PGDE Secondary (Gaelic Medium) at University of the Highlands and Islands

Programme overview

The Gaelic-medium PGDE (Secondary) consists of 18 weeks of study at the university and 18 weeks of professional practice in schools, with most placements in Gaelic-medium education settings subject to local authority availability. It is delivered with Argyll and Bute, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Highland and Perth and Kinross councils. Applicants must be fluent Gaelic speakers.

Duration: 1 year full-time | Intake: August | Study mode: full-time | Location: Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom

What you will study

Taught modules are Collaborative Practice, Enquiry and Practice and Reflective Practice (20 credits each) plus Professional Practice (Secondary) (60 credits) in four school placement blocks covering S1 to S6. Subjects include Art and Design, Biology, Business Education, Chemistry, Computing Science, English, Gaelic, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Religious Education and Technological Education. A mandatory residential induction is held in the first week of August.

Career pathways

Graduates hold provisional registration as a secondary teacher with GTC Scotland and can apply for the Teacher Induction Scheme. Linked local authorities offer the majority of graduates an induction year in their schools.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A relevant undergraduate degree; preference is given to honours degrees, though ordinary degrees are also considered. English at Scottish Higher grade C or above, or A level grade D, or GCSE English Language and Literature (C/4 or above) or equivalent; and Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at National 5 grade C or above, SQA Intermediate 2 or Standard Grade Credit, or GCSE Mathematics grade C or above, or equivalent. Applicants must be fluent Gaelic speakers able to read and write in Gaelic (assessed at interview). Category 1 PVG course; no deferred entry; applicants who have lived outside the UK for six or more consecutive months in the past five years need criminal record checks. Applications are made through the main UCAS scheme and must include degree, English and Maths details and references by the deadline. Not open to international students who need a Student Route visa.

Domestic applicants: GBP 1,820 for the whole programme (2026/27). PGDE (one year). Scotland-domiciled students with a Scottish term-time address (includes EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status and EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status) Source

International applicants: GBP 16,820 for the whole programme (2026/27). PGDE (one year), students not normally resident in the UK or EU with a term-time address in Scotland. The course cannot be studied by international students requiring a Student Route visa. Source

Intake: August

Duration: 1 year full-time

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