On a 160-acre plot of prime northwest England landscape outside the market town of Ormskirk, Edge Hill University has been blazing a trail as one the UK’s leading modern universities. Investment of more than £350 million has transformed this former Lancashire teacher training college, which gained university status in 2006. Students warm to its inclusive campus atmosphere, and a growing curriculum keeps academic ambitions on track with the lovely setting.
New courses added to the portfolio from 2026 include a degree in global infectious disease run in partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The university’s medical school houses a dedicated bioethics unit among its facilities and offers a foundation year pathway to entry targeting budding doctors from widening participation backgrounds.
Edge Hill introduced “fair entry criteria” more broadly in 2025, giving eligible applicants a two-grade reduction on their offer. The scheme is expected to benefit about a third of new students. Its green spaces have won Green Flag status for 13 years running and Edge Hill is perhaps the only university in the UK with its own beach, a man-made patch of sand popular with sunbathing students and those hitting the books in summer.
What is Edge Hill University’s reputation?
The 2022 winner of our Modern University of the Year award, Edge Hill has experienced a remarkable return to form in rates of student satisfaction, our latest National Student Survey analysis shows: it is 17th for the wider undergraduate experience (up from 104=) and 32= for teaching quality (an 87-place jump from 119th last year).
The new NSS findings are in keeping with those of the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), in which the university gained silver overall. The new rating was underpinned by gold for Edge Hill’s student experience and silver for student outcomes.
Results of the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) showed that 62 per cent of the work submitted was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent. The best results were produced by: hospitality; leisure; recreation and tourism; and information systems and management. Submissions within law, sports science and natural sciences also did well. However, against stronger performances elsewhere, Edge Hill fell 20 places in our research quality index, compared with its position based on the previous REF exercise in 2014.
What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available?
New degrees in chemistry, law and business, economics, business analytics, graphic design, and psychology with forensic perspectives are among 12 new options to welcome students from September 2025. In 2026 there will also be games development, cybersecurity, physics, policing and criminal justice, and physician associate studies. Nine courses are closing in 2025 and 2026, including television, clinical and professional practice, English literature with creative writing, and religion.
What are Edge Hill University’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?
Undergraduate degrees demand from 104-112 Ucas tariff points, up to AAA for medicine, and most courses publish a Ucas tariff point range. Less than 10 per cent of students come through clearing. For entry in 2025, just over 15,100 applicants chased more than 3,600 places.
What are the graduate prospects?
Edge Hill is just above the middle ground of UK universities in our analysis of the Graduate Outcomes survey, based on the proportion in highly skilled work or postgraduate courses within 15 months (54=).
In the 2024-25 academic year Edge Hill hosted more than 270 employers at graduate and departmental careers fairs spanning computer science and engineering, biosciences, nutrition, English and creative arts industries, business, and law and criminology.
What is Edge Hill University’s campus like?
Edge Hill’s spacious site includes the £27 million Catalyst building, which houses student support services, the university library and study spaces. Creative Edge, a £17 million complex for the departments of media and computing, features studios for television, animation, sound, photography and radio. The university’s £17.4 million Life Sciences building has opened for use by biosciences and medical students and has facilities to aid biomedical research. Purpose-built facilities include a £13 million Tech Hub with biotechnology laboratories for research into disease prevention, DNA sequencing, cloning and genetic treatments.
The Arts Centre’s performance facilities include two theatres, studio spaces, rehearsal rooms, workshops, sound and design studios and a music technology room. Student productions are supported by professional teams of front-of-house and technical staff.
When can I visit?
edgehill.ac.uk
Everything you need to know about Edge Hill University’s student life and wellbeing support
Students have more than 100 clubs and societies to choose from, while the arts centre on campus hosts live shows and film screenings. Characterful Ormskirk is a ten-minute walk — or free shuttle bus — away. Those in search of brighter lights can get to Liverpool by train in 30 minutes.
Edge Hill’s £30 million sports centre offers access to an eight-court sports hall, 25m swimming pool, 80-station fitness suite, aerobics studio and health suite with sauna and steam rooms. There is a trim trail with exercise stations, a competition-standard running track, rugby, hockey and football pitches, an athletics field and netball and tennis courts.
Edge Hill’s Campus Connectors team are students employed to offer informal peer support. The university offers counselling and disability support, and a reporting system — Let Us Know — is in place if a student has concerns about themselves or others.
What do the students say?
“When I think of Edge Hill, I think of opportunities and community — right on my doorstep, with new innovations, projects and research happening every year. As for community, I found my place from the moment I stepped into my halls to the moment I walked the stage at graduation.”
Orna Murphy-Horton, president of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, student governor, musical theatre graduate and 19th-century studies graduate
What about student accommodation at Edge Hill University?
The 1930s-designed Main Building has been refurbished, providing en suite accommodation on campus and bringing the number of rooms available to 2,592. Prices start at £90 a week, rising to £165. First-years who apply by the housing deadline are guaranteed a room.
How diverse and inclusive is Edge Hill University?
Edge Hill has a longstanding commitment to widening access to higher education and is ranked 22nd overall. Schemes to broaden participation include the pre-entry Fastrack access programme that offers a seven-week preparation for some degrees for those returning to university or wanting to boost skills. Successful completion could mean being considered for a place on the degree even without the otherwise necessary Ucas tariff points.
The university runs a medicine outreach initiative for Year 12 state school students who meet eligibility criteria, providing a campus visit and residential week.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at Edge Hill University
Excellence scholarships of up to £2,000 are paid over the duration of a degree and reward success outside a student’s course. Edge Hill also awards £2,000 university scholarships to students who contribute to equality and diversity. There are 35 non-means-tested academic achievement awards of £1,000 given to the highest-performing student across all three faculties, based on end-of-year results and sports scholarships are of the same value. There are £1,000-a-year bursaries for care leavers and eligible disabled students.
