The role of the University of East London (UEL) in the regeneration of the east of the capital continues with the development of a new Stratford Medical Campus where students will be able to live, study and socialise while they gain the skills for a career within the NHS. A tree-planting ceremony in June 2024 marked the beginning of the project to add teaching facilities, 650 student bedrooms, a wellness centre and green spaces for students. UEL, which started life as the West Ham Technical Institute in 1898, is up 77 places this year on teaching quality, taking the national title. Its “careers first” approach is designed to equip students to stand out in the fourth industrial revolution. A study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) in 2021 showed UEL to be a major engine of social mobility with more than three times as many graduates from the lowest-income households going on to “impactful” careers than the national average across universities.
What is the University of East London’s reputation?
In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), the best results came in computer science; allied health, and social work and social policy. Performance in a broad range of research subjects improved markedly since the previous assessment in 2014, but against sector-wide gains UEL fell from 76th to 105th in our research rankings.
A silver rating overall in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023) was a step up from bronze six years earlier, when the university was held back by low graduate employment rates. The latest TEF panel awarded the student experience bronze and student outcomes, silver. UEL was commended for its “highly effective” approach to ensure that its students “succeed in and progress beyond their studies,” as well as for its “outstanding rates of completion for its students and courses”.
However, the TEF findings appear at odds with the university’s completion rate of 87.5 per cent – which places it 115th in the UK, and its proportion of graduates in high-skilled jobs 15 months after their degrees.
Results of the latest National Student Survey show vast improvement: satisfaction with teaching quality has risen to 12th place — up from 89= last year — and satisfaction with the wider experience is 30th, up from 92=.
UEL launched its technology-enhanced active learning (Teal) programme in 2022 — a digital framework that gives students access to recorded lectures, notes, readings and e-resources in a virtual learning environment. Students are required to attend all study-related sessions, including a work placement module.
What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available?
An expanding curriculum has gained many more options in recent years, such as airline and airport management; social media; game programming; and international sport with enterprise (offered in conjunction with the West Ham United Foundation). From 2025 another raft of programmes joins the course offering, including adult nursing, mental health nursing, criminal justice and cybersecurity, and policing studies.
UEL’s portfolio of degree apprenticeships spans 20 options in fields including podiatry; youth worker; civil engineer; teaching; and digital technology. Another six programmes are in development.
What are the University of East London’s entry requirements – and my chances of getting in?
Ucas tariff for undergraduate entry ranges from 64 points (for foundation years) to 120 points. While UEL does not make contextual offers it does apply a holistic approach to admissions and accepts a wide range of professional qualifications. The university will also make assessments based on significant and relevant work experience, as well as portfolios, interviews and auditions.Almost half of the entrants came via clearing, among the highest proportions of any UK university.
What are the graduate prospects?
UEL degrees lead to more than 100 accreditations for professional, statutory and regulatory bodies and the university’s career zone helps students to make the transition into graduate careers. Among other career-boosting initiatives is the Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme, which puts soft skills such as critical thinking and digital proficiency into every course to help students stand out in job interviews. Achievements in the modules are recorded in a digital career passport and count towards a graduate’s final degree results. Paid internships are another option taken up by more than 100 students per year. The university’s entrepreneurship programme — BACK:ED — offers funding, support and mentoring to student start-ups.
UEL works with employers such as Siemens to co-create the curriculum. The TEF 2023 panel highlighted that UEL “courses are clearly research-led, good practices are shared, and employer engagement is strong”.
In time such efforts may shift the dial on graduate outcomes. The university has seen some slight improvement, jumping five places in the last year to be ranked 120th overall, with 63.6 per cent of graduates in highly skilled work or postgraduate study within 15 months.
What is the University of East London’s campus like?
There are two campuses in Stratford and one in Docklands. Free buses connect the waterside buildings with university headquarters in Stratford, where UEL has taken over the University Square Stratford development, built in partnership with Birkbeck, University of London, using the extra space to add facilities for the Royal Docks School of Business and Law.
More than £20 million is being invested through the UEL Connected Campus programme, now in its third year, to upgrade its three sites. Practice-based learning facilities have been expanded, such as laboratories for health and primary care teaching, a mock courtroom and a trading floor. The Royal Docklands Centre for Sustainability, a centre for burgeoning business in east London, opened in 2023.
University Square recently opened an entertainment and exhibition area and activity trails have sprung up around the university to encourage students to explore and take a screen break.
Everything you need to know about the University of East London’s student life and wellbeing support
Campus social life centres around the Docklands village, while students have some of London’s hippest enclaves on their doorstep.
SportsDock, a multimillion-pound facility on the Docklands campus, now has an indoor cycling studio and revamped changing facilities. Students get free off-peak membership.
For students experiencing personal, emotional or mental health issues, a wellbeing service provides access to appointments with counsellors in person and by video or phone calls. They can also seek support through stress management programmes, mental health workshops and a 24/7 student assistance line.
What do the students say?
“I love the Docklands campus. It is a beautiful space in London and makes me feel at home! As well as supportive leaders and lecturers, I've had amazing opportunities outside the university that they have helped set up. It really feels like a community.”
Emily Jessica, residential life scholar and acting for stage and screen student
What about student accommodation in the University of East London?
UEL has two halls of residence on campus, in distinctive waterside buildings. First-years who want to live in are guaranteed a room if they meet the eligibility criteria and apply by the deadline.
How diverse and inclusive is the University of East London?
In our social inclusion index UEL ranks 51st, most undergraduates are from ethnic minority populations (63.1 per cent) and 51.7 per cent are the first in their family to go to university (33=). The university’s pre-entry programmes offer those aged 19 and above who have no formal qualifications the opportunity to convert their skills, experiences and knowledge into academic competencies during a ten-week course, accepted as an entry qualification. UEL’s subject-specific summer schools give students a chance to “try before they buy” higher education.
A significant proportion of undergraduates (38.3 per cent) are at least 21 on entry and the university offers the option of starting courses in January as well as September.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of East London?
The largest award is the merit-based vice-chancellor’s scholarship of £27,750, available to recipients as cash or a fee waiver over three years. Dean scholarships, also merit-based, are worth £13,500, while the prestigious UEL sports scholarship is worth up to £6,000 per year.
The university also offers engagement, progression and hardship bursaries of up to £3,000 per academic year for students from low-income households .
