Liverpool John Moores University

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) is Merseyside’s main modern university, with two campuses, City and Mount Pleasant, supporting about 27,000 students. The two are connected by the Copperas Hill development, which regenerated a disused site into a facility for the Student Life Building and Sports Building. Named after Sir John Moores, who was a philanthropist and the founder of the Littlewoods retail and football pools company, LJMU is a pioneer in degree apprenticeships, with a diverse range of 32 programmes and 1,600 students enrolled. Four new options join the earn-while-you-learn roster from September 2025: counter fraud investigation, intelligence analysis, serious and complex crime investigation, and digital and technology solutions professional. Liverpool’s welcoming atmosphere helps freshers settle into university life in a city rich with culture, sport and nightlife.

What is Liverpool John Moores University’s reputation?

LJMU gained its royal charter in 1992, but its heritage is traced to the Liverpool Mechanics’ School of Arts, founded in 1823. The university commemorated its bicentenary with a gold rating for student outcomes in the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023). The TEF panel identified the standout feature of the student experience to be the university’s “outstanding engagement with its students, leading to continuous improvement”. Results of the latest National Student Survey show an enhanced appreciation for the broad experience, with the university ranking 18th in our analysis and in the top 50 for teaching quality (41st).

Research is a point of pride for LJMU, which submitted work from more than 600 academic staff in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). Of the submission, 73.1 per cent was rated world-leading or internationally excellent. Astrophysics, sport and exercise sciences, and engineering produced some of the best results. Among its areas of expertise is the Football Exchange at the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, which engages in research with clubs and governing bodies.

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

Withdrawn from 2025 are degrees in nutrition, digital forensics and computing. LJMU has launched degrees in business with finance and economics, criminology and international relations, and policing, psychology, and investigations. A suite of computer science degrees launches in September 2026.

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

LJMU's requirements range from 72 Ucas points for foundation degrees up to 128 points. Reduced offers of up to 16 points below standard requirements are made to students who have engaged with outreach activities or meet other widening participation criteria. The university had just under 30,000 applications in 2024, and more than 6,600 were accepted. 

What are the graduate prospects?

Undergraduate courses include work-based learning opportunities. The business faculty hosts the Liverpool Business Clinic, where students work in a consultancy team tackling real challenges presented by businesses. Law undergraduates can gain real-world pro bono experience from their first year at the Legal Advice Centre. Liverpool Screen School, which has industry-standard television and radio studios, works with partners such as the Royal Court Theatre and television production companies, and the Faculty of Health collaborates with NHS trusts in Cheshire and Merseyside to provide work experience opportunities. LJMU is outside the upper half nationally (79th) for graduate prospects, based on the proportion employed in high-skilled jobs or further study 15 months after their degrees.

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What is Liverpool John Moores University’s campus like?

Specialist facilities at the City and Mount Pleasant campuses include the six-storey, £27 million John Lennon Art and Design Building. Further afield, in the Canary Islands, LJMU owns and operates the Liverpool Telescope — the world's largest fully robotic telescope.

When can I visit?

ljmu.ac.uk

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

The social and cultural scene in Liverpool is hard to beat, and there are more than 100 university clubs and societies. The two-storey Sport Building has facilities including an eight-court sports hall and a gym with 120 stations. There are more than 35 sports clubs to join and LJMU fields teams in the British Universities and Colleges (Bucs) league. LJMU is working in partnership with organisations in the city to improve mental health provision, with a view to introducing on-campus services.

What do the students say?

“LJMU is all about support. I have developed so much as an individual through coming to university; my tutors really went above and beyond in supporting me. Succeeding in my studies, as well as socially, helped me so much with my confidence. I’m excited for the future and proud of what I have achieved at LJMU.”
Rio Boothe, sport business graduate and world and European athletics medallist

What about student accommodation at Liverpool John Moores University?

With 3,800 residential spaces in the city, LJMU guarantees accommodation to first-years — including those who secure their places via clearing.There are 250 rooms at the lowest end of the rent scale (£90 a week).

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How diverse and inclusive is Liverpool John Moores University?

Ranking 54th in our social inclusion index, LJMU is in the top ten in England and Wales for the recruitment of white working-class male students — the most underrepresented group in higher education. The university recruits more students from Northern Ireland than any other university on the UK mainland.

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

About three in ten entrants received a financial award from LJMU in 2024-25. The university's support for students who have experience of care or who are estranged from their families includes the John Lennon Imagine Award — an annual bursary of £1,000 supported by Yoko Ono's Spirit Foundation.