About Our College

About Our College

Whether you are a school leaver, returning to learning or striving to improve your skills and knowledge in the workplace, Borders College, one of Scotland’s most successful colleges, can help you to achieve your goals.

With our modern Scottish Borders Campus, based at Netherdale in Galashiels, the home to the majority of our wide range of full-time and part-time courses, our new Learning Campus in Hawick, and the recently enhanced Newtown St Boswells Campus, we ensure that students choosing to study at Borders College will benefit from first-class learning and teaching resources.

The result of a multi-million pound, groundbreaking project, the Scottish Borders Campus provides a unique learning and teaching environment featuring bespoke practical training areas, a modern, well stocked library and learning resource centre, enhanced IT facilities and bright, spacious student social areas.

The Scottish Borders Campus also hosts Heriot-Watt University’s world renowned School of Textiles and Design and the Borders Business Programme, the result of a unique partnership between the College and the University in creating a centre for educational excellence within the Scottish Borders region which enables both College and University students to each benefit from a range of shared facilities whilst still retaining their own distinct identities.

Our Newtown St Boswells Campus is a well recognised centre of excellence for Landbased studies, where students on the various Landbased courses have access to industry specialist practical areas and a dedicated learning resource centre, which are constantly being developed to offer students and industry partners unique high quality training facilities helping to meet the needs of an ever changing rural and landbased sector.

In addition, the main College campuses are supported by a number of community based learning facilities throughout the Borders including our campus in Hawick which offers specific courses designed to meet the needs of local businesses, their workforce development and to provide educational opportunities to individuals within our local communities through a wide range of part-time day and evening courses.

History of the College

Borders College was formed in 1984 by the amalgamation of Galashiels Technical College, Henderson Technical College (Hawick), Duns Agricultural Centre and the Agricultural Centre, Newtown St. Boswells. On April 1st 1993 under the Further Education (Scotland) Act 1992, the College was transferred from the Borders Regional Council to a Body Corporate.

Statutory background

The College is one of 43 colleges of further education in Scotland and is governed by a Board of Management. The College is funded by the Scottish Funding Council and is responsible to the Scottish Executive.

Main functions of Borders College

Borders College operates from 3 main sites (Galashiels, Hawick and St. Boswells) and is the sole Further Education College and major provider of training in the Scottish Borders region.

Each year, around 8000 students enrol for a wide range of courses and programmes, both day and evening, to HND level and beyond, particularly in subject areas that will enable them to dovetail into local employment opportunities. Partnerships have been developed with a number of Scottish universities to provide students with a seamless progression to degree level programmes.

The College has developed its provision in line with local needs and has extensive links with industry and commerce by way of its industrial liaison network. Working closely with the Local Enterprise Company, the College has shaped its curriculum against the forecast needs of the local labour market. 

Head Office

Borders College, Scottish Borders Campus, Nether Road, Galashiels, TD1 3HE.

Tel: 08700 50 51 52 • Fax: 01896 758179

A Body Corporate with Charitable Status VAT REG. NO. 742 9051 36