University Name:
See all universitiesLeicester University
UCAS Code: L34
Location: Leicester, Midlands Show on Map
Site: Single campus close to city centre
A top UK research-intensive university; a member of the 1994 Group of universities.
Student Population
| Total Students: | 12,598 |
| Undergraduates: | 75% |
| Postgraduates: | 25% |
| FE Students: | 0% |
Undergraduates
| Total undergraduates: | 9,463 |
| Male: | 49% |
| Female: | 51% |
| Full Time: | 88% |
| Mature on Entry: | 22% |
| UK Students: | 86% |
| State school entry: | 89% |
Teaching Staff
766 full-time, plus 53 part-time.
Broad study areas
Arts, humanities & law; medicine, biological sciences & psychology; science & engineering; social science
Freshers
| Admission Information: | 3 A-levels or equivalent usually required. 2 AS-levels considered as replacement for 1 A-level; key skills viewed favourably. UCAS tariff used in addition to subject-specific requirements. |
| Points on Entry (Mean): | 414 |
| Drop Out Rate: | 5% |
| Accommodation: | All first years housed who confirm their offer by the deadline. |
Institution
| Founded: | 1921, receiving charter in 1957 |
| Site: | Campus 1 mile from Leicester city centre |
| How to get there: | By train (London or Sheffield 75 mins, Birmingham 60 mins), station 15 minutes' walk; by road, M1 and M69 motorways 5 miles from campus; by air - direct buses from regional international airports (Birmingham and East Midlands) and from Gatwick and Heathrow, direct train from Stansted. |
| Special features: | Landmark work in genetics (DNA genetic fingerprinting was discovered here); houses the largest space research centre in Europe. |
Student services & facilities
| Student advice & services: | Doctors surgery, health education provision, welfare officers, financial advice for student budgeting, pastoral care in university accommodation, FPA counsellors, chaplains, student legal advice centre and Nightline telephone contact service. AccessAbility is a specialist centre for students with special needs. |
| Amenities: | Refurbished Students’ Union with secondhand bookshop, cafés, restaurant, student bar, stationers, bank, live music venue and nightclub (O2 Academy Leicester) and Leicester University Theatre; Archduke Trio (resident chamber music group), university radio and TV stations and newspaper plus 180+ student societies. Arts centre (Embrace Arts) holds exhibitions, dance, music and comedy performances plus workshops and short courses. |
| Sporting facilities: | Sports facilities include floodlit all-weather pitches, 2 fitness centres and two sports halls and a brand new swimming pool; over 34 sports clubs. |
| Accommodation: | All first years who accept the offer of a place by the deadline are in university-managed accommodation; some halls of residence set in Botanic Gardens. Rents for catered accommodation in student village, £120 per week (shared) to £182 pw (premier ensuite) on 30-week contracts and for self-catering £74 pw (shared) to £136.50 pw (premier ensuite) on 39-week contracts; in city centre, self-catering £80−£150 pw, contracts 39 or 42 weeks. Privately-owned accommodation around £55–£100 pw self-catering. SU has its own private housing agency. |
Study opportunities & careers
| Library & information services: | Main library (The David Wilson Library) has 1.14 million items, including books, journal volumes, microforms, etc; multiple copies of prescribed textbooks on short loan; 1100 study places, group study rooms and seminar rooms. Specialist collections include: English Local History; some 20,000 rare books and manuscripts; papers of Joe Orton. Library has wi-fi access throughout, self-loan and return facilities, staffed Help Zones, information librarians by subject, university bookshop and a café. Information provision, £200 pa spent for each student (FTE). IT centre has a campus-wide network, open 24 hours/day in some departments. 740 points of access to library and internet (ratio workstations to students 1:11). IT support given from helpdesk; information skills courses. |
| Other learning resources: | Student support & development service (SSDS) in the David Wilson Library offers academic and learning support and comprehensive careers advice. |
| Study abroad: | Erasmus placements at over 75 universities in 22 European countries. Some courses allow study in the USA, Australia, South Africa and Asia. |
| Careers: | Careers service offers workshops, seminars and one-to–one consultations. Regular careers fairs and a number of employability schemes, including The Leicester Award for Employability. |
Money
| Living expenses budget: | Minimum budget of £650−£700 a month (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university. |
| Term-time work: | University allows term-time work, up to 15 hrs/week, for first-degree students. Some work available on campus in bars, accommodation, clerical; careers office and SU employment centre, WorkBank, helps find work on and off campus. |
| Financial help: | Various scholarship programmes, all open to students resident in England, some open to other students. Scholarships of £1250 or of £2000 pa paid towards tuition fees, open to students with high entry qualifications; scholarships of £3000 pa open to students with academic ability whose family income is less than £25k pa (paid as £2000 reduction in tuition fee, £1000 cash); and of £1000 in Year 1 only, open to students from colleges in the university local college network. |
| University tuition fees: | Home students pay £9000 pa for first degrees. International students £11,450-£12,270 pa (classroom-based), £12,780 (law), £14,645 (lab), £26,515 (clinical medicine). |
Courses
Academic features:
All courses except medicine are modular (basic teaching unit a 12-week 10-credit module).
Awarding body:
University of Leicester
Main undergraduate awards:
BA, BSc, BEng, LLB, MBChB, MChem, MEng, MGeol, MMath, MPhys, MSci, FdA
Length of courses:
3 years; 4 years (eg those with foundation year, year abroad or in industry); 5 years (medicine, those with foundation year and year in industry/abroad).
Main subjects offered:
- Aeronautical Engineering
- American Studies
- Ancient History
- Archaeology
- Art History
- Astronomy
- Astrophysics
- Banking
- Biochemistry
- Biological Chemistry
- Biology
- Biomedical Science
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Business Studies
- Cell Biology
- Chemistry
- Communication Engineering
- Communication Studies
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Computing
- Control Engineering
- Criminology
- Earth Sciences
- Ecology
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Engineering (General)
- English
- Environmental Biology
- Environmental Studies
- European Studies
- Film Studies
- Finance
- Financial Economics
- Forensic Science
- French
- Genetics
- Geography
- Geology
- Geophysics
- Geoscience
- History
- International Relations
- Italian
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Microbiology
- Medicine
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy
- Physics
- Physiology
- Physiotherapy
- Politics
- Psychology
- Risk Management
- Social History
- Social Science
- Social Studies
- Sociology
- Software Engineering
- Space
- Spanish
- Statistics
- Visual Arts
- Zoology
Student view
Two of them: RH is Rob Hicks, Student Activities Officer (Graduate, American Studies); KD is Kirsten Dyer, Sabbatical − Academic Affairs Officer (Graduate, BA Economics).
Living
What's it like as a place to live? Big and diverse yet compact enough to easily travel around. (RH)
How's the student accommodation? Very good. Mostly University owned with a number of price ranges to suit different budgets. All halls are very sociable with great spirit. (KD)
What's the student population like? Many diverse backgrounds from within the country, also a large international community. (RH)
How do students and locals get on? There is a good atmosphere with many local shops offering student discounts. (KD)
Studying
What's it like as a place to study? Good mix of traditional and modern courses, excellent library facilities (new £32m refurb last year). (RH)
What are the teaching staff like? Very keen staff, they love incorporating their research into teaching! (KD)
Socialising
What are student societies like? We have many societies ranging from geography to ju-jitsu. They always love welcoming new people and is a great way of making new friends. (KD)
What's a typical night out? Mad-fer-it on Fridays at the SU (KD). Hall bars then onto the SU venue (RH).
And how much does it cost? £3 entry with NUS card (KD). £10−£20 (RH)
How can you get home safely? Safe transport service run by the SU for £1. (RH)
Money
Is it an expensive place to live? No, as long as you budget well you can live very comfortably. A cheap city to live in, in particular private homes for 2nd and 3rd years.
Average price of a pint? £1.90.
And the price of a takeaway? £3-£10
What's the part-time work situation? Many jobs available, average wages. University doesn't like students working too much as it may interfere with study. Union bar/shop staff, other part-time work plentiful within university and SU as well as in city centre (10 mins from uni). Work bank housed within SU.
Summary
What's the best feature about the place? Brilliant campus and entertainments. Good community at halls. (RH) Location - very close to city and great entertainment for everybody. (KD)
And the worst? Have to get a bus from halls to campus (RH). None! (KD)
And to sum it all up? A vibrant and exciting place, with something always going on! (KD) Brilliant social opportunities and excellent academic facilities (RH).
Past Students
Bob Mortimer (comedian), Professor Laurie Taylor (sociologist and radio presenter), Professor Malcolm Bradbury (author and academic), David Puttnam (film producer), J H Plumb (historian), C P Snow (scientist and novelist), Ron Pickering (athlete), Michael Nicholson (ITN reporter), Sue Cook (presenter), Jeff Hoffman (astronaut), Philip Larkin (poet), Sir John Robertson (High Commissioner to India).
More info?
Campaigns & development officer (0116 223 1125), academic affairs officer (0116 223 1128), or look at www.le.ac.uk/su.
Open days
9th June 2012
Medicine open day. Book online
27th June 2012
General Open Day (including medicine). Hear from lecturers and students about all subject areas, suss out campus and Oadby Student Village student accommodation, find out about applying, student finance and student support. Book online.
26-27th July 2012
General Open Day (including medicine). Hear from lecturers and students about all subject areas, suss out campus and Oadby Student Village student accommodation, find out about applying, student finance and student support. Book online.
22nd September 2012
General Open Day (including medicine). Hear from lecturers and students about all subject areas, suss out campus and Oadby Student Village student accommodation, find out about applying, student finance and student support. Book online.
6th October 2012
General Open Day (including medicine). Hear from lecturers and students about all subject areas, suss out campus and Oadby Student Village student accommodation, find out about applying, student finance and student support. Book online.
Contact
Address:
University of Leicester
University Road
Leicester
LE1 7RH
Tel:
0116 252 2522
Email:
Website:
Student enquiries:
Enquiry Management Team (tel 0116 229 7477)
Application:
UCAS (direct if occasional, part-time or study abroad)
News & Events
See AllFeatured Universities
