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Lancaster University

Lancaster, United Kingdom

  • Cost of Living£ 17,328
  • Tuition Fee From£ 20,930
  • Country Rank-
  • Batch Strength13,000
  • Global Diversity29.8%
  • Gender Ratio48 : 52

Overview

About

Lancaster University (officially The University of Lancaster or LU) is located in Lancaster, Lancashire, England, and is one of the top public research universities for international students who want to study abroad. The institution was one of many new universities founded in the 1960s and was formed in 1964 by the royal charter. The university began its 1967 migration to Bailrigg, a purpose-built campus located 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) to the south of its original location in St. Leonard's Gate in the heart of the city. The campus' buildings are constructed around a spine-shaped walkway called the Spine, which connects to Alexandra Square, so named in honour of Princess Alexandra who was the university's first chancellor.

 

Liverpool is a residential collegiate institution, and the colleges have limited autonomy. The eight undergraduate colleges each have their own living halls, common areas, staff members, and restaurants. They are all named after locations in the ancient county of Lancashire. All three of the national league tables place Lancaster among the top thirteen schools, and the government's new Teaching Excellence Framework (2017) gave Lancaster a Gold rating. With an expenditure of £352.7 million, the institution's annual income for 2018-2019 was £317.9 million, of which £42.0 million came from grants and contracts for research. Lancaster is a member of the N8 Group of research universities, which also includes Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, and York Universities. A visitor to the university was Elizabeth II, Duke of Lancaster. 

 

Ranking

Lancaster was ranked 19th overall in the UK in The Sunday Time's 10-year (1998-2007) average rating of British universities based on sustained league table performance. The university has recently been ranked among the top 10 by UK newspaper league tables and within the top 150 globally by the most important global rankings. The Complete University Guide also named it the best university in the north-west of England for all 10 years of recordings. LU, which celebrated its 50th year, was named 10th among the world's top 50 under-50 universities in the 2014 edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) 100 Under 50. Additionally, it was included in the QS 50 under 50 rankings in all years before 2014 while it was younger than 50. Here are some of Lancaster University's rankings in 2024 -

 

  • QS - World University Ranking 2024: #122 
  • The Complete University Guide - University Ranking 2024: #10 
  • The Guardian - University Rankings 2024: #11 

 

Course Rankings:

The university's Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes are popular among ranking publishers. From 2016 to 2019, Financial Times ranked LU's MBA programme among the top 100 programmes worldwide. Additionally, since 2016, it has also listed the university's Master in Finance programme among the top 50 programmes globally. It has also placed LU's Master of Management programme among the top 100 programmes worldwide since 2017. The Guardian has placed the university among the top 20 in the UK for both accounting and finance and business, management, and marketing degrees since 2017. In terms of PG Business and Economics programmes, Times Higher Education ranked it in the top 100 programmes in 2018 and 2019. However, in 2020 it was ranked between 101 and 125 on this list. Top-ranking platforms like QS World University Rankings and US News,  World Report, etc. have ranked Lancaster University’s courses in 2024. Take a look at some below -

 

Business & Management Studies Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Business and Management Studies UK 2024: #21 
  • The Guardian - Business and Management 2024: #10 
  • The Guardian - Guardian Economics Rankings 2024: #31  

 

Engineering Courses

  • The Complete University Guide - Chemical Engineering Ranking 2024: #19 
  • The Complete University Guide - Electrical and Electronic Engineering 2024: #27 
  • The Complete University Guide - Mechanical Engineering Ranking 2024: #21 
  • The Complete University Guide - Mechanical Engineering Ranking 2024: #31 
  • The Guardian - Mechanical Engineering 2024: #9

 

Medicine & Health Sciences Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Medicine Rankings 2024: #13 
  • The Guardian - Guardian Medicine Rankings 2024: #28  

 

Law Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Law Rankings 2024: #24
  • The Guardian - Guardian Law Rankings 2024: #19  

 

Mass Communication & Media Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Communication and Media Studies Ranking 2024: #2 
  • The Guardian - Guardian Media and Film Studies Rankings 2024: #11 

 

Humanities & Social Sciences Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Psychology Rankings 2024: #19 
  • The Complete University Guide - Sociology Rankings 2024: #17 
  • The Guardian - Guardian Politics Rankings 2024: #39 
  • The Guardian - Guardian Sociology and Social Policy Rankings 2024: #21 

 

Science Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Biological Sciences Rankings 2024: #16
  • The Complete University Guide - Computer Science 2024: #22 
  • The Complete University Guide - Physics and Astronomy Ranking 2024: #7 
  • The Guardian - Guardian Physics Rankings 2024: #4  

 

Accounting & Commerce Courses 

  • The Complete University Guide - Accounting and Finance Ranking 2024: #20 
  • The Guardian - Accounting and Finance Rankings 2024: #13  

Year

QS Ranks

US News Ranks

2025

#141

-

2023

#146

#182

2022

#132

#182

2021

#132

#187

Facilities

Only three miles from Lancaster's city centre, the Bailrigg campus, a stunning 560-acre parkland setting, serves as the main campus. The institution is home to the Peter Scott Gallery, which contains the university's extensive international art collection, which includes ancient artefacts, Japanese and Chinese works, pieces by British painters from the 20th century, etc. The Forest Hills is a different university facility that serves as a conference space. The university sports centre contains a 25-meter swimming pool with 8 lanes and a "floating floor." The facility's  1,300 tech-enabled workplaces are arranged around a central atrium that receives plenty of natural light. Nearly 3,000 international students are served by the university's educational offerings. The institution offers access to more than 175 student unions. Students at the university take part in 35 sports clubs' events. Lancaster University facilities include eight tennis courts, six association football fields, five netball courts, a trim path, three rugby fields, two floodlit artificial grass fields, a crown bowling green, and a forest walk are all located on the campus.

Notable Alumni

Maria Adebowale-Schwarte
Maria Adebowale-Schwarte
Founding Director of Living Space Project
Stewart Binns
Stewart Binns
British author and filmmaker
Phil Jones
Phil Jones
Climatologist

Courses

Admission

Acceptance Rate  

Lancaster University has a competitive admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 18.69%. This means that getting into this prestigious institution is quite challenging, as only around 19 out of every 100 applicants are admitted on average. Students applying to this prestigious college must showcase excellent academic achievements, strong personal qualities, and a genuine passion for their chosen field of study.

 

Learn More About: Lancaster University Acceptance Rate

 

Entry Requirements

To study in the UK, international applicants must apply for a Tier 4 student visa. Depending on the programme of interest, different procedures and requirements apply to undergraduate and graduate applicants. Undergraduate students can apply through the UCAS website and the application fee of £18 for one programme and £24 for multiple programmes, whereas, postgraduate students can apply through the MyApplications Portal. The following is a list of the standard Lancaster University entry requirements are as follow -

 

Basic Admission Requirements:

  • An A Level or the equivalent and accepted international high school certificate
  • Relevant bachelor’s degree (for graduate programme applicants)
  • Interview or portfolio of work (if required)
  • Proof of English language proficiency
  • Academic transcripts and degree certificate
  • Passport
  • References
  • Personal statement
  • Research proposal (research degrees only)
  • Work experience (if required)
  • Resume/CV
  • GMAT (depending on programme requirement)
  • Lancaster Admissions Essay (if required)

 

English Language Requirements:

Programme-specific English language requirements differ for UG & PG applicants. English language proficiency examinations for graduates are identical to those for undergraduates. Take a look at some listed below -


 

Test

Minimum Overall Score

Minimum Score in Each Band/Section

IELTS

6.5

Overall: 6.5; Band Scores: Listening - 5.5, Reading - 5.5, Speaking - 5.5, Writing - 5.5

IELTS (UKVI Approved)

6.5

Overall: 6.5; Band Scores: Listening - 5.5, Reading - 5.5, Speaking - 5.5, Writing - 5.5

TOEFL iBT

87

Overall: 87; Sections: Listening - 17, Reading - 18, Speaking - 17, Writing - 20

PTE Academic

58

Overall: 58; Skills: Listening - 42, Reading - 42, Speaking - 42, Writing - 42

 

 

Fees

  • Accounting & Finance: £22,650 - £25,360
  • Animation & Design: £21,980 
  • Medical & Pure Sciences: £23,360 - £26,550
  • Business Management & Entrepreneurship: £21,000 - £34,500
  • Computer Science & Technology: £22,650 - £26,550
  • Nursing & Medicine: £25,270 - £41,195
  • Engineering: £23,360 - £26,550
  • Law & Legal Studies: £21,000 - £24,265
  • Psychology: £22,650 - £26,550

 

Placements

LU offers career and employability services for its students and graduates. A lot of part-time jobs are advertised by the employment assistance team, and students can schedule an appointment with the advisor. The group also organises numerous career- and job-related events and provides assistance with creating a CV, cover letter, and interview preparation. Students can find numerous paid part-time jobs, placements, and internships via the university's career portal to obtain experience in the workplace. Each year, around 200 undergraduate students take part in Lancaster University’s placements with different companies. Deloitte, Loreal, IBM, Body Shop, Unilever, Intel, EY, Morgan Stanley, Tesco, Renault, and a number of other companies hire Lancaster graduates. Within six months of graduation, 89% of graduates continue on and land jobs. Graduates' average annual salaries range from £35,555 (Accounting and Consulting) to £62,370 (Financial Services).

Scholarship

Lancaster University's institutional scholarships usually reduce tuition fees to a certain extent. Grants, scholarships, and bursaries are available to international students. The UK Government offers student loans at low interest rates to Master's and PhD students. UniScholars can help you apply for these scholarships and help you find other external scholarships as well.
 

 

Scholarship Name

Eligibility Criteria

Amount Awarded 

Alumni Loyalty Scholarship

Available to undergraduate or graduate applicants at Lancaster University who are alumni of the university. The scholarship value depends on the degree classification.

Reduction in tuition fees based on degree classification.

Lancaster University Management School scholarships (LUMS)

Open to international undergraduate students from select EU countries, India, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Each year, 30 scholarships are awarded.

Varies between 2,000 GBP and 4,000 GBP per scholarship.

Faculty Postgraduate Scholarships

Available for international graduate programme students at Lancaster University, awarded by respective faculties.

Up to 15,000 GBP, inclusive of bursaries and maintenance grants.

 

Finances

Most international students are obligated to show proof of sufficient funds to obtain a visa. While some may have the opportunity to make use of scholarships, not all students cut the eligibility to get a scholarship or a grant. Moreover, not all scholarships cover 100% of your study abroad expenses. At such times, most students resort to acquiring education loans to avoid the financial hassles associated with studying at the university. For Indian students, UniCreds is the ideal education loan marketplace if you’re looking for low-interest rates and free consultation services!

 

Accommodation

There are several student accommodations in Lancaster near Lancaster University that are fully equipped for your needs. Student accommodation near Lancaster University offers a wide choice of affordable yet elegant student flats, halls of residence, studios, ensuites, and more! You have the option of staying on campus in the university halls of residence or a private residence. Because of their proximity to the university, on-campus housing options may be ideal; nevertheless, they tend to fill up fast and are more expensive.

UniAcco simplifies the process of finding student housing and offers a variety of options. As a result, students can select from an array of available student accommodations near the university, such as luxury studios, en-suites, and shared apartments that are inexpensive and fully furnished with 24/7 staff support.

Cost of Living

Accommodation in Lancaster is less expensive than the national median house sale price, making it an inexpensive city than other big metro regions. The cost of living in Lancaster is comparable to the national average for food, healthcare, transportation, and other living expenses. Because of its top-notch medical facilities, affordable housing, and convenient location, the city ranks well among communities that are favourable to students. Take a look at the breakdown of the cost of living a student might incur while living in the city -

 

Particulars

Cost (Monthly)

Off-Campus Accommodation 

£ 680

On-Campus Accommodation

£ 708

Transportation

£ 60

Food Cost

£ 476

Entertainment

£ 30

Groceries

£ 128

Clothes

£ 70

Total Cost of Living with Off Campus Accommodation 

£ 1,444

Total Cost of Living with On Campus Accommodation 

£ 1,472

Annual Cost of Living

£ 17,328

FAQs