Course summary
Optometrists are eye-care professionals who detect sight problems and prescribe and fit glasses, contact lenses and other visual aids. Optometrists also detect and manage a variety of eye conditions such as glaucoma. Accredited by the General Optical Council, GCU offers a high-quality clinical education that is highly rated by students. Clinical training takes place in our purpose-built on-campus Eye Clinic. Open to the public, it offers contact lens fitting, orthoptics, dispensing, low vision, myopia control, infant and learning disability clinics. Employment prospects for graduates in Optometry are excellent and our graduates are highly rated by employers throughout the UK. Optometrists can continue their career development through various postgraduate schemes. These include training towards qualifications for Independent Prescribing and a range of specialist skills. We have an optometry clinic on campus and almost all clinical teaching takes place on campus. The only exceptions to this are 4 half day hospital sessions, all of which are within commuting distance of Glasgow city centre (and some of which may be scheduled on the same day i.e. 2 half day sessions on the same day in the same hospital).
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- General Optical Council
How to apply
31Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- B510
- Institution code:
- G42
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements
Standard Qualification Requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - AAB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - D*DD
Access to HE Diploma - D: 39 credits M: 6 credits
Scottish Higher - AABBB
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 30 points
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H1, H1, H2, H3, H3
Scottish HNC - Pass
Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6) - Pass
T Level - D
SWAP Access to Science and Technology/Ophthalmics with AAA on the first attempt and including 80% in Physics module ABDO Qualifications considered 2:1 Honours Degrees in other subject areas considered - must have Higher Maths If English is not your First Language then we would require one of the following from you: Academic IELTS - 7.0 overall with 7.0 in Speaking and no element below 6.5 or Higher English at A or Higher ESOL at A
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Scottish Higher - ABBBC
Additional entry requirements
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
Other
applicants must be at least 16 at the point when they start the programme in order to obtain a PVG Applicants holding must register with the General Optical Council as a Student Optometrist before the start of term. Failure to register will lead to withdrawal of the offer. See www.optical.org for details of how to register
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | IELTS of overall 7.0 with 7.0 in speaking and no other element below 6.5 |
Will also accept Higher English at A or Higher ESOL at A
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820* | Year 1 |
| EU | £14500* | Year 1 |
| International | £14500* | Year 1 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Additional fee information
The fee amount provided is for 2023-24, details of the 2024-25 fees will be updated in autumn 2023. For further information please visit our website www.gcu.ac.uk/study/tuitionfees
Sponsorship information
The fees and financial support that are relevant to you depend on where you lived before coming to university.
Provider information
Glasgow Caledonian University
City Campus
Cowcaddens Road
Glasgow
G4 0BA