University Of Bristol Guide: Rankings, Courses, Fees And More

Founded in 1876, the University of Bristol is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and one of the UK’s leading research universities. The university’s research-led curriculum combines real-world applications with hands-on research experience which produces programmes that are balanced and practice-oriented.

Summary of University

university of bristol guide

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University of Bristol Overview

The university has 31,485 students across both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with 28.5% of students representing 140 different countries around the world. The Malaysian student population at the University of Bristol is around 350 students.

According to the 2020 Graduate Outcomes survey, 94.5% of Bristol graduates are in work or further studies 15 months after graduation. The university is among the Top 10 most targeted universities by leading graduate employers according to the High Fliers Research in 2021. This is the result of an active and well-connected Career Service that engages more than 300 companies annually in their events and career activities. The Bristol PLUS Award for employability, the University of Bristol Law School’s Professional Mentoring Scheme as well as Bristol Connects also boost the employability of Bristol’s graduates.

Throughout its history, the University of Bristol has produced 13 Nobel Prize winners, mostly in Chemistry and Physics. Some famous Bristol alumni include physicist Paul Dirac (BSc 1921), a Nobel winner in theoretical physics and one of the greatest mathematical physicists of the 20th century; journalist Sarah Montague (BSc 1987, Hon LLD 2015), a regular presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Today for 18 years and current presenter of The World at One; President of the RSPB (Europe’s largest nature conservation charity), Miranda Krestovnikoff (BSc 1994); actor, writer and comedian Matt Lucas (1995,  Hon DLitt 2017) who starred in Bridesmaids, Les Misérables and Alice in Wonderland; and singer- songwriter James Blunt (BSc 1996, Hon DMus 2016) who has sold over 23 million records worldwide.

More than 1,800 Bristol alumni are from, living or working in Malaysia at well-known enterprises such as Citigroup, HSBC, the Ministry of Health, AirAsia, Exxon Mobil, the Malaysian Government and JPMorgan Chase.

University of Bristol Courses and Programmes

The University of Bristol has 6 faculties, 29 academic schools and departments, and offers over 600 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The QS World University Rankings by Subjects has ranked 27 subjects at Bristol among the top 100 and 10 of them among the top 50 in the world. 

According to The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024, the University of Bristol has the 2nd best General Engineering course in the UK and its Mechanical Engineering programme is ranked among the top 5 in the country. The Guardian University Guide 2024 has also ranked Bristol’s Engineering programme among the top in the country. The Guardian ranked Bristol’s Civil Engineering programme as the 3rd best in the UK and ranked its General and Mechanical Engineering programmes in the top 10 of the country.

Besides Engineering, the university is also highly ranked in Education, Engineering and Geophysics (6th), and Geology and Earth & Marine Sciences (7th) in the UK by the Guardian University Guide. Meanwhile, The Times ranked its courses in Criminology (3rd), Education (4th), Dentistry (5th) and Anatomy (7th) among the top 10 in the country.

Engineering Design

Ranked as the 2nd best Engineering programme in the whole of the UK, this course will allow students to develop specialist skills in design and systems engineering. There are three choices for majors: Mechanical, Aerospace or Civil Engineering. This is a well-accredited course in which students can work on real-world design projects, attend valuable industrial visits and placements as well as utilise various cutting-edge teaching and research facilities available at the university. Some previously-offered placements include Rolls-Royce, Atkins Aerospace and Frazer-Nash.

Education

With the university ranked as the 9th university in Europe for its teaching quality, it is understandable that Education at Bristol is among the top ranked courses. The School of Education at Bristol has the highest student satisfaction scores in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law. It is also one of the top five Education research schools in the UK. The BSc Education Studies programme combines various social science disciplines in diverse settings to tackle big educational questions such as social change and social justice. Meanwhile, the BSc Psychology in Education course will assist students in making a difference in education and young people’s development via a psychological approach. The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. 

Criminology

Criminology at Bristol will expand students’ knowledge on crime, related social harms as well as policies and interventions that can best address those issues. Students will receive international perspectives on the topic, visit criminal courts and talk to working practitioners in their school visits. This is both an academic and vocational degree with a great range of sectors to work in post-graduation such as public, private and voluntary services, the Prison Service, local government and civil service. Professional vocations such as law and social work are also available options.

University of Bristol Entry Requirements

Malaysianspecific entry requirements for 2024

Degree type

Accepted qualifications

More information

International Foundation Programme

One of the following:

  • SPM with at least five subjects with a grade average of B
  • UEC with a minimum grade average of the best five subjects being B6

You may be asked to achieve a particular grade in required subjects.

bristol.ac.uk/ifp

Undergraduate

(Bachelor’s: BA, BEng, BSc, BDS, BVSc, LLB, MArts, MEng, MSci, MBChB)

One of the following:

  • A-levels: typically ABB – A*A*A
  • IB diploma: typically 32 points and above
  • AUSMAT/SACE: ATAR 92 and above
  • CIMP/CPU: 84% and above
  • STPM: GPA 3.3 and more
  • Matrikulasi: GPA 3.3 and above
  • UEC: 5 As and above

bristol.ac.uk/

undergraduate 

Global Transfer Programme

(Bachelor’s)

Select bachelor’s courses from HELP University and Taylor’s University

bristol.ac.uk/

transfer

English language requirements

Non-native English speakers will need to provide proof of their English language ability. A wide range of qualifications and tests are accepted. Each course will have its own English language requirements as well as other specific requirements.  

IELTS exemption is available based on SPM/1119/iGCSE/A-Levels/IB English.

Scholarships

Available scholarship programmes for international students are the Think Big scholarship scheme, the GREAT Scholarship as well as other private and public programmes from PETRONAS, Shell, CIMB, Chevening, Commonwealth, MARA and the Ministry of Education. Speak to us for more information.

University of Bristol 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.

University of Bristol Ranking

  • In 2024, the University of Bristol ranked 15th in the UK (Complete University Guide) and 61st in the world (QS World University Rankings).
  • 9th best university in the UK by QS World University Rankings 2024.
  • 61st best university in the world by QS World University Rankings 2024.
  • 1st university to declare a climate emergency (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/green/).
  • 4th most targeted university by top UK employers by The Graduate Market in 2024 by the Times’s list of ‘Top 100 Graduate Employers’.
  • Joint seventh for UK graduate employability in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings in 2022.
  • 49th university with the most employable students in the world according to the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022. 
  • 9th for teaching in Europe by THE Europe Reaching Rankings in 2019.

University of Bristol Fees

Undergraduate tuition fees 

Tuition fees for international students vary depending on the chosen course.  Fees are reviewed annually and subject to change except for clinical programmes (BDS, MB ChB and BVSc), which stay the same from the first year of the programme. The fees set for the academic year of 2024/25 are as follows.

  • Classroom-based subjects: £26,400
  • Laboratory-based subjects: £29,300
  • Medicine: £42,800

Some classroom-based programmes by the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social Sciences and Law are charged at laboratory-based subject rates. In summary, tuition fees may vary from programme to programme. For more details, check out the web page of your chosen course from the online course finder here.

Living expenses

Most students spend between £9,000 to £15,000 per year on living expenses, including accommodation. Check here for more details.

University of Bristol Accommodation

There are three residential villages but most first-year students stay in one of the two main villages based in Stoke Bishop and Clifton. There are all types of residences to meet all kinds of needs, ranging from shared Georgian townhouses to modern residences, single to en-suite rooms, small to large and catered to self-catered rooms.

The northern village in Stoke Bishop houses around 2,300 students and offers a common room, study room and computer facilities. The eastern village in Clifton hosts self-catered residences with some private student housings for up to 2,200 students. The western village has four large residences including one catered residence and several small properties for up to 1,200 students.

Most residences have a bar or common room. All residences have plenty of social activities such as meal nights, theatrical performances, live music and dance events as well as intramural fixtures for cross-residence socialisation.

After the first year, most students move into private accommodation in nearby areas such as Kingsdown, Clifton, Cotham and Redland.

University of Bristol Reviews

Sophie - BSc Sociology
5/5

“I love being taught by the researchers whose books are our required reading. It’s amazing to be told that a professor is the definitive expert in a field and to be able to ask them questions whenever you like.”

Emily - MEng Civil Engineering
5/5

“The best part about my course is the ability to use the world-class civil engineering laboratories. In my third-year research project, I spent most of my time in the labs using machinery and instruments that many young engineers can only dream of.”

Adina - MEng Aerospace Engineering 2019
5/5

“I had a truly amazing experience. The University of Bristol is where I discovered my passion for the space industry.”

Sam - BSc Biology 2016
5/5

“A biological science degree from the University is held in high esteem. Another draw was having the whole wildlife film scene in the city. A lot of it is just around the corner from the University!”

Izzy - BSc Politics 2014 - Managing Director of FounderVine, an award-winning social enterprise
5/5

“Bristol expanded my horizon in terms of the people I met, the places I travelled to and the relationships I built… Those experiences shaped who I am and how I lead people.”

Emma - BSc Economics
5/5

“Bristol really encourages you to find your passion in your education. As you go through your degree, you can hone in on what you’re really interested in.”

Mark - MSc Chemistry with Industrial Experience
5/5

“The facilities in the school of chemistry were excellent, and the social scene in the student union was amazing. I have so many fond memories of nights out and adventures that I was able to have during my time in Bristol”

University of Bristol Facilities

Teaching facilities

Students from the University of Bristol have made great achievements in Science and Engineering fields thanks to its fully equipped labs such as its chemistry labs which are certified as a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, the Hack Space for creative experimentation in Engineering, and the life sciences teaching lab – one of the largest student laboratory spaces in the UK. 

Other departments also have dedicated facilities. Modern languages students have access to a language lab, audio editing studio and an extensive foreign film and magazine library. Accounting and Finance students have their own Bloomberg Room with the latest financial service software. Film and Television students get to enjoy specialised cinema, editing suites, animating facilities, cameras and sound equipment.

Study space

Each faculty at Bristol has its own library. The nine libraries combined has a total of 1.4 million volumes of printed books and journals – making them the largest academic collection in southwest England. There are more than 2,000 PCs with 24-hour access as well as strong WiFi connection all across the campus.

Specialist resources

Each department also hosts its extensive archives and special collections. For example, the Theatre department has its museum and research centre called The Theatre Collection dedicated to British theatre history. The Earth Science Collection houses over 100,000 scientific and historical samples. Bristol also has its own Botanic Garden with more than 4,500 plant species for research purposes. 

Sports facilities

The University of Bristol invested in extensive sports facilities such as:

  • the Indoor Sports Centre on the Clifton campus with a state-of-the-art gym, fitness studios, a double-sided sports hall and a sports medicine clinic;
  • a 32-metre swimming pool in the Richmond Building;
  • Coombe Dingle Sports Complex – an outdoor facility with grass and artificial pitches, netball and tennis courts, a four-court indoor tennis centre and a strength and conditioning suite;
  • a boathouse at Saltford on the River Avon.

University of Bristol Student Activities and Clubs

The Bristol Student Union supports more than 4oo societies including 70 sports clubs and various volunteering projects. Bristol students consistently secure a top ten position in the British University College Sport competition. Student-athletes receive plenty of support to pursue their sporting careers at while balancing academic study. The university has trained plenty of Olympians, Commonwealth gold medal winners and English representatives in a great range of sports.   

There are Malaysian and Singaporean specific clubs at the University of Bristol such as the Malay Cultural Society, the Malaysian and Singaporean Students’ Association as well as 400 other clubs and societies for all kinds of interests.

University of Bristol Contact

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