University of Lancashire guide: Rankings, open days, fees and accommodation
Overview
A change of name, a change in the style of learning and the addition of the most modern veterinary medicine facilities in the country: it's a busy time at the University of Lancashire. The dropping of 'Central' from the former University of Central Lancashire has been approved by the Office for Students - and September 1 saw its official unveiling. This time next year, the university will be preparing to launch its first subjects - business, psychology and sport - to be taught by sequential modules instead of students studying two or more modules in parallel, which is standard practice. Other universities have made this change, notably De Montfort. The aim is to help students learn more effectively - particularly those juggling family, work and other responsibilities. The change will be rolled out gradually over the coming academic years. The newly opened School of Veterinary Medicine building contains the UK's only vet school immersive room, which can be transformed into an operating theatre, pharmacy or diagnostic facility via an interactive simulation suite. Lancashire is also one of the most socially inclusive and progressive universities in the UK. It's based in Preston but has outposts in Burnley and Westlakes in Cumbria and a satellite campus in Cyprus.
Paying the bills
Five students - four medics and one vet - get to study for free on Lancashire's most prestigious courses, so while just under £6m is spent in total on scholarships and bursaries that benefit several hundred students each year, these plum prizes steal the limelight. Each year two students from East Lancashire or Cumbria and two more from under-represented backgrounds in the North West more widely get all their tuition fees paid (worth £47,675), with the same deal also available for one veterinary medicine student likely to be faced with significant financial hardship as a result of their degree, or who has faced significant adversity on the road to university. Of benefit to a much wider grouping of students is Lancashire's financial support bursary, which pays £500 in a foundation year and the first and second years of a degree, and £750 in the third year, to all who come from homes with an annual income of less than £25,000. Income-assessed awards of between £100 and £2,500 per annum are paid to those who apply to the university's hardship fund. Sports scholarships are offered at three levels: gold (up to £5,000 in cash/£2,000 support package), silver (up to £2,000/£1,000) and bronze (up to £500/£750). There are more than 1,600 places in university accommodation across the Preston, Burnley and Westlakes campuses. Self-catered rooms cost between £3,654 and £6,594 for a 42-week contract. Catered rooms are offered at Westlakes only, costing £8,610 for 42 weeks of accommodation, with catering available for just under 36 weeks.
What's new?
New veterinary schools are as rare as hen's teeth, so the opening of Lancashire's School of Veterinary Medicine in June was a big moment for the university and the country, which is served by just 11 other vet schools nationwide. Lancashire's vet students - the first of them admitted in 2023 - can claim some bragging rights, too, as they benefit from the only vet school immersive room in the UK. This exposes students to real-life situations in a pharmacy, diagnostic suite and operating theatre via an interactive simulation. Some of the specialist kit in the new building has been funded by a £5.8m grant from the Office for Students. Altitude, an interdisciplinary air and space innovation facility, is another recent addition to the university's academic landscape. It will host courses on career pathways in aerospace, space and digital technologies, and be a centre of research and innovation. Collaboration with industry is at the heart of the development, which includes one of Europe's largest netted environments for uncrewed aerial systems. To keep its students' brains nourished, Lancashire is in the midst of revamping the range of eating and drinking outlets on its Preston campus. Five new degrees are planned for 2026, subject to final approval - most of them in the business school. They include business in combination with entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality or tourism, and a new BSc in digital marketing. The additions balance the loss from the course roster of four language degrees - French, German, Spanish and Russian - plus chemistry, international relations, philosophy and religion, as the university tackles an £11.8m deficit in its latest accounts
Admissions, teaching and student support
Admissions policies underpin the university's reputation as one of the most socially inclusive in the country. Students from homes in postcodes with the highest levels of deprivation or the lowest rates of progression to university, as well as care leavers, qualify for a contextual offer which cuts eight Ucas tariff points (equivalent to a drop in one A-level grade) from the standard ask. This discount applies to all courses bar pharmacy, dental therapy, clinical dental technology and the bachelor of dental studies programme. Lancashire's Scholars Programme is open to Year 12 students across the North West; it is designed to enhance study, research and academic skills. Successful completion of the programme leads to a contextual offer and a £500 annual bursary. More than a quarter of all admissions in September 2024 qualified for a contextual offer. Students are well-supported by personal tutors, achievement coaches and academic tutors, in addition to Lancashire's dedicated wellbeing service. The university's inclusive approach is embodied in its student charter, which says: 'Always share with us when you need help or support and look out for your fellow students as well'. All staff are required to undertake safeguarding essentials training annually, which covers how to support students and refer them to specialised services when necessary. The university is introducing a compulsory induction module on sexual consent, harassment and misconduct for the 2025-26 academic year. Students are also offered an optional module on suicide awareness.