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Optometry (Direct Entry) at Glasgow Caledonian University - UCAS

Course summary

We are currently only accepting applications for year three entry. If you wish to apply for year one please consider our new five-year Masters in Optometry with Independent Prescribing (UCAS code B515). 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

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 3

Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)

**Year 3 Entry:** Successful completion of 3 years of the Bsc Orthoptics programme at GCU with not less than a Merit, or 2:1 degree in Orthoptics.

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification Requirements

Year 3 Successful completion of 3 years of the BSc Hons Orthoptics programme at GCU with not less than a Merit, or 2:1 degree in Orthoptics

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Additional entry requirements

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

Other

Applicants must be at least 17 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

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)7IELTS of overall 7.0 with 7.0 in speaking and no other element below 6.5

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
95%
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 £15200* Year 1
International £15200* Year 1

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

The fee amount provided is for 2024-25, details of the 2025-26 fees will be updated in autumn 2024. 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.

Optometry (Direct Entry) at Glasgow Caledonian University - UCAS