Ambitious for the future, Sunderland has kicked off a £250 million, ten-year overhaul of all three of its locations — in the city, at St Peter’s on the banks of the River Wear, and in London at Canary Wharf. Murray Health, the new city campus home for Sunderland’s School of Medicine and School of Psychology, opened in 2024, the same year that Sunderland’s first cohort of medical doctors graduated from the School of Medicine. Located in the North East, the region where young people are least likely to continue their studies after leaving school, Sunderland is at the vanguard of opening the doors to higher education. Its intake of students includes the second-highest proportion of students from deprived areas (27.9 per cent) and fourth-highest proportion of students whose parents did not go to university (61.7 per cent). 

What is the University of Sunderland’s reputation? 

A triple silver rating in the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), overall and for the student experience and student outcomes), commended the university for its engagement with students. Rates of student satisfaction are comfortably in the upper half nationally. The university is 38= for students’ evaluation of teaching quality and 61= for their feedback on the broad experience. However, Sunderland has lost ground on both National Student Survey-based measures, which in turn have contributed to it falling 12 places and ranking outside the top 100 of our main academic ranking this year. 

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), more than 70 per cent of the work it submitted was rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent. Some of the best results were in art and design, and English. Overall, Sunderland gained two places in our research quality indicator, to rank 81st. A new student retention programme connects academic engagement with data on student outcomes and partners with the students’ union on personal academic tutoring. This should help Sunderland to make up ground on its continuation rate. With 86.3 per cent of students projected to carry on from their first to second year of their studies, Sunderland is in the bottom ten on this measure. The university offers 21 degree apprenticeships that have more than 900 trainees, with subjects include journalism, teaching, nursing and social work.

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

Two degrees that are no longer recruiting from September 2024 are an integrated master’s in manufacturing engineering (top-up) and artist designer maker (glass and ceramics with integrated foundation year). An integrated master’s in engineering technologies (top-up) launched in 2024.

What are the University of Sunderland’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?

With new students averaging 121 Ucas tariff points, Sunderland’s entry standards rank 83= in our table. The university makes contextual offers (of AAB) only for its medicine course, which were made to 11 out of 179 applicants in the 2023 admissions cycle. Eligibility is based on coming from low-participation postcodes in the northeast and Cumbria. The demand for places at Sunderland has risen every year since 2018, and in 2023 almost 9,500 applied and just under 3,000 new students enrolled.

What is the University of Sunderland campus like?

New esports, mock law-courts and business and management facilities are now open, complementing significant external environmental improvements to the Sunderland campuses. Work has started at the St Peter’s riverside campus on three large simulation labs for esports, law and market research. St Peter’s is also in line for a new library, student centre and business school. Twelve years after opening its first London campus at Canary Wharf, the university is preparing to open a second site in the area in time for the next academic year. 

In recent years, nearly £80 million has gone into student-facing facilities such as a £5 million Anatomy Centre that supports cadaveric anatomy (the gold standard for anatomy education), a Centre for Graduate Prospects, refurbished libraries and enhanced study facilities. Sunderland’s simulation facilities include a £1.4 million midwifery suite with a full maternity ward and a postnatal and immersive/wellbeing suite, alongside areas to simulate home-birthing and birthing pool facilities. The Living Lab reflects care settings from mock hospital wards and pharmacy dispensaries to an immersive simulation suite. Helen McArdle House’s mock hospital wards include child and mental health settings, while outside it is Sunderland’s bespoke training ambulance. 

The campus in Canary Wharf, London, offers business, healthcare, tourism and hospitality courses at undergraduate level. Overseas, Sunderland has a Hong Kong campus, which delivers business and tourism courses. 

Everything you need to know about the University of Sunderland’s student life and wellbeing support

The CitySpace Fitness facility on the City campus, includes a 50m swimming pool, seven-metre climbing wall and a theatre that shows West End productions. Students can learn to ski at a dry slope near campus, and the snowsports team competes nationally. It is one of more than 30 Team Sunderland clubs that compete up to national level across a broad range of sports. 

Mental health and welfare support includes the Shine a Light project, which targets ethnic minority students who may not want to access support services. Counselling is provided onsite or online and in a range of languages. The friendly port city is more affordable than many other student hubs and neighbouring Newcastle is just a short Metro or bus journey away. 

What do the students say?

“The experience I’ve gained through the university’s Law School has been invaluable, with a curriculum which blends academic knowledge with practical skills. The inclusive and diverse nature of the university and the city of Sunderland means I never feel homesick.”
Adama Ibrahim, students’ union crew member and LLM legal practice student

What about student accommodation at the University of Sunderland?

An accommodation guarantee applies to first-years who meet the appropriate deadlines. The Panns Bank and Scotia Quay halls were recently revamped. Many students live at home and commute to university.

How diverse and inclusive is the University of Sunderland?

The university placed eighth overall in our social inclusion index of England and Wales. Across all subjects, it works with more than 40 schools in the region, targeting middle-achieving children who have the capability but not the motivation to consider higher education. The First Choice progression scheme offers sessions to children on access to university, balancing finances, writing a CV, study skills and subject tasters. A medicine summer school for year-12 students guarantees participants who meet widening participation criteria a multiple mini-interview (MMI), subject to meeting the GCSE, A-level and University Clinical Aptitude Test (Ucat) requirements.

Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Sunderland

University of Sunderland bursaries last for three years and range in value from £500 to £3,000. Priority is given to students with low household incomes and those from groups not well-represented in higher education. Care leavers qualify for £2,500 per year of study. School of Medicine bursaries include free accommodation and cash bursaries for medical students who meet widening participation criteria.