with the Armed Forces, through the Military Education Committee and the University Officer Training Corps. The University signed the Armed Forces Covenant in August 2016.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the University to those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families. The Covenant promises the University will do all it can to ensure that this community is treated fairly and not disadvantaged in their day-today lives. The Armed Forces Covenant relies on people, communities, businesses and organisations such as the University, to actively support it in order to make a difference.

The University of Aberdeen is fully committed to supporting Asylum Seekers and Refugees looking to study with us. We can offer you a range of support both during the application process and during your studies. 

We will welcome you with open arms and make your time with us enjoyable as you join the Aberdeen Family. 

Find out about the support we offer....

The University of Aberdeen is fully committed to supporting students from the Gypsy, Roma, Travelling Communities.

At the University of Aberdeen we can offer you a range of support during the application process and during your studies, such as: 

• Support through Access Aberdeen 

• Consideration under the University's Contextualised Admissions and Access Thresholds Policy

• Specific guidance on entrance requirements;

• Visits to our campus;

• Advice on financial support, including help with filling out funding applications.

• A named contact for questions or worries you might have before and during your studies;

• A range of student support services available throughout your studies. 

The Disability Service provides advice, information and practical support to prospective and current students who have sensory and physical impairments, mental health conditions, long-term health conditions, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Dyslexia and other specific learning differences (SpLD) and students who have an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). The Disability Team are available to assist undergraduate, postgraduate, full time, part time and online distance learners.

If you have previously contacted the Team and would like to discuss support for your studies, please make an appointment to speak with us.  

If you haven’t been in contact with the Team previously and feel that you would benefit from disability-related support whilst you study with us, please provide us with information about your support needs. You can do this by completing our online contact form. Please make sure you provide us with evidence of your disability, so we can put the right support in place as quickly as possible; we won't be able to put some support arrangements, such as extra time, in place until we receive your evidence.

The Disabled Student Pathway document provides an overview of how disabled students can access support at the University and details the steps and people involved in implementing support. Please see our Privacy Notice which details how the University processes students' disability-related information.

We advise that you contact us as soon as possible after accepting an offer to ensure that your support can be implemented in a timely manner.