Edge Hill University

Delivering higher education since 1885, when it was the first non-denominational teacher training college for women in 1885. In 1892 it was one of only two colleges in England combining teacher training and degree course study. The campus moved to Ormskirk, 15 miles outside Liverpool, in 1933. Edge Hill became a mixed college, admitting its first male students in October 1959, when it had about 500 students in total.
In 2005, Edge Hill was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers by the Privy Council. On 18 May 2006 the institution became Edge Hill University and in August 2008 the university was granted the power to award research degrees. The University now has an academic community of 10,000 full time students, a further 12,000 on part time professional development programmes and nearly 4,000 staff.

Campus located in Ormskirk with locations across the north west and into the West Midlands. A free bus-link between Ormskirk and the campus for all students and staff. The campus is 5 minutes from the M58 by car, 30 minutes from Liverpool and Preston by train and 40 minutes from Manchester by car. A green travel plan which is set up to help the environment and lower the university's carbon footprint.

Commended for Teaching and Learning in every one of the last 5 QAA subject reviews. Faculty of Health: Nursing and Midwifery Council (ex-ENB) combined reviews – highest rated provider in the North West Strategic Health Authority in both 1999 (22/24) and 2004 ('commended' in all cells). In 2008 and 2011 respectively judged as 'outstanding' for practice-based learning and 'good' in all other aspects for our work in Nursing.

In the 2008 RAE assessment, research in History, Education, Geography, Social Policy & Administration, Nursing & Midwifery, and English Literature & Language gained three- or four-star classifications. The Institute for Public Policy and Professional Practice (I4P) is a cross-disciplinary research and knowledge exchange initiative. Work with the institute includes undertaking commissioned evaluations and funded research projects which reflect critically on the developments and possibilities for public and third sector collaboration.

The Institute for Creative Enterprise (ICE) is a practice-led and theoretically grounded interdisciplinary research forum, connecting the university with the digital and creative economy and cultural institutions to share expertise, develop partnerships, contribute to debates and promote citizen engagement.
The Postgraduate Medical Institute, a partnership between Edge Hill University and regional health professionals and providers seeks to improve the quality of health and social care in the North West through education, research and innovation.

Edge Hill University’s Professor Philip Murphy and the Cognitive Science Research Group are currently undertaking research into how the misuse of cannabis and ecstasy (MDMA) impairs cognitive performance such as memory and reasoning as well as its effect on mood disturbances. The group’s research focuses on the effects of drug misuse on working memory (memory which helps us to cope with the immediate world around us) including the ability to update our representations of what is happening, and the ability to switch the focus of our attention.Professor Kevern Verney, an Associate Dean in Research at Edge Hill University, has contributed significantly to the improvement of knowledge and understanding of black civil rights and race relations in the United States.His most recent research focuses on Barack Obama and he is the Co-Organiser/Investigator for The Obama Research Network.


More than 200 undergraduate routes to choose from plus Master’s degrees and research programmes.
Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. As a result of excellent links with employers, 75% of graduates leave with qualifications that have professional recognition. Edge Hill also boasts strong levels of graduate employment, with 93.4% of full-time degree students finding work or further study within six months of graduating, which places the university in the top 10% nationally (HESA 2013). The university is the largest provider of Initial Teacher Training for secondary education in the UK. Biology is top in the UK for overall satisfaction, teaching and academic support. Psychology and Dance also feature in the national top two for assessment and feedback, with Dance also coming second in the UK for personal development.
Sociology features in the top three in the country for personal development and academic support. Creative Writing is in the top three in the UK for academic support. Physical Geography and Environmental Science is in the top four in the UK for teaching.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Founded as the Glasgow Athenaeum in 1847, with an inaugural address given by Charles Dickens. Moved to its current location in Glasgow city centre in 1987. Added the Alexander Gibson Opera School in 1997.
In 2003, HRH Prince Charles succeeded his grandmother as Patron. In 2011, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland opened Speirs Locks Studios, a purpose-built campus providing professional-level facilities including specialist dance rehearsal spaces, technical construction workshops, props and wardrobe facilities, and additional teaching space.

Entry to the Conservatoire is based on assessment in the form of audition, interview or workshop (depending on the programme) Academic requirements for undergraduate applicants is generally 3 passes at Scottish Higher level, or 2 A-levels Postgraduate students should have an undergraduate degree in a related area of study Academic entry requirements may be waived or reduced in the case of mature or professional applicants.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland was granted degree awarding powers for taught programmes by the Privy Council in May 1994. The Conservatoire has the greatest number of full-time staff of any British conservatoire and all its teaching staff are practicing professionals in their own right. The Conservatoire has recently introduced a new curriculum, which builds on our reputation for developing effective and adaptable artists by creating the space and support for this to flourish.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s visiting International Fellows are some of the most renowned artists in their field and come to work with students several times a year. Through performances, masterclasses and workshops, the Conservatoire’s students benefit from their tuition and inspiration. These artists include Jane Eaglen, Pavel Steidl, the Brodsky Quartet, Lorna McGhee, Ian Bousfield, Nadine George, and the Lecoq Family.

Staff are expert in their fields, and most are professionally active. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland stages around 500 performances by students and staff every year in its own venues and around 100 in professional venues in Scotland, the UK, and beyond. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has an impressive number of side-by-side, mentoring and joint projects with national and major performance arts companies. Companies we work with include Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, National Theatre of Scotland, National Review of Live Art, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Playwrights' Studio, Scotland.

The Whittaker Library contains one of the most comprehensive collections of performance materials for music and drama in the UK and internationally.The IT Department provides access to a growing number of electronic resources with a dedicated in-house IT Trainer.

Student access to The Culverhouse Classical Music Collection via Film & Sound Online.The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has some of the best facilities in Europe. There is an ongoing development programme, and a recent investment of £8.5m in the superb new facilities at Speirs Locks Studios and in the refurbishment of the Renfrew Street Campus. They include six professional performance venues, a high ratio of practice rooms per student, three recording studios, percussion studios, professional stage technology, four bespoke dance studios, new studios for technical, design, scenic art, set-building and costume design and construction. All these are backed up by the latest IT and digital technologies.

Heythrop College

Founded in 1614, Heythrop is the oldest College of the University of London, and one of the oldest Higher Education establishments in the UK. Heythrop College is the specialist Philosophy and Theology College of the University of London.

Heythrop is located in the beautiful Kensington Square in one of the most exclusive areas of London. A stone’s throw from both leafy parks and a bustling High Street it couldn’t be better situated. Heythrop students also have access to the college’s private gardens.

Heythrop is less than five minutes’ walk from High Street Kensington Underground Station, linking it to the entirety of the tube network and the rail network beyond.Regular, and 24 hour, buses connect the High Street to the West End and the rest of Central London.Much of Central London is within walking distance (by far the cheapest form of transport), with Oxford Street, Hammersmith, Shepherd’s Bush and Knightsbridge all within an easy distance of Heythrop.London also has an extensive cycle network. Heythrop provides space to park bikes securely, and the closest cycle hire dock is two minutes from the front door.

All of Heythrop’s degree programmes can be taken part-time.As a specialist college, with an extensive range of programmes within the subject areas, many students are offered one of the widest ranges of modules of any UK degree in the field. 

Heythrop boasts one-to-one tutorials for all of its undergraduate students for each of their assessed pieces of work. Heythrop is currently the only public HE institution outside of Oxbridge to offer this. Heythrop’s small numbers allow for more intimate class sizes, facilitating learning through discussion and good results for students across range of entry standards. Heythrop has one of the largest libraries and academic faculties in its field. Heythrop scored 92% for satisfaction with teaching in the most recent National Student Survey, compared with a nationwide average of 86%. 

Two dedicated computer suites on site provide all students with a good chance of access to a machine whenever they need, as well as free wireless internet throughout the site.
Students are given an§ allowance of free printing and photocopying and topping up this allowance is easy and reasonably priced. Heythrop’s extensive library is split onsite into the Theology and Philosophy libraries, both of which also contain computers for student use.

As students of the University of London, Heythrop students have full access to the University library at Senate House, home to roughly 3 million volumes, as well as the libraries of all the other University of London colleges.

Heythrop is committed to making the adjustments needed to ensure that students with disabilities are fully included in the life of the College.Some students have found that Heythrop’s size helps – it would be hard to slip through the net, and you benefit from the eagerness of all concerned for you to be able to succeed.
Examples of help given can include producing learning materials in different formats, providing a note-taker in lectures and supplying technological aids such as mini-disc recorders or specialist software. The vast majority of the Heythrop site is wheelchair accessible.For more information on disability services at Heythrop please visit the website.

Heythrop has an active Student's Union which organizes many activities, events, clubs and societies. The executive team is headed up by the sabbatical President and the sabbatical Vice-President, students who have either completed their studies or have taken a year out in order to fill these full-time positions.In 2013 a new bar opened, along with enhancements to student space within the Students' Union.Heythrop also houses The Lion newspaper, which was started in 2010 to provide the students of Heythrop with an independent source of information about the College as well as providing a platform for discussion and debate. The Lion is a founding member of the London Student Journalism Support Network, which won the NUS 'Best Student Media' Award in 2011.

All Heythrop students are also members of the University of London Union (ULU), situated next to Senate House in Bloomsbury. This provides students with a wider net of social and extra-curricular activity, a gym and a swimming pool, as well as a student bar and venue for student events.
All Heythrop Students' Union societies are free to join. Heythrop students are also welcome to join the student societies of all the other colleges of the University of London, as well as our Kensington neighbours Imperial College.

Glyndŵr University

Glyndŵr University has a 120 year history of delivering higher education in north Wales. The university traces its roots to 1887 when the Wrexham School of Science and Arts was formed from miners' 'Whisky Money', a tax on beer and spirits. In July 2008, the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI) was awarded university status, and Glyndŵr University was inaugurated.

More than 240 courses are on offer. For a full list visit the website. Programmes are modular, allowing students to study topics from other subject areas of interest. Students can choose to study a second language, or learn skills and gain experience with the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CfEL).

The university has eight research centres, including the Centre for Applied Internet Research and the Materials Science Research Centre. Research in Computer Science and Informatics and Metallurgy and Materials was deemed to be 'world leading' in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2008).
Glyndŵr University's Centre for Solar Energy Research is one of the UK's leading centres for photovoltaics research. The university awards Masters and PhDs of the University of Wales.

Two new centres, the Centre for the Creative Industries and Centre for the Child, Family and Society opened in 2011. The university has also acquired the Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium, the world's oldest international football stadium still in use and the home of Wrexham FC, as well as sports training facilities at Colliers Park.

ifs University College

ifs University College is the university for financial education. London-based, it is a registered charity incorporated by Royal Charter that exists to ensure a flow of talented individuals into the financial services industry and related sectors. Its qualifications enable individuals to reach their full professional potential and encourage appropriate and ethical practice. ifs University College was founded in 1879 as the Institute of Bankers and has remained at the forefront of professional education in financial services ever since.

We also offer our qualifications via part-time and flexible learning. These programmes are ideal for those who wish to gain a highly respected qualification in banking, finance and accounting while working and/or living at home. The study options available and the support provided give a huge degree of flexibility and enable our students to balance their study with busy work and personal lives. Our part-time degrees are structured into a series of levels each equivalent to a year of the equivalent full-time programme.

Completion of each level of study leads to a well-respected industry benchmark qualification or recognised higher education award in its own right. This flexible approach provides a number of 'stopping-off' points on the way to achieving the full degree. 

All ifs University College qualification content and learning experience is directly informed by the needs of those they exist to educate. They bridge the academic and vocational divide to provide students with essential practical skills and the conceptual and analytical abilities of academic study.
It is this unique and innovative approach that makes ifs University College the provider of choice for organisations and individuals seeking to improve knowledge, skills and career prospects in the area of finance and financial services.

All students based at ifs University College’s London Campus will become associate members of the University of London Union (ULU). ULU is located on Malet Street in central London, just a short journey from ifs University College on the underground. ULU comprises the major universities in London and membership entitles you to get involved with everything that ULU has to offer including access to bars, places to eat, entertainment, clubs and societies.

University of Gloucestershire

Granted university status in 2001. Predecessor colleges have been delivering quality education in Gloucestershire since 1834. International reputation for achievements in sustainability and is the only university in the UK to have been ranked in the top five of the People and Planet Green League each year since it began. Leading the way at elite sporting level, are the University of Gloucestershire All Golds, the only university owned professional rugby league club in the world.

Regency Cheltenham is home to two of campuses, the Park and Francis Close Hall, with Oxstalls campus situated just minutes from the heart of historic Gloucester. Equidistant from Birmingham and Bristol, Gloucestershire offers bustling towns and stunning scenery within two hours reach of London. Bus links are provided between campuses in Cheltenham and Gloucester at a subsidised flat rate fee of £1.00. This also applies to all Stagecoach bus services in and around Cheltenham and Gloucester.

A recognised Centre of Excellence in Rural Research is located in the university's Countryside and Community Research Institute. A thriving postgraduate research community with traditional and taught doctorates, including a highly successful DBA. The government's 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) results for Higher Education institutions shows that the University has work of 'world-leading' quality in five of its research areas. With more than 70 sports & Societies there is plenty to get involved in, and if you can’t find what you are looking for, the SU will help you set one up.

The Union provides many opportunities for students from Sports and Societies to Volunteering and a Jobshop. The SU Summer Ball has seen acts like Professor Green and Lily Allen. It is held at the prestigious Cheltenham Racecourse, famous for its Gold Cup week. The Green Team runs our own Cheltenham Chilli Company alongside students. We are also starting our very own Cider Company. Students' Union provides a JobShop to help students looking for work in and around the local area where there are a good variety of jobs.

St Mary's University

St Mary’s has a reputation for academic excellence with staff engaged in national and international research across a number of disciplines, including Bioethics, Applied Physics, English and Theology. HEFCE’s 2008 Research Assessment Exercise awarded research in Theology and in English the highest possible accolade of 4*, defined as "world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour". St Mary's has a culture of research and scholarship supported by discrete research centres, research seminar programmes and academic conferences. We have a number of areas of research with strength in the physical sciences and humanities – notably English Language and Literature, Theology and Education. The newest additions to our research centres include the Centre for the Philosophy of History and the Centre for Law and Culture.

Students have access to a state-of-the-art learning resource centre, internet cafe, open access IT suites and a wide range of services to support studies. £6m new Library development (opening September 2015). Dedicated Law Library (relocating to newly refurbished facility September 2015). State-of-the-art Media Arts Suite.State-of-the-art Strength and Conditioning Suite. Other facilities include TV studio, dance and drama studios and extensive sport labs and facilities. New student services centre.

St Mary’s is renowned for its sporting excellence and was voted Top University for Sport by independent review Which? in both 2013 and 2014. The university regularly attracts top athletes to train in its Endurance, Performance and Coaching Centre (EPACC). Arguably one of London’s top performing sports institutions.
State-of-the-art sports facilities including a refurbished sports centre, strength and conditioning suite and floodlit running track equipped to world-class performance standards. Funding available for high performance athletes, including the provision of scholarships via the Mo Farah Academy. St Mary's regards all sports participation as important and provides a wide range of clubs and activities which are available to every student in the university. The St Mary’s Endurance Performance and Coaching Centre provides a world-class endurance environment.

The facilities at the university were used as a pre-games training camp by a number of international teams taking part in the London 2012 Olympic Games. The 2012 Olympic medal tally was enough to place St Mary’s sixth in Podium’s medal table for UK universities and top of the London institutions. Olympians Mo Farah and Moe Sbihi are among our Alumni. Paralympian David Weir trains on campus regularly. In 2015 the university will host both the South African and New Zealand rugby teams during the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup. Students and EPACC athletes often compete in national and international sports events, with a selection of alumni participating in past Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

Staffordshire University

Two main campuses, one in Stoke-on-Trent and one in Stafford. Staffordshire University has announced plans to vacate its Beaconside site in Stafford by 2016 at the latest and move all computing and entertainment technology degrees to its Stoke-on-Trent campus. However its highly rated nursing and midwifery courses – which are commissioned by the NHS – and health courses like paramedic and public health are set to remain based in Stafford. Satellite campus in Lichfield and Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital.
Easy access by rail and car, to and from regional airports. Major cities such as Birmingham, London and Manchester are easily accessible from Stoke and Stafford railway stations. 50/50 male/female ratio. The university is a large regional institution with over 17,000 students from all over the region, UK and the world. A further 9,000 are enrolled on Staffordshire University awards at partner institutions overseas. Recognised for our commitment to access, exceeding all of the HESA performance indicators for state/public school access.

Staffordshire is among the leading Universities for secondary teacher training courses. The University came 4th among University providers in last year’s Good Teacher Training Guide – behind University of Cambridge, University of Exeter and University of Birmingham who occupied top three positions – and one place above the University of Oxford who ranked 1st last year. Staffordshire University's Teacher Training Provision has consistently been rated as 'Outstanding' in its last four Ofsted inspections and the University is currently recruiting to secondary PGCEs in Economics and Business; Mathematics; Design Technology and Computer Science. It is also recruiting to Primary PGCE. The Staffordshire Graduate project, launched in 2012, aims to ensure consistency across the portfolio and that all those completing their awards are equipped with a clearly defined set of qualities (knowledge and skills) which are designed to help them succeed in life and work.

One of a handful of institutions offering two-year, fast-track degrees. The University’s UK partners, which include the National Design Academy and local colleges, are responsible for delivering a wide range of Staffordshire University higher education awards to a further 4,600 students. Staffordshire University works  hard to meet the demands of public and private sector employers. In recent years it launched a Foundation Degree in Offender Management which is now being offered to staff at two Serco operated prisons and has added to its portfolio with a new Foudation Degree in Leadership and Management for employees of Steelite International - the UK’s largest producer of tableware.

The University recently announced new academic partnership with the world’s largest technology company Hewlett Packard to develop new sector-led computing degrees – a programme which will help to provide students with business-ready IT skills that are in deficit within the industry. New for 2014/15 entry is a new BSc(Hons) Internet of Things award.

HP will support the University in its plans to recruit more students to its franchised awards at partner institutions overseas and help facilitate global opportunities for students through its own international network and partners, aiming to give more students the chance to study in two or more countries.

University of Sheffield

International reputation for world-class research. The University of Sheffield is among the top ten in the Russell Group, the association of leading UK research-intensive universities, according to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Twenty-nine Sheffield departments are ranked among the UK's top 10 for their research. Highly rated for architecture, town and regional planning, geography, mechanical engineering, music, English, Russian, politics, history, Asian studies, computer science, dentistry, journalism and religious studies.

Other areas of excellence include, electronic and electrical engineering, automatic control and systems engineering, the biosciences. Teaching informed by latest research developments. Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in England, there are 4 trees to every person and 62% of the city is green space. Located in the heart of the UK just 11 km (7 miles) from the Peak District National Park, and two hours from London by train. Sheffield is well served by national road and rail networks and has excellent local transport. The university campus is on the western edge of the city centre and is easy to get to by car, bus and tram.
As England's fourth largest city, Sheffield is famously friendly, excellent for student social life and entertainment.

The University is expanding its highly-rated Faculty of Engineering. New teaching laboratories are planned for the 4,000 engineers and a £20-million Graduate School is due to open in the Autumn of 2013.
The Students’ Union building underwent a £5-million revamp in 2013 to provide more space and top class facilities for students, staff and visitors.

The Management school moved to a new location in 2013. The new facilities will act as a dynamic hub, which will stimulate study, thought and the proactive exchange of ideas. Its new facilities are of a very high calibre and are designed to benefit students in their taught and independent study at every level. Newly refurbished grade II Art Tower reopened in September 2011. State-of-the-art £12-million research institute SITraN unveiled in November 2010, setting up Sheffield to become a world leader for research into motor neurone disease. £3.4-million development of the iconic Western Bank Library was completed in February 2010.

University of East Anglia

Opened in 1963, one of the sixties generation of universities – UEA most recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The University of East Anglia (UEA) was part of the 1994 Group until its dissolution in November 2013. The first UK university to offer courses in Creative Writing, Environmental Sciences and Development Studies, and champion of interdisciplinary subjects. First university to study climate change with over 40 years experience through our Climatic Research Unit. A centre for arts and culture, in 1973 Sir Robert and Lady Sainsbury donated their collection of world art to the University which is housed on campus in the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. 

Norwich Medical School opened in 2001 with UEA’s first doctors graduating in 2007 having benefited enormously from access to the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital based on UEA’s single-site campus. INTO UEA, our Norwich-based study centre delivering a world-class educational and cultural experience for international students with fast, effective and assured progression to university degree courses opened in 2007. UEA have twice been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize: Creative Writing (2011); International Development (2009). The modular degree structure means that students take self-contained modules, providing substantial choice. Programme of study offered at Honours level. Each degree has compulsory modules – but students can also take optional modules outside the main subject area. A significant number of courses give the opportunity to study abroad for a period. The majority of courses have work placement options – individual schools of study will advise on these.

UEA’s Employability Strategy has been designed specifically to help students develop the vital academic and wider skills and competencies that employers are looking for. Students benefit from high quality teaching and supervision with an excellent staff/student ratio. Broad study areas include: Biological and Chemical Sciences; Environmental and Earth Sciences; Geography; Forensic Sciences; International Development Studies; Mathematics, Computing and Information Systems; Medicine; Pharmacy; Occupational Therapy; Physiotherapy; Speech and Language Therapy; Nursing and Midwifery; Management and Business; Accountancy; History; Archaeology; Education; Counselling; Economics; Political, Social and International Studies; Law and Legal Systems; Philosophy; English Literature and Creative Writing; Media Studies; Drama; American Studies; Art History; Film and TV Studies; Modern Languages and Translation (French, Spanish, Japanese); Social Work; Psychology; Physical

Set in 200 hectares of parkland with its own 'Norfolk Broad' – UEA’s academic and social amenities are conveniently available within this single-site campus. All academic departments and facilities based across the Norwich Research Park, lecture theatres, library and learning resources, and the sporting and social amenities are only a few minutes’ walk from each other. The Norwich Research Park, host to the University, John Innes Centre, the Institute of Food Research, the Sainsbury Laboratory, The Genome Analysis Centre, and the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, has over 11,000 people including 2,700 scientists and an annual research spend of over £100 million, the Norwich Research Park is one of Europe’s largest single-site concentrations of research in Health, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Fifteen minutes from the lively centre of historic Norwich, one of the UK's top ten shopping cities and named as England’s first UNESCO City of Literature in recognition of Norwich’s literary heritage, contemporary strengths and future potential in the field of literature, creative writing, reading and the literary arts.
The cheapest UK city annual bus pass; half-hourly London trains; regular Norwich–Amsterdam shuttle flights (to international connections), and university to London airports coach service. UEA’s Student Service Advisers will help you find the information you need.

Entry requirements may vary according to the subject and course you want to study. Find information about entry requirements at the University of East Anglia on the website: www.uea.ac.uk/study.
The majority of subjects do not usually request applicants to attend for interview. However, candidates will be invited to interview for Actuarial Sciences, , Drama (audition), Scriptwriting and Performance, Drama and Creative Writing, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Social Work, Speech and Language Therapy, Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences with a Foundation Year, Pharmacy with a Foundation Year, Biological Sciences with a Foundation Year, Chemistry with a Foundation Year.

University of Leicester

Founded in 1921 and gained its Royal Charter in 1957, Leicester is one of Britain's older universities.

The university site was given to create a living memorial for those who gave their lives during World War One. Leicester is in the heart of England, close to the M1 and M69 motorways. The railway station is close to the campus.  Typical offers range from AAA (Medicine, Law) to BBB with most departments requiring around AAB/ABB. 

Full-time undergraduate students (2011–12), male 49%, female 51%.

Full-time undergraduate students (2011–12), UK/EU 83%, international 17%.

Full-time undergraduate students (2011–12), under 21 86%, over 21 14%.

School type 89% state, 11% independent.

Just over seven applicants to each place. Approximately 17,000 applicants applied for 2,350 places in 2010. Leicester is an inclusive university; it meets its widening participation benchmarks for recruitment from state schools and lower socio-economic groups. The quality of teaching is very high and since the launch of the National Student Survey in 2005, Leicester has consistently featured amongst the top-10 universities in England for student satisfaction.Leicester has one of the strongest student completion rates – 91% of our students leave the sector with an award according to government performance indicators. 

The research conducted by the University has the strongest impact of any Midlands university measured by citations per academic. Citation levels place Leicester amongst the top 1% of universities in the world and are the 7th highest in the UK. Leicester’s Quality Related research funding (QR) is the 19th highest of Britain’s 120 universities. Leicester has one of the highest proportions of staff who are research active in the UK, with approximately 93% of staff submitted for the national 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Of these, Leicester has 87% of research activity deemed by the RAE to be producing internationally significant research.Leicester is home to the department with greatest concentration of world class research of any department of any discipline in the UK – in our Department of Museum Studies. DNA genetic fingerprinting was discovered here and over 90% of academic staff are research active.

University of Warwick

The university was given its Royal Charter of Incorporation in 1965. It is situated on a campus which straddles the boundary between the Coventry and the County of Warwickshire. The idea for a university in Coventry was mooted after the Second World War but it was a partnership of the city and the county which brought the university into being. The university initially admitted graduate students in 1964 and took its first 450 undergraduates in October 1965. In October 2013 the university had over 23,872 students.

Location and Transport

Located in the heart of England, adjacent to the city of Coventry – 5 km (3 miles) from the city centre – and on the border with Warwickshire. The campus lies within a few miles of the M40, M45 and M6 motorways and is a 20 minute drive from Birmingham International Airport.

51% male, 49% female.

Home/EU 80%, overseas 20%.

Applications to places ratio 8:1.

Course Flexibility

Warwick Skills Certificate offers all students accredited training in professional and employability skills. All courses are built around core and optional modules. Some courses allow students to take additional modules to add breadth and depth to their studies. All undergraduate degrees offer either an integrated industrial/work experience year or the opportunity to take a year out for work experience. Excellent teaching recognised in audits and inspections. Recently established Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning to promote innovation and new ideas in teaching and learning activities. Strong student feedback arrangements including long-standing Student-Staff Liaison Committee system for students to say what they think about courses and facilities. Warwick is ranked 7th in the UK for research having 19 departments in the top ten in the UK in their unit of assessment. 65% of Warwick’s research is 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' (quality level 3* or 4*.

University of Westminster

The University of Westminster was names with Privy Council approval in 1992. It was established in London's Regent Street in 1838 as the original Polytechnic, focussing on innovation and scientific discovery. It was re-launched by philanthropist Quintin Hogg in 1882 and in 1970 was renamed the Polytechnic of Central London (known as PCL).

Three of the University's four campuses are based in central London, with excellent transport links.

The leafy Harrow Campus is served by tube, rail and bus links. From Northwick Park tube station, Baker Street is around a 20-minute journey.  Our average entry tariff is 300 points. For some subject areas specific A-levels are necessary. Applicants with vocational qualifications, the International Baccalaureate, or international school leaving certificates are welcomed. For studio-based subjects, applicants are asked to provide a portfolio in support of their application, or take part in an interview.

On average, there were six applicants to every full-time, first-degree place at Westminster last year.

Last academic year, the Faculty of Media, Arts and Design was overall the most popular on average with 7.3 applications for each place. The most popular course in this Faculty had more than 28 applications for each place (undergraduate Fashion Design). The second most popular course was undergraduate Architecture with 26 applications for each place. The overall average for the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment was 6.8.  Full- and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses, short and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses and foundation degrees.

Westminster was ranked 70th out of 106 in the most recent research assessment. In RAE 2008, media and communications research has been rated the best in the UK, art, and architecture research groups were all assessed as world leading. It was also recognised internationally for research in areas such as law, life sciences and the environment, computing, business, and planning. Many of the courses have a strong work-related focus, and these skills are included in many degrees. Media, Architecture, Languages and Subjects allied to Medicine, Psychology, Electronic Engineering, Construction and Surveying, English. Westminster offers the largest range of languages of any British university. Shaping the future of professional life, with a strong work-related focus, and transferable skills.

Lancaster University

Initiated under Royal Charter and the first students accepted in 1964. Lancaster is now one of only six collegiate universities in England. Each college has its own distinctive character, community and support network and all boast small close-knit communities in which students live and work for the duration of their studies at Lancaster, providing a friendly, safe and secure environment for all students. The campus is located a short distance from the vibrant and historic city of Lancaster, and near to the Lune Valley and the Forest of Bowland (areas of outstanding natural beauty) and on the edge of the Lake District.  Easy access to Manchester and Liverpool to the south, and the Lake District just to the north. Three hours to London by train. Buses leave the station in town every 5 minutes on weekdays for the university. Cycle track to University from Lancaster. Entry Standards

Average of 340 UCAS tariff points from best 3 A levels.

Read more about entry requirements at Lancaster University.

Student Mix

Around 12,000 students in total.

Undergraduates: 46% male, 54% female.

8% of undergraduates are of non-white European origin.

90% of undergraduates from state schools.

22% of undergraduates from outside the UK.

Course Flexibility

Part one system allows some students to take up to three courses in the first year, including one major and two minors.

The University offers a flexible approach to students changing their major to certain other subjects they have studied in their first year provided they achieve the necessary grades.

Teaching Standards

Achieved 4.2 in the most recent National Student Survey.

Research Standards

The most recent Research Assessment Exercise confirmed that 92% of research at Lancaster is of international quality. First in UK for Physics. In the UK's top three for Bio-medicine. Art and Design in the UK's top three (which at Lancaster includes Music, Theatre, Film and New Media in the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts). Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) ranked joint fifth in the country. Sociology is ranked fifth in the country. Computing has 100% of research considered to be of international quality.  Lancaster’s excellent teaching and support for learning has been recognised by the National Teaching Fellowship awards for the tenth time.

Lancaster cultivates an atmosphere of approachability, and contact with academics who are leaders in their field.

A 24-hour student learning space at the centre of the campus has provided students with flexible learning environments and social space with up-to-date technology and will soon be updated with the provision of a quiet study area.

Complete upgrade of college, bar and student social space nearing completion.

Award-winning accommodation.

Vibrant campus set in beautiful parkland.

Live arts programme.

University of Sussex

The University was the first of the new wave of universities founded in the 1960s, receiving its Royal Charter in August 1961. The University celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011–12. Over the past 50 years, the University has built a strong reputation for research excellence, internationalism and interdisciplinarity. In 1993, the buildings that make up the core of Sir Basil Spence's original design were given listed building status.

Set in the rolling countryside of the Sussex Downs, the campus is surrounded by the South Downs National Park and is only minutes from Brighton & Hove, one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the UK. Frequent bus services run between campus and Brighton. The train journey to Brighton from nearby Falmer station is eight minutes. Brighton is within easy reach of London and major international airports (Gatwick and Heathrow).  Standard A level offers are between AAA and BBB, depending on degree programme. The University has a tradition of welcoming mature students, and takes a flexible approach when extending offers to such students. 

55% of students are female, 45% male; 70% are home students, 30% are from overseas; there are over 4,000 international students from over 120 countries.

14% of our undergraduate students are mature students (over 21 on entry).

Applications to places ratio was just over 5:1 in 2013.

Sussex degrees are designed flexibly so that students can explore subjects in ways that interest them.

Students on most single honours courses choose several modules from outside their discipline. Joint degrees allow different combinations. Most courses offer study-abroad opportunities, and 20% of first degree students spend a term/year abroad. Staff have received several National Teaching Fellowship Scheme awards. In the 2013 National Student Survey, 89 per cent of Sussex students were satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching on their course. Innovative structure to our academic year – two twelve-week teaching periods – which has improved how students learn and are assessed on their studies. Academic year structure has enabled students to engage with their subjects in more depth and to consolidate what they learn through the mid-year assessment.

In the 2008 RAE, 100% of departments at Sussex have world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised research, placing the University among the leading 30 research universities in the UK. As part of our £50m fundraising campaign 'Making the Future' we have announced funding for major research centres at Sussex e.g. Andrew and Virginia Rudd Centre for Adoption Research and Practice; Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science; Sussex Centre for Middle East Studies; and Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption. 

Our distinguished faculty includes one Queen's Award, 14 Fellows of the Royal Society, 12 Fellows of the British Academy, 9 Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences and 15 Academicians of the Social Sciences. Three Nobel Prizes and one Crafoord Prize have been awarded for research conducted at Sussex.

Bangor University

In October 1884 the University College of North Wales opened with 58 students and 12 members of academic staff. The institution’s new title, University of Wales, Bangor, was formally approved by the Privy Council in 1997, and changed to Bangor University in 2007. The University is currently organised into 23 Academic Schools grouped into five Colleges: Arts and Humanities; Business, Law, Education and Social Sciences; Natural Sciences; Health and Behavioural Sciences; Physical and Applied Sciences. In 2009, Bangor University celebrated its 125th anniversary with an honorary degree ceremony where Archbishop Desmond Tutu was amongst those receiving honorary doctorates. Honorary Fellows include David Brailsford CBE, performance director of British Cycling and the general manager of Team Sky; Lord Richard Attenborough and Bryn Terfel.

Notable alumni include Nobel prize-winner, Professor Robert Edwards FRS; Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire Director, Danny Boyle; poet R.S.Thomas

In north Wales, situated between Snowdonia and the sea – Bangor is considered one of the most attractive study locations in the UK. Bangor is exceptionally well-situated and well-equipped for students interested in sport – especially those involving the great outdoors. Surveys show that many students choose Bangor because of the small and friendly nature of the university and city. Bangor is consistently ranked as one of the most economic places to study. Bangor has good road and rail links – direct trains from London, Manchester, Crewe and Cardiff. Ferry connections from nearby Holyhead to Ireland are fast and frequent.

Typical points range 240–360.

Visit the website for details of entry requirements at Bangor University.

Student Mix

57% female: male 43%.

80% home: overseas 20%.

95% state schools: 5% private (non-state) schools.

Course Flexibility

Flexible course structures combine compulsory and optional modules. Many programmes have common first years providing flexibility over the final choice of route. Courses suitable for both full-time and part-time students, including distance learning options in some subjects. Bangor has developed a new scheme called the International Experience Programme where students will study for one extra year during their degree. There is a wide variety of destinations to choose from, there is no charge for tuition fees for the year abroad and 'with International Experience' is added to the degree title.