Aston University

Founded in 1895. Received Royal Charter from The Queen as Aston University in 1966.

Aston gained University status ast the same time as the universities of Bath, Loughborough and Surrey in the UK. A green campus in the centre of Birmingham, with all academic, accommodation and social facilities on one site. Five minutes walk from the main shopping and social areas of the city and fifteen minutes walk from Birmingham New Street station (a national rail hub). A 20-minute journey by rail to Birmingham International Airport.  Most programmes require BBB–AAB at A level or triple distinction at BTEC. Average entry grades in 2011, around 395 UCAS points overall and ABB from best three A levels. 

Total undergraduates (approximate) 8,000.

Overseas students 17%.

Male/female ratio 51:49.

Applications to places ratio 6.5:1 (13,000 applications for 2,300 places in 2013).

From state-sector schools 89%.

1,500 postgraduate students.

The vast majority of programmes have an optional or compulsory sandwich placement year in Business/Industry, in the UK or abroad. Seventy per cent of Aston students take the opportunity for this experience. This was the highest percentage in the UK according to HESA data in 2010 and 2011. Many courses have a common first year (e.g. Business, Biological Sciences, some Engineering courses). Integrated and Joint Honours options are available, as well as single honours programmes and major/minor programmes.

In the 2011 National Student Survey, Aston's overall satisfaction score was 86%, well above the UK average of 83%. Aston also has had an 'overall satisfaction' rate above the UK average for each of the seven years of the National Student Survey so far.

More than 70% of students are on degree programmes with Teaching Quality Assessment scores of 22/24 and higher.

Professional accreditation and exemptions are available on many degree programmes. Degrees at Aston are also reviewed and updated in consultation with industry and professional bodies.

Free modern language tuition is offered to all Aston first year undergraduates to support global awareness, networks and language skills. Options include French, German, Portugese, Spanish, Mandarin and Arabic.

Research Standards

In the latest 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, 86% of research undertaken was described as 'internationally significant'. 88% of Aston academic staff were submitted for research assessment, one of the highest proportions in the UK.

Grade 5 subjects include Business and Management, General Engineering, Subjects Allied to Medicine (Optometry, Biology, Pharmacy and Psychology), Languages and European Studies.

Strengths include Business and Management, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Life and Health Sciences, Languages and Social Sciences. Aston pioneered the sandwich course and was one of the first UK Universities to offer undergraduate degrees in subjects such as Business Management, Human Psychology, Translation, Pharmacy, Adutiology and Optometry. Aston Buiness School is over 60 years old and the School of Pharmacy is over 90 years old. Aston has also been offering science and engineering programmes since 1895. Aston has a consistently excellent graduate employment record – around 80% of our graduates enter graduate-level jobs (89% in 2011–12, the fifth highest percentage of all UK universities according to the 2012 and 2011 DLHE survey).

There is a low drop-out rate of 3.9% (HEFCE performance indicators 2011–12) .

All accommodation and most common rooms, cafes and lecture theatres are equipped with wireless or fixed internet access with 10MB download speeds . There are 1,500 computer workstations on campus, some of which are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The library is open 24 hours a day during term time. The Aston University library contains over 300,000 volumes and the Learning Development Centre. The library was totally refurbished and extended in summer 2010 as part of a £6-million project. Further developments to the library took place in Summer 2013, including a refurbishment of the top two floors.