One of four Catholic universities in the UK, St Mary’s, Twickenham admits students of all faiths or none at its 35-acre campus near the River Thames. The landmark Strawberry Hill House — built by Horace Walpole in the 18th century and said to be Britain’s finest example of Georgian gothic revival architecture — has been in the university’s hands since 1923 and houses a fine art collection. St Mary’s was founded in 1850 to train teachers and the university’s School of Education maintains its reputation, holding Ofsted’s top rating since 2011. Sport and exercise science are also strengths: the St Mary’s Endurance and Performance Centre (EPC) offers an elite training setup and 14 of its athletes took part in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Student satisfaction is high: the university ranks ninth for feedback on teaching quality and 16th for the wider experience, based on our analysis of the National Student Survey. 

What is St Mary’s University, Twickenham’s reputation?

The university moved to a three-faculty structure from 2023, focusing on business and law; education, theology and the arts; and sport, technology and health sciences. St Mary’s was awarded silver overall in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), with gold for the student experience and silver for student outcomes. The university made great strides in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), rising 23 places to 88th. Sport and theology were the leading subject areas. The continuation rate at St Mary’s is a sticking point — only 89 per cent of students are projected to carry on into the second year of their studies (103rd). 

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

St Mary’s has expanded its offering within computer science, adding new pathways in the subject from September 2024. No courses have been listed for withdrawal. 

What are St Mary’s University, Twickenham’s entry requirements – and my chances of getting in?

Applications and enrolments to St Mary’s have been fairly consistent over the past decade. Entry standards are inclusive, with new students averaging 110 Ucas tariff points.  

What are the graduate prospects?

The latest data shows that four in five (79.8 per cent) of St Mary’s graduates are in high-skilled jobs or postgraduate study 15 months after finishing their degrees, taking the university into the top 50 (up nine places to 42nd). Students benefit from a range of collaborations with industry. Two courses are run in conjunction with the Chelsea Football Club Foundation and St Mary’s has a partnership with the Royal Ballet that provides strength, conditioning and sport science support to dancers. Some degrees come with a professional accreditation from bodies such as the Chartered Management Institute and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. St Mary’s also has partnerships with primary schools to provide placements for primary education students.

What is St Mary’s University, Twickenham campus like?

In Twickenham, the gardens and parkland of the campus are only 40 minutes from central London. The Student Heart development was completed in time for the 2024-25 academic year, offering social and study spaces, a roof terrace and an upgraded student bar. A computer science suite and upgraded facilities for physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation were added in 2023. The university’s Dolce Vita development links buildings on campus with an open-plan social and study space. St Mary’s also has a community building in the centre of Twickenham, with a theatre space, studio rooms and a large conservatory with a café. The Exchange offers training courses for residents and companies, as well as additional teaching space. 

At the Teddington Lock sports campus, the university’s facilities are used for fixtures organised by British Universities and Colleges Sport as well as lectures. St Mary’s has a postgraduate facility at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh offering programmes in theology and education.

Everything you need to know about St Mary’s University, Twickenham’s student life and wellbeing support

There is a performance hall, studio, tennis centre, and fitness and conditioning suite as well as two rugby pitches and the Sir Mo Farah Athletics Track, named after the Olympian who trained at the university for a decade. At Teddington Lock there are floodlit all-weather pitches as well as a cricket field, training grounds and rugby and football facilities. 

For nights out, nearby Kingston offers plenty of student-friendly entertainment while Richmond upon Thames has riverside pubs and shops, cafés, theatres and bars, as well as the wide, green expanses of the park. The train from Strawberry Hill station takes 30 minutes to reach London Waterloo.

Students have access to help from mental health advisers — with links to community services — as well as counselling and the 24/7 Togetherall online support platform. St Mary’s is one of the few universities to make sexual consent training mandatory. All students undertake two sessions covering hate incidents, bullying and harassment, alcohol and drugs, and bystander intervention. 

What do the students say?

“We pride ourselves on being a small university with a tangible sense of community. We host a variety of events to help you settle in and get to build your own community here too.”
Caitlin Finn, student life president and primary education graduate

What about student accommodation at St Mary’s University, Twickenham’s?

First-years who apply before the June deadline are guaranteed a room. Almost all of St Mary’s stock of more than 600 rooms in halls are catered — highly unusual among UK universities —  and all are on campus.

How diverse and inclusive is St Mary’s University, Twickenham?

Featuring in the upper half of our social inclusion index overall (54th), St Mary’s draws most of its students (95.6 per cent, 32nd) from non-selective state schools and more than a third (37.8 per cent) are from ethnic minority backgrounds (43rd). About one in ten students has a disability (16=).

Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at St Mary’s University, Twickenham

Sport scholarships are in three tiers depending on an applicant’s competition level: gold for senior international; silver, junior international/national; or bronze, county/regional. They are worth up to £2,000 and include free gym membership, nutrition and psychology support and access to the strength and conditioning suite and massage clinic. An acting scholarship waives the fees for all three years of study. Students who have been in care or are estranged from their families are eligible for a £3,000 annual bursary. PGCE students and those from low-income households may also qualify for bursaries.