University of Exeter guide: Rankings, open days, fees and accommodation
Overview
Record numbers of students applied to Exeter for courses which began in September last year. It is still a hugely popular choice for privately educated students and draws around half of its intake from the most affluent regions of the country. But it also spends upwards of £9m on bursaries, scholarships and hardship support for its increasingly diverse student body, a quarter of whom gain their places with a contextual offer - a proportion the university predicts will rise further still. It was named Higher Education Institution of the Year in 2023 by the National Education Opportunities Network for its work in widening access to university. It is among the ten universities most popular with the leading graduate employers (ahead of both Oxford and Cambridge); the salaries graduates command are among the highest; and few universities can rival Exeter for location. The main Streatham campus is one of the UK's most beautiful and is home to the majority of students. There are smaller sites such as its St Luke's campus, which is home to the medical school, and at Penryn in Cornwall. Exeter is also one of the most solvent universities in the UK right now, registering a surplus of more than £186m in 2023-24.
Paying the bills
Exeter is expanding the reach of its Access to Exeter bursary by lifting the income ceiling for eligibility by £5,000 to £35,000 from the next academic year. This means that all British students from homes with up to £35,000 annual income automatically qualify for an annual Access to Exeter bursary worth £500, rising to £850 for incomes between £25,001 and £30,000, then £1,340 for incomes between £16,001 and £25,000, topping out at £2,300 where income is £16,000 or less. There are generous sports scholarships and bursaries for those who will add to Exeter's outstanding track record in inter-university sport, as well as choral scholarships - one of which is offered by Exeter Cathedral. Accommodation bursaries cut up to £1,000 from the price of many rooms in university accommodation in Exeter and Penryn. The top discount is paid to students from homes with annual income of £25,000 or less, with £750 discounts applied where household income is between £25,001 and £42,875. Self-catered room prices in Exeter begin at £5,822 for a 42-week contract and rise to £9,751 for 40 weeks in a studio room. Catered rooms are priced from £6,462 to £10,268 for 32 weeks. At Penryn, self-catered rooms are priced in 2025-26 from £5,776 to £7,700 for 40-week lets, and catered rooms come in at between £8,028 and £9,951 with catering provided for 36 weeks of a 40-week contract.
What's new?
The university expects there will be 3,500 degree apprentices enrolled by September this year. This is by some distance the largest number in a Russell Group university and a clear demonstration of the university's commitment to 'building a diverse and inclusive learning community where everyone is supported to realise their potential'. A new level 6 apprenticeship for financial services professionals is the latest option to be added next month, joining the existing roster of 11 undergraduate and seven postgraduate degree apprenticeships. In September 2024 the university launched its MyExeter student app based on research and insight designed to improve the student experience. Developed inhouse, students can use the app to view their timetable, book study spaces, access their student records, the Exeter Learning Environment and find quick links to student support services. Recent physical infrastructure developments have added two computer teaching lab spaces - one with 120-seat capacity the other a 60-seater - to support growth in computer science, data science and artificial intelligence programmes. Pastoral facilities have also been enhanced with the opening of the Sarah Turvill multifaith centre on the main Streatham campus. The centre will promote inclusion and respect for the diverse faiths and beliefs on campus and provide a space for quiet reflection and contemplation.
Admissions, teaching and student support
One quarter of the students who began their studies at Exeter in September 2024 gained their place with a contextual offer. These reduce the standard ask on courses by between two and three A-level grades. All applicants from state schools who live in postcodes among the 40% that send the fewest students to university, or among the 40% considered to be the most deprived get a two-grade discount. Students who have received free school meals get the same reduction, while applicants from Exeter progression programmes and those who are care experienced get offers up to three grades below the standard requirements. Exeter's widening participation work is part of its Success For All initiative, which also encompasses having thousands of degree apprentice learners on campus and offering a raft of BSc courses with foundation years to attract students with lower grades and encourage progression into science, maths and engineering. All staff, regardless of their role, are given training in mental health awareness and suicide prevention to better equip them for supporting students. This blanket approach is unusual and a strong response to several student suicides over the past decade. The university's wellbeing team provides daily drop-in sessions for students with mental health concerns, alongside online advice, resources and webinars. As part of the drive to keep those on campus safe, Exeter has introduced equality, diversity and inclusion training for students, alongside consent awareness training. Bystander intervention training also takes place throughout the year, reaching 2,900 students in the 2024-25 academic year. It is mandatory for all sports club committee members and has resulted in a significant decrease in sexual violence/harassment-related incidents.