Whiteknights
PO Box 217
Reading
RG6 6AH
Tel 0118 378 6586
student.recruitment@reading.ac.uk
www.reading.ac.uk
Open day: September 26

PERFORMANCE

Sunday Times ranking 36 (32)

Student satisfaction 76.7%
Head teacher ranking 39 (30=)
Peer ranking 35= (35)
Research quality 63.2%
A-level/Higher points 341
Unemployment 7.7%
Firsts and 2:1s 75.4%
Student/staff ratio 16.7:1
Dropout rate 5.9% (9.7%)
World ranking 194

Multimedia

• The Times University Guide table

VITAL STATISTICS

Undergraduates 8,855 (1,855)
Postgraduates 2,059 (1,703)
Teaching staff 673
Applications/places 17,259/3,026; 5.7:1 (+9.2%)
Clearing entry 6.6%
Live in 36% (95%) £70-£146
Bursaries £462-£1,385
Scholarships Various: £1,000-£2,000

SOCIAL MIX

EU/overseas 6%/5.4%
Mature 13.8%
State school 83.9%
Lowest social classes 23.3%
Low-participation areas 6.3%

A multi-million-pound investment programme is in progress at Reading, underpinning the university’s plans to build on its already high research profile. By further enhancing its prowess it aims to attract high-calibre students and staff, as well as investment and support from outside organisations. One of the plan’s flagship developments is the Henley Business School, on the main Whiteknights campus, which welcomed its first intake this autumn. Students have a 275-seat lecture theatre and a specialist library and resource centre in which to learn.

Budding financiers also have a new 40-seat dealing room equipped by Thomson Reuters. The largest training facility of its type in Europe, it is the latest addition to the International Capital Market Association centre.

Science facilities are also benefiting from investment. The purpose-built Hopkins building opened this year, housing the teaching of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, as well as cardiovascular and metabolic research laboratories. Facilities for functioning MRI analysis and advanced microscopy have been added.

There are plans to build two new halls of residence. Both catered and uncatered rooms are already offered on campus and at least 95% of first-years wanting to live in are allocated a place.

The admissions process offers a compelling financial carrot to high achievers. Entrance scholarships worth £2,000 (split into instalments over the first year only) are given to all who achieve the qualifying requirements of the department they are applying to and who put Reading as their original firm choice on their Ucas form. The grades needed for this are generally in the range AAA-ABB at A-level or equivalent. About 200 awards were made last year. Means-tested bursaries are allocated to all students from homes with an income of less than £45,000 who qualify.

STUDENT VIEW

Sinead Brennan, students’ union president:

First impressions Warm, welcoming and a beautiful green campus.
Worst feature When it rains you’ll need wellies due to all the grassland underfoot.
Facilities We’ve got a state-of-the-art nursery for student parents, and high-tech 3G sports pitches.
Deal clincher It’s a very friendly campus where the students are well looked after.

Rated excellent (20)
Allied health professions (speech and language therapy); archeology; communication and media (typography and graphic communication); drama, dance and cinematics; environmental studies (meteorology and soil science); food science; geography; geology; history of art, architecture and design; land and property management; maths, statistics and operational research; mechanical engineering; nursing; philosophy; physics and astronomy; politics; psychology; sociology; teacher training; town and country planning and landscape.

Student satisfaction
Mathematical Sciences 83.5; Initial Teacher Training 83; Other subjects allied to Medicine 81.7; English-based studies 81.3; Law 81; Agriculture and related subjects 80.3; History and Archaeology 79.5; Sociology, Social Policy and Anthropology 78.1; Human and Social Geography 78; Physical Geography and Environmental Science 77.8; European Languages and Area studies 77.6; Social Work 77.5; Business 77.4; Philosophy, Theology and Religious studies 77.1; Finance and Accounting 77; Biology and related Sciences 76.5; Physical Science 76.3; Electronic and Electrical Engineering 76.2; Management 74.1; Politics 73.4; Performing Arts 72.5; Economics 72.1; Computer Science 71.3; Psychology 66.7; Art and Design 64.9; Architecture, Building and Planning 64.4

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