BSc (Hons) Maritime Science (Nautical) with Cadetship Programme
KEY FACTS
Faculty:
School of Maritime Science
Study Options:
Full Time
Start Date:
Sept 2026
Level:
Undergraduate
Course Length:
3 Years
Qualification:
BSc (Hons) & Cadetship
Fees:
All Students: £9,535* per annum
*Additional fees will apply for your Cadetship, please contact us for more information.
*Fees are for the academic year 2025/26 and are subject to indexation.
Apply:
Applications are now closed.
Placement Option:
Yes
The BSc (Hons) Maritime Science – Nautical with Cadetship at the University of Gibraltar combines academic study, sea placement and professional preparation for a career as a ship’s deck officer. Based in one of the world’s most strategic maritime hubs, the programme benefits from Gibraltar’s thriving shipping industry, direct access to port operations and exposure to real-world navigation and vessel management. Students graduate with both a Level 6 degree and eligibility (subject to sea time and external examinations) for the Officer of the Watch (OOW) Certificate of Competency, approved by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
Deck officers are central to the safe and efficient movement of ships, overseeing navigation, cargo operations, watchkeeping and compliance with international safety regulations. They are the custodians of safety at sea, ensuring that vessels and their crews operate to the highest professional standards. With shipping responsible for moving 80% of the world’s goods, deck officers play a vital role in sustaining global trade.
At the University of Gibraltar, you will gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of navigation, seamanship, cargo handling, maritime law and safety management. The University’s innovative approach includes simulation-based training on state-of-the-art bridge simulators, allowing cadets to develop practical watchkeeping and navigational skills before applying them at sea. Combined with structured sea placements, this integrated training pathway builds confidence and competence, preparing graduates to excel as officers at sea and for future leadership roles ashore in ship management, port operations and the wider maritime sector.
Programme Specification
Key Programme Takeaways
Achieve OOW Status
Progress Toward Command
Support Global Trade
Unlock High Earnings
Key Features
1) Guaranteed Placements
We collaborate with the Gibraltar Port Authority and the Gibraltar Maritime Administration to arrange placements with reputable and well-regulated organisations. This ensures that our students benefit from guaranteed cadetship placements with major operators.
2) MCA Approved
Our programme has obtained UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) Approval with reduced sea time of 12 months. This means that our qualification has met the requirements of the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code (II/1 and II/2 – Deck and III/1 and III/2 – Engineering).
3) Fully Qualified in Just Over 3 Years
Become a qualified seafarer, and achieve your BSc and Officer of the Watch (OOW) qualifications in just over 3 years. This includes the required 12-month sea time for the Cadetship, available thanks to our guaranteed placements, and STCW training courses.
Guaranteed Cadetship Sea Placements
The University of Gibraltar collaborates with the Gibraltar Port Authority and the Gibraltar Maritime Administration to arrange placements with reputable and well-regulated organisations. This ensures that our students benefit from guaranteed cadetship placements with major operators.
Marwane Ben Hima
Placement provider: Grimaldi Group
Oliver Rowley
Placement provider: Bahri Shipping
Stuart Dowden
Placement provider: Minerva Bunkering
Learn more about some of our Maritime placement providers:
Career Pathways
Starting as a cadet, seafarers work their way up through clearly defined stages, gaining practical experience and advancing into officer positions. With dedication and training, this pathway leads to the esteemed role of captain — a position that carries the highest level of responsibility at sea and commands global respect within the industry.
Cadet (Sea Placement)
Gain practical training on deck and the bridge, assist officers, and learn shipboard routines, navigation basics, and safety procedures.
OOW (Officer of the Watch)
First professional licence; responsible for safe navigation, collision avoidance, and maintaining a safe bridge watch
Second Officer
Acts as Navigation Officer; prepares voyage plans, maintains charts and publications, oversees navigational equipment, and often doubles as medical officer.
Chief Officer
Second-in-command; manages cargo operations, stability, deck crew, and is responsible for shipboard safety and security systems.
Captain (Master)
Overall command of the vessel; responsible for navigation, cargo, crew welfare, compliance with international regulations, and representing the ship to external authorities.
Shore-Based Career Opportunities
Graduates of Nautical Studies enjoy the freedom to chart versatile and exciting careers, whether navigating the seas or leading from shore. Many choose to pursue senior certifications, such as First Deck Officer or Captain, before transitioning to shore-based roles, while others move directly into land-based positions after graduation. With a combination of strong technical knowledge and real-world sea experience, our graduates are in high demand in the maritime industry. They can build exciting careers in various fields, with numerous opportunities for growth and success. These opportunities are not limited to, but can be as follows:
Marine Pilot
Specialises in manoeuvring vessels through ports, canals, and restricted waters.
Port Captain
Coordinates cargo operations, vessel turnaround, and safety procedures in port.
Maritime Lecturer
Educates cadets and officers in maritime academies and training centres.
Marine Consultant
Provides expertise in navigation, safety, regulation, and incident investigation.
Marine Surveyor
Inspections, compliance, classification, flag state, safety, certification.
Typical modules* include:
*The programme module content is currently under review and is subject to change in order to align with new professional body (MCA) requirements.*
A unique feature of this programme is that engineering and nautical students can work together through the programme’s joint modules. Module outline includes:
• Cargo Operation
• Electronic Navigation and Voyage Planning
• Ship Handling
• Bridge Watchkeeping and Marine Meteorology
• Marine Environment (Joint)
• Marine System Surveying (Joint)
• Ship Design & Construction (Joint)
• Naval Architecture and Stability (Joint)
• Leadership and Management (Joint)
• Business and Project Management (Joint)
Students are able to opt not to complete the final dissertation and /or the cadetship and exit with either a BSc (Ordinary) degree or a BSc (Hons) degree at an earlier stage in their final year of their studies. Speak to a member of our team to find out more.
“The maritime science course is helping me broaden my knowledge within this ever expanding industry, having no previous experience at sea I certainly feel that I’m in the right hands of an excellent team to succeed and accomplish my dream of career at sea.”
Ivan Viñales, BSc (Hons) Maritime Science student
“It gives you a good insight into further placements where you will be experiencing the same of similar scenarios in real time, and it is beneficial to me because I can get a good insight of what is to come and what I am expected to do.”
David Csaszar, BSc (Hons) Maritime Science (Nautica) student
Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) Approval
The University of Gibraltar’s cadet programme has obtained Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) Approval with reduced sea time of 12 months.
Our BSc (Hons) Maritime Science with cadetship programmes have obtained MCA approval. This means that the qualification BSc Maritime Science has been approved as meeting the requirements of the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code (II/1 and II/2 – Deck and III/1 and III/2 – Engineering).
In addition, the University of Gibraltar has also been approved as an Examination Centre for MCA Safety (Deck) and Professional Exams Engineering, which are currently administered by the Scottish Quality Authority (SQA) and International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI).
Access to Higher Education Programme
Should you not meet the entry requirements for our BSc (Hons) Maritime Science with Cadetship programme, our admissions team may recommend you complete the Access to Higher Education summer programme.
Speak to our Student Services Team
Have a question about student life in Gibraltar, or want to find out more about the BSc (Hons) Maritime Science with Cadetship programme?
Schedule a video call to speak to a member of our Student Services Team! Christian, Michelle and Vanessa are on-hand to talk to you about all things University of Gibraltar!
QAA Global Accreditation
The University is delighted to have achieved global accreditation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the UK’s independent quality body and a global leader in quality assurance for higher education.
“In achieving QAA’s global accreditation, the University has displayed its compatibility with international best practice.”
Vicki Stott, UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Chief Executive.
WHY UNIGIB?
Entry Requirements
Typically, all applicants should have:
- BCC at ‘A level’, (104 UCAS) or international equivalent e.g. international baccalaureate at a score 16 or above.
- Relevant industry experience is also beneficial but not required.
All applicants should have:
- 5 GCSE’s A*– C (grade 4 or above post 2017) including English Language (min grade C or grade 4 ) and Mathematics (min grade B or grade 6 ) or international equivalent. Alternatively, evidence (i.e. accreditation/recognition) of relevant industry experience or prior Certificated and Experiential Learning.
- Strong communications skills with the ability to communicate your ideas effectively in discussions, presentations and writing.
- Basic IT skills, such as word-processing, email and Internet.
English Language Requirements:
- An overall IELTS test result of 6.0, including a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-tests. Equivalent awards will be considered (e.g. Pearson’s Test of English, Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English, Duolingo English Test, City & Guilds International ESOL 8984, or the TOEFL- IBT test of English proficiency). If you do not meet our entry requirements, you can still apply as we will consider your application.
Offers are based on a combination of qualifications or predicted grades, the applicant’s personal statement and references. For guidelines on personal statements and references please click here.
Fees
| Region | FEE PER ANNUM |
| Home | £9,535* |
| International and EU | £12,500* (For 2025, international and EU fees will be the same as Home fees) |
*Additional costs: while most programme costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources such as Uniforms and PPE, or other optional extras may need to be paid for separately. Current costs associated with purchase of Uniforms and PPE are approximately £290. There are additional fees for the cadetship, further details can be obtained from the students services team.
*Final year project: As your final year includes a research project, there may be additional costs associated with your research activities (e.g. transport or accommodation). The amount will depend on the project you choose.
This programme will be run subject to minimum numbers being met.
Note: the above fees are for the Academic year 2025/26 and are subject to indexation.
Apply
Applications are now closed.
If you are unsure of which route you would like to study, you have up until the end of your first semester of study to decide on which route you would like to commit to.
Please note that regardless of your decision to specialise in either Engineering or Nautical, candidates will be given the option to swap specialities after the first semester from Engineering to Nautical or vice versa.
Contact us via the enquire button for more information.
Bursaries and Scholarships
The University of Gibraltar hosts or directly offers a limited number of scholarship programmes to support your studies. These scholarships are highly competitive; they are available to support undergraduate, Master’s degree and PhD programmes and are made available to students based on certain criteria.
Enquire
Contact UsYou can also call us and speak to one of our team on +350 200 71000.
Student Accommodation
Accommodation for University of Gibraltar students is available at the purpose built Europa Suites, located just a two-minute walk from our Europa Point Campus.
Face to face teaching
We are committed to providing an excellent learning experience that is personal and participative. That’s why we have decided to continue the face-to-face delivery of our programmes.
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