University of Leicester

Overview

The University of Leicester is in the East Midlands and currently has around 20,000 students enrolled, of which 1,500 of whom are international from over 80 different countries. The University of Leicester is one of the UK’s fastest growing universities and is currently undergoing a £300 million campus redevelopment programme. The University of Leicester was voted 'University of the Year' by the Times in 2008, and finished runner up in the same category in 2014.

Leicester is well known for the strength of it its research, with its Archaeology department recently discovered the remains of Richard III, pushing it into the international spotlight. The Department of Physics and Astronomy hosts Europe’s largest university-based space research facility and the School of Museum Studies remains one of the top research departments in the country, containing the highest ranking research in Museum Studies in the UK.

Services for International Students

The International Office and International Students' Advisers can provide support on issues such as visas, employment, finance and cultural adjustment. In-sessional and pre-sessional English classes are available for all international students who want or need to improve their English level before or during their degree.

Ranking

• 35th in the Times University Guide 2023
• 35th in the Guardian University Guide 2023
• 279th in the QS World University Rankings 2023
• 185th in the Times Higher Education World Rankings 2022

Highlights of the REF 2021 for the University of Leicester include:

• Research in Clinical Medicine, History, and Sports and Exercise Science is 2nd in the UK, Museum Studies 3rd, Archaeology 5th, Media 7th and English 11th
• Archaeology and Biological Sciences research is top in the UK for impact, with Clinical Medicine, Sports Science and Sociology all top for research outputs
• 89% of the university's research is classed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’

Accommodation

The University of Leicester guarantees University accommodation for students as long as they firmly accept an offer and apply by the September 1^st deadline. Rooms are available catered and self-catered rooms, as are studio apartments and shared rooms. Many second and third year students also choose to live in halls, but most live in and around the city. The accommodation office can assist students who wish to live outside halls in private rented accommodation.

Location

Leicester, with a population of more than 300,000, is a commercial and cosmopolitan city in the heart of England. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, Leicester lies just one hour from London via train and is within easy reach of many other major towns and places of interest - including Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and both Oxford and Cambridge.

All teaching buildings are within a few minutes’ walk of each other on the University of Leicester’s compact campus. Leicester train station is within walking distance of the campus, while supermarkets, a cinema complex, local shops, bars and restaurants are all nearby. East Midlands Airport is the closest airport and serves 28 different countries.

The University of Leicester's buildings represent over a century of architectural styles which reflect our history and growth. The first University building, the Fielding Johnson, dates from 1837 and is a fine example of late Georgian architecture. Many of the more recent buildings have won architectural awards for design excellence.

Alumni

• Natalie Bennett (Former leader of the Green Party)
• Jyrki Katainen (Prime Minister of Finland)
• Peter Campbell (Editor-in-Chief of Nature)
• Atifete Jahjaga (President of Kosovo)
• Martin Löb (Mathematician)
• Bob Parr (Multi-Emmy Award winning television producer)