- Location
- Liverpool
- Founded
- 1844 (origins); 2005 (university status)
- Students
- about 5,300 (2024/25)
- Type
- Public university
- Main intakes
- September, January
- Study levels
- Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Research
Liverpool Hope University is a small public university in Liverpool with an ecumenical Christian foundation, unusual in English higher education. It grew from three teacher-training colleges, the earliest founded in 1844, and gained full university status in 2005. With about 5,300 students it keeps a liberal-arts-inspired scale where students are known by name rather than number. Teaching quality is a recognised strength: it earned Gold in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework and Silver in 2023. Historic specialisms are education and teacher training alongside theology, while psychology, sport and exercise sciences, business, law and criminology, and the creative and performing arts are prominent today. Its name comes from Hope Street, which links Liverpool's Anglican and Catholic cathedrals, where graduation ceremonies are held in turn.
Location and student life
Hope Park in the leafy suburb of Childwall is the main teaching campus, home to most schools along with the library and sports facilities. The Creative Campus near the city centre in Everton houses creative and performing arts degrees, with teaching, living and social spaces and an on-site theatre. Aigburth Park is a residential-only campus, and a free shuttle bus connects the sites. Liverpool itself is a welcoming and affordable student city with good public transport and walkable neighbourhoods. Its long tradition of music, theatre and the arts, together with parks and waterfronts, gives students plenty beyond study.
Courses and subjects
The university has four faculties and nine schools: business, law and criminology; creative arts and humanities; education and social sciences; and human and digital sciences covering health and sport, computer science and the environment, and psychology. Education and teacher training remain central, reflecting its college origins, and the Creative Campus concentrates music, dance, drama, fine art, film and media production. Psychology, criminology, sport science, computer science and business management are among the larger subject areas. Degrees with a foundation year are offered for students needing an extra preparatory year, and foundation English routes are listed for international applicants.
Entry requirements for international students
International applicants need qualifications equivalent to UK entry requirements, which vary by course and country, so the university advises checking the relevant course page and country guidance. Typical published English thresholds are IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each sub-skill for undergraduate study and IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each sub-skill for postgraduate study, with some courses asking for higher scores. Tests must usually have been taken within two years of the start date. Foundation-year degrees and foundation English entry routes are listed for applicants who do not yet meet the requirement.
Accommodation
All first-year students are guaranteed accommodation on campus. Halls of residence span three sites: Hope Park, the Creative Campus and the residential-only Aigburth Park, which houses continuing, postgraduate and international students. A free shuttle bus links the campuses. Students apply for halls through the university's accommodation pages, where room types, prices and application deadlines are published each year.
Scholarships and funding
The university guarantees an international scholarship to every offer-holder, with details confirmed in the offer letter. For 2026/27 entry these include the Hope Inspiring Futures Scholarship, a minimum £2,000 first-year tuition discount for undergraduates plus £1,000 in later years for students averaging 60% or above, and postgraduate awards of £2,000 to £2,500 depending on programme. Two GREAT Scholarships of £10,000 are offered to students from Ghana and Indonesia, alongside Commonwealth Shared Scholarships and a £500 early-payment discount. Awards change each year, so applicants should check the university's scholarships page for current terms.