Loughborough University Guide: Rankings, Reviews And Courses
Loughborough University is a top ten UK university that has a track record of excellence in research, student satisfaction rates, and sports. The university has received numerous accolades for its research quality and education standards.
Summary of University
- Type of campus: Public research campus university
- Student population: ~19,000 students, 17% international students
- Tuition Fees: £22,000-27,250 per year
- 2024 UK Ranking: 7th (Complete University Guide)
- 2024 Global Ranking: 256th (QS World University Rankings)
Table of Contents
Loughborough University Overview
Established in 1906 as the Loughborough Technical Institute, the university has consistently ranked among the top ten in the UK in the past seven years (Complete University Guide 2017-2024) and has been the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) champion 41 times in a row. Without a doubt, Loughborough University is among the best universities in the UK.
The university is widely recognised for its research quality and education standards. To date, the university has been awarded seven Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for various research in sports, social policy, and engineering, among other efforts. Loughborough is also highly rated by its students, voted University of the Year and first in the UK for Societies and Sports, and University Facilities in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2020.
Loughborough offers a great breadth of highly rated undergraduate courses, some of which ranked among the best in the country. The university has 25 departments offering over 280 courses. Among these, Loughborough has 21 subjects ranked among the top ten in the UK. These include its courses in building, engineering, social sciences, and marketing. In summary, Loughborough University is an excellent choice with a robust sports programme, outstanding research, and offers a great student experience and has consistently ranked among the top ten in the UK.
Loughborough University Courses and Programmes
Loughborough University is well known for its programmes in sports science. The university offers 284 courses and has 21 subjects ranked among the top 10 in the country, according to the Complete University Guide 2024. Other top-ranked subjects offered by Loughborough include its courses in building, engineering, social policy, social sciences and marketing.
Sports
Loughborough University is synonymous with sports as the university is ranked among the top ten in the country for its courses in sports science. The university currently offers 18 courses in the subject, offered in combination with other disciplines such as English, Geography and Mathematics.
The university also offers a Bachelor of Science in Sports, with a special pathway into the programme for elite athletes. Loughborough is known to have the largest sports scholarship programme among all UK universities and currently has over 250 international athletes enrolled.
Social Sciences
Loughborough’s social science courses are among the best in the country, ranking 6th in the UK for Sociology and 7th for Social Policy. Entry requirements for social science courses range from 104-136 UCAS tariff points (or about BCC-AAB), with courses that include psychology demanding the higher end of these requirements.
Social Policy is a part of the school’s Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy division and its programmes related to policy have been recognised for its contribution to society. In 2005, the university was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its role in developing social policy programmes in the country.
Manufacturing & Production Engineering
Loughborough University is ranked 6th in the UK for its courses in manufacturing and production engineering, according to 2024 Complete University Guide’s subject league tables. The university offers eight courses in Engineering Management and Manufacturing Engineering, with the options to undertake a placement year, an undergraduate master’s degree, and foundation entry pathways.
Entry requirements for Loughborough’s manufacturing engineering programmes are from 104-144 UCAS tariff points, which is equivalent to BCC-AAA. Tuition for the Bachelor of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering programme is £25,700 per year for international students.
Loughborough University Entry Requirements
Loughborough University requires between 96-152 UCAS tariff points for entry into its undergraduate programmes. This is a range of CCC – A*AA at the A-Levels. On the higher end of requirements are its programmes in engineering and sports science, demanding 112-152 UCAS points for entry. Meanwhile, on the lower end of requirements are its courses in quantity surveying which require 96-120 UCAS points.
The university has a 74.4% offer rate which puts Loughborough among some of the easier top universities to get into. In comparison to other top universities, Lancaster University (11th in the UK) has a 88.2% offer rate while the University of Bath (8th in the UK) has a 62.7% offer rate.
Loughborough 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.
Loughborough University Ranking
Loughborough University ranked 7th in the UK in the latest 2024 Complete University Guide. In the same year, the university ranked 256th in the world according to QS World University Rankings. The university has 21 subjects ranked among the top 10 in the UK, which includes subjects in building, engineering, social sciences, and marketing.
Loughborough is well known for being the undefeated champion of the intra-university British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) leagues since the inception of BUCS. The university ranked first as the overall champion in the latest BUCS leagues held in 2021/22. This marks Loughborough’s 41st consecutive time claiming its title as the BUCS champion.
Loughborough University Fees
Undergraduate tuition fees
Loughborough University’s tuition fees for international students in the academic year of 2024/25 ranged between £22,000-27,250 per year, depending on the course. These fees do not include accommodation, transport to campus, or any other miscellaneous fee.
Loughborough University Accommodation
Loughborough University has invested heavily in its residence halls, pouring just under £50 million on building new halls. In 2022, it was voted as having the Best Accommodation in the UK, according to University Compare’s Top 100 Universities. In total, there are 5,500 beds in 16 residential halls, located in or near to the main Loughborough campus.
The halls offer rooms with en suite and shared bathrooms, and studio rooms. There are also catered and self-catered accommodation options available. Catered halls offer a communal dining experience and meals that are suited to all dietary requirements. The accommodations include basic furniture, storage space, WiFi, laundry facilities, bike storage, and a common room.
The annual accommodation fees, paid in three instalments, range from £4,185 to £8,218 depending on the residence hall and accommodation type. First-year undergraduate students are guaranteed accommodation at the university, as long as they meet application deadlines.
Loughborough University Reviews
Names may be changed to protect anonymity
Leila, 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have had so many opportunities to develop, both personally and professionally, through being a student at Loughborough University – the facilities, lecturing standard and support available are beyond what I had anticipated ahead of joining the university. There is a real sense of inclusion in societies, within a volunteering capacity and on campus in general. I am so glad I chose to study here.
Anna, 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The community spirit and the support from the university is what stands out the most to me. Loughborough University has a lovely and massive campus which is ideal for all day walks and pretty viewpoints! I love my university!!
Lara, 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There are great facilities both for sports and studies. Lots of places to study around campus. Some of the buildings don’t look great from the outside but are nicer inside. Not much to do in Loughborough after a while but can easily get to Nottingham or Leicester.
Loughborough University Facilities
Rated number one in the UK for university facilities by students in the 2020 Whatuni Student Choice Awards, Loughborough University has some of the most impressive facilities that UK universities have to offer. Over the past ten years, the university has invested £350 million in its estate.
Loughborough is known in the UK for its outstanding sports facilities. The university has invested £36 million in its sports facilities which is a big part of why elite athletes flock to Loughborough. The following are facilities that are available at the university:
- Athletics Centre for track and field sports training
- 50m swimming pool
- Cricket Centre with indoor and outdoor training facilities
- Loughborough University Stadium
- Tennis and Squash Centre
- Sports Halls for team ball games
- Studios for fitness classes, martial arts training, and dance
- Artificial and grass pitches
- Squash and table tennis courts
- Two gyms, with Powerbase Gym being among the largest strength and conditioning gyms in the country
The stellar facilities offered at the university have attracted many national clubs, teams, and centres that have chosen the university as its training grounds. The university also has an Elite Athlete Centre and Hotel which is a specialist hotel that has unique offerings for athletes, such as an Altitude room which mimics the conditions of high altitudes and a high-performance nutrition restaurant and cafe with specially-designed menus. A stay at the hotel grants its guests access to the university’s sports facilities and fully accessible rooms are also available.
The university’s teaching and learning facilities are also excellent. The Pilkington Library is a four-storey building that has an extensive collection of books, resources, journals, and specialist databases for all subjects. The library also has a cafeteria, study spaces, and stays open 24/7 during exam periods. The university is well-equipped for all subjects offered – the STEMLab has advanced laboratories and workshops which are purpose-built for engineering and science students. This STEM teaching space is located in the west side of the campus and was part of a £25 million transformation project.
Meanwhile, for the media-inclined students, there is the student-led LSU Media, which produces video with the LSUTV, radio shows with the LCR, and student magazines such as Label and Lens. Students may also write for the award-winning The Epinal student newspaper or publish with The Lamplight Press, which is run by the School of the Arts, English and Drama.
Loughborough University Student Activities and Clubs
The Loughborough’s Student Union (LSU) has won many accolades in recent years in student choice awards. In the 2020 Whatuni Student Choice Awards, Loughborough was voted first in the UK in the Societies and Sports category. It was also ranked second in the Best Universities for Students’ Union category in the 2021 StudentCrowd Best UK Universities list.
LSU offers over 50 sports clubs and 100 societies for students to participate in, covering quite the range of topics from hobbies and academic interests to ethnic and faith-based groups. There will be ample opportunities to meet students from other programmes and years. It’s also a great way to meet like-minded people and participate in activities you enjoy, or even pick up a new skill or two!
The Union building is a lively venue and popular among the students. There are a number of restaurants to fit every budget, including Subway, a Chinese restaurant, a gastropub, and some coffee shops. Students will also find essential services here such as a hair salon, a dental practice, an optician, a pharmacy, and a convenience store. The space transforms into a nightclub for weekly events with the capacity for about 4,000 people.
Without a doubt, Loughborough University stands out for its reputation in sports. This is largely due to the university attracting elite athletes with its sports scholarships and competition-ready facilities. It has also set out to create a supportive and inclusive environment for its athletes, one which makes sports accessible to all. As a result of their efforts in bolstering its sports programme, the university has won several accolades for sports, including:
- University of the Year for Sport, The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022
- BUCS Champion, 41 consecutive years in a row
- 35 medalists in the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
The university is also home to a number of sports governing bodies, centres, teams, and clubs:
- British Athletics National Performance Institute
- National Cricket Performance Centre for the England and Wales Cricket Board
- England and Wales Cricket Board’s National Academy
- British Swimming National Centre
- British Triathlon Performance Centre
- England Badminton Development Centre
- LTA National Academy and Tennis Leicestershire
- Loughborough Foxes
- England Roses
- Loughborough Lightning
- Loughborough Rugby
- Loughborough Swimming
- Loughborough University Football Club
Overall, the Loughborough’s Student Union is among the best student unions in the UK. The university also has a robust and inclusive sports programme with some of the best facilities in the country for all students to participate in sports at any level.
Loughborough University Contact
Official website: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/
Phone: +44 (0)1509 222222
Address: Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU
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