Lancaster University Guide: Rankings, Courses, Fees And More

Founded in 1964, Lancaster University is comprised of nine individual colleges, eight of which are for undergraduate students. This is a distinctive system that only a few universities in the UK have. Since each college is self-governing and financially independent, this system nurtures students with great individualism and loyalty to their collegiate community.

Summary of University

lancaster university

Table of Contents

Lancaster University Overview

Lancaster University has four faculties – the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Health and Medicine, the Management School and the Faculty of Science and Technology. The university tops the academic charts in the Liberal Arts and Social Science subjects and leads the country in the Social Work programme. Other highly ranked subjects include Computer Science, Physics, and Engineering.

Lancaster University has a uniquely flexible approach for new students to explore their academic interests before committing to one. Students will get to choose an additional subject from either within their major or in a completely different area at the start of their course. This approach gives their students a broader view of their chosen major, enriches their studies and creates an additional boost for their career prospects. The university has a particular Work in Progress team to equip students with valuable entrepreneurial skills. Plenty of support is available for young entrepreneurs such as  funding opportunities, co-working spaces, specialist advice and a vibrant peer community to assist budding business ideas. They also provide a Start-up visa scheme assistance for employment in the UK post-graduation.

One of the top fifteen universities in the UK, Lancaster University has trained some of the most sought-after graduates in the UK. In 2020, the Guardian University Guide ranked the university the second-best in the UK for graduate employability. Meanwhile, the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 ranked Lancaster University third in the country for graduate prospects.

Lancaster University has built a global community of over 150,000 graduates from more than 180 countries throughout the years. Some of the university’s most reputable alumni include: 

  • James May – an English television presenter and journalist and most famously known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2003 to 2015.
  • Rami Hamdallah – a Palestinian politician and academic, former prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority and the president of An-Najah National University in Nablus.
  • Mark Price – a British businessman, founder of WorkL for Business and WorkL and Chairman of Fair Trade UK.
  • Hanif Kureishi – a British playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, and novelist. In 2008, the Times named him amongst “The 50 greatest British writers since 1945”.

Lancaster University Courses and Programmes

According to the subject league tables of 2024 by The Complete University Guide, Lancaster University has 13 subjects in the national top ten league tables. Some of these top courses at Lancaster include:

Social Work

The top-ranked course in the university, Social Work at Lancaster University is the number one course in the whole country for the subject according to The Complete University Guide in 2022, The Times, and the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022. This course is also ranked as the number 1 subject in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide of 2022 for Graduate Prospect in Social Work. This is the result of the combination of high-quality teaching, strong connections with industrial agencies, outstanding graduates’ career prospects, and world-class research. The course is accredited by Social Work England (SWE).

English Literature with Creative Writing

This course is a combined degree with three-quarters of English Literature components and one-quarter of Creative Writing. In the literature components, students will get to specialise in literature genres and periods of choice. Meanwhile, with the Creative Writing components, students will get to finesse their writing styles under the guidance of published authors. Career opportunities for graduates of this degree range from professional fields in publishing, journalism and the media to self-publishing and work opportunities with national festivals and national radio.

Biomedical Science

BSc Biomedical Science at Lancaster University is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). This is a research course with laboratory-based projects focusing on handling life processes in human health and disease. The theory and laboratory techniques from this science added with a training period in an NHS lab open up an employment route in the NHS as a biomedical scientist. Students will get to specialise in their interested field while studying with clinical and biomedical staff from local hospitals. Competent students will be eligible for a highly competitive placement with the NHS, an IBMS Certificate of Competence and the HCPC for registration as a Biomedical Scientist.

Lancaster University Entry Requirements

Applicants taking A Levels are expected to present at least three full GCE A Levels for entry to undergraduate courses.

There are also International Foundation Year courses which are intensive 1.5 or 2-semester programmes designed specifically to provide students with a pathway to undergraduate degree study at the university.

Lancaster University Entry Deadline

In the UK, all university applications (including those submitted by international students like you) go through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, more commonly known as UCAS.

Most undergraduate courses will share the same deadline of 31 January of every year. Some courses such as Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Sciences and universities such as Oxford and Cambridge have an earlier deadline of 16 October in the year before admission.

For more information about key dates and other UCAS deadlines, take a look at our article UCAS Deadlines 2024.

Lancaster University Ranking

  • The university is ranked 11th in the UK according to The Complete University Guide 2024.
  • Lancaster University ranks 146th in the world according to the QS World University Rankings of 2024.
  • The Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2022 ranked Lancaster 122nd. This is also a new height for the university, proving its endless efforts to improve its educational quality for its students.
  • In the global league table for international outlook*, the university also ranked 49th. Lancaster was named the International University of the Year in 2020 and 2018 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.
  • The 2021 National Student Survey (NSS) revealed that 83% of Lancaster University students are satisfied with the quality of their course, which is higher than the 75% national average. This puts them in the 6th position in the country for student satisfaction. 
  • Lancaster University’s accommodation has been named Best University Halls eight times since 2010 at the UK’s National Student Housing Awards.
*measures how international a university is in terms of ratio between international and domestic students, staff and the amount of researches that involve international collaboration. For detailed explanation, please check Times Higher Education’s definition.

Lancaster University Fees

Here are the 2024-25 Undergraduate tuition fees for international students and incoming visiting international students. The annual tuition fee is set for 12-month each time, starting from the October of a student’s study year.

Lancaster University’s tuition fee is divided into four bands: 

Band 1 Departments/Subject Areas: Architecture; Art; Criminology; English Literature and Creative Writing; English Language; Film Studies; Media and Cultural Studies; History; Languages & Cultures; Law; Linguistics; Philosophy; Politics and International Relations; Religious Studies; Social Work; Sociology; Theatre Studies. 

Band 2 Departments/Subject Areas: Business Management; Economics; Entrepreneurship; Management; Management and Organisation; Management Science; Marketing; Operations Management, Organisation, Work and Technology.

Band 3 Departments/Subject Areas: Biochemistry; Biological Sciences; Chemistry; Communications Systems; Computer Science; Earth Science; Ecology; Engineering; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Science; Geography; Mathematics and Statistics; Natural Science; Physics; Psychology, Sports and Exercise Science.

Band 4 Departments/Subject Areas: Accounting and Finance.

Standard Fee Bands

2024 entry

OS band 1 (Arts & Social Sciences)

£20,930

OS band 2 (Management)

£21,460

OS band 3 (Science & Technology)

£25,270

OS band 4 (Accounting and Finance)

£21,460

Year abroad

15%

Employment placement

20%

MBChB (UG Medicine)

£38,500

 

 

 

   

 

Band 1

Band 2

Band 3

Band 4

   

Studying at the University

£20,930

£21,460

£25,270

£21,460

   

Study year abroad (15%)

£3,140

£3,219

£3,791

£3,219

   

Employment Placement (20%)

£4,186

£4,292

£5,054

£4,292

   
        
 

Band 1/2

Band 1/3

Band 1/4

Band 2/3

Band 2/4

Band 3/4

 

Studying at the University

£21,195

£23,100

£21,195

£23,365

£21,460

£23,365

 

Study year abroad (15%)

£3,179

£3,465

£3,179

£3,505

£3,219

£3,505

 

Employment Placement (20%)

£4,239

£4,620

£4,239

£4,673

£4,292

£4,673

 

 

Band 1/1/2

Band 1/1/3

Band 1/2/2

Band 1/2/3

Band 1/2/4

Band 1/3/3

Band 1/3/4

Studying at the University

£21,107

£22,377

£21,283

£22,553

£21,283

£23,823

£22,553

Study year abroad (15%)

£3,166

£3,357

£3,193

£3,383

£3,193

£3,574

£3,383

Employment Placement (20%)

£4,221

£4,475

£4,257

£4,511

£4,257

£4,765

£4,511

 

Band 2/2/3

Band 2/3/3

     

Studying at the University

£22,730

£24,000

     

Study year abroad (15%)

£3,410

£3,600

     

Employment Placement (20%)

£4,546

£4,800

     

Any student who changes their major degree programme before the start of Week 4 Term 1 will incur the full tuition fee of the new course.

Besides the tuition fee, Lancaster University’s undergraduate students also need to pay £40 for college membership fees to run college events and activities. This fee is applicable for 2024 entry. 

Lancaster University Accommodation

Lancaster University has a signature collegiate system that breaks down its student body into smaller groups. Among them are eight undergraduate colleges. The accommodation is primarily self-catered with options for catered packages. Two-thirds of the accommodation is en suite. The rests are standard rooms with shared toilets and showers, townhouse rooms with similar options for two people, and self-contained studios with a private bathroom and a kitchenette. Students should budget between £94.99-£154.98 a week for options ranging from a basic standard room to an en suite room.

Lancaster University Reviews

Names may be changed to protect anonymity

Lauren Albon – Project Delivery Fast Stream for the Civil Service – BSc Hons Physical Geography – ⭐

“As soon as I stepped on campus at Lancaster I knew that this was the university for me. I loved the campus feel, the course syllabus looked amazing, and the wide variety of social opportunities added to the experience. Whilst at Lancaster I studied a three-year course in physical geography, which allowed me to study my biggest interest – climate change.

Throughout university, I discovered new skills and I spent a year studying abroad which helped me develop independence and deepen my interest in climate change. My study abroad experience undoubtedly furthered my independence and confidence, which greatly helped me in preparing myself for life after university. When I returned from Australia in my third year, I joined the Netball team which helped my teamwork skills and academically, I had lots of opportunities to lead group projects. These were all things I enjoyed and as my skills developed, I knew I wanted to find a job that complemented this skill set, which led me to project management.

A large part of getting to where I am is due to the university’s careers team, their support was vital during my final year. They held careers fairs, provided access to their job portal, and held bespoke skills sessions on CVs and the application process. These resources and support exposed me to a variety of career options, made me confident in my applications, and prepared me for the difficult and competitive process ahead. The help they provided was invaluable.”

James Fletcher-Adams – Account Executive at PepsiCo – BSc Hons Marketing and Management with a minor in Entrepreneurship – 

“In marketing, I studied topics I enjoyed, such as digital marketing and consumer behaviour. The management aspect of my degree focused more on data and analytics which helps my day-to-day work. I had a fantastic time with the entrepreneurship department; the modules were structured in a very hands-on way which suited me. My placement year was a great opportunity to get some real-world experience which helped me secure a permanent role after graduating.

Other than my placement, the careers fairs helped me with my chosen career paths. Meeting employers from different businesses gave me a better understanding of the different ranges of placements available. The fairs also gave me insight into new graduate opportunities and gave me space to network with people who have been through the process.”

Aman Mohammad – County College – BSc Hons Accounting, Finance and Computer Science, MA Accounting and Financial Management – 

“I had never thought of myself as someone who would love travelling, let alone travel to a completely different country 6,500 miles away from Lancaster – but here I was at Sunway University in Malaysia, surrounded by friends I had made through my course.

It was through Global Experiences that I was not only able to experience the culture, food, and diverse religions that Malaysia accommodated, but also to network with other international students arriving from America and Australia. Throughout the trip, we were given the chance to understand the cultural differences between us by learning more about Malaysia and how their history, politics and businesses were propelling the country. We had the opportunity to get involved with NGO companies such as Rimba and MySkillsFoundation. We got to know about their mission and how they were helping to shape lives within Malaysia. 

Although the trip was not specific to my degree, I was able to utilise the skills I had developed at university in the activities they had planned for us. In our free time, I was able to travel to a small island called Langkawi along the coast of Malaysia – where I, along with my university friends and my newfound Australian friends, took part in various activities, such as: jet skiing; hanging on to a banana boat; going through an obstacle course; walking on the sky bridge 660 meters above sea level; and relaxing on a beach whilst viewing the sunset.”

Lancaster University Facilities

Sports Centre Expansion

 

Lancaster University has recently launched a £6-million sports centre expansion that caters for multitudes of sporting activities. There are a 25-metre swimming pool, two sports halls, two studios, a fully-equipped fitness suite and a strength and conditioning room. Rock-climbing enthusiasts can enjoy an 8.5-metre climbing wall and bouldering cave with special inputs from the renowned mountaineer – Sir Christian Bonington. There is plenty of outdoor space for sport and recreation as well. From tennis courts to an artificial cricket-wicket to multiple sports pitches, some are even floodlit so students are free to explore their adrenaline rushes all day and night. Those who enjoy a bit more relaxing activities can also try the Trim Trail and Woodland Walk around the campus.

Collaboration Space

 

A collaboration space for start-ups and medium-sized enterprises, Lancaster University offers adaptable office space, fully furnished labs, and flexible co-working areas with dedicated meeting rooms. Business students can also host meetings and events of up to 800 seats at the purpose-built Conference Centre. 

Research facilities

 

Lancaster invested over £7 million for new chemistry facilities. Other than that, it also has ultra-low noise labs for Physics, Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, cyber-security laboratories and training suits, dilution refrigerators and many more. 

At the Biomedical & Life Sciences faculty, the university offers £4.4 million in laboratories for undergraduate teaching and project work. There are cold store rooms, preparation rooms, a muffle furnace room, 12 fume cupboards, storage space, locker space for students and office space for technical staff.

Lancaster University Student Activities and Clubs

There are more than 200 clubs and societies for sports, activities, hobbies and causes at Lancaster University. Lancaster’s sports clubs compete in the national BUCS Leagues. There is a full calendar of events to foster friendship among collegiates, including Roses (an annual sporting event with the University of York) and the university’s unique “Extrav” celebrations at the end of the year. Media lovers can join the university’s media teams – the SCAN student newspaper, Bailrigg FM radio station, LA1TV TV station, and a student-run Take 2 Cinema with a 3D projector. The university also offers plenty of volunteer opportunities for the Green Lancaster sustainability project, teaching experience with the Schools Team and many other long-term placements.

Lancaster University Contact

Official website: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/ 

Phone: +44 (0)1524 65201

Address: Lancaster, United Kingdom, LA1 4YW

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