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Leeds University

UCAS Code: L23

Location: Leeds, north of England Show on Map

Site: City-centre campus; plus partner colleges.

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A top UK research-intensive university; a member of the Russell Group of universities.

Student Population

Total Students:	31,811
Undergraduates:	75%
Postgraduates:	25%
FE Students:	0%

Undergraduates

Total undergraduates:	23,969
Male:	41%
Female:	59%
Full Time:	95%
Mature on Entry:	12%
UK Students:	94%
State school entry:	74%

Teaching Staff

1575 full-time and 445 part-time.

Broad study areas

Business & economics; science, maths & engineering; medicine & dentistry; humanities; fine art; social sciences; law; modern languages; music & performing arts.

Freshers

Admission Information:	Range of qualifications accepted eg AS and A-levels, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate; individual courses may accept other qualifications.
Points on Entry (Mean):	409
Drop Out Rate:	4%
Accommodation:	First years guaranteed university accommodation (subject to conditions).

Institution

Founded:	1904; origins in Leeds School of Medicine (1831) and Yorkshire College of Science (1874).
Site:	Main site ½ mile from city centre
How to get there:	Leeds very accessible by road (M1 and M62), by national coach services, by rail (2+ hours from London Kings Cross) and by air (Leeds/Bradford airport some 7 miles from city centre; Manchester airport just over 1 hour). University close to bus and railway stations; bus or walking distance to halls of residence.

Student services & facilities

Student advice & services:	Student medical practice, advisers for disabled students, counselling service, day nursery, chaplaincies, well-being team, union welfare service (including Nightline, a listening and information service run by students).
Amenities:	Students’ union building, at centre of campus, is major venue for live music; nightclub; around 300 activities, clubs and societies; retail complex; welfare services centre; student newspaper, TV and radio.
Sporting facilities:	Swimming and fitness centre (The Edge) has large indoor sports halls with performance floors and lighting; 25m 8-lane swimming pool with moveable floor; large fitness suite including squash courts and climbing wall. Sports pitches 3 miles away; outdoor centres in the Lake District and Dales.
Accommodation:	95% of first years in university accommodation; 8000 places available (6600 for first years), many ensuite. 1900 catered places at £99–£162 per week, some term-time only contracts; 6100 self-catering places at £71-£140 per week (from a room in a shared house, purpose-built student residence, to studio flats). Most students live in privately-owned accommodation for 1−2 years (some 40,000 bedspaces across the city); average rents £68 pw for room in shared self-catering house, £132 pw for 1-bed self-contained flat (£160 for 2-bedroom). Limited accommodation for families but some subsidised accommodation through Unipol (contact in advance).

Study opportunities & careers

Library & information services:	Over 2.8 million items including microfilm, electronic resources and internet access; students can also access over 33,000 online journals from home; 4000+ study places. Approximately 1800 PCs in public clusters (many open 24/7) plus 1500 computers in departments; free, high-speed wifi network covers most of campus. Information provision, £212 pa spent for each student (FTE).
Other learning resources:	Computing service, language centre, media services. Skills centre delivers programme of study skills workshops, online resources and resident advisers; pioneers of blended learning (ie using technology alongside more traditional learning methods).
Study abroad:	Most degree programmes offer a study abroad period, irrespective of the subject studied. Formal exchanges with 150+ institutions in Europe (through Erasmus), 70+ outside Europe.
Careers:	Careers centre supports students finding work during and after their course. Opportunities for part-time work and work experience(through Leeds for Life, which helps students identify opportunities, volunteering to work placement).

Money

Living expenses budget:	Minimum budget of £8700 pa (excluding tuition fees) recommended for an academic year.
Term-time work:	LUU joblink employment agency helps students find part-time jobs.
Financial help:	Means-tested support for English/EU students whose family income is up to £42.6k pa: of £3000 pa for students whose family income is up to £25k pa (raised to £6000 in Year 1 where family income is nil); of £2000 pa where it is £25k−£30k pa; of £1500 pa where it is £30k−£36k pa; and of £1000 pa where family income is £36k−£42.6k pa. The highest level of support (£6000 in Year 1, £3000 pa thereafter) is also available for certain students coming through local access schemes. Also a variety of scholarships of £1000−£4000, some means-tested, some based solely on academic achievement.
University tuition fees:	Home students pay £9000 pa for first degree courses (£1500 for UK work experience, £2500 for study or work experience abroad). International students pay £12,500 pa (arts, social sciences, law, education), £13,700 (communications, geography, maths), £16,200 (science, engineering, studio arts, pre-clinical), £29,750 pa (clinical).

Courses

Academic features:

Wide range of degrees, encompassing both traditional and vocational.

Awarding body:

University of Leeds

Main undergraduate awards:

BA, BBcS, BChD, BEng, MEng, BSc, MBChB, LLB

Length of courses:

3 years; 4 years (those involving period abroad, foundation year, undergraduate Masters); 5 years (medicine, dentistry, MEng with foundation year).

Main subjects offered:

Accountancy
Acoustic Engineering
Acting
Actuarial Studies
Aerodynamics
Aeronautical Engineering
American Studies
Anatomy
Ancient History
Anglo-Saxon
Animation
Arabic
Archaeology
Architectural Design
Architectural Technology
Architecture
Art
Art History
Artificial Intelligence
Arts Management
Asian Studies
Astrophysics
Audiology
Automotive Engineering
Avionics
Bacteriology
Banking
Behavioural Science
Biblical Studies
Biochemical Engineering
Biochemistry
Biological Chemistry
Biology
Biomedical Electronics
Biomedical Science
Biotechnology
Broadcasting
Business Administration
Business Economics
Business Studies
Cell Biology
Cellular Pathology
Ceramics
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Physics
Chemistry
Childhood Studies
Chinese
Choreography
Civil Engineering
Classical Studies
Classics
Cognitive Science
Commerce
Communication Engineering
Communication Studies
Computational Mathematics
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Technology
Computing
Conservation
Control Engineering
Costume Design
Counselling
Creative/Performance Writing
Criminal Justice
Criminology
Cultural Studies
Cybernetics
Dance
Dental Technology
Dentistry
Development Studies
Digital Microelectronics
Drama
Earth Sciences
Ecology
Economics
Education
Electrical Engineering
Electromechanical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Electronic Mechanics
Electronics
Energy Engineering
Energy Studies
Engineering (General)
English
Environmental Biology
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Management
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
European Business Studies
European Studies
Fashion
Film Studies
Finance
Financial Economics
Fire Safety Engineering
Food Science
French
Gender Studies
Genetics
Geochemistry
Geography
Geology
Geophysics
Geoscience
German
Graphic Design
Greek, Ancient/Classical
Greek, Modern
Health
Hispanic Studies
History
History/Philosophy of Science
Human Biology
Human Resource Management
Humanities
Iberian Studies
Immunology
Industrial Design
Information Technology
Interactive Multimedia
International Business
International Development
International Relations
Islamic Studies
Italian
Japanese
Latin
Latin American Studies
Law
Linguistics
Management
Marketing
Materials Science
Materials Technology
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Media Studies
Medical Engineering
Medical Microbiology
Medicinal Chemistry
Medicinal Physics
Medicine
Meteorology
Microbiology
Microelectronics
Middle Eastern Studies
Midwifery
Mineral Processing Technology
Mining
Molecular Biology
Multimedia
Music
Music Technology
Nanoscale Science/Technology
Neuroscience
New Media Publishing
Nursing
Nutrition
Performance Arts
Petroleum Engineering
Pharmacology
Philosophy
Photography
Physics
Physiology
Politics
Polymers
Popular Music
Portuguese
Product Design
Psychology
Public Health
Radiography
Religious Studies
Russian
Russian Studies
Sculpture
Slavonic Studies
Social Policy
Social Science
Social Work
Sociology
South East Asian Studies
Spanish
Sports Sciences
Sports Studies
Stage Management
Statistics
Structural Engineering
Textiles
Thai Studies
Theatre Design
Theatre Studies
Theology
Transport Studies
Virology
Visual Arts
War Studies
Zoology

Student view

Paul Gold, Community Officer, Leeds University Union (history)

Living

What's it like as a place to live? Big enough to cater to almost anyone's needs, yet small enough to travel across cheaply and quickly and it still retains a community feel.

How's the student accommodation? University accommodation has a broad range in terms of quality, cost and distance to campus. Most students live in Hyde Park or Headingley, a densely populated student area that can be great or dreadful depending on your landlord.

What's the student population like? It's a very diverse student body, with a large (and growing) international contingent. It's also one of the largest in the country, with around 33,000 students

How do students and locals get on? Unless you follow local news and politics, most students are generally oblivious to any bad feeling with more permanent residents and it has no impact on daily life. However, the large student population does cause tension at times, especially during the housing changeover in July.

Studying

What's it like as a place to study? As a Russell group institution, Leeds has high standards of teaching and research and the facilities are generally excellent.

What are the teaching staff like? Teaching is pushed as the priority of all academic staff and from my own experience the teaching staff were enthusiastic, engaging and dedicated to the teaching of their subject.

Socialising

What are student societies like? Leeds University Union is one of the biggest students unions in the country and has over 300 societies, from cheese and wine to rugby, aikido to 'stitch and bitch' (knitting).

What's a typical night out? A pub in Headingley or a club in town, or better yet one of the 3 clubs and 2 bars in the students union!

And how much does it cost? If you're being thrifty you can spend a tenner.

How can you get home safely? We recommend amber taxi to our students; they accept student cards if you don't have any cash.

Money

Is it an expensive place to live? With rents averaging £57 before bills, maintenance loans won’t get you far and many students have part time jobs. However, it is significantly cheaper than say London. Transport is the main concern of students, with astronomical bus fees making taxi use the norm.

Average price of a pint? £2.40

And the price of a takeaway? £4.50.

What’s the part-time work situation? The students union employs several hundred students every year, and their ‘joblink’ service finds work for many more. There are a number of temping agencies in town as well.

Summary

What's the best feature about the place? The amount of things to do and get involved in.

And the worst? Students don't always have the best reputation here.

And to sum it all up? A massive student population makes for a vibrant, dynamic community in an up and coming city that has something for everyone.

Past Students

Mark Thomas (comedian), Judi Dench (actress), Nick Witchel (BBC News), Jack Straw MP, Clare Short MP, Marc Almond (Soft Cell), Andy and Liz Kershaw (BBC Radio), most of the League of Gentlemen, Alan Yentob (BBC supremo), Mark Byford (another BBC supremo), Alistair McGowan (BBC TV), John Godber (playwright), Sir Phillip Watts (Shell), Dr Shuhei Toyoda (developed the Toyota Yaris), Sir Duncan Michael (built the Sydney Opera House), Kimberley Jane Walsh (Girls Aloud), Kay Mellor (acress), Corinne Bailey Rae (musician), Wole Soyinka (writer), Mark Knopfler (musician), Piers Sellers (astronaut).