University of Portsmouth

Located on England's south coast, Portsmouth is a vibrant city with some of the UK's best weather. Most university buildings are in the centre of this compact city. Everything students need is close by, including four miles of beautiful beach, excellent nightlife and entertainment, and accommodation. Portsmouth welcomes 5,700 international and EU students from around 150 countries and has around 31,000 students in total.

The students' union offers 150 sports clubs and societies for all interests, so there's always a lot of fun to be had on campus. London is just 90 minutes away, and ferries cross regularly to Europe.

The university has a five-star rating for teaching, employability, internationalisation, facilities, arts and culture, and inclusiveness (QS Top University Guide 2024). It has been awarded an overall rating of Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023.

With courses designed to meet the challenges of the competitive global jobs market, students will be well prepared for a successful career. 94 Percent of Portsmouth students are working or in further study after finishing their course (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2021/22).

Students can choose from hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees spanning business, creativity and culture, humanities, science and health, and technology. Portsmouth focuses on making students more employable, with paid work placements, or opportunities to practise their skills in simulated environments such as a replica courtroom or business simulation suite. Recent research breakthroughs at the university include developing a plastic-eating enzyme to tackle pollution.

Students can enrich their experience by learning a language for free, volunteering, or exchanging with another global university. The careers and employability service can connect students to opportunities including part-time work while they study and their first job after graduation.

The University of Portsmouth holds a gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023). Portsmouth's expert lecturers have years of experience in teaching and industry –frequently in both. Many remain active in their professions and continuously develop their knowledge which is shared with their students meaning they can hit the ground running when they graduate.

The majority of Portsmouth's research is rated as 'world leading' and 'internationally excellent' by the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), which independently assesses the quality of research in UK universities.

Much of the research is carried out by the same people who teach students, so the breakthroughs and discoveries made feed directly into their courses. Students will be exploring the latest theories and developing original ideas as part of their studies. It's not all classrooms and textbooks, at Portsmouth, students can also apply what they learn in outstanding simulated work environments and learning spaces.

Law students practise their skills in a replica court, while students from disciplines such as criminology and social work can experience being an expert witness in a simulated legal case.

Students can apply their skills in the local community too, for example dental students, who treat NHS patients in the Dental Academy; and sport and exercise science students, who run coaching courses at local schools.

Students are supported 24/7 by the university's campus security and surveillance team, who work to ensure students are studying in a safe environment. The team is available 24 hours a day throughout the year, both for emergency and non-emergency queries. There are also CCTV cameras in most university buildings and halls which are monitored throughout the day by security officers.

The university benefits from its own university police liaison officer. Students who are a victim of a crime can report to the police officer for support. The officer is also available to meet at a weekly drop-in service on campus.

StudentWatch is a programme that aims to improve student safety and awareness. The scheme is a joint initiative with the Hampshire Constabulary and the university. Student volunteers are a point of contact for students with safety concerns and can provide support and advice on being a good neighbour, marking property, fire safety advice, street sense and protecting property.

The University of Portsmouth has course specific entry requirements; however, students will need to meet basic conditions for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Specific entry requirements are detailed on each course page. For most undergraduate level study, applicants need to have the equivalent of:

• 2 or 3 good 'A' Levels (GCE Advanced Level)
• Or a recognised Access/Foundation course
• Or an International Baccalaureate (minimum score 24)
• Or an EDEXCEL (BTEC) National Certificate or Diploma (Merit profile)
• Or High School Leaving Certificate, if it is deemed equivalent to 'A' Level Standard
• Some courses have higher entry requirements, especially where they are recognised by professional bodies

As a guide, for master's degree level applications, applicants will need to have:

• A good degree pass in a relevant discipline or equivalent, or
• Relevant work experience in the appropriate field

Every application is considered individually and many factors such as maturity, motivation and work experience are considered in support of the application.

Students must demonstrate the necessary proficiency in English. As a general guide, the following English language requirements must be fulfilled:

• IELTS 5.5 for foundation
• IELTS 6.0 for undergraduate
• IELTS 6.0 to 7.0 for postgraduate entry

Specific scores might be required depending on the course. Students who do not meet academic requirements may be able to gain access to the university via an International College Portsmouth (ICP) pathway programme, and those who do not meet the English Language requirements may consider a pre-sessional English programme at the university. Students can find out more about country specific requirements on the university website.

Portsmouth offers excellent facilities including a model pharmacy, courtroom, forensics house, creative studios, tv studios and cutting-edge laboratories. Learning at Portsmouth is much more than just lecture theatres. For many of the courses, students work in real-life learning environments such as a courtroom or pharmacy. These simulated environments demonstrate the strong professional focus of the courses and prepare learners for employment.

As a city campus, all teaching facilities and most of the residences are in the centre of Portsmouth. The campus is made up of over 40 buildings with green grass spaces and communal areas such as cafes and shops.

All new students are guaranteed accommodation in their first year when they hold a firm offer and meet all accommodation deadlines, meaning they'll be living either in the city centre or on the seafront. There are also options away from the city centre for students who prefer a quieter location. There are a range of accommodation options including self-catered or catered, shared bathroom or ensuite, and single-sex or mixed-sex flats.

Students have access to free Wi-Fi and use of thousands of PCs and laptops across the campus and in the library. The library is open 24/7 during term time and provides access to hundreds of thousands of books, e-books and journals, with extensive online access to resources.

International students are expected to be fully self-supporting whilst studying at Portsmouth. Before being granted a visa to come and study in the UK, each student must submit proof of adequate financial provision. The university does, however, offer a small number of scholarships exclusively for International students:

• The Vice Chancellor's Global Development Scholarship takes the form of a GBP 2,500 fee reduction that will apply to the first year of study. Eligible students from selected countries will be automatically awarded this scholarship.
• The Chancellor's Global Academic Merit Scholarship takes the form of a GBP 5,000 fee reduction that will apply to the first year of study. This is a merit-based scholarship and there are limited numbers available to eligible students from selected countries.

Eligibility varies depending on course of study and nationality. Students can find out more about the scholarships offered on the university website. Some external scholarships are available to help with the financial costs of going to university. These include the following:

• Chevening Scholarships: The highly sought-after scholarships are awarded to outstanding scholars with leadership potential. Awards are typically for a one-year master's degree in any subject.
• Commonwealth Scholarships: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission supports scholarships and fellowships for postgraduate study and professional development.

The university has opened an outstanding GBP 57 million public sports centre. The superb facilities set in historic parkland include a 25 m eight-lane swimming pool, a 175-station fitness suite, climbing and bouldering wall, cafe and community orchard.

Designed to the highest sustainability credentials, Ravelin Sports Centre aims to be zero carbon. Renewable energy is generated from roof solar panels and internal heat recovery systems, helping to reduce the environmental impact of the university's sports activities.

The university has also opened a GBP 5.2 million Centre for Creative and Immersive XR (eXtended Reality), a GBP 2.3 million Centre for Enzyme Innovation to help solve one of the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and a GBP 250 million plan to build and develop the Portsmouth campus in the near future.

Portsmouth has introduced Connected Degrees for undergraduate students. This means that students can choose when they take their placement year – either at the traditional time, between the second and third year. Or after the final year of study, connecting them directly with industry as they start their career. Portsmouth is currently the only UK university that offers this flexibility and lets undergraduate students choose when to take their placement year.