University of Stirling

SnapshotScotlandPlate glass university
Written By Jonathan Tinnacher

Became a university in: 1967

Student population: 13,390 (2022/23)

Location: 330 acre rural campus, 2.5 miles north of Stirling city-centre in the central belt of Scotland.

Subject areas: Biological & Environmental Sciences, Maths & Computing, Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Management, Media, Sport, Law, Nursing & Midwifery, and hundreds of combined options.

Admissions: Undergraduate entry grades are middling, varying from Scottish Highers BBC or A-levels CCC for their BSc Nursing degree, up to Scottish Highers AAAB or A-levels ABB for their LLB (Hons) Law. Most courses do not require interviews or admissions tests (the exception being nursing).

📸 Snapshot

Stirling was where, as a 23 year old fresh-faced graduate, I started my university career. I have fantastic memories of my time there, and so it seemed like the natural choice for my first university snapshot!

Created as a brand new university in the late sixties, the University of Stirling set out to be innovative in its teaching right from the start. They adopted a US style semester system (two 15 week semesters separated by the Christmas break), and enabled students to study modules from any faculty during their first three semesters.

Together, these result in the most flexible academic structure available at any UK university; ideal if you’re unsure exactly what you want to study.

And then there is the campus. Whilst not everyone will be a fan of the 1960 brutalist architecture, there is no denying that the Airthrey Castle estate, overlooked by the Ochil Hills and the Wallace monument, provides one of the most stunning backdrops to any university in the country.

Low slung academic buildings sit comfortably alongside study and social facilities, with a significant amount of student accommodation located just across the loch. The sports facilities, also on-site, are some of the finest in the UK.

In summary

Stirling could be for you if…

  • You are looking for a fairly small university, retaining a community feel with loads of student activities.

  • You like fresh air, the outdoors and don’t mind being a distance from a major city.

  • You love sport.

  • You want a super-flexible course where you can try a few options before committing to your final degree.

And if you like Stirling, you might also like…

  • University of East Anglia

  • University of Essex

  • University of Kent

  • Lancaster University

  • University of Sussex

  • University of Warwick

  • University of York

Jonathan Tinnacher
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