Apply for 2026 / 2027 intake.

Study at Edge Hill University

Ormskirk

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Location: Ormskirk
Founded: 1885 (university status 2006)
Students: about 14,000
Type: Public university
Main intakes: September, January (selected postgraduate courses)
Study levels: Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Research

Edge Hill University is a public campus university in Ormskirk, Lancashire. About 14,000 students study here, across three faculties, on a site of 160 acres. The university began in Liverpool in 1885 as the first non-denominational teacher training college for women. It later moved to Ormskirk, where it has now been for over 90 years, took its first male students in 1959 and became a university in 2006. Education and teacher training are still a big part of its reputation, but there's plenty more besides: health, nursing and medicine, creative arts, business, computing, sport and law. In the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 it was given Gold for Student Experience. Its international pages also point to a place in the UK top 35 in the Guardian University Guide 2024 and second place in the North West for student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide 2027.

Location and student life

The 160-acre campus is in Ormskirk, a historic market town in West Lancashire, in the North West of England. You can walk into the town centre in about 15 minutes, or take the free EdgeLink bus that runs between campus and town. From Ormskirk station there are direct trains to Liverpool, taking about half an hour, and Manchester is a short onward trip. On campus you'll find the Catalyst library and student services building, the Arts Centre, sports facilities and the Students' Union. In practice, most of your day-to-day life will happen on site, with two large cities within easy reach when you want them.

Courses and subjects

Three faculties cover the teaching: Arts and Sciences, Education, and Health, Social Care and Medicine. Inside those sit departments such as Biology, the Business School, Computer Science, English, History and Creative Writing, Geography and Geology, Law and Criminology, Media, Performing Arts, Psychology, Sport and Physical Activity, the Medical School and Education. Teacher training, nursing and allied health, and the creative arts have been strengths here for a long time. If you're an international applicant and don't have the standard qualifications, you can come in through an integrated foundation year or the International Foundation Programme. The Language Centre also runs Pre-sessional English courses.

Entry requirements for international students

What you'll need depends on your country and your course, so check the university's your-country pages and the page for the course itself. As a rough guide, standard undergraduate courses ask for IELTS 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, and taught postgraduate courses ask for IELTS 6.5 with no component below 6.0. Some courses ask for more than that. If your English score is between half a band and one-and-a-half bands below the level your course requires, you can take a Pre-sessional English course through the Language Centre to close the gap.

Accommodation

Edge Hill's halls of residence are on the Ormskirk campus itself, a short walk from where you'll be taught. Utility bills and Wi-Fi are included in the rent, and bedding is provided in international student rooms, which helps when you've just arrived. You can compare the halls online and, if you're on an undergraduate programme, choose your own room where that option is available. First-year students who make Edge Hill their Firm choice are guaranteed a room on campus, subject to eligibility and availability. After the first year, many students rent a house in Ormskirk. That's about 15 minutes on foot, or a short ride on the free EdgeLink bus.

Scholarships and funding

As an international student you'll be considered for the Global Vice-Chancellor's Award. For 2026/27 it's a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees for eligible full-time undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, PGCE and PhD programmes at Ormskirk. You can hold only one university scholarship at a time. There's also a £500 discount if you pay your fees in full before your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is issued. On top of that, the university offers GREAT Scholarships worth £10,000 for 2026 entry to one-year postgraduate courses, for passport holders resident in Nigeria, Ghana or Turkey. Awards and the rules around them change each year, so check the scholarships pages before you apply.