An elite education in the thick of a legendary cultural hub: a rich student experience awaits at the University of Liverpool, a founding member of the research-intensive Russell Group. The city — one of Britain’s friendliest — has nightlife, culture and sport for all tastes.
University Square, the gateway to Liverpool’s campus, has been redeveloped to be more open and inclusive. A colourful installation — part of the nationwide Neurodiversity Umbrella Project co-ordinated by the ADHD Foundation — underlines the point outside the Foundation Building, the headquarters for student services and careers advice.
For students on most courses, the university’s global reach offers opportunities to study abroad at one of more than 100 partner institutions — from America to South Korea. Another attraction is the combined degree system within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences which opens up 300 possible subject combinations in joint honours or major/minor configurations.
What is the University of Liverpool’s reputation?
Liverpool claims to be the original “redbrick” university, a term derived from the gothic terracotta detail of its Victoria Building, opened in 1892. The label distinguished a new tier of 19th-century civic universities from older establishments.
Impressive results in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) triggered a 16-place rise in our research quality index for Liverpool to 24th, with 91 per cent of its work rated world-leading or internationally excellent, led by veterinary science; chemistry; psychology; and modern languages.
Liverpool was upgraded to gold overall in the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), and also rated gold for student outcomes, with silver for the student experience. Assessors praised the university’s research and industry connections, which “are used to contribute to an outstanding academic experience for students”. They also commended Liverpool’s “tailored approaches that are highly effective in ensuring students succeed in and progress beyond their studies rates of continuation and completion”.
Such approaches may have something to do with the decisive return to form in rates of student satisfaction, measured through the annual National Student Survey (NSS). In our new NSS analysis the university ranks 27th for the broad undergraduate experience — a remarkable turnaround from joint 100th in our previous edition — and it has risen 31 places to rank 73rd for students’ evaluation of teaching quality.
What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses have been introduced?
Liverpool has reintroduced its graduate entry medicine degree from September 2024, and is introducing chemical engineering from 2025 — offered as both three or four-year degree programmes. The university has dropped an integrated master’s course in marine biology from 2024.
What are the University of Liverpool’s entry requirements – and my chances of getting in?
Liverpool degrees demand A-level grades from BBB up to A*AA. Some courses have specific subject requirements. Contextual offers undercut the standard ask by up to two A-level grades for eligible students. Two years of increasing demand for places raised applications to almost 44,000 in 2023, and more than 6,500 new undergraduates were accepted on to Liverpool’s courses, 6 per cent through clearing.
What are the graduate prospects?
Despite a two-place fall, from 28th last year, in our analysis of the latest Graduate Outcomes survey — based on leavers in highly skilled jobs or further study 15 months on — Liverpool remains in the top 30. Links with AstraZeneca, Unilever and Airbus — among other employers — help Liverpool students to get a taste of potential careers, via hackathons, guest lectures and work experience. Businesses in the region offer exclusive paid internships, placements and graduate opportunities too. Long-term schemes at the university aim to ease the pathway into professions such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, engineering, banking and finance, and law.
What is the University of Liverpool campus like?
The main campus is about five minutes on foot from the city centre. Liverpool’s £12.7 million Digital Innovation Facility (DIF), which opened in 2022, brings together computer science, robotics and engineering research. Its aim is to create 400 jobs and boost the regional economy by £44.5 million over a decade.
Recent campus improvements have revamped the Walker, Brunner and Gossage lecture theatres; added a gaming suite in the Rendall Building; and introduced two new computer suites. Teaching spaces for subjects from veterinary science to languages have been improved.
The Tung auditorium, Liverpool’s teaching and performance centre, opened in 2021, with space for a 70-piece orchestra and an audience of 400 people.
What about student accommodation in the University of Liverpool?
Students holding an offer or an interview for clinical courses can apply for accommodation from January — even without making Liverpool their firm or insurance choice — and are guaranteed accommodation (like all first-years) if they apply by the end of July. Liverpool’s halls have residential advisers to give pastoral support.
Everything you need to know about the University of Liverpool’s student life and wellbeing support
There’s no excuse for being unfit with access to a 25m pool, two sports halls, a bouldering wall and spin studios. An outdoor gym, half basketball court and 100m running track are free to use. Off campus, the Wyncote Sports Ground has ten pitches for football and rugby including a floodlit all-weather pitch.
There are two university museums.The Victoria Gallery and Museum exhibits contemporary art along with collections of scientific, medical and natural history, while the Garstang is Liverpool’s museum of archaeology, where highlights include a Nubian collection and Egyptian afterlife gallery. For music, as well as the Tung auditorium there is Mountford Hall, where artists such as Sam Fender and The 1975 have performed. The Liverpool Literary Festival is an annual three-day event on campus open to students and the public. Extra events such as Tay Day — prefacing a week-long Taylor Swift celebration before the UK leg of the singer’s Eras tour — also help to bring students together.
Wellbeing advisers are the first port of call for struggling students, providing on-the-day and ongoing support including clinics addressing low mood or anxiety. Therapeutic services for mental health range from single-session to longer-term counselling, and art therapy. A 24-hour confidential phoneline, operated by counsellors, takes calls from those trying to cope with stress, debt, education pressures and relationships.
What do the students say?
“Coming to university is a huge change and despite initial worries about feeling isolated, I instead found a welcoming community and made friends for life. Through a wide range of societies, clubs, part-time jobs and leadership opportunities each student can develop skills to thrive in their degree and in their life beyond university.”
Vasiliki Samuels, president of the Liverpool Guild of Students and law graduate
How diverse and inclusive is the University of Liverpool?
In our social inclusion index, Liverpool is just outside the top 100 (102nd). There is an extensive range of outreach activities to widen participation. Current students are recruited as Liverpool Advocates, providing outreach and mentoring to young people from underrepresented groups. The two-year Liverpool Scholars programme can lead to a reduced offer by up to two A-level grades.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Liverpool
About a third of UK undergraduates with household income up to £35,000 receive bursaries from £750 to £2,000 as cash or fee waivers. Other financial aid is available from the elite athlete scheme or bursaries for care leavers, mature or estranged students, and young adult carers. A 15 per cent accommodation discount goes to first-year students in halls who are in receipt of a bursary or other means-tested aid.
