3-Term Pathway - International Year Two - Medical Sciences - Transfer to Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology

The International Year Two in Medical Sciences is equivalent to the second year of a Scottish undergraduate honours degree and is designed for international students who have achieved a higher level of academic and English language proficiency than that required for entry into the Undergraduate Foundation Programme. The program is delivered over three terms at the International Study Centre, where students develop advanced English language skills and subject-specific knowledge before progressing to the third year of a four-year undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen.

Students study a combination of core and route-specific modules aligned with their intended degree pathway. Developed in collaboration with University of Aberdeen academics, the program introduces university-style teaching methods while providing the academic skills and foundational knowledge required for success in undergraduate medical sciences study at the University of Aberdeen.

Medical sciences at the University of Aberdeen are supported by a long-standing tradition of excellence in teaching and research. The institution has taught physiology since 1593 and has contributed significantly to major scientific discoveries. Professor J. J. R. Macleod, working jointly with Frederick Banting, received the Nobel Prize in 1923 for research leading to the development of insulin as a treatment for diabetes. In 1973, biomedical scientists John Hughes and Hans Kosterlitz discovered endorphins, while Aberdeen neuroscientists also identified and characterized the brain’s morphine-like substances, enkephalins and endorphins.

Students benefit from access to advanced facilities, including specialized laboratories and one of the largest clinical complexes in Europe, the Foresterhill Health Campus, located directly on campus. The Suttie Centre and the Institute of Medical Sciences are both situated at Foresterhill, providing extensive opportunities for learning, discovery, and research. In addition, the fully digital Science Teaching Hub, opened in 2022, offers advanced analytical tools and flexible, modern laboratory spaces designed to support high-quality science education.

The International Year Two program is offered with a combined visa arrangement, allowing students to complete both the pathway program and the remainder of the undergraduate degree under a single visa. This structure enables eligibility to join the program using approved alternatives to Academic IELTS for UKVI, permits part-time work of up to 20 hours per week during study in the UK, and removes the need for an additional English language test before progressing to the undergraduate degree. The combined visa also eliminates the requirement to return home to apply for a new visa between programs and allows opportunities for travel within the UK between courses. This option is particularly suitable for students with prior academic study experience in the UK.

An online preparation course is available at no additional cost to support academic readiness and cultural adjustment prior to the start of the program. The University of Aberdeen is ranked second in the UK for Anatomy and Physiology, eleventh for Biomedical Sciences, and twelfth for Pharmacology and Pharmacy, according to leading national university guides.

Upon successful completion of the International Year Two pathway and achievement of the required academic standards, students are eligible to progress directly to the third year of a medical sciences undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen.