Applying to Product Design
Your application to study for an undergraduate degree at the GSA is in two parts:
When GSA receives your UCAS application, you will receive an email acknowledgement and directed to upload your digital portfolio images. You can do this as soon as you receive your acknowledgement email and no later than the deadline communicated to you in the e-mail you receive. Late applications may not be considered. Guidelines on what to include in the digital portfolio and portfolio statement are available here. (Updated 11 December 2020)
If you encounter any problems during this process, please contact us by email at: admissions@gsa.ac.uk
Entry to First Year
GSA accepts a wide range of UK and international qualifications for admission. Below are our standard academic entry requirements.
- Scottish Highers: ABBB including a literate subject* and a modern language other than English.
- A Levels: ABB to include a modern language other than English, AND GCSE English at grade A or 7.
- International Baccalaureate: 30 points overall in the Diploma, including 18 at Higher Level, normally including English and Visual Arts or Design Technology. Students not presenting English at grade 5 or above at Higher Level will be required to submit an IELTS.
- Irish Leaving Certificate: Four Highers at H2 or above - subjects required as per Scottish Highers.
- We are happy to consider holders of the Scottish Baccalaureate.
- Those who have qualifications from outside the UK should consult our international pages for country-specific entry requirements.
Contextualised Admissions
We operate contextualised admissions for applicants livings in Scotland. This enables applicants who are:
- living in SIMD20 or SIMD40 postcodes at the point of application
- care experienced (adopted, in foster care, kinship care, residential care or supported through a compulsory supervision order at any point in life) and who tick the box on UCAS
to receive an offer if they pass the digital portfolio and interview stages and achieve our minimum entry requirements, shown below.
- Scottish Highers: BBCC including a literate subject* and a modern language other than English.
For students currently taking qualifications we will look at predicted grades.
Acredited Prior Learning
We recognise that our applicants come from a wide variety of social, cultural and educational backgrounds and we are willing to consider applications for admission from those who do not have the published conventional qualifications for admission and/or who wish to gain recognition for formal or informal study undertaken elsewhere.
English Language Requirement
The Innovation School expect all our students to demonstrate proficiency in the English language, which for UK students is normally evidenced by a pass in Higher or GCSE English.
For international students required to evidence their English language proficiency, the GSA’s preferred test is the IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test taken at a UKVI approved test centre.
International students required to evidence their English language proficiency by sitting a Secure English Language Test (SELT) will be asked to complete an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test taken at a UKVI approved test centre. Our current requirement for BDes/MEDes Product Design is IELTS for UKVI (Academic) with 6.0 overall and no less than 5.5 in each component.
A full list of UKVI approved test centres can be found here. A full list of other tests that may be presented can be found here.
For more information, please email registry@gsa.ac.uk or call +44 (0) 141 353 4512.
*literate subjects include English, Business Management, Classical Studies, Economics, ESOL, Georgraphy, History, Media Studies. Modern Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Religious studies, Sociology.
Across the GSA community we are working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read our latest updates at www.gsa.ac.uk/coronavirus
