University Of Leicester Guide: Rankings, Courses, Fees And More
In 1918, the University of Leicester was founded as a memorial after World War I in celebration of peace. It took in the first batch of students in 1921. Since then, the university has contributed to various technological and historical advances globally, ranging from the discovery of genetic fingerprinting to the study of supermassive black holes.
Summary of University
- Type of campus: City campus
- Student population: 15,085 students, 23.9% international students (2023-2024)
- Tuition Fees: £18,200-22,600 per year (Most courses), £23,900-£41,750 (Medicine)
- 2024 UK Ranking: 22nd (Times Higher Education), 29th (Complete University Guide)
- 2024 Global Ranking: 163rd (Times Higher Education)
Table of Contents
University of Leicester Overview
Leicester’s vision for its next 100 years hasn’t wavered in scale, with the university’s sights set on ambitious research that will certainly shape the future for travel, autonomous vehicles, and solving environmental issues such as pollution. The university is also leading the way in research on pressing healthcare issues such as the prevention of COVID-19, diabetes, and cardiovascular health. The university has shown great efforts in becoming more inclusive with its plan to decolonise its English curriculum, among other management policies. In 2021, the university launched the UK’s newest Business School and also a new building for the Student’s Union.
The university offers 350 degree programmes from its three academic colleges: Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology; Science and Engineering; and Arts and Humanity. The University of Leicester’s arts and humanities programmes are held in high regard within the UK, while their medical, biological sciences, and psychology programmes have performed well in global rankings.
Graduates from the University of Leicester are well-regarded among employers. The university is among the top 25 UK universities targeted by employers, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024. 91.8% of Leicester graduates were in employment or further study 6 months after graduating, according to the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey by HESA for 2016-2017 range. In 2016, Business Insider mentioned the University of Leicester as the 8th of 10 universities in the UK that produced the most CEOs, with 2.6% of their students “reaching leadership positions in smaller, more nimble structures.”
The university’s robust career support activities are to be thanked for bolstering its graduates’ employment prospects. Leicester’s outstanding Career Development Service runs a full week of activities and two career-festivals each year to help students find the best job placements. Additionally, many programmes at Leicester include a year of experience in the industry. Many of its students have been selected for paid placements in well-known organisations such as Microsoft, IBM, Jaguar Land Rover, ASOS, GSK, the NHS, and more.
Throughout its 100 years of teaching and training expertise, the University of Leicester has educated various famous alumni. Among them is Mako Komuro, the former Princess Mako of Akishino and a member of the Japanese imperial family. She graduated with a Master of Arts in museology from the University of Leicester. Another famous alumnus is Will Tudor, best known for playing Olyvar in the popular HBO TV drama Game of Thrones. Atifete Jahjaga, the third President of Kosovo, is also part of the university’s long list of well-known graduates.
University of Leicester Courses and Programmes
The Complete University Guide of 2024 ranked three subjects at the University of Leicester among the top ten in the UK: American Studies (3rd), Medicine (7th) and Italian (7th). Meanwhile, the US News and World Report mentioned Endocrinology (79th), Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (87th) and Geosciences (139th tie) as their best subjects globally.
American Studies
The University of Leicester’s American Studies programme is among the top 10 in the UK according to the Complete University Guide 2024 and considered one of the UK’s best providers of American Studies degrees. This programme will teach eager students about the history, literature, politics, and film of the United States, with a focus on contemporary issues. The subject is divided into two majors: English and American Studies, and History and American Studies. Students can choose between a three-year programme and a four-year programme with a year spent abroad at an American university. The university offers a dedicated Centre for American Studies for the subject.
Medicine
With more than 40 years of experience in the field, the medical course at the University of Leicester is well-regarded within the UK. The programme is ranked joint second in the UK for world-leading research in clinical medicine according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and 18th globally for clinical medicine in the UK according to the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022. The top fields that the Leicester team has achieved a global reputation for are research on heart disease, cancer and genetics. Graduates from Leicester were ranked in the top three for medical career progression by the UK Foundation Programme from 2014-2019. Above all, the National Student Survey 2022 has reported that the university is ranked among the top five in the UK for overall student satisfaction. The university invested in a multi-million pound Centre for Empathic Healthcare to assist in the education of the best doctors in the field.
Applied and Environmental Geology BSc
The Earth and Marine Sciences programmes at the University of Leicester are ranked 22nd in the UK according to the Guardian University Guide 2024. Their Applied and Environmental Geology course aims to equip students with fundamental knowledge about locating and managing Earth resources while minimising environmental impacts. The course is accredited by the Geological Society of London. First-year students will get to work with a personal tutor who is a specialist in the field. Students have the opportunity to go on exciting field trips to Scotland, Spain and Wales to apply their knowledge. The career prospects are bright as 95% of graduates of the programme have found a job or continued their studies within six months after graduation at an average annual salary of £18,500 according to The Uni Guide.
University of Leicester 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 you with a pathway to undergraduate degree study at the university.
University of Leicester 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, please take a look at our article UCAS Deadlines 2024.
University of Leicester Ranking
- In 2024, The University of Leicester ranked 29th in the UK (Complete University Guide) and 279th in the world (QS World University Rankings)
- 22nd in the UK (and joint 163rd in the world) in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024
- 29th -33rd in the UK (and 301st -400th in the world) in the Shanghai Ranking
- 35th in the Guardian University Guide 2024
- 29th in the Complete University Guide 2024
- 32nd in the UK (and 279th in the world) in the QS World University Rankings 2024
- 35th in the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 (paywall protected)
- 76th in the Reuters Top 100 Most Innovative Universities in Europe
- Ranked in the top 25 universities in the Times Higher Education REF Research Power rankings.
- 23rd out of 766 universities worldwide and 4th in the UK in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking.
- 35th most sustainable university in the world and 9th in the UK according to UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2018.
- Leicester has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education on three occasions – the highest form of national recognition open to a UK academic or vocational institution.
- In August 2015, HSBC announced for the second year running that the University of Leicester is the most affordable destination in Britain for both first and second-year students, according to their research.
- In 2013 our Students’ Union was named HE Students’ Union of the Year in the NUS Awards.
University of Leicester Fees
Depending on the programme, the tuition fee for international students at the University of Leicester are as follows:
- Science degrees: £22,600 per year
- Non-science degrees: £18,200 per year
- Medicine: £23,900-£41,750 per year
University of Leicester Accommodation
A new undergraduate can get guaranteed accommodation if they register early with the university at the beginning of the academic year. There is an excellent range of options from £65 to £236 per week in The Village, The City and the Freemen’s new neighbourhood.
Besides dorm rooms, students have access to the Olive Banks Study Suite, the Village Hub entertainment centre, and an allotment for gardening for green-thumbed students.
The Village
The Village has eight halls of self-catered residences. Lucky students will get to stay in the spacious Edwardian bedrooms with wood-panelled walls, built before the First World War – a real treat for history buffs. Others have a choice between a good variety of rooms such as single bedrooms with or without a washbasin, ensuite rooms, studios, one-bedroom flats, and twin bedrooms. The Village is full of green spaces, with the university’s beautiful Botanic Garden being a highlight.
The City
The City are purpose-built residence blocks within a ten-minute walk from campus. It is central and offers access to the university’s facilities, such as the library and the Dannielle Brown Sports Centre. All the rooms here are self-catered, most are ensuite. The accommodation has plenty of exciting social events. Students can also take a bus to The Village to enjoy the events and facilities there.
The Freemen’s
This new accommodation in the city launched in 2022 is a £150 million modern living space known as The Freemen’s. It features a set of purpose-built buildings with impressive landscaping which includes tree-lined walking routes, wildflowers, gardens, and two large public spaces. The new residences offer townhouse-style accommodations, micro flats, standard and premium en suites, single studios, and one-bedroom flats. There are two blocks at the Nixon Court ready to welcome new students. The accommodation includes a new landmark – the high-tech Teaching and Learning Centre powered by sustainable technologies.
University of Leicester Reviews
“The campus is in the perfect location in between the city centre and Clarendon Park, an area I now call home. I’m never more than five minutes from anything I need, whether that’s groceries, the library and a cocktail.”
“I have found so many great independents since being in Leicester. There are some really unique little shops to discover when you’re walking around the city.”
“Everywhere in Leicester is so welcoming to students. Almost all of my favourite hangouts do special student deals making it easier to enjoy all that the city has to offer.”
“There are people from all walks of life, ethnicities and religions on campus and this diversity helped me a lot.”
University of Leicester Facilities
David Wilson Library
The University of Leicester has a library that offers 30,000 e-journals, 300,000 e-books, 800,000 print books and over £7 million in allocations each year for additional resources and services. The state-of-the-art building also houses an extensive collections of rare books, manuscripts, historical photographs, engraved portrait prints, and personal archives spanning over 900 years of history to serve all research needs.
Sports facilities
The university has two Sports Centres – the Danielle Brown Centre and the Roger Bettles Centre. The Danielle Brown Centre is located in the city with a split-level gym, air-conditioned and mirrored studio, a 20-metre swimming pool, spa, sauna, steam room and sports hall. Meanwhile, the Roger Bettles Centre in the student village has different facilities such as indoor cricket nets, a flood-lit grass rugby pitch, 11 tennis courts, a dance studio and a flood-lit 5-a-side and all-weather pitches.
The George Davies Centre
The George Davies Centre is a world-leading medical research and education centre that was built with sustainability in mind. The £42 million building features quite an impressive array of sustainable technologies which demonstrates the university’s commitment towards being environmentally sustainable on top of providing great education for its medical students. Launched in 2016, the centre has ultra-modern technologies such as a ground-to-air heat exchange (GAHE) system, air-handling units, automated blinds for solar shading, a green roof, triple-glazed windows and 140 solar panels to harness solar power.
University of Leicester Student Activities and Clubs
Students have over 200 clubs and societies to choose from at the University of Leicester. There are even dedicated societies such as the Malaysian Society. Additionally, there are also faith-based groups as well as an International Students Association which provides ample opportunities for students to mingle with other like-minded students.
University of Leicester Contact
- Official website: https://le.ac.uk/
- Phone: +44 (0)116 252 2522.
- Address: The University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
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