University of Sheffield

Overview

The University of Sheffield is a Russell Group university with a history dating back to 1828. Sheffield is a city in the north of England, sitting not far from Manchester and Leeds, and is known as the ‘Steel City’ due to its role in the production of steel in the 19th century.

Although the city is famous for its industrial relevance, it’s actually one of the greenest cities in the UK. Apparently, Sheffield has more trees per person than anywhere in Europe, with over two million across the city.

It’s also the home to the world’s oldest football club and has the largest theatre complex in the UK outside of London, with the Crucible Theatre, Studio Theatre and Sheffield Lyceum located in the city centre. Luckily for students, the theatres offer cheap tickets to 16–26-year-olds, meaning a trip to see a show is very affordable while studying at the uni.

Sheffield is also a famous music city, with acts like Arctic Monkeys and Pulp hailing from there. 

Alongside the sporting and cultural aspects of the city, there’s a vibrant nightlife scene with pubs, clubs and music venues at your disposal. With two major universities in the city, there’s a strong student population and it’s one of the more affordable cities in the UK to live and go out in.

The University of Sheffield offers a range of undergraduate degree options. Most undergraduate courses can only be studied full-time, however, you can do some on a part-time basis too.

The course structure for part-time study is the same as for the equivalent full-time courses and part-time students actually study individual modules alongside full-time students. The main difference is that the course is spread out over a longer period of time. For example, a three-year degree will be studied over five or six years. You’ll need to contact the uni directly to apply to study part-time.

Typically, undergraduate degrees at Sheffield 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.

General entry requirements you’ll need to meet to be offered a place at the University of Sheffield include being proficient in written and spoken English, usually to the level of grade 4 or grade C at GCSE level (or above). Some courses will ask for a higher level of achievement in English, or certain grades in other subjects, like maths.

The uni accepts a range of qualifications, such as A-levels, BTEC Nationals, the International Baccalaureate and Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers.

All courses have their own specific academic entry requirements, which can be found in the uni’s prospectus or online on the course details pages.

To be accepted onto a business, accounting or finance-related course, for example, you’ll likely be asked for A-level grades ranging from AAB–ABB (or equivalent qualification). For engineering degrees, you’re likely to be asked for grades ranging from A*AA–AAA (or equivalent qualification) and for health and medicine-related courses, you’re likely to be asked for A-levels of AAA–AAB (or equivalent qualification).

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

The University of Sheffield has a variety of accommodation options available for its students.

The largest student community in the city is situated at Ranmoor/Endcliffe, with around 4,500 students living here. It’s a safe and friendly environment located a couple of miles outside of Sheffield city centre, in a vibrant area near the popular student destinations Ecclesall Road and Broomhill. On-site you’ll find a village store, bar, launderette, fitness suite and common room.

If you’d prefer to be based in the heart of town, there are numerous accommodation options in the city. These residences are closely located to the uni department buildings, the student union and the city centre.

You’ll be able to choose between en suite and shared bathroom options, as well as between standard and deluxe rooms. If you’d like a bit more space, there are also studio accommodations available, which include kitchen facilities and a living area.

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WUSCA 2024 Students' Union

The Student's Union ranking was decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This formed the basis for the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs).

The University of Sheffield Students’ Union can be found at the heart of the university’s campus, giving students a space to receive guidance from the team, relax, eat and socialise.  

Sheffield SU hosts regular events throughout the year, and organises sports teams and societies to suit all manner of interests. This includes the likes of archeology, meditation, skateboarding and plenty more. 

It’s also particularly impressive to note that the University of Sheffield Students’ Union has won the Whatuni Student Choice Awards Students’ Union category six times!  

The University of Sheffield has a dedicated careers team that aims to help improve the job prospects of current students and recent graduates of the uni.

Several resources are available both in-person and online. For example, you can take advantage of employer events, workshops and webinars that are centred around several career-related areas. For instance, careers fairs are held whereby you can meet employers and get more of an idea about certain career sectors. These also act as a great chance to grow your professional network, increasing your job prospects.

Workshops are held to help improve career-related skills, such as interview technique, CV writing and learning about different industries. You can also book in-person and online one-to-one appointments with careers advisers, to discuss any aspect of your future career.

Another way you’ll be able to increase your job prospects while at the University of Sheffield is through the various internship and work experience opportunities that are available to students during and after their studies.

The University of Sheffield offers extra financial help to those students who need it and meet the required criteria. This funding is through scholarships and bursaries.

Scholarships tend to be awarded based on academic and extra-curricular merit, while bursaries are given out based on personal circumstances, such as household income. Scholarships and bursaries can go towards living costs and student fees and don’t need to be repaid.

Sheffield’s undergraduate Academic Achievement Scholarship, for example, is worth £2,000 and is awarded as a one-off payment in recognition of academic excellence. Eligibility criteria for this scholarship include getting A-level grades of at least A*A*A* (including maths), having Sheffield as your first-choice uni and studying a full-time undergraduate programme in the Department of Computer Science.

In terms of the University of Sheffield bursary scheme, you’ll automatically receive this if your household annual income is £40,000 or less. The amount you’ll receive depends on what your household income is. The most you can receive is £1,000, which is awarded if your household income is less than £25,000.

There’s more information about Sheffield’s bursaries and scholarships online on the uni’s funding pages.