University of Leeds

Overview

The University of Leeds was established in 1904 and is now one of the UK’s largest higher education institutions. It enjoys a strong reputation among UK universities and often achieves great results in uni league tables.

The uni sits a short walk away from the city centre giving good access to all Leeds has to offer. As one of the UK’s most popular destinations and the unofficial capital of Yorkshire, Leeds is full of activity and life.

You can find excellent eateries and plenty of pubs, bars and clubs, giving the city a buzzing nightlife. Festivals, theatres, music venues and sporting events also add to its culture and make it a great place to be a student, especially as students make up a large proportion of the city’s population. You’ll also find several good shopping areas and centres, like Trinity Leeds and Victoria Gate.

The city is well connected with a major train station, coach station and two nearby airports – Leeds Bradford and Manchester. Also, if you want to get out of the city to enjoy a more peaceful scene, you’re surrounded by the Yorkshire countryside, which includes the Yorkshire Dales and the Yorkshire coast.

You can choose from a wide variety of undergraduate degree courses to study at the University of Leeds. These courses are split across seven faculties, which are the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, the Faculty of Biological Sciences, the Faculty of Business, the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, the Faculty of Environment, the Faculty of Medicine and Health and the Faculty of Social Science.

Most courses at Leeds can only be studied on a full-time basis, however, you can find some that are possible to study part-time, like Business Management and Leadership BSc.

Typically, undergraduate degrees at Leeds take three or four years to study, but a number of courses include placement years, study abroad options or an integrated master’s year. These courses usually take four or five years to complete. Medical courses usually take five years to study and some courses, like architecture, take longer.

Most degrees include optional modules, as well as core modules, meaning you can study the degree topics you’re most interested in.

It's also possible to combine two or three subjects within an undergraduate degree in what’s called a combined honours degree. For example, it’s fairly common to study a humanities course, like history, alongside a language, such as French or Spanish.

Each undergraduate course at the University of Leeds has specific academic entry requirements that need to be met to be offered a place on the course. Several qualifications are accepted, including A-levels, BTEC nationals, Scottish Highers and the International Baccalaureate.

A-levels are the most commonly accepted qualification and for most courses you’ll need at least three of grade A*–E (or equivalent qualification) to be offered a place. The majority of courses don’t accept general studies or critical thinking, so these subjects often can’t be put towards an offer.

You can find the specific course entry requirements for all accepted qualifications on the university’s ‘coursefinder’ tool online. However, we’ve given the ranges of qualifications needed for certain subject areas here to give you an idea.

For example, to study a business-related degree, you’ll usually be asked for A-level grades ranging from AAA–AAB (or equivalent qualification) and to study a degree in the humanities you’ll likely need A-levels of AAA–ABB (or equivalent qualification). For science or maths degrees the range is usually A*AA–AAB (or equivalent qualification).

It should be noted that entry requirements can change so you should always confirm these with the university before applying.

There is a range of accommodation options available at the University of Leeds, from modern apartments to converted mansions, with over 7,000 students housed every year. There are uni residences available both on- and off-campus.

You’ll be guaranteed a place in uni halls if you apply for accommodation before the deadline and you’re a first-year undergraduate, not coming through clearing.

You can choose between en suite rooms and shared bathroom options, as well as catered or self-catered residences. If you want to prepare your own meals every day then a self-catered accommodation is for you, however, if you’d like some of your meals provided then you should look at catered options.

Many of the uni’s accommodations have a common room to relax and socialise in and membership at a fitness, sports and wellbeing facility, The Edge, is included.

If uni halls aren’t for you, then there’s a wide range of private accommodation also available. The uni has teamed up with a registered charity to help students find suitable private accommodation.

The University of Leeds has a dedicated careers centre that has a lot of resources to help you prepare for the working world and improve your employability and job prospects.

You can use this service to access expert advice about careers in several ways, like taking advantage of the information available on the service’s website or booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers professional. During these meetings you can get advice on how best to write a CV and cover letter, or how to prepare for an interview or assessment day.

Additionally, the service hosts various events, like careers fairs, workshops and employer presentations. These will give you the chance to grow your professional network, learn key skills and find out about different job markets.

The service also has relationships with external companies and bodies so it can provide opportunities to students, such as volunteering, internships, placements and graduate roles.

You’ll also be able to get information about freelancing, as well as starting your own venture or business through the specialist Spark service.

There is also a mentoring service that matches students with professionals, acting as an important learning tool.

The University of Leeds offers student funding on top of the standard student loans that every student is entitled to. This additional funding mainly comes in the form of scholarships and bursaries and is for students who meet certain criteria.  

Usually, scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate academic or extra-curricular excellence, while bursaries are given out based on personal circumstances, like household income. Unlike student loans, scholarships and bursaries don’t need to be repaid.

One in three Leeds students receives non-repayable funding. UK undergraduate students with an annual household income of less than £36,000 a year, for example, could be eligible for the Leeds Bursary. The amount received can vary and depends on your total household income.

Additionally, various means-tested scholarships are available. For example, if you’re from a household with an annual income of less than £42,875 or you’re from a disadvantaged background, you may be able to apply for a scholarship worth up to £3,000 a year.

Academic scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement regardless of household income and background, and sports scholarships are offered to elite athletes.

You may also be eligible for further financial support if you have a disability, dependent children, adult dependants or are in financial hardship.

You can get more information about the additional funding available by visiting the uni’s online funding pages.