University of Leicester
Became a university in: 1957
Student population: 18,260 (2022/23)
Location: The main campus site, with most academic buildings plus some accommodation, is located just one mile south of Leicester city centre.
Subject areas: The university covers pretty much all of the traditional university disciplines across three academic colleges: Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities; Life Sciences; and Science & Engineering
Admissions: Undergraduate entry grades are middling to high, with most courses asking for between BBB and AAB. Medicine asks for A*AA. Most courses do not require interviews or admissions tests (the exceptions being Medicine and Nursing).
📸 Snapshot
Leicester is one of three universities where I spent a significant chunk of my career, and if there is one university that defines my time in student recruitment, it is this one. Of all the universities I have been associated with, Leicester is the place that I found my crowd most easily.
It is a university with high academic standards; most of its departments have research that compares robustly with any university you care to mention. And yet, it is a university that is fundamentally down to earth; a place where ordinary people go, study and become their best selves.
Perhaps best known for the discovery of DNA fingerprinting and their part in discovering the grave of Richard III in a city car park, Leicester in fact has the full range of disciplines, from Medicine, through the sciences (including its world-renowned astrophysics group), engineering, law, social sciences, arts and humanities.
The campus, a mix of buildings of all ages dating back to the mid-19th century, is small enough to have a real sense of community. The library is world class, whilst the Students Union is active on campus and provides an excellent range of services and entertainment. And this is all within the city of Leicester, an easily accessible, budget- and student-friendly place to live.
It’s tricky to put your finger on what exactly makes Leicester so special. There is no single unique selling point that makes Leicester distinct from its competitors, but The Times Higher Education pretty much nailed it when in 2008 they came up with a phrase about Leicester that we used widely in our marketing at the time:
“Elite, without being Elitest”.
It made perfect sense then, and it still makes perfect sense now!
In summary
Leicester could be for you if…
You are looking to study any of the traditional university subjects, with a traditional academic approach.
You want to study in a large, sociable but affordable city.
You are looking for a close-knit campus, retaining a community feel with loads of student activities.
You like things to be down to earth, free of snobbishness and elitism.
And if you like Leicester, you might also like…
University of Exeter
University of Hull
Newcastle University
University of Nottingham
