Overview

The University of Plymouth is based in the biggest city in the south-west of England, providing international students with all the best aspects of British life. With a campus in the centre of a vibrant coastal city, the university is located a short drive from the local beaches and Dartmoor National Park.

　　Ranked a UK top ten young university in the THE Young University Rankings 2021, the university has 139,000 alumni across 135 countries and 3,000 current international students, approximately 14 per cent of the student body.

　　The university has high-quality facilities that help its students make the most out of their time in the UK. Over GBP 155 million has been invested in the campus, from a new performing arts centre, to a marine building with wave tanks and ship simulators and a 24-hour library.

　　The university is home to a brilliant careers service, which includes a Careers and Employability Hub to help students create the perfect CV, search for employment or speak to an advisor about what they can do with their degree once they have graduated. In addition, over 4,500 students take part in placements and work-based learning every year.

　　Research conducted by the University of Plymouth is internationally respected. In the Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2020, the university was named 11th in the world for its marine and ocean engineering research. Its facilities include a wave machine, a diving centre and three research vessels.

　　

What's new

The University of Plymouth is a modern, dynamic university with an educational history dating back to 1862. The institution is renowned for high-quality, internationally leading education, research and innovation. With a mission to advance knowledge and transform lives, Plymouth is a top 5 UK young university (Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2022). The university has clusters of world-class research across a wide range of disciplines, including marine science and engineering, medicine, cybersecurity and psychology.

　　

Award-winning

A three-time winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, most recently in 2019. In respect of its pioneering research on microplastics pollution in the oceans, its impact on the environment and changing behaviour, the university continues to grow in stature and reputation.

　　This confirms that the university delivers high-quality teaching, learning and outcomes for its students and consistently exceeds rigorous national quality requirements for UK higher education.

　　The student body represents over 100 nations and there are over 139,000 alumni in 135 countries worldwide. The university also has numerous and varied academic partnerships and research links globally, meaning a University of Plymouth degree is a truly international one.

　　The University of Plymouth was also shortlisted for THE University of the Year 2022 award.

　　

Teaching quality

Teaching Methods

Plymouth offers the fourth best contact hours of all UK universities, with 34 per cent of time spent in lectures or seminars on the average course. Over 4,500 students benefit from placements and work-based learning each year, as well as research-led teaching. The university also offers 'Plymouth Plus' modules in the first year which allow students to work across subjects, broadening their skills-base and enabling them to work collaboratively with students from other subjects.

　　

Research-Informed Teaching

The University of Plymouth is committed to enhancing the link between research in its disciplines, professions and teaching. All academic staff undertake a teaching qualification ensuring that superb teaching quality is maintained.

　　

Rankings and Ratings

In the 2020 Complete University Guide League Table Rankings, Plymouth placed 77th among universities in the UK. The university is 25th in the country for the quality of its teaching in the National Student Survey 2020. Ranked as the number one university globally for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal number 14: life below water (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021). 9th in the world for efforts in support of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal number 17: partnerships for the goals (Times Higher Impact Rankings 2021).

　　

Department structure

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Bringing together a community comprised of the School of Art, Design and Architecture the School of Humanities and Performing Arts and the Plymouth Institute of Education, the faculty is committed to teaching excellence whether in the studio, a seminar room, or in extra-curricular activities.

　　

Faculty of Business

The faculty is comprised of the Plymouth Business School, the Plymouth Graduate School of Management the School of Law, Criminology and Government and the School of Tourism and Hospitality. The teaching is research-led and designed to equip students with discipline-specific and transferable skills.

　　

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

The faculty consists of three schools, namely Health Professions Nursing and Midwifery and Psychology. The schools combine world-leading research and practical expertise across a wide range of scientific and practical disciplines. Graduates progress to a huge variety of professions, and Plymouth is one of the UK's largest providers of graduates for the health and social care sector, which has over 350 different career paths.

　　

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Various study options are offered across the faculty's School of Biological and Marine Sciences School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the School of Engineering. With excellent laboratories, exciting field trips and internships, students will develop their practical skills alongside their academic knowledge.

　　

Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry

The School of Biomedical and Healthcare Sciences School of Dentistry and School of Medicine offer students exceptional clinical learning opportunities, strong social engagement, and world-class research.

　　

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for international students hoping to study at the University of Plymouth can be determined based on a student's home country. The university has a detailed route to check entry requirements, split into Europe, The Americas, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. Within each of these continents is individual guidance on what is expected of a student from specific countries.

　　International candidates (students with a non-EU nationality) applying for a degree course with Plymouth must also have an appropriate English language qualification. Acceptable qualifications include:

　　AS or A-level in English Language awarded by Edexcel GCSE English language Canada High/Secondary School Diploma/Certificate Hong Kong Diploma in Secondary Education and Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination Malaysia SPM Zimbabwe GCE O Level and moreIf applicants do not meet the English language requirements, they may be eligible to attend pre-sessional courses, organised by the university's English Language Centre. EU students will be informed of any English language requirements for their course as part of the admission process.

　　

Scholarships & funding

Plymouth has several scholarships on offer for international students. The following is important to note:

　　Students must check the eligibility requirements for each scholarship. Most awards are for first year only. Further discounts may be received if the student maintains a high level of academic achievement. Students who are eligible for multiple scholarships, awards or discounts by the University of Plymouth will only qualify for the highest amount awarded. Where a student may qualify for the alumni discount and a scholarship then the highest award only will be applied.

Undergraduate International Student Scholarship

Eligible students can receive a first-year tuition fee discount of GBP 2,000. They must achieve a grade above their academic offer and meet the English language requirements.

　　

UKESC Caribbean Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship

Students must show academic excellence, meet the English language requirements, hold an offer from the university, accept the university as a firm choice and complete a scholarship application form via UKESC by 31 May 2022.

　　

International Academic Excellence Scholarship

Eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students can receive a first-year tuition fee discount of 50 per cent.

　　

International Undergraduate & Postgraduate Gold Scholarships – School of Psychology

Eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students studying certain programmes from the School of Psychology can receive a first-year tuition fee discount of GBP 4,000.

　　

Postgraduate Taught International Student Scholarship

Eligible students can receive a tuition fee discount of GBP 2,000. They must achieve the equivalent of a good UK 2:1 degree classification and meet the English language requirements. No application is needed.

　　

Alumnus loyalty reward for postgraduate students

Eligible alumni studying certain postgraduate courses can receive a first-year tuition fee discount of 20 per cent for home/EU tuition students, or GBP 2,000 for international students.

　　

Facilities

Charles Seale-Hayne Library

The Charles Seale-Hayne Library is open 24/7 and provides access to approximately 350,000 books and multimedia items, 14,000 current journal subscriptions, and a variety of different study environments.

　　

Specialist Labs

Plymouth is home to ISO accredited labs, which are equipped with electron microscopes and wave tank testing facilities.

　　

Accommodation

Students can choose from a great variety of halls of residence, all of which offer a safe and friendly environment. The accommodation buildings are close to the university's main campus, near to city centre amenities and situated in one of the South West's most vibrant coastal locations. Rooms vary between en suite and shared bathroom facilities, all with internet access.

　　

Sports

The UPSU Sports Centre provides a range of activities and sports services to students. Facilities include the 50-station gym, multi-purpose sports hall, dance studio, squash courts and a sports injury clinic. Sports available at the centre include badminton, football, netball, volleyball, basketball and table tennis.