Consistently ranked among Britain’s top 20 universities, University of Loughborough, UK has been voted ‘England’s best student experience’ in the Times Higher Education Awards for five consecutive years

Sited on the largest (437-acres) single-site varsity campus in Great Britain, University of Loughborough (LU, estb. 1966) is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities of the UK. The Guardian University Guide 2013 ranks LU 11th of 120 institutions, and the top university of East Midlands. In the Complete University Guide 2013 Loughborough is ranked 14th, and also rated among UK’s top ten universities in 11 of its 28 subject areas, and top-ranked in the sports sciences table. Moreover, for five years consecutively (2006-10), the university has been voted ‘England’s Best Student Experience’ in the prestigious Times Higher Education Awards, and was also recipient of the Sunday Times ‘2008/09 University of the Year’ award.

“A research-intensive university, Loughborough is renowned for its relevance of work. Our interdisciplinary approach is driven by society’s need for applied solutions to real-world problems which help to improve people’s lives. Loughborough has a tradition of working closely with business and industry, and benefits from extensive partnerships with companies of all sizes. 70 percent of our research is conducted in collaboration with external partners, compared to the national average of 20 percent. Professional institutions and business regard our programmes highly, and our graduates are consistently targeted by top recruiters,” says Prof. Robert Allison, vice chancellor and president of the university.

University of Loughborough, UK traces its history to a modest technical institute founded in 1909 in the town of Loughborough to provide diploma programmes in technical subjects, science and art. In April 1966, the institute was awarded its charter, in acknowledgement of the excellence achieved by the Loughborough College of Advanced Technology and its predecessor colleges. Christened the Loughborough University of Technology, it was the country’s first technology university and was renamed Loughborough University in 1996.

Given its origins as a technical university, its science and technology degrees are highly valued. Currently the university’s 24 academic schools and departments offer a wide range of bachelor’s and Masters programmes to 18,500 students. Moreover  University of Loughborough, UK hosts the world’s largest university-based sports technology research group, housed within its internationally acclaimed Sports Technology Institute.

Loughborough. Sited in the county of Leicestershire, Loughborough (pop. 55,000) offers students great choices in restaurants, entertainment and shopping. The town boasts the world’s largest bell foundry cast by John Taylor Bellfounders, who forged the bells for the Carillon War Memorial, Great Paul for St. Paul’s Cathedral, and York Minster. It also hosts four museums, the largest being the centrally located Charnwood, which displays a range of exhibits reflecting the natural history, geology, and industry of the area.

Loughborough’s location is ideal for exploring the neighbouring cities of Nottingham, Leicester and Derby as well as a variety of tourist attractions such as the Peak District, Sherwood Forest, the National Space Centre and Charnwood Forest. The town offers easy access by road, rail and air to every part of the UK and Europe with its Midland Mainline train company offering regular services between Sheffield and London’s St. Pancras International station. East Midlands Airport is only 15 minutes away and easily reached by a 24/7 bus service from Loughborough.

Campus facilities. The university’s 437-acre composite campus offers state-of-the-art facilities with gardens and sports areas interspersed with academic buildings and student residences. Amenities on campus include lecture theatres, laboratories, a major library and extensive IT network, an arts centre, two theatres, conference and hotel accommodation, restaurants, banks, shops, a health centre and the Loughborough Students’ Union building. The university library sprawls across 7,777 sq. m over three floors with 900 study places, including 165 workstations. It houses over 500,000 books, 90,000 bound serials and offers access to over 19,000 e-journals.

University of Loughborough, UK  also offers extensive training facilities for a wide range of sports, including an indoor athletics centre and outdoor stadium, sports halls and all-weather pitches, a 50-metre swimming pool, squash, badminton and netball courts, an indoor tennis centre and outdoor courts, and fitness centres. National and regional centres for several sports are also located on campus, including the ECB National Cricket Centre and the LTA Tennis Academy.

The students’ union organises a variety of events including musical and theatrical performances and a series of lectures by Loughborough academics and guest speakers throughout the year. Moreover it runs 60 societies from hot air ballooning to surfing.

Admission. Applications for entry into all undergraduate programmes at Loughborough must be made online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The application form must be submitted online at www.ucas.ac.uk. Loughborough’s institution name is LBRO, and code L79. For entry in the autumn of 2013, applications must be submitted before January 15. The minimum eligibility requirements for admission into undergraduate programmes are completion of Plus Two and English language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS and Pearson Test of Academic English). For admission into the postgraduate programmes, the minimum requirement is a first class bachelor’s degree with several LU departments specifying additional qualifications.

For further information contact LU, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK. Tel: +44 1509 223522; Fax: +44 1509 223905; Email: admissions@lboro.ac.uk; website: www.lboro.ac.uk.

Accommodation.  Over 5,600 students live in 15 university halls on (or contiguous with) the campus. Some halls offer ensuite facilities while others have shared bathrooms. All rooms offer a bed, storage, desk, chair, shelves and a pin board. Moreover all students have access to laundry facilities, university intranet and a games room.

International students from outside the EU are guaranteed accommodation within the same hall for any two years of their undergraduate study. Those preferring to live off campus have a choice of privately owned accommodation including shared houses, private halls and limited self contained units.

Degree programmes. University of Loughborough, UK offers a range of bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral programmes across 24 academic schools and departments and five inter-disciplinary research schools (see box).

Summiya Yasmeen