University of Stirling
- The University of Stirling offers programs over the academic year, semester and summer
- Live in on-campus housing with other international students and Scottish students
- Open to a wide variety of majors
The KU Great Britain Direct Exchange Program (GBDX) is designed to stimulate and enrich the intellectual development of KU students through a direct experience in the British academic and cultural environment, promoting friendship with Great Britain and broadening international horizons. To realize this mission, KU has signed direct exchange agreements with ten universities in Great Britain, which allow KU students to study for a semester or year abroad at greatly reduced costs. In exchange, British students from these same universities will study for a semester or year at KU.
The University of Stirling offers a wide range of academic subjects in the Humanities, Education, Management and Business Studies, Biological and Physical Sciences and Social Sciences. Stirling's reputation as a superior UK institution for Management and Business studies, Film and Media Studies, and Environmental Studies attracts U.S. students to these departments. KU students of business can choose from courses such as International Business and Finance Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, Personnel Management and Comparative Economics. KU Journalism students may take journalism-related offerings such as British Media, TV Journalism and Advertising, as well as courses to fulfill the social science-humanities-liberal arts requirements. Environmental Studies courses include offerings such as Human Ecology, Conservation and Protection, Pollution Control, Land Use and Water Quality.
Stirling
Stirling, Scotland, the gateway to the Highlands, is an ancient fortress town dominated by its famous castle and ancient residence of Scotland's kings. In the last century, the city of Stirling has developed into a modern town of about 40,000. The beautiful countryside, in easy reach of Stirling, offers unrivaled leisure opportunities from hill walking to skiing, from windsurfing to horse riding. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, both world famous areas of natural beauty, lie within Stirling District. Stirling is one hour by rail from Edinburgh and a half-hour from Glasgow, and is ideally situated for travel to London, exploring the UK, or traveling to Europe.
The University of Stirling
The University is a publicly funded institution, founded by Royal Charter in 1967, with around 9,000 students in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Business and Management-related disciplines. Stirling, unique among UK universities, has always operated on a two-semester system, one in the fall and one in the spring. Stirling is known for its innovative approach to teaching and the flexibility of its undergraduate programs.
The campus is located two miles northeast of Stirling town center, a ten-minute trip by frequently-running public bus service. The campus itself, one of the most modern campuses in the UK, is set in the former Airthrey Estate, a beautiful 350-acre wooded and landscaped site with a small loch (lake) as its central feature. On the north shore of the loch are the student residences; the main campus is located on the south shore. The MacRobert, a 500-seat theater, hosts every type of artistic event from ballet to musicals, films to art exhibitions, plays to folk concerts. A large sports center offers soccer, American football, field hockey, swimming, basketball, tennis, golf and a wide range of other sports.
Semester/Year
Three courses constitute a full semester load. Courses, called units, meet four to eight hours per week depending on the subject area. In addition to these hours students are expected to do a considerable amount of background work, including seminar preparation, independent reading and library research. KU normally awards five credit hours per Stirling course, for a total of 15 credit hours per semester.
Guide outlining steps to select courses at Stirling (.doc)
Video overview of the Stirling course approval process
University of Stirling Undergraduate Progamme Tables
Summer
The International Summer School (ISS) at the University of Stirling offers classes taught in two different summer teaching periods, referred to as “Block 1” and “Block 2” at Stirling. Students may take two, three-credit classes in either period. Students who wish to study for both periods will earn either nine or twelve credits.
Stirling Summer Course Catalog
Courses offered during Block 1: June 7 to July 5, 2025
- Audio Podcasting TO BE CONFIRMED (ISSU9AP) [KU's JMC 445]
- Video Editing (ISSU9VE) [KU's JMC 211 (1 credit) + JMC 409 (2 credits)]
- Eating Well, Living Well (ISSU9EW) [KU's HSES 300]
- Sport Management and Culture: A British Perspective (ISSU9SM) [KU's HSES 380, Goal 3SS]
- Education and Learning: A Scottish Perspective (ISSU9EL) [KU's C&T 598]
- Issues in Moral Philosophy (ISSU9MP) [KU's PHIL 200]
- Aliens and Earthlings: Science Fiction Literature (ISSU9SF) [previous approval as KU's ENGL 506, Goal 6]
- Brief Encounters: An Introduction to Writing Short Stories (ISSU9BE) [KU's ENGL 220, Goal 2.1]
- Literature and the Body (ISSU9MH)
- Celtic Religion (ISSU9CR) [KU's REL 316, Goal 3SS or 4.2]
- *Religion and Conflict (ISSU9RC) [KU’s PCS 555 or REL 137, Goal 5]
- Scotland in the 18th Century: Union, Rebellion, and Enlightenment (ISSU9TW) [previous approval as KU's HIST 250]
- Scottish History: The Jacobite Movement (ISSU9TJ)
*Religion and Conflict tends to fill up quickly. Students interested in this course are strongly encouraged to apply early.
Courses offered during Block 2: July 5 to August 2, 2025
- Crime and Justice in Scotland: The Criminal in Scottish Society (ISSU9CJ) [KU's SOC 360 or PUAD 694]
- International Relations (ISSU9IR) [previous approval as KU's POLS 170, Goal 3SS or 4.2]
- Witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland (ISSU9WS) [KU's HIST 367, Goal 4.2]
- Junkies and Jezebels: Scotland and Gender (ISSU9JJ) [KU's ENGL 390 or WGSS 397]
- Monsters and Vampires: The Impact of British Gothic on Contemporary Popular Culture (ISSU9MV) [KU's ENGL 302 or FMS 304]
- Scotland the What? Contemporary Scottish Literature & Identity (ISSU9SC) [KU's ENGL 390]
- Scotland on the Screen TO BE CONFIRMED (ISSU9SS) [KU's FMS 304]
- Lochs and Glens: Landscape Photography in Magical Scotland TO BE CONFIRMED (ISSU9LP) [KU's JMC 610]
Social activities and day trips are an important part of the International Summer School beyond your classroom studies. The ISS cost includes guided day trips to St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and a full program of social activities including pub quiz nights, movie nights, guided hikes and walking tours.
There will also be additional opportunities to visit Scottish treasures such as Loch Ness, Glencoe, the Highlands and the Isle of Skye at discounted rates. You can even learn/practice your Scottish country dancing at the ISS ceilidh (kay-lee).
Summer students are housed with other ISS students in shared on-campus apartments (flats). Each flat has a communal kitchen/dining area with a stove, refrigerator/freezer, microwave and kettle. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom flats share one shower room, and the 7 bedroom flats have two shower rooms and also have sinks in the rooms. Each flat has a communal kitchen/dining area with a stove, refrigerator/freezer, microwave and kettle.
The flats are provided with additional cutlery, crockery, pots and pans in the kitchens as well as towels in the bedrooms. There is a weekly cleaning service at which time bed linens are changed and towels replaced.
For additional information see International Summer School at Stirling.
Housing is provided in University-owned and -managed accommodation, either in halls or in flats (apartments). Halls are usually arranged in a configuration of fourteen to sixteen single study bedrooms grouped around a shared kitchen area. Flats consist of six or eight individual study bedrooms with a shared kitchen and living area. Meals are on a self-catering basis (you prepare), but the campus also has several options for those who do not wish to make their own meals.
SAGE is dedicated to creating international engagement opportunities that meet the needs of all our students and providing resources to support you through the process of studying abroad. Study abroad is achievable for students of all identities including our BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students, students with disabilities, and students with religious/non-religious viewpoints. Before selecting a program, consider how your identities may impact your experience abroad in unique ways and talk with your Program Coordinator about any program-specific concerns. Students with documented disabilities should discuss any accommodation needs with their Program Coordinator early in the planning process.
Check our Identity Abroad page and resources listed below for information specific to you and other students who may be on your program.
Open to KU students who achieved junior status by the beginning of the program and who have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA and a minimum 3.0 GPA in their major. Exceptions will be made for second semester sophomores with high academic qualifications who meet the course prerequisites.
Program Cost for Academic Year in Stirling
Program Cost for Fall Semester in Stirling
Program Cost for Spring Semester in Stirling
Useful Websites
University of Stirling Study Abroad Homepage
Course Descriptions for University of Stirling: University of Stirling Course Catalogue
Stirling, Scotland Homepages: Stirling City Website