Participating Universities February 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.

The University of Bath is known for excellence in teaching and research; a superb student experience; and providing outstanding preparation for the workplace. Widely regarded as a world-class university in a world heritage city, the University is ranked 6th in the Guardian University Guide 2020 and achieved Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Approaching its 50th year, the University is well established as a nurturing environment for enterprising minds.

Bath offers a broad range of programmes spanning engineering, design, science, management, humanities and social sciences. Academic programmes are designed to provide both rigorous intellectual challenge and real-world relevance, giving students the opportunity to study with researchers who are leaders in their field. 

Bath’s outstanding placement scheme helps ensure highly sought-after graduates are well attuned to meet the evolving needs of employers. With a tradition of building strong links with private businesses, partnerships and the public sector,

24,000 students from over 80 countries are enrolled at Birmingham City University, making it an exciting and diverse place to study. A significant proportion of undergraduate courses enjoy professional accreditation, including Accountancy, Acting, Architecture, Education, Engineering, Law, Marketing, Nursing, Radiography and Social Work. The University is also conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and easy road and rail links to London, Manchester and the rest of the UK.

Birmingham City University has a large number of part-time students enrolled, making it the largest provider of undergraduate study in the area. In addition, the University has increased its portfolio of high-tech degrees in recent years, with a particular focus on electronic commerce, network engineering and electronic systems.

Birmingham City University is one of the top 30 universities in the UK for spending on facilities, and in the most recent National Student Survey, 84% of students were happy with their course, while 87% agreed that faculty staff were good at explaining classes and teaching.

Bournemouth University (BU) is one of the UK’s leading modern universities; we create forward- thinking graduates with the skills and flexibility to succeed throughout their career. Our courses are designed with direct input from employers, and we recognise the importance of work experience as part of your degree.

The BU community includes around 16,000 students; with approximately 2,600 international students from over 120 countries. Our four faculties offer degrees in creative, professional, technological, scientific and humanities specialisms. We are ranked in the top 150 young universities in the world according to the THE Young University Rankings.

There are many reasons why so many international students choose BU. Studying at Bournemouth University will give you the opportunity to progress into some of the most exciting careers, such as Computer Animation & Visual Effects, Media Production & Communication, Forensic & Archaeology, Sports & Events Management, History, International Business and Management, Politics & Social Studies, and much more.

Brunel University London is located in Uxbridge, north-west London, and is one of the UK’s most ambitious, forward-looking universities, with a strong focus on employability after graduation. Currently home to just under 13,000 students from over 100 countries, Brunel graduates currently benefit from the 13th highest starting salaries upon graduation in the UK.

Almost all courses are available as a four year ‘sandwich’, with one year’s work placement before graduation, while over £400 million worth of investment has recently been completed to create an exciting state-of-the-art campus providing students with world class teaching, social and sport facilities.

The campus is within walking distance of the London underground, just a short 20-minute ride into the city. An Airport Welcome Service at Heathrow will help students find Brunel at the start of the academic year.

An investment in advancing your career is a life-changing decision. By joining Cranfield University’s global reputation you will be taking your first steps to building strong relationships with some of the world’s most prestigious companies in industry. Cranfield University can open doors for you.

As an exclusively postgraduate university, we offer you the opportunity to invest wisely in your future in one of the areas we are most passionate about. We are passionate in aerospace, defence and security, energy and power, environment and agrifood, manufacturing, transport systems and water.

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 

The University of Dundee was founded in 1881 and has developed a significant reputation for students entering the traditional professions, most notably law, medicine and dentistry as well as emerging areas such as life sciences. The Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design one of the UK’s top rated art schools, while the University of Dundee School of Medicine is ranked in the top five in the UK.

Based in and around the city of Dundee on the central east coast of Scotland, a focus on vocational and professional degrees means that Dundee scores well in terms of graduate employment and only Oxbridge graduates have higher average starting salaries.

Dundee has scored highly in terms of student satisfaction in recent years and lots of degrees at the University include a career planning and internship option, with students given their own personal development website to work within.

Durham University is the third oldest university in England and regularly places in the top ten UK university rankings. The University is a member of the prestigious Russell Group, as well as numerous other international university organisations, and is considered a traditional alternative to Oxbridge giants Oxford and Cambridge.

Located in the cathedral city of Durham in the north-east of England, the University campus is divided between the main Durham City campus and the Queen’s Campus in nearby Stockton. Durham University has over 18,000 students enrolled, of whom 1,900 are international students from over 150 countries.

Durham University is a collegiate university, with 16 colleges providing residential, social and welfare facilities for their student members, creating a sense of community for staff and students together. Teaching and most research is handled by academic departments and 30% of the 3,000 staff at the University are international.

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.

The University of Exeter was founded in 1955, although its complete history dates back as far as 1900. At present around 20,000 students from over 140 countries study at the University’s three campuses in the South West of England. Despite being relatively young, Exeter is a member of the UK’s elite Russell Group and is considered one of the best universities in the world.

Six academic colleges offer study opportunities at undergraduate, masters and research level in a wide range of subjects across science, humanities and social sciences. The University of Exeter has a longstanding international approach, with many courses offering the opportunity to study abroad. All students are offered foreign language tuition, either as part of their chosen degree or as a separate evening class. Graduate prospects are further improved by a focus on career management skills and the possibility of work placements and internships as part of the degree programme.

GCU London is a postgraduate university campus of Glasgow Caledonian University. The campus offers a range of MBA and MSc courses, specialising in the areas of banking, finance, fashion and brand marketing and public health and construction management. All programmes are delivered in a modern environment, with GCU London students benefitting from the same standard of learning experience as those at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Award-winning student support and internationally renowned professor are part of an enriching and diverse learning experience underpinned by a vibrant international and intellectual life.

The University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in 1451. Based in Scotland’s largest city, the University of Glasgow is one of the world’s top 100 universities and currently has 26,000 students from over 120 different countries enrolled. Glasgow is also a member of the prestigious Russell Group of UK research universities.

Throughout its history Glasgow has created six Nobel laureates, one Prime Minister, Scotland's inaugural First Minister and the country's first female medical graduates. 96% of University of Glasgow research-active staff are in areas which have been independently assessed as producing research of international importance.

The University of Glasgow’s main campus is located in the cosmopolitan West End of Glasgow, just three miles from the city centre. The University has more listed buildings than any other university in the UK, and the neo-Gothic main building of the campus was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

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).

The University of Hertfordshire is a modern university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, about 35km north of London. Described as “the UK’s leading business-facing university”, Hertfordshire has more than 25,000 students enrolled from nearly 90 different countries.

The University of Hertfordshire won the Guardian University Award for Student Experience in 2015, while 95.2% of University students are in work or further study six months after graduating.

The University has many close links with industry, and every British Formula One team has at least one Hertfordshire graduate. Degrees in healthcare science and the pioneering paramedic science BSc make Hertfordshire a preferred provider for the NHS in the east of England and the Universities Careers and Placements Service offers graduates lifelong support on employment and career development.

The University of Hull was formed in 1927, making us the 14th oldest university in England. With a proud history of academic excellence and of creating and inspiring life-changing research, we offer the perfect combination of heritage and high technology, setting us apart from most other universities.

Hull was named the UK’s most affordable student city in the Natwest 2018 Student Living Index, and our single-site campus contains everything you need. We’ve invested £200 million on new facilities including a world-class library, a superb health campus, a state-of-the-art concert hall, on-campus student accommodation and new sports facilities.

We earned a silver award in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework which recognises excellence in teaching and learning in UK universities and colleges, and we specialise in a wide range of high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Furthermore, an impressive 97.

Kingston University is an inclusive and vibrant university, recognised for its excellent teaching, ranks highly in the world’s list of young universities and has several UK-leading courses. Located in the outskirts of London, our diverse student populace enjoy the best of one of the world’s greatest cities. We offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, several of which are rated the best in the country by The Guardian University Guide 2020. View the course list page to see the extensive offerings across our faculties.

Kingston University’s teaching has been recognised as outstanding by winning The Guardian University Award 2017 for teaching excellence. Courses are also brought to life by interactive learning facilities such as the Bloomberg trading room, the flight simulator, an in-built hospital ward and music recording studio.

Lancaster University is located in the north west of England near the major cities of Manchester and Liverpool. It was established in 1964 as a collegiate university with a reputation for innovation. Lancaster is one of the few UK universities to run a collegiate system which consists of eight undergraduate colleges and one postgraduate college. Over 12,000 students from over 100 countries are currently enrolled and all members of staff are college members and many are actively involved in collegiate life.

Lancaster is ranked in the top 10 in all three major national league tables, and is also highly ranked in international league tables such as the QS World Rankings. The University scored 88% on the National Student Survey for final year students, placing it among the top ten in the UK. Lancaster is the number one university in the north west and University accommodation has won 'Best University Halls' in the National Student Housing Survey for the last six years. It was named 'University of the Year' for 2018 by the Times Good 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.

Opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1996, the Brayford Pool Campus at Lincoln provides a student-centred environment with more than £350million invested in facilities over the past two decades.

The University of Lincoln was rated 7th in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey (out of 127 institutions) and in the top 20 for student experience in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. It was rated 17th in The Guardian University Guide 2020 and also gained a Gold Award in the national Teaching Excellence Framework - the highest standard possible.

Lincoln features some of the most striking architecture in Europe due to its medieval history, and all students will graduate in the majestic Lincoln Cathedral, providing a memorable end to academic studies.

Loughborough University is located in Leicestershire, 90 minutes north of London, and has been a university since 1966 with over 16,000 students currently enrolled, of whom almost 10% are international from over 100 countries. Loughborough University is a top 10 university in all major national rankings and is a two-time Times and Sunday Times 'University of the Year'.

Loughborough University campus is the UK’s largest single site green campus and is generally regarded as the best in the country for sport, having been named the Sports University of the Year multiple times by the Times Good University Guide. Other recent accolades include the WhatUni? Student Choice University of the Year and first place in the THE Student Experience Survey.

Loughborough pride themselves on being inclusive for all, with students, graduates and staff at the heart of the university experience. The Student Experience at Loughborough gives "every student the opportunity they need to achieve their full potential.

Manchester Metropolitan University has a proud heritage dating back to 1824. It is one of the largest universities in the UK, with over 38,000 students enrolled, and is home to a diverse international student population from more than 120 countries.

The University is ranked amongst the world’s top 200 universities under 50 years old (Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2018), which is a measure of its commitment to delivering and supporting quality research and teaching.

Manchester Metropolitan’s campus is located in the centre of Manchester, amongst world-renowned music, arts, shopping and sports venues and the second largest Chinatown in the UK. Manchester is considered Britain’s ‘best city to live in’ (Global Liveability Survey 2018 by the Economist Intelligence Unit) and one of the world's top 10 most exciting cities (Time Out City Life Index 2018).

The University is undergoing a £400m investment programme to enhance its teaching and research facilities, buildings and public spaces and 85% of Manchester Metropolitan’s research has a 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' impact.

Newcastle University was granted university status in 1963 and currently has just over 20,000 students enrolled, of which 4,000 are international. The University is in the north-east of England and is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities.

Newcastle University is considered one of the top 150 universities in the world by QS and overall satisfaction at the University is at 91%, one of the highest scores in the country. A survey from Graduate Destinations also showed 94% of Newcastle University leavers were in employment or further study six months after graduating.

As a result of its origins as the School of Medicine and Surgery, one of Newcastle’s main strengths remains medicine. It currently works in partnership with the University of Durham and was selected as a national centre to demonstrate good practices in medical tuition. Cancer research facilities are some of the best in the country and Newcastle is in the top five in the UK for hospital and laboratory-based subjects.

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.

The University of Portsmouth is located on the south coast of England, about 120km south west of London. There are over 24,000 students enrolled, 4,000 of which are international.

Portsmouth is a modern, multi-disciplinary university offering practical courses at undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research level across five faculties. Most Bachelors degrees include a one year paid internship and the University is currently ranked 21st in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2020), and is rated highly for student satisfaction and graduate employment.

Portsmouth strengths lie in geology, earth and environmental sciences, pharmacy and sport science, psychology and optometry; petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, computing and computer science; law, criminology and criminal justice, forensic studies, international relations, journalism, public administration, architecture, property development and real estate management. There is a full portfolio of business courses available including the Portsmouth MBA, economics, accounting, finance, human resource management and law.

Queen Margaret University is a modern university located in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, Scotland. It was Scotland’s first university to be founded in the 21st century and currently has around 6,500 students enrolled from over 70 countries.

QMU’s traditional strengths lie in creativity and culture, business and health. Queen Margaret has the widest range of health degrees in Scotland, ranging from health psychology to audiology and diabetics, while the University holds a worldwide reputation in speech sciences. 93% of Queen Margaret graduates find employment or go on to further study within six months of graduating.

At the heart of the Queen Margaret campus is an innovative learning resource centre, combining IT and library facilities, and offering a wide variety of flexible learning spaces. QMU is the first Scottish university to have an on-campus Business Gateway, which is run by East Lothian Council and located within QMU’s Business Innovation Zone.

Queen's University Belfast is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of universities and is located in Belfast, the Northern Ireland capital. Queen's University was founded in its original form in 1845 and gained formal university status in 1908. 24,000 students from over different 80 countries are currently enrolled and the University was recently ranked 23rd on the Times Higher Education’s list of the 100 most international universities in the world.

The University has won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education on five occasions, while the institution is a Top 50 UK employer for women and leading UK universities in tackling the unequal representation of women in science and engineering.

Queen’s University Belfast has a strong focus on employability, offering programmes such as Degree Plus, which recognises extracurricular activities and work experience as part of a degree, and numerous career workshops with employers and alumni.

The University of Reading was founded in 1892 and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is now ranked among the top 20% of world institutions*, and has more than 20,000 students from around 150 countries enrolled. 94% of its graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduating.

The main Whiteknights campus and London Road campus are situated close to Reading’s town centre and are just 30 minutes from London Paddington by train. Whiteknights campus is located on 130 hectares of parkland, earning its eighth consecutive Green Flag Award in 2018. The University’s Students’ Union is also rated in the top five students’ unions in the UK.

Reading has a global presence, with two overseas campuses – including the University of Reading Malaysia – and links with organisations in nearly 50 countries.

Regent’s University London is London’s only independent, not-for-profit university, with a highly cosmopolitan community based in royal Regent’s Park and Marylebone. Our campus in Regent’s Park, set in 11 acres of secluded private garden, is in easy reach of all that this exciting European city has to offer.

Our students study in a supportive, personal environment and go on to enter the world of work as entrepreneurs and leaders who think and operate globally. We provide superb quality University accommodation in central London. Regent’s is small and intimate enough to feel like a home away from home, and we are proud to welcome students of more than 140 nationalities.

The University of Southampton is situated in the city of Southampton, on the south coast of England. It is a founding member of the Russell Group and Worldwide Universities Network, and currently has around 23,000 students enrolled, of which 2,000 are international from more than 100 different countries.

The University is known for being research-intensive and has the only Engineering faculty in the UK to receive the highest rating (5*) across all disciplines in the latest Research Excellence Framework. Southampton is cited as the UK’s leading university for Engineering.

The University of Southampton places great emphasis on inter-disciplinary cooperation and collaboration with industry. Employers are often invited to Open Career Days on campus, while the Southampton Careers Service offers free advice to all University of Southampton students for up to three years after graduation.

The University of Sussex was founded in 1961 and is located in Brighton on the south coast of England. There are currently around 18,000 students enrolled from over 120 countries and the University consistently performs well in the International Student Barometer, offering funded work placements as part of its student support and degree programmes. It is the only UK university located in a National Park.

The University of Sussex is ranked the 161st best university in the world by Times Higher Education, and has a number of subjects ranked in the global top 100, including business and economics, social sciences, psychology and law.

In the National Student Survey 2018, 82% of Sussex students confirmed they are happy with their experience, whilst Brighton was ranked the happiest city in England for students, with 93% of University of Sussex and University of Brighton students surveyed saying they’re ‘very happy’ with their education and city life.

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.

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is based in Preston, in the north west of the UK. In addition to main city centre campus, it has facilities in Burnley, Westlakes in Cumbria and Llangollen Outdoor Centre in North Wales. 24,000 students from 100 different countries are enrolled, making it one of the largest student bodies in the country.

UCLan became the first modern university to be named in the QS World Rankings, and has over 400 undergraduate and 200 postgraduate courses available. The University has been a leader in emerging disciplines such as Fashion and Forensic Science, as well as newer additions such as Dentistry and Aerospace Engineering.

The University has a reputation for scientific research and utilises two observatories in the UK and one in Africa in order to conduct astrophysics research with NASA, as well as being a partner in a nanotechnology research team in China. UCLan maintains a strong focus on employability, ranking in the top three in the UK for the number of graduate start-up businesses, with many degree programmes developed in collaboration with and linked to industrial partners.

The University of Warwick is a British campus university located on the outskirts of Coventry and is regarded as one of the country's leading institutions. Warwick was established in 1965 and currently has more than 18,000 students enrolled from 120 countries and, despite its relatively young age, is one of the 24 elite Russell Group research universities.

The University is made up of the Faculty of Arts, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences, and was recently ranked in the top 10 of the world’s youngest universities, and as the leading university of its kind in the UK. Graduates at Warwick are the third most often targeted by the UK’s top graduate employers and 92% of students with first degrees were in work or further study within six months of graduating last year.

The University of Westminster was formed from the first polytechnic in Britain, and became a full university in 1992. It is spread over four campuses, three of which are in central London. There are more than 20,000 students from 150 countries currently enrolled on a variety of programmes ranging from undergraduate and postgraduate courses to tailored professional programmes and short courses.

Subjects maintain a strong vocational focus, with longer modules including work-based skills and integration with practical activity. Undergraduates are able to conduct research during their degree and the University has achieved fame for its media studies and fashion degrees, both of which are rated as being some of the best in the world. Having celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2013, Westminster continues to invest heavily in all facilities from accommodation to the restoration of one of the first cinemas in Britain within the Regent Campus.