Scotland's Rural College - SRUC

• Location: several cities in Scotland,
• Year of foundation: 2012,
• Number of students: about 1600,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: mixed.

Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) is a public research and science college offering higher education programs in the fields of agriculture. The institution became the first largest college in this area in Europe.

SRUC was founded in 2012 through the merger of several institutions: Scottish Agricultural, Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges. Created on the basis of the first of them, it traces its history for more than 100 years - since 1899. To date, the educational institution has campuses in several cities in Scotland: Edinburgh, Eyre, Damfys, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Fife and West Lothian. Each of the study areas offers the best conditions for obtaining professional knowledge, provides areas for practice and research.

SRUC is distinguished by a small number of students, among whom there are international students. By creating a personalised, caring environment, SRUC educators and administration support each student with comprehensive support, from curriculum adaptation, finding additional development opportunities, to career mentoring, job offers.

From the moment of application to graduation, foreign students are surrounded by comprehensive support provided in the form of additional classes with teachers, career mentoring, internship and employment services.

The college has several research and testing centers, in which important research for the preservation and development of the environment is carried out. Some of the key areas of research are:

• Food security;
• Global climate situation;
• Data, digital innovation;
• Animal Behavior, Welfare;
• Diseases, epidemiology;
• Agri-food systems;
• Dairy farming.

Accommodation services are not provided in all educational areas of the college - there are residences on campuses in Aberdeen, Dumfries, Edinburgh, West Lothian. Students studying in Glasgow, Ayre and Fife can request assistance in finding private accommodation near academic buildings.

• A residential complex in Aberdeen, which provides housing in cooperation with Aberdeen University, offers students accommodation in four- and five-bed apartments with shared bathrooms and kitchens. In rare cases, bedrooms in apartments have their own bathroom.
• There are two residences on the campus in Dumfries, each offering 16 single bedrooms, shared amenities: small kitchens with refrigerators, microwaves, bathrooms, living rooms. Accommodation on the eudcational campuses includes a meal plan.
• The college works with several major agencies in Edinburgh to provide comfortable accommodation in many areas of the city. Students are mainly accommodated in apartments with several bedrooms, bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens. All utility bills, internet access and basic property insurance are included in the rate.
• The study grounds in West Lothian have seven residences with more than 200 single and double rooms. Students under the age of 18 live in standard rooms with a meal plan, while adult students live in apartments with bathrooms, shared kitchens and living rooms.

Students devote most of their free time to developing their practical skills, taking care of plants in greenhouses and open spaces, animals on farms and working in research laboratories. The college also supports other hobbies of foreign students, offering team and individual training in various sports, participation in creative teams and interest clubs.

SRUC's rugby, football, and hockey teams compete with teams from other local universities, regularly taking leadership positions. Training takes place in open and indoor areas almost all year round, giving students the opportunity to improve their skills. For those who would not like to devote a lot of time to sports achievements, master classes in yoga, dance and other areas are held.

Creative teams participate in most campus events in the role of organizers, photographers, music groups and solo artists. The college organizes many events, including large-scale celebrations in honor of Christmas, Easter and Halloween, national cooking nights, scientific seminars and others.

Hobby clubs invite international students to unite based on their passions, work and discuss topics of interest to them in order to develop knowledge and skills in the areas that are important to them. The list of clubs includes such areas as outdoor activities, amateur football, and agricultural management.

• A long history with a focus on preserving traditions, values and the main scientific direction;
• Several large campuses with many facilities for practice;
• Outstanding educational staff with leading biologists, chemists, agronomists;
• Cooperation with state, national and international organizations on the basis of charity, research;
• Practice-oriented approach to teaching.

Educational programs are taught in several cities in Scotland: Edinburgh, Ayre, Dumfries, Aberdeen, Fife, West Lothian and Glasgow. Campuses are located on vast areas, offering easy access to urban infrastructure, beaches and harbors, and attractions. SRUC facilities include a variety of professional laboratories, outdoor areas, farmland and farms, classrooms, seminar rooms and much more.

Some of the special rooms are:

• Easter Howgate Farm is a educational and research center-farm, where practical classes are held, research is conducted in most academic areas;
• Greenhouses are located on each of the campuses and allow students to take care of plants, gaining applied skills;
• Sports & Exercise Center, Fitness Centers, Outdoor Sports Fields;
• Elmwood 18-hole golf course and clubhouse, providing an educational environment for greenkeepers and golfers;
• The Scottish National Equestrian Centre, which regularly hosts horse riding competitions;
• Classrooms in greenhouses with a variety of expositions of exotic and unusual plants, a pond with koi carps, a home for reptiles.

The academic year covers almost the entire calendar year, starting in September and ending in August. Classes are organized on weekdays, and rest is organized on weekends, holidays and during seasonal holidays. Schedules vary from campus to campus – educational periods is represented by trimesters:

• Autumn: September-November;
• Winter: December-February;
• Spring: March-May.

In the summer season, sessions and graduation parties are held.

Approximate list of additional costs includes:

• Registration, administrative fees;
• Accommodation, meal plan and related costs;
• Fees for the use of infrastructure;
• Personal educational materials;
• Contributions to student associations, payment for some extracurricular activities;
• Personal expenses.

You can apply to Scotland's Rural College both in person at one of the campuses and remotely. The applicant needs to fill out an application and provide documents, pay the application fee and pass an interview. The admissions committee sends candidates an invitation to study, after which students can arrive on campus.

Thanks to the knowledge and skills gained, graduates are employed or continue their academic path almost immediately after completing the program. Many of the former students of SRUC have established their own businesses: farms, gardening, hotels, research centers.

Specialized programs may impose special requirements on foreign applicants, but the general admission criteria will be:

• Personal documents: valid passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit;
• Academic certificates from previous places of study: certificate of complete secondary education, bachelor's degree, master's degree, as well as report cards, exam results;
• Language test results: IELTS (from 5.5), PTE Academic (from 56), TOEFL (from 80) or college-recognized equivalent.

International students are generally not eligible for financial aid, however, SRUC offers a number of discounts, awards and scholarships specifically for international students:

• Discount on tuition fees – an automatic discount is applied if the student has paid for a year of tuition immediately and in advance;
• The Global Citizen Scholarship is an award to students who have demonstrated excellence in community service locally, nationally, or internationally;
• The Global Excellence Scholarship is an award for academic achievement and relevant work experience;
• Global Provost's Scholarship – Available to gifted graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision