Set on a 560-acre campus with room to breathe, Lancaster University offers a powerful combination of cosy community, and research prestige. Its collegiate system provides a welcoming start for first-years, while impressive facilities — from an airy library to woodland walkways — create an ideal learning environment. In this tranquil setting, there is a busy research programme which gets impressive results. Lancaster outperforms seven Russell Group universities in our research quality index, ranking 19th and it takes the title of University of the Year in the Northwest 2026. An international perspective is integral at the university, with five joint campuses around the world in Beijing, Indonesia, Ghana, Malaysia and Leipzig in Germany.
What is Lancaster University’s reputation?
Founded in 1964, research-led Lancaster achieved strong results in the latest national assessment with 91 per cent of its work assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). Linguistics and mathematics produced some of the university’s best results.
Lancaster is a regular among the top 150 universities in the world according to QS, although it dips to 157th in the rankings for 2026.
Crucially, student satisfaction is high compared with its peers. In our National Student Survey analysis, Lancaster ranks 27= for student experience and 51= for satisfaction with teaching quality, placing it comfortably ahead of most research-intensive rivals. This is reinforced by a gold overall rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), which praised its "supportive learning environment" and "outstanding rates of successful progression". The university continues to expand its global reach, opening its latest overseas campus, in Indonesia, in February 2025. Like many universities, Lancaster faces financial pressures and is making staff cuts to address sector-wide challenges, though it does not plan to close academic departments.
What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available?
Lancaster is streamlining its portfolio, closing around 160 course pathways from 2026, primarily affecting some humanities, arts, and language subjects, and mostly single-subject courses whose core components remain available in another configuration.
Looking ahead, the university is launching new future-focused degrees, including pharmacology and language sciences, from 2025. From 2026, it will introduce degrees in neuroscience, creative industries, and a unique BSc in mathematics, AI and real-world systems. Foundation years have also been added to 15 subjects, broadening access to fields such as engineering and physics.
What are Lancaster University’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?
Standard requirements range from A*AA to BBB, with foundation year courses requiring CCC. All courses are included in the university’s contextual offer scheme (other than medicine) with offers reduced by two A-level grades for eligible applicants. Those progressing from the Realising Opportunities scheme or Lancaster Access Programme qualify for a three-grade reduction. In 2024, 11 per cent of entrants received a contextual offer and about one fifth of new undergraduates secured their place through clearing.
What are the graduate prospects?
In the top third (29th) for the proportion of graduates in highly skilled work or further study after 15 months, Lancaster has sector-leading industry engagement. The university helps secure paid placements and internships with top employers across the public, private and voluntary sectors, and offers opportunities for paid summer internships for science and technology students and graduates.
What is Lancaster University’s campus like?
Lancaster has invested more than £220 million in its Bailrigg campus since 2013. Recent additions include the Margaret Fell lecture theatre — the biggest on campus, with capacity for 400 people, and a second engineering building with state-of-the-art labs and a student maker space. The distinctive InfoLab, visible from the M6, has been upgraded into a semi-immersive “data cyber quarter”.
Redevelopment of the Management School East Estate will cut the university’s carbon footprint when it is completed in November. The campus is going increasingly green. A new solar farm wind turbine provides about 15 per cent of the university’s electricity, while there are 11 acres of wildflowers and 40,000 trees across the combined campus sites. It’s good news for visiting wildlife: the campus is gold-rated for being hedgehog-friendly.
When can I visit?
lancaster.ac.uk
Everything you need to know about Lancaster University’s student life and wellbeing support
Lancaster students belong to a college, where they sleep, study and socialise. There are eight for undergraduates and one for postgraduate students; each has a 24/7 porter.
It’s an arty environment, with theatre, comedy, music, cinema and exhibitions on tap and more than 200 societies. The Bailrigg campus hosts festivals and concerts, and many others are to be found around the small city. Lancaster Arts — a combined arts organisation under the auspices of Arts Council England — provides a bedrock to cultural life on campus.
The university’s £20 million sports centre features a 25m swimming pool, four squash courts, a sauna and steam room, as well as climbing and bouldering walls. Outdoors, there are grass football pitches and a 3G pitch.
Lancaster’s mental health services offer one-to-one help, or through support groups, workshops, a 24/7 helpline and the Wisdom wellbeing app.
What do the students say?
“Lancaster’s ranking for my course fuelled my decision to apply, and it’s now shaping my future as a physicist. The collegiate system also stood out to me: each college is a smaller community offering support and a sense of pride. The diversity among students is another strength.”
Farzanah Parker, physics
What about student accommodation at Lancaster University?
First-years who meet the deadline are guaranteed a place. Those entering through clearing are normally guaranteed accommodation too.
How diverse and inclusive is Lancaster University?
Led by its chancellor, Alan Milburn, who is a passionate advocate for social mobility, Lancaster is committed to widening participation. He said he “got lucky” in finding his way to the university from a deprived comprehensive in Newcastle. The university supports students from military families, care leavers, and sanctuary seekers. It ranks 90th overall for social inclusion.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at Lancaster University
About a third of UK undergraduates receive financial support. There is an annual bursary of £1,000 for students with a household income below £30,000 and a £2,000 scholarship for those with top grades (AAA or equivalent). Generous bursaries and practical support are also available for care leavers and estranged students including a laundry card, a bedding pack and a £500 graduation bursary in their final year to support accommodation costs.
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