Bailrigg
Lancaster
LA1 4YW
Tel 01524 592 028
ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
www.lancs.ac.uk
Open days: contact the university

PERFORMANCE

Sunday Times ranking 19 (20)

Student satisfaction 79.5%
Head teacher ranking 29 (52=)
Peer ranking 28 (34)
Research quality 67.8%
A-level/Higher points 385
Unemployment 8.9%
Firsts and 2:1s 69.6%
Student/staff ratio 13.7:1
Dropout rate 7.3% (8.2%)
World ranking 170=

Multimedia

• The Times University Guide table

VITAL STATISTICS

Undergraduates 7,788 (2,440)
Postgraduates 1,987 (1,507)
Teaching staff 612
Applications/places 14,460/2,977; 4.9:1 (-0.1%)
Clearing entry 4%
Live in 60% (100%) £67-£97
Bursaries 25%: £1,000
Scholarships 400: £1,000

SOCIAL MIX

EU/overseas 5.8%/8.6%
Mature 6.5%
State school 91.5%
Lowest social classes 22.3%
Low-participation areas 8.8%

Lancaster has extended the reach of its bursary payments for next year. A flat-rate award of £1,000 replaces the former two-tier scheme and is paid to all students recruited from households where the income is less than £34,000 a year.

It’s one of the more straightforward bursary structures and is coupled with a similar flat-fee scholarship scheme that helps 400 students annually with the best A-level grades. About a quarter of new candidates will benefit, but the new income threshold (raised from £27,800 to £34,000) is expected to see more qualify in future.

Lancaster has outstripped its older rival Manchester to the title of best university in northwest England in recent years, and maintains its position. Founded in 1964, it has built a formidable reputation in just 45 years. Its research strength was confirmed in the outcomes of last December’s new research assessment exercise, ranking Lancaster joint 18th in our rankings. Art and design and computer science secured the top rankings, followed by business, environmental science and physics.

The university has enjoyed further environmental success winning half the entire national pot of funding, amounting to £5m, for proposals to reduce its carbon footprint, partly through the development of two 2.3MW wind turbines. These are expected to meet all the requirements of students living on campus.

The campus, which lies between the M6 and the small city centre, houses more than 6,500 students. The remainder live out in a city which has the lowest crime rate of any university town in England.

Lancaster has scored consistently well in the national student survey since its inception in 2005, helping it enjoy a sustained run among our elite 20 institutions. This year biology (84.8%), geography (84.3%) and finance and accounting (84.1%) were the top-rated subjects.

Entry standards are high. The typical offer for a place on Lancaster’s management degree is AAA, while budding medics will need As in biology and chemistry, plus a further B-grade at A-level and another B at AS-level.

The university’s location close to some of Britain’s premier seaside resorts and the Lake District make it an attractive option for those with a love of the great outdoors. For those with wanderlust, there is one of the most developed networks of overseas exchange programmes with 70 universities across North America, Australasia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

STUDENT VIEW

Michael Payne, students’ union president:

First impressions A self-contained, community-led, tight-knit campus.
Worst feature The university doesn’t make the best use of its space as far as sport is concerned.
Facilities Massive investment in accommodation and our 24-hour learning hub.
Deal clincher Because we are campus-based, you do get to know everyone.

Rated excellent (19)
Applied social work; art and design; business and management; drama, dance and cinematics; education; English; environmental studies; general engineering; geography; history; linguistics; music; maths, statistics and operational research; philosophy; physics; politics; psychology; social policy and administration; theology and religious studies.

Student satisfaction
Biology and related Sciences 84.8; Human and Social Geography 84.3; Finance and Accounting 84.1; History and Archaeology 83; Other subjects allied to Medicine 82.9; Mathematical Sciences 82.5; Physical Science 82.1; Sociology, Social Policy and Anthropology 81.5; English-based studies 81.4; Politics 80.5; Other Creative Arts 80.3; Business 79.9; Law 78.2; European Languages and Area studies 78; Philosophy, Theology and Religious studies 78; Physical Geography and Environmental Science 77.8; Other Languages and Area studies 77.7; Psychology 77.4; Art and Design 76.6; Performing Arts 76.5; Social Work 75.9; Media studies 75.3; Mechanically-based Engineering 75.1; Economics 72.6; Computer Science 71.5

Times recommends

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