A campus community awaits students at the only university with its own loch and castle. Stirling was established in the 1960s, but its setting is unique — stretching across a 330-acre site beneath the Ochil Hills with facilities dotted round Airthrey Loch. The Pathfoot Building, designed by John Richards and now listed, was the original heart of the campus and opened in 1967. Now Campus Central, a £23 million project opened in 2021, provides a gateway to academic life. Study options are broad, spanning 300 courses, and there is an option to study at one of Stirling’s 70 partner universities across four continents for a semester or a year.
Stirling has some of the best university sports facilities in Scotland and the campus is home to the National Tennis Centre as well as the National Swimming Academy — both open for undergraduates to use. Students who climb the 246 steps to the top of the Wallace Monument, built to commemorate the Scottish hero Sir William Wallace, are rewarded with stunning views over the Forth Valley, and a tree-lined route from Campus Central to the sports centre has a viewing area over the loch.
What is the University of Stirling’s reputation?
Stirling’s research prioritises global challenges, aiming to change lives and create a more sustainable world. Its record remained consistent in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), in which almost 80 per cent of the submission was rated world-leading or internationally excellent. Some of the best results were in agriculture; veterinary and food science; geography and environmental science; and social work and social policy. The university ranks 49th in our research quality index. The Institute of Aquaculture stands out for its pioneering work in the world’s fastest-growing food production sector.An eight-place rise to 55th in our main academic league table is driven by an improved continuation rate, and entry standards that rank Stirling 14=, with new entrants averaging 171 Ucas points. But Stirling’s feedback in the annual National Student Survey continued to worsen in 2025, and our analysis puts the university 111st for teaching quality (down eight places) and 106th for the broad experience (down from 92=). Campus upgrades may lift students’ spirits: digital and physical modernisation has been rolled out in Stirling’s classrooms, and student residences are having a makeover.
What are the University of Stirling’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?
The standard entry requirements differ by course, with offers based on grades rather than tariff points. For a small proportion of eligible students, contextual admissions take the pressure off by two Higher grades. Applications went up 4 per cent in 2024, and 7 per cent of new students gained places through clearing.
What are the graduate prospects?
The careers service promotes more than 1,800 vacancies a year to students, including part-time jobs, paid internships, volunteering opportunities, and graduate roles. Employer events on campus and industry advisory boards help to shape programmes, and work-based learning embedded across the curriculum are among Stirling’s career-boosting efforts. With just over two thirds of leavers in high-skilled jobs or further study 15 months after finishing their degree, Stirling is 66th for graduate prospects.
What is the University of Stirling’s campus like?
Stirling’s spacious campus is one of the most beautiful in the world with the 18th-century Airthrey Castle overlooking the scene. Facilities are no more than a ten-minute walk apart, from lecture theatres in low-rise buildings to the on-site cinema in the Macrobert Arts Centre. The Olympic-size pool in the sports centre has a view of the green space outside. Campus Central’s atrium is the focal point of student life, with study and collaboration spaces, cafés and a shop.
When can I visit?
stir.ac.uk
Everything you need to know about the University of Stirling’s student life and wellbeing support
Performance sport is a focus, with eight Stirling athletes having competed at the Paris Olympics last year — swimmers Duncan Scott and Jack McMillan winning gold. So sports facilities are extensive and high quality. An indoor complex includes a gym, fitness studios and a cycle studio, while it has artificial pitches for sports such as hockey, football, rugby, Gaelic football and an all-weather athletics track. The National Tennis Centre has six indoor courts as well as two clay and two synthetic courts outside.The Macrobert Arts Centre has a programme of films, dance, drama, comedy and music. For a big night out, Glasgow and Edinburgh are accessible by train, every 30 minutes. The mental health, wellbeing and counselling service offers services including one-on-one therapy and a sensory room in the wellbeing suite.
What do the students say?
"There’s a strong sense of community that really makes you feel at home. The campus itself is stunning and a great place to connect with nature.”
Leen Ali, students' union president 2024-25, and sociology and social policy student
What about student accommodation at the University of Stirling?
First-year undergraduates who live more than 20 miles from campus are guaranteed a room in halls, as long as they confirm their place and meet the housing application deadline.
How diverse and inclusive is the University of Stirling?
Stirling maintains its 11th place in our latest Scottish social inclusion ranking. Only 6.4 per cent of the intake had an ethnic minority background in the latest figures (14th). Stirling has the highest proportion of disabled students (8.8 per cent) of any university in Scotland.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Stirling
Discretionary funding of up to £1,800 is also available for students who meet eligibility requirements, with care-experienced or estranged students and student carers able to apply for an additional £300-£500 bursary. Students from the rest of the UK (who do not qualify for Scotland’s funding system) are eligible for the new Stirling Success Scholarship, worth up to £5,000, which replaces previous schemes from September 2026. There are 18 sports scholarships available, worth £2,000 a year. The Reid Family Scholarship of £9,000-£21,525 helps Scottish students who meet the criteria for widening participation.
