Woodhouse Lane
Leeds LS2 9JT

Tel 0113 343 3999

ask@leeds.ac.uk

www.leeds.ac.uk

Sunday Times ranking 29 (29)

Teaching excellence 59.5%

Student satisfaction 72.9%

Head teacher ranking 18 (15)

Peer ranking 18 (17)

Research quality 63.7%

A/AS-level points 388

A-levels for entry 79%

Unemployment 3.8%

Firsts and 2:1s 69.3%

Student/staff ratio 14.3:1

Dropout rate 8% (9%)

World ranking 121

Undergraduates 22,587 (2,431)

Postgraduates 5,586 (3,314)

Teaching staff 1,280

Applications/places 48,553/6,745; 7.2:1 (+11.1%)

Clearing entry 6.2%

Bursaries 20%: £320-£1,360

Scholarships Various: £500-£2,000

EU/overseas 2.5%/5.4%

Mature 8.3%

State school 74%

Lowest social classes 19%

Low-participation areas 9%

Live in 30% (100%) £57-£132

Leeds enjoys a profile and reputation that places it in the vanguard of British higher education. It is in the midst of a £234m programme of upgrades that will enhance facilities across the board over the next five years.

This summer the school of performance and cultural industries will move from Bretton Hall, near Wakefield, to a new landmark building housing theatres, a rehearsal studio, dance studio and space for multimedia and art installations. There is also a new £15m student services building and work is under way on a £10m sports centre, including a 25m pool, and a £12m home for the institute of health sciences and public health research. A makeover will upgrade a significant proportion of Leeds’ 7,500-plus rooms, 96% of which are now wired for the internet.

All of this substantially improves Leeds’ offer to potential students, which should ensure it remains the second most applied to university in the UK. With such a large pool to fish from, Leeds can pick the best. Typical A-level grades sought are BBB, but the ask in some subjects, like English and history, hits AAB, or AAA for law. Under the Access to Leeds scheme offers can be lowered by two grades for certain students but they have to complete two assignments prior to enrolling and attend a two-day study skills workshop. Like Bristol before it, Leeds is at pains to emphasise it is not lowering standards, but simply broadening its recruitment base. And the proof of the pudding is the first graduates recruited under this scheme left last year with higher grades on average than the rest of the university.

Several academic scholarships are open to the most able, but the proportion qualifying for bursary support last year was one of the lowest at just 20%, with nothing for those with a family income above £26,000.

Leeds is a research-led university, one of few where its research quality score outstrips its teaching rating (both highly respectable). The old and the new, traditional and vocational, sit side by side here. They’re a good fit.

Open days Contact the university.

Student view Neil Mackenzie, students’ union officer:

USP It is wonderful to be taught by someone who has written a key textbook in your subject.

Worst feature Every student moves house on July 1, which can be a little hectic.

Location Everything you need is within walking distance.

Social scene Our students’ union offers more than 200 activities.

Rated excellent (27) Art and design; business and management; chemistry; communication and media studies; dentistry; east and south Asian studies; economics; education; electrical and electronic engineering; English; earth, environmental sciences and environmental studies; French; geography; geology (earth sciences); German; history of art, architecture and design; Iberian languages and studies (Spanish and Portuguese); maths, statistics and operational research; molecular biosciences (biochemistry and microbiology); music; organismal biosciences (biology); pharmacology and pharmacy; philosophy; physics and astronomy; politics; psychology; theology and religious studies.

Degree of student satisfaction: 72.9%

Medical Science and Pharmacy 85.9; English-based studies 80.6; History and Archeology 80.3; European Languages and Area studies 79.9; Physical Geography and Environmental Science 77.3; Biology and related Sciences 76.0; Computer Science 75.4; Medicine and Dentistry 74.8; Philosophy, Theology and Religious studies 74.8; Other Languages and Area studies 74.6; Politics 73.8; Media studies 73.4; Sociology, Social Policy and Anthropology 73.1; Psychology 72.8; Electronic and Electric Engineering 72.2; Human and Social Geography 72.2; Physical Science 72.0; Agriculture and related subjects 72.0; Social Work 71.5; Finance and Accounting 71.3; Communications and Information studies 71.0; Sports Science 69.4; Management 68.8; Economics 68.8; Education studies 67.7; Mathematical Sciences 67.5; Technology 67.5; Civil, Chemical and other Engineering 67.3; Law 66.5; Nursing 66.0; Business 64.5; Mechanically-based Engineering 64.1; Performing Arts 64.1; Art and Design 63.0; Other Creative Arts 62.0

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