One of the UK’s leading modern universities, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is also one of the largest — with more than 40,000 students based at four sites in and around the city, plus one in Mansfield and another in east London. The course options for undergraduates are diverse, ranging from equine sports science to aerospace engineering, and NTU records high rates of student satisfaction. Ambitious investment in new facilities such as the £45 million Design and Digital Arts Building, due to open in 2024, keeps things fresh and future-facing. Outside the lecture hall, NTU is the top-ranked modern university in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (Bucs) table, where it takes ninth place overall for 2023-24 —  eclipsing plenty of big hitters. Playing hard is part of the NTU package as well, in a city where the nightlife has a well-earned reputation for going the extra mile to entertain its large student community.

What is Nottingham Trent University’s reputation? 

The Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2025 runner-up, NTU’s roots can be traced to the Nottingham Government School of Design, established in 1843. Mergers with local technical and teacher training colleges produced the popular Nottingham Polytechnic, which operated until a royal charter in 1992 conferred university status. A postgraduate centre opened early in 2024, building on NTU’s growing research profile. 

That growing focus was evident in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). The results led to an impressive 26-place rise in our research quality index compared with the results of the previous national assessment in 2014. Law; engineering; and allied health; dentistry; nursing; and pharmacy were the top performers, each with at least 98 per cent of their submissions rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

In the latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), NTU achieved gold ratings overall and for the student experience, with silver for student outcomes. The TEF panel commended the university’s “supportive learning environment and readily available academic support tailored to needs”, and described “teaching, feedback and assessment practices to support student learning, progression and attainment” as outstanding.

A focus on sustainability throughout the university earned NTU 14th place in the latest People & Planet league 2023-24, which ranks universities by their environmental and ethical performance.

In our analysis of the National Student Survey, NTU is 21st for satisfaction with teaching quality and 20th for satisfaction with the wider undergraduate experience, a similar performance to that in our previous  edition. 

What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses have been introduced? 

No courses are closing in 2024-25. NTU is powering ahead with more than 20 new BSc courses starting in 2024-25 from fashion photography to artisan food production; and wildlife conservation to mathematics with data science. Many are offered with a foundation year. New for 2025 entry will be degrees in business management and sustainability; and psychology (cognition and neuroscience). 

What are Nottingham Trent University’s entry requirements – and my chances of getting in? 

Applicants need 104-128 Ucas tariff points. NTU’s contextual offers typically lower the A-level requirements for eligible applicants by one grade, and can include unconditional offers for courses that would normally require a portfolio. A quarter of new entrants benefited from contextual offers in 2023.

Nearly a quarter of students took up places through clearing. 

What are the graduate prospects?

Most courses include placements of at least four weeks and a dedicated employment team can help students to find international opportunities to study or work. The university continues its upward trajectory in our graduate prospects measure, climbing seven places to rank 67th.

What is Nottingham Trent University’s campus like?

NTU has committed to investing £250 million into its learning facilities and campuses across the next five years. The main City campus is the academic base for about half of NTU’s students. The Clifton campus, on the outskirts, houses the arts and humanities, and science and technology, including the new Health and Allied Professions Centre and the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility. It also hosts the Dryden Enterprise Centre, which since 2021 has provided facilities and support for start-ups and more established companies. 

NTU is investing in sports science research and teaching facilities at the Clifton campus, following its introduction of the Sport and Wellbeing Academy in 2023, where students gain experience of providing exercise and nutritional support for patients via NHS referrals.

Branching out in the East Midlands, NTU Mansfield offers foundation degrees and other qualifications in partnership with Vision West Nottinghamshire College. Subjects include business; computing; education; and sport and exercise science. 

Further afield, in Whitechapel, east London, NTU has expanded into a new Confetti hub — a specialist centre for digital arts, production and performance — while the original Nottingham Confetti has opened a £5 million esports arena. 

Everything you need to know about Nottingham Trent University’s student life and wellbeing support

Nottingham nightlife is varied and buzzing. In sport, Nottingham Trent shows strength at all levels, with 60 clubs to choose from. Students have access to superb facilities on every campus, including a purpose-built equestrian centre and the multipurpose Lee Westwood Sports Centre. Extracurricular cultural life falls under the NTU Arts umbrella, which runs an entertainment programme with bands, book clubs, crafting, and excursions.

NTU’s student health and wellbeing services operate a “single front door” approach so students can seek help in person or by phone. Those who need are able to have four to six counselling sessions, and support advisers offer tailored care for students of diverse backgrounds, such as care leavers, and transgender or mature students. 

What do the students say? 

“Nottingham Trent has something for everyone, from gold-standard academics and state-of-the-art facilities to a vibrant social scene. Getting involved with societies and clubs fosters lifelong friendships and provides invaluable experiences. Nottingham has a wide range of eateries, drinks hangouts and headline acts to see, and its top-tier sports teams create unforgettable atmospheres for fans.”
Anna O’Hara, students’ union president and media graduate  

What about student accommodation at Nottingham Trent University?

With halls of residence to serve every campus, students may book a room as soon as they have a firm offer of a place and first-years are guaranteed accommodation in Nottingham either in university-owned, UPP or private halls. 

How diverse and inclusive is Nottingham Trent University?

Nearly one third of students are from ethnic minorities and 13.5 per cent are from deprived areas (both 52nd), but overall NTU sits outside the upper half of our social inclusion index for England and Wales, in 84th place. Efforts to widen participation include outreach work with local school pupils from year 5-13. Some NTU students provide classroom support and one-to-one literacy coaching for pupils who receive free school meals. 

Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at Nottingham Trent University

More than a third of new students received some form of financial assistance from the university in 2023-24. Support includes a £750 a year bursary for students from households with incomes under £27,500, hardship fund payments and bursaries for care leavers and students who are estranged from their families. Some merit-based scholarships are also offered.