Frequently Asked Questions
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Please be advised that due to the demands of the Programme students may not wish or have time to engage. You may find the What Our Students Say section of our website useful. Please refer to Academic Staff for background information and contact details.
Pathway A refers to Glasgow-Dublin-Prague, pathway B to Glasgow-Trento-Prague, pathway C to Glasgow-Dublin-Belgrade.
Note: we intend to run Pathway C as advertised subject to final accreditation.
A joint degree is a single degree provided by multiple institutions. Students who complete the degree will be provided a single diploma which is jointly awarded by all three primary teaching institutions to this programme. It is called an International Master and this distinguishes it from an MSc, MA or MRes which tend to be degrees provided by a single institution.
Students who successfully complete this programme of study will be awarded an International Master Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies
This is a particularly international programme with students coming from Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, North America, South America and Australasia. You can be assured that your studies will be among a truly international student group. We have received applications from over three quarters of all countries in the world, made offers to nearly two thirds of all countries, and taught to nearly one third of all nationalities on the IMSISS programme so far.
Yes – we have a dedicated Facebook page. We encourage you to like the page so you are kept up to date with new information. You can also use this to contact students on the existing double degree programme. Please follow us also on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
A copy will be sent to all students registered to the programme in the Summer of 2027 prior to arriving in Glasgow.
The programme will run as follows: 4 months in Glasgow (UK), 8 months in Dublin (Ireland) or Trento (Italy) with a mandatory summer school. Students will then spend their final year in Prague (Czechia) or Belgrade (Serbia).
The Orientation Week for the IMSISS programme starts in Glasgow and is normally held in the first week in September.
No, there is no maximum number of Masters programmes (sometimes referred to as courses) for which students can apply for.
Applicants must apply online and submit/upload the necessary supporting documentation alongside the online application by the application deadlines. Details of the application procedure and selection timetable can be found here.
A strict 2:1 UK Honours degree or international equivalent with backgrounds in humanities and social sciences, for example Politics, International Relations, History, Peace Studies, Area and Cultural Studies, Law, Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology, Human Geography, Computing Science, Literature, Philosophy, Organizational Studies, Social and Public Policy, Global Studies, Psychology, Media Studies and Journalism, Modern Languages, Economics, Environmental Studies, Management or Business.
Applicants with backgrounds in Computer Science, Engineering or Philosophy will not be eligible for Pathway B (University of Trento).
Applicants who have indicated a preference for Pathway B (Trento) will also be required to demonstrate proficiency in another language other than English or Italian.
You can check your country-specific requirements on our country information pages. International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of pre-Masters courses.
You can check your country-specific requirements on our country information pages. You need to look for the postgraduate taught entry requirement.
ECTS are academic credits. They relate to the European Credit Transfer System and enables institutions to recognise the credit value of each other’s courses. 10 ECTS is equivalent to approximately 200 hours of study.
An applicant who is completing the final year of their first degree can apply and will be considered for entry to the IMSISS programme on the basis of a most recent transcript, but will not receive an unconditional offer of a place on the programme until we have received their final degree result. In such cases you may be made a conditional pending completion of your degree at the required grade. This documentation must be submitted to the IMSISS Consortium via the University of Glasgow online application before a final unconditional offer can be made.
This programme is taught completely in English language. You must show evidence of your proficiency in English if you are not from a majority English speaking country. Also please note that under UKVI (UK Visa and Immigration) regulations, all international students (non-EU) who are not from a majority English speaking country or have obtained a degree from a university in a majority English speaking country, are required to take an English Language proficiency test to a required level. There are no exceptions. You are not able to gain entry to the UK without having the test certificate. Information on the different types of proficiency test which we can accept and the required scores can be found on the University of Glasgow website.
For 2027 entry see full details at the information page for English language requirements.
Students will need to identify their own accommodation while participating in this programme. We will seek to support students with as much information as possible, but ultimately the responsibility for finding accommodation in each mobility location lies with students. Accommodation and living costs are separate from the tuition fee.
Glasgow
More information on accommodation arrangements in Glasgow will be made available in the Welcome Pack you receive in the summer prior to starting your studies.
Dublin
All students will need to identify private accommodation/shared apartments while in Dublin. We will provide further information in pre-arrival sessions during the first semester.
Trento
At the University of Trento, IMSISS students on Study Pathway B are given priority access to modern, university-run accommodation, subject to availability, during their second mobility period. We will provide further information in pre-arrival sessions during the first semester.
Prague
We anticipate that most students will opt for a city shared apartment (private) while in Prague, although university accommodation (mostly shared rooms/dorms) is available if students prefer. We will provide additional information on accommodation in pre-arrival sessions during the second semester.
Belgrade
Information about accommodation in Belgrade will be made available to students as they progress through the programme.
Yes, as part of this degree you will be able to study a language. We offer a wide range of languages in your first semester, including French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Russian and Chinese.
Please note that the overall cost of living for this programme varies for each stage of the programme. You can find information about cost of living in each city below:
- Glasgow
- Dublin
- Prague: Charles University has a number of student cafeterias and restaurants at different University locations. Student prices are guaranteed with a Charles University ISIC card (approx. Kč 35/meal). The exact cost of your stay in Prague is largely up to you. The cost of living in the Czech Republic is on average comparable to that of other Central and East European countries. A single student is advised to have available approximately Kč 8.500 (around 330 euro) per month to cover food, basic transport and accommodation.
- Trento
- Belgrade
The Consortium will pay the health insurance costs for all students. Students will be enrolled in the University of Glasgow Erasmus Mundus Travel Insurance, provided by AIG. This insurance will be valid for the duration of the two-year programme. Details of the policy can be found here.
Students should note that this insurance only covers travel on University business, i.e. travel related to their studies (e.g. overseas mobilities, fieldtrips etc). Any travel not related to their studies (e.g. returning home, holidays) is not covered. Students are also required to register all trips related to their studies, including all mobilities, on the University of Glasgow TRICAP insurance portal.
Additionally, IMSISS students will be covered by the University of Glasgow’s insurance scheme which will be valid in other partner countries for the duration of the 2 year programme. This gives emergency medical cover only but covers postgraduate students, accompanying spouses/partners and children for a maximum period of 12 months on any one trip. There is no excess. The insurance coverage is very comprehensive: death or severe permanent disablement (£150,000); medical & emergency repatriation expenses (unlimited coverage); personal belongings (£10,000); personal liability: limit of indemnity – any one event (£5 million); emergency replacement of passport, visa, travel documents etc (£1,500) etc.
IMSISS students are advised to obtain the European Health Insurance Card prior to arrival in Glasgow for the start of the programme. Both EU and non-EU students are entitled to apply for this.
Non-EU students will have to supply a copy of their original visa showing that they are entitled to be in the UK for the period in question and in this way will have full EU medical care cover. EU national students can apply through their own EHIC equivalent so they are entitled to health care in the UK. Again overseas nationals who might be studying at the partner universities can apply through the partner country which their visa is for. Basically students will be entitled to medical treatment that becomes necessary, at reduced cost or sometimes free, when temporarily visiting a European Union country. Only treatment provided under the state scheme is covered.
You will receive an email from the Admissions Office at the University of Glasgow. Please retain this email communication as no hard copy offer letter will be sent. This message will contain your Student ID and Application Number. You must accept or decline the offer using Admissions Self-Service by clicking the link provided in the email message and logging into your application account. Please follow the instructions provided in the email.
If your offer is conditional you will be able to access your conditions and submit any required documents using Admissions Self-Service.
Please upload the required documentary evidence to your online application. Once we have confirmed your documentary evidence as meeting the conditions we will issue you with an unconditional offer. Please note that uploaded academic documents should be scanned copies of the original document and should normally be in colour.
After you have accepted an unconditional offer, you will be eligible to enrol. Details regarding your access to enrolment will be available starting in early August. You will receive another email to tell you how to register online using the University’s MyCampus website. That email will provide you with your personal login details and the website URL. Please ensure that your email address is kept up to date as all correspondence is sent via email.
You will also receive information regarding the teaching programme closer to the start of the session.