Overview
The University of Leicester is in the East Midlands and currently has around 20,000 students enrolled, of which 1,500 of whom are international from over 80 different countries. The University of Leicester is one of the UK’s fastest growing universities and is currently undergoing a £300 million campus redevelopment programme. The University of Leicester was voted ‘University of the Year’ by the Times in 2008, and finished runner up in the same category in 2014.
Leicester is well known for the strength of it its research, with its Archaeology department recently discovered the remains of Richard III, pushing it into the international spotlight. The Department of Physics and Astronomy hosts Europe’s largest university-based space research facility and the School of Museum Studies remains one of the top research departments in the country, containing the highest ranking research in Museum Studies in the UK.
Services for International Students
The International Office and International Students’ Advisers can provide support on issues such as visas, employment, finance and cultural adjustment. In-sessional and pre-sessional English classes are available for all international students who want or need to improve their English level before or during their degree.
Ranking
- 37th in the Times University Guide 2021
- 77th in the Guardian University Guide 2021
- 242nd in the QS World University Rankings 2021
- 170th in the Times Higher Education World Rankings 2021
Leicester is known as a leading research-led university and was named ‘University of the Year’ 2008 by the Times Higher Education and finished runner up in 2014. Following impressive results in the 2008 Research Excellence Framework, Leicester again stood out in the 2014 edition, and 75% of submitted research was judged to be internationally excellent.
Accommodation
The University of Leicester guarantees University accommodation for students as long as they firmly accept an offer and apply by the September 1st deadline. Rooms are available catered and self-catered rooms, as are studio apartments and shared rooms. Many second and third year students also choose to live in halls, but most live in and around the city. The accommodation office can assist students who wish to live outside halls in private rented accommodation.
Location
Leicester, with a population of more than 300,000, is a commercial and cosmopolitan city in the heart of England. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, Leicester lies just one hour from London via train and is within easy reach of many other major towns and places of interest – including Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and both Oxford and Cambridge.
All teaching buildings are within a few minutes’ walk of each other on the University of Leicester’s compact campus. Leicester train station is within walking distance of the campus, while supermarkets, a cinema complex, local shops, bars and restaurants are all nearby. East Midlands Airport is the closest airport and serves 28 different countries.
The University of Leicester’s buildings represent over a century of architectural styles which reflect our history and growth. The first University building, the Fielding Johnson, dates from 1837 and is a fine example of late Georgian architecture. Many of the more recent buildings have won architectural awards for design excellence.
Alumni
- Natalie Bennett (Former leader of the Green Party)
- Jyrki Katainen (Prime Minister of Finland)
- Peter Campbell (Editor-in-Chief of Nature)
- Atifete Jahjaga (President of Kosovo)
- Martin Löb (Mathematician)
- Bob Parr (Multi-Emmy Award winning television producer)