University of Aberdeen（阿伯丁大学）entry requirements for Chinese students — minimum average mark, university list tiers and programme extras
For the 2026 intake, the University of Aberdeen（阿伯丁大学）asks most mainland China undergraduate graduates for an arithmetic average of 65%. Programmes in the Business School and Business-adjacent economics routes set two thresholds instead: around 60% for 双一流 universities and 65% otherwise, paired with a 3rd (Third class) UK degree classification. Engineering programmes use a 211/985 split at the same 60% and 65% marks. Every figure below comes from Aberdeen's own programme list; the University's pages take precedence.
The list itself says it is a guide only and does not guarantee entry, and that it was last updated on 30 October 2025.
What "65% arithmetic average" actually asks you to produce
The requirement is written as a total arithmetic average across your course. It is a single number, not a per-module minimum — but for law programmes the formula is stricter: the LLM routes ask for 65% in both the overall average and the core modules.
Underneath sits the UK classification the degree is converted to, and this is the part applicants most often miss. Most programmes ask for a 2:2 (lower second class). Climate Politics and Policy asks for a 2:1 (upper second class). The Business School conversion courses ask only for 3rd (Third class), which is why their Chinese percentage threshold is lower than the Engineering routes despite the same headline percentage.
So the two numbers travel together: the Chinese weighted average you present, and the UK class the degree maps onto.
The two threshold structures side by side
| Structure | Programmes it covers | China requirement | UK class asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat single threshold | Most MSc, MLitt and taught LLM programmes across Medicine, Geosciences, Natural and Computing Sciences, Language and Literature, Social Science | 65% overall arithmetic average | 2:2 (lower second class) |
| 双一流 split | Business School MSc and MScEcon conversion courses, e.g. Finance and Investment Management | 60% for 双一流 (case-by-case), 65% otherwise | 3rd (Third class) |
| 211/985 split | School of Engineering taught programmes | 60% for 211/985, 65% otherwise | 2:2 (lower second class) |
The 双一流 wording carries a conditional: 60% may be considered at the University's discretion. Treat it as a possibility to argue, not a published entitlement. The 211/985 threshold in the Engineering routes is stated without that qualifier.
The university does not publish a count of how many institutions sit in any of these categories, and neither does this page. If you need to know whether your own university qualifies, check the university's own pages, which take precedence.
Tier / Band lists: what the record does and does not settle
The Business School and Engineering criteria are written as named Chinese institution lists. What the University's own material does not do is enumerate the full membership of any list, publish a tier count, or guarantee that a given institution sits inside one. Names and placement are the University's to state, not this page's.
One named example does appear as a spelled-out criterion in the record: the 211/985 category. Treat it as the label the University uses, and verify your specific institution's status against the university's own pages, which take precedence.
Programme-specific extras that sit on top of the percentage
The percentage is a floor, not the whole application. Several programmes add requirements you only learn about at this level of detail:
- Interview — not stated for the programmes in this list; check the programme's own pages, which take precedence.
- GMAT / GRE — nothing in the record specifies a test score for any listed programme; check the programme's own pages, which take precedence.
- Portfolio — not specified in the record; check the programme's own pages, which take precedence.
- Subject prerequisites — Cybersecurity and Cybersecurity and Machine Learning ask for competence in computer programming (C/C++, Python). Advanced Mechanical Engineering names mathematics and mechanical subjects. Law LLMs state LLB required.
- Evidence where the background does not fit — where you have no related undergraduate background, several School of Biological Sciences and School of Medicine programmes ask for evidence of key scientific skills or relevant work experience.
- Conversion courses — Accounting and Finance, Business Consulting and Psychology and the MScEcon routes are conversion courses, open across disciplines; Business Consulting and Psychology also states 5 years of professional work experience.
Study modes and intakes
The list covers the full-time postgraduate taught programme list. Several programmes run January or September intake; Archaeology, Anthropology MSc routes and the biological sciences programmes listed here are September-only. Study modes beyond full-time, and part-time or online options, are not covered in this record — check the university's own pages, which take precedence.
Tuition fees in the record run from £20,000 (Chemistry for Sustainable Energy) to £26,250 for most Business, Engineering and Computing programmes, with £23,000 and £22,000 clusters for social science, law and geosciences. Archaeology and Archaeology of the North carry a separate offsite training fee, listed as TBC. Ecology and Conservation, Applied Marine Ecology and Conservation, Environmental Anthropology and Environmental Science are listed as TBC.
Your sequence of checks
- Open the Degree Programmes page for your programme.
- Read the intake row to confirm January, September or both.
- Note the Chinese requirement wording — flat 65%, 双一流 split or 211/985 split.
- Check the UK class asked: 2:2, 2:1 or 3rd.
- Read the Key Subjects and UG background columns for prerequisites.
- Confirm the tuition fee figure on the programme page.
- Save the programme page URL as your source of record.
FAQ
Is 65% a per-module minimum? No. It is written as an arithmetic average across the course, except on LLM routes where core modules must also reach 65%.
Does a 211/985 or 双一流 place lower the bar automatically? The Business School 双一流 60% is explicitly at the University's discretion. The Engineering 211/985 60% is stated without that qualifier. Confirm placement before you rely on it.
Which UK class do I need for a Business School conversion course? 3rd (Third class) is listed for these, with the 60%/65% Chinese threshold.
Where is the university ranked? QS World University Rankings 2027 places the University of Aberdeen at 288.
Are 60% and 65% enough on their own? They are stated minimums in a guide that does not guarantee entry. Subject fit, evidence of key skills and programme-specific extras still apply.