Participating Universities January 2020

Abertay University is perhaps best known for its strong focus on computer games and art design. It is the only UK university with official accreditation in both these fields, and has a partnership with Peking University in China for games. The University is also academically strong in the areas of IT, as well as business, economics and biotechnology.

Abertay is a campus University based in Dundee in eastern Scotland with over 4,000 students enrolled. Many of the courses and buildings are modern, with a high-tech approach to learning common throughout the five schools and one institute which act as departments and faculties for the University. It also features numerous specialist departments in areas such as wood technology, urban water systems and bioinformatics. Abertay University has built up many strong industrial links with companies such as Sony, Microsoft, Rare and Codemasters.

Founded in 1876, the University of Bristol combines a proud tradition of academic excellence with an independent and forward-thinking spirit.

Situated in the heart of Bristol, the University is one of the 24 members of the research-intensive Russell Group. It is one of the original ‘red brick’ universities - six institutions founded in the major industrial cities of England - and regularly ranks among the best in the UK in major league tables.

Bristol is one of the top 50 universities in the world (QS World Rankings 2020) with excellent graduate employment rates, and the completion rate is among the highest in the country (Times Good University Guide 2018). 89% of students are awarded either a First or 2:1.

24,000 students currently study at the University from more than 150 countries, with many courses offering the option to study abroad for a year or a semester.

Founded in 1839, the University of Chester is one of the oldest institutions in the country. Although we are a Church of England institution guided by Christian values, we provide an open and supportive environment to over 18,000 students from 130 countries.

The University of Chester offers in excess of 120 undergraduate courses and 80 postgraduate courses, across our campuses (Parkgate, Kingsway, Queen’s Park, Riverside, Thornton, University Centre Shrewsbury, University Centre Reaseheath,

Located in the heart of England, the University of Derby has built on their region’s heritage of innovation to provide industry-relevant, expert teaching, from foundation and undergraduate degrees through to postgraduate study and research. The University is home to more than 1,700 international students from 100 countries studying at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework and a 

We are Essex: home to the daring and the tenacious, a place for the ambitious and the bold. We’re a close-knit, supportive and welcoming community, with a powerful and pioneering global outlook. In 2018, Times Higher Education voted us 'University of the Year'.

With over 15,500 students from more than 147 different countries, making us one of the most internationally diverse universities on the planet – you’ll find the world in one place here at Essex. Our trailblazing research also continues to change the world for the better and we are ranked 25th in the UK for research quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020).

At Essex you’re taught by world-leading academics in a supportive and research-intensive environment. We are ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2017) which means we deliver an excellent educational experience.

Heriot-Watt University is the eighth oldest higher education institution in the UK and originated as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world’s first mechanics institute, in 1821. In 1966 it became a university by Royal Charter. More than a third of Heriot-Watt’s 7,000 Edinburgh campus students are from outside the UK and this international focus is also demonstrated by the 10,000 students from 150 different countries worldwide studying on its international programmes.

The University boasts multiple campuses, with three in Scotland, and one each in Malaysia and Dubai. Heriot-Watt won an award from the Scottish Council of Development and Industry because of its international focus and it also performs well in physical sciences, mathematics, business and management, engineering and the built environment. It won the 'International University of the Year' 2018 award from Times Higher Education.

95% of Heriot-Watt first degree graduates were in employment or further study within six months of graduating and it is the number 1 university in Scotland for the highest paid salaries (Times Higher Education University Guide).

Established in 1904, the University of Leeds has an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research and is part of the prestigious Russell Group of research intensive universities.

Leeds is one of the largest universities in country, with 33,000 students currently enrolled from over 140 countries, while its single campus location is spread out over 98 acres just one mile from the busy city centre. Campus facilities include excellent teaching space, four libraries, a state-of-the-art swimming pool and fitness centre called ‘The Edge’ and ‘stage@leeds’ which is a contemporary performance space.

The University of Leeds offers one of the widest selections of courses available across all UK universities, from English Language and a International Foundation Year to hundreds of Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree options and PhD opportunities. Degrees from the University of Leeds are respected by employers and universities all over the world and alumni can be found in positions of influence across the globe.

The University of Liverpool provide thousands of International students with an amazing, life-changing University experience, in a wonderful city with a global reputation for sport, music, architecture and culture. The University is the original ‘red brick’ university, one of six universities founded in the major industrial cities of England in the late 19th and early 20th century, and also a member of the prestigious Russell Group.

The University of Liverpool is considered one of the best higher education institutions in the world and is home to 22,000 students in total. 85% of international graduates are employed or in further study within 6 months of graduating and, of those who are employed, 89% are working in a graduate level job.

Liverpool offer personalised entrance support into the UK for international students and the student/staff ratio is the 8th best in the Russell Group. The University is ranked 13th in the UK for services and facilities spend per student, and the University are one of the top 25 most targeted universities by leading graduate recruiter organisations in the UK (High Fliers Research).

The University of Nottingham is a research-focused campus university which has been described as “the nearest thing Britain has to a truly global university” by the Times, with campuses in Malaysia and China as well as the UK. It is the fifth largest university in the UK and a member of the Russell Group, Universitas 21, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the European University Association.

The University of Nottingham is regarded as one of the best universities in the world and regularly features in the UK’s top 30 Higher Education institutions. The Teaching Excellence Framework ranked Nottingham Gold, while the QS World Rankings by Subject revealed Nottingham subjects Pharmacy & Pharmacology (6th), Education (22nd), Anatomy & Physiology (36th), Veterinary Science (29th), Nursing (42nd), Geography (46th) and English Language & Literature (49th) as some of the best in the world.

Admission to the University is highly competitive and Nottingham regularly receives one of the largest numbers of applications per undergraduate place in the country.

Nottingham Trent University is spread across three campuses, two in Nottingham and one just outside the city, and it is one of the largest universities in the UK with 28,000 students currently enrolled. Nottingham Trent was originally founded in 1843 before officially gaining full university status in 1992. 93% of Nottingham Trent students would recommend studying at at the University following the National Student Survey and it was named 'University of the Year' by Times Higher Education for 2018.

Nottingham Trent University is best known for its Art and Design, Fashion and creative arts programmes, but it also hosts one of the UK’s largest law schools. The University also does well in sports, with strong performances in the British University and College Sport leagues. The University recently received one of the biggest grants to a post-1992 university in order to continue its work on cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Nottingham Trent are partnered with 50 academic institutions across 40 countries, with some programmes at the University also offering the chance for students to study abroad.

Sheffield Hallam University is one of the largest and most popular universities in the UK, with over 30,000 students from more than 100 countries enrolled. It is also regarded as one of the best modern universities in the north of England and has eight subjects ranked in the top 20 in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times University League Table). Sheffield Hallam is one of the UK's largest providers of health and social care courses, teacher training, and sport and physical activity courses.

Sheffield Hallam's courses are designed in consultation with industry experts and offer opportunities to undertake internships and consultancy projects. Many courses are accredited by professional bodies including Sony, BP, Cisco, BBC, Shell and HSBC. These often offer a direct route to professional accreditation or membership of that body.

93% of graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduation, while a package of discounts and scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students are also available.

The University of Strathclyde was formally awarded university status in 1964 and currently has almost 23,000 students enrolled from 100 countries on a single campus in the heart of Glasgow, Scotland.

The University was recently announced as the 2019 Times Higher Education University of the Year and are they only university to be awarded the UK-wide award for a second time, having previously won in 2012. Strathclyde is also the current Scottish University of the Year.

Strathclyde is known for its close links with industry, and the Strathclyde Business School is one of only 55 in the world that is ‘triple accredited’ by all three major bodies. Many courses, such as product design and innovation or international business with modern languages, have been specifically designed with industry experts. The engineering faculty is the biggest in Scotland and has the largest electrical power engineering and energy research facility in Europe.

Swansea University is based in Ssouth Wales and currently has around 20,000 students enrolled across two campuses. The Singleton Park campus was established in 1920 and is home to the Swansea University Medical School, College of Human and Health Sciences, College or Arts and Humanities, and the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law. The Bay Campus opened in 2015 and is home to the College of Engineering, School of Management, and Computer Science.

Traditional strengths lie within the science subjects, but are strongly supported by humanities subjects, which are globally recognised. Swansea are ranked in the top 30 institutions in the UK (The Times University Guide 2020), and in the top 15 for Graduate Employment. The University have an excellent 97% employment record.

Swansea also have one of the best student experiences in the UK according to its students, who consistently vote the University in the top 10 in the National Student Survey and WhatUni. Swansea has a low cost of living compared to other major cities in the UK.

Ulster University is located in Northern Ireland has four campuses in Belfast, Coleraine, Magee College and Jordanstown, and a fifth virtual campus, Campus One, online. Each campus has a different focus, meaning that students will generally spend their entire time at the University on a single site, and more than 2,000 international students from over 50 countries are currently enrolled.

Over 90% of Ulster graduates are in work or further study six months after graduation, and more than 4,000 students have successfully completed eLearning courses at Ulster University. The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 rankings classified Ulster as a leading modern University and in the top 100 globally.

The University of Ulster place a strong focus on employability, with many courses receiving professional accreditation and including work placements. This also leads to certain unique facilities, like FireSERT: a postgraduate teaching and PhD programme which focuses on fire safety science and engineering.

The University of York is a leading UK university, creating independent critical thinkers through a culture of academic excellence and ground breaking research. As a member of the prestigious Russell Group we are committed to research-led teaching, providing a supportive and inclusive learning experience for our students. We hold a Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award, showing that we deliver consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for our students.

All our accommodation is on or near campus and is guaranteed for international students. You’ll become a member of one of our nine colleges which encourages inclusivity and a valuable sense of community, through a wealth of social activities and a supportive system available to each and every student. A wide variety of clubs and societies on campus, as well as our college system, make it very easy for new students to integrate and feel at home throughout their studies.

York is a flourishing city, being voted the ‘best place to live in the UK’ (The Sunday Times, 2018).