One of the UK’s smaller universities, Liverpool Hope maintains a close-knit vibe within easy reach of the city’s epic student appeal. Its original Hope Park campus is in a leafy suburb four miles south of the bright lights while the Creative Campus is less than a mile from Liverpool Lime Street station. Supporting the university’s broadening course offering, the new i3 Building is opening at the Hope Park campus, featuring a simulation lab equipped with virtual reality hardware. 

What is Liverpool Hope University’s reputation? 

Formed by the 1980 merger of teacher-training colleges, Liverpool Hope became a university in 2005. Its three founding colleges (St Katharine’s, 1844; Notre Dame College, 1856; and Christ’s College, 1964) were of both Catholic and Anglican faiths and their union means that Liverpool Hope is Europe’s only ecumenical university. Students of all faiths and none are welcomed, and graduation ceremonies are held in alternating years in Liverpool’s Anglican and Catholic cathedrals.  

The university lost ground in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), compared with the previous assessment in 2014 — dropping from 62= to 106th. Theology and education produced some of the best results. 

When awarding Liverpool Hope triple silver (overall and for the student experience and outcomes) in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), assessors praised “outstanding teaching, feedback and assessment practices that are highly effective and tailored to supporting students’ learning, progression and attainment”. The university, which held gold in the previous TEF six years before, was also commended for “a commitment to personalised learning, and a range of very high quality academic support”. 

Student satisfaction is a strong suit, with Liverpool Hope maintaining its top-20 rank for undergraduates’ evaluation of teaching quality, in our analysis of the latest National Student Survey (NSS). It is steady in the top 50 for the broad undergraduate experience too. 

The university’s extracurricular scheme, Service and Leadership Award (Sala), credits any hours spent volunteering and provides training in health, safety, leadership and diversity and inclusion. Students who achieve their Sala collect an additional reward on graduation day. 

What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available?

Arts and wellbeing; contemporary craft; creative industries business management; digital creativity; music production; stage design and scenography; and sport and exercise nutrition have been added to Liverpool Hope’s curriculum. 

Another nine degrees launch in 2025: acting; economics; game art and design; digital marketing; religion, theology and spirituality; religion, world views and spirituality; global philosophy and world views; psychology in business; and psychology in education. 

Courses closing from 2024 are: nutrition, and four-year master’s degrees in artificial intelligence; electronic and computer engineering; robotics; and software engineering. Liverpool Hope’s marketing degree closes in 2025. 

What are Liverpool Hope University’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?

Offers range from 104 to 120 Ucas tariff points. Applications in 2023 were about a third higher than they were a decade previously; 22 per cent entered through clearing.

What are the graduate prospects?

Liverpool Hope aims to boost employability through industry links with Tate Liverpool and the Royal Court Theatre, as well as with local authorities and the region’s NHS. However, graduate prospects remain weak —  the university dropped slightly from 110th to 116th in our analysis of numbers in highly skilled jobs or further study 15 months after leaving.

What is Liverpool Hope University’s campus like?

The Hope Park campus is the university’s biggest site, where more than £40 million in new buildings and facilities over the past six years or so has brought modern resources to sit alongside the original buildings.

Recent improvements include a moot courtroom for the School of Law and Criminology, and the School of Social Sciences has a simulation suite where social work students can film and watch back casework scenarios.

Creative and performing arts subjects are based at the Creative Campus, where facilities include two theatres and an arts centre as well as studios for fine and applied art courses, recording and dance. More than £500,000 was spent on re-equipping broadcasting studios at the Creative Campus. 

Everything you need to know about Liverpool Hope University’s student life and wellbeing support

The students’ union runs a buddy scheme and all new students living in must attend a welcome talk about alcohol, drugs and sexual consent. Trained therapy dogs visit campus to lift spirits and the counselling service offers drop-in and one-to-one appointments and provides a bridge to other agencies if necessary. 

An academic skills mentor service, offered via the library, offers help with essay and dissertation planning, critical writing and time management skills. There is also faith support from chaplains, and prayers are held each morning, along with regular Anglican and Catholic services.

Access to all Liverpool Hope’s sports facilities and classes is just £25 per year. The £5.5 million sports complex at Hope Park has a sports hall, squash courts, fitness suite, dance studio, relaid artificial pitches and outdoor tennis or netball courts. 

The university is an accredited Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award provider and has an outdoor education centre, Plas Caerdeon, at Eryri National Park in Snowdonia.

What do the students say?

“Liverpool is vibrant and exciting without being overwhelming; in contrast, our campuses feel like a tranquil escape. The departments across the university are equipped to help you with everything from financial and academic support to welfare and the broader student experience.”
Neve Rosser, Liverpool Hope students’ union president, and a criminology graduate

What about student accommodation at Liverpool Hope University?

Accommodation is at three sites: Hope Park, Creative Campus and Aigburth Park. A space is guaranteed for entrants who apply through the main admissions cycle. The university does its best to offer rooms to those who apply through clearing. Rents range from £95 per week to £130 per week. 

How diverse and inclusive is Liverpool Hope University?

Liverpool Hope recruits the third-highest proportion (11.4 per cent) of white working-class male students, the most underrepresented group in higher education, and draws a fifth of its students from deprived areas. It ranks 38= overall in our social inclusion index of universities in England and Wales.

Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at Liverpool Hope University

The university awards ten Access to Hope scholarships of £3,000 per year. Aid is available for care leavers and merit-based performance scholarships reward talent in dance, drama, music or sport.