Study at Northumbria University

Why study at Northumbria University

The university is organised into three faculties: Society and Culture, Science and Environment, and Health and Wellbeing. Between them they cover subjects such as business, law, design, computing, engineering, architecture and nursing. Teaching is informed by research and has a strong practical side, with clinics and placements built into several courses. The City Campus puts sports, library and students' union facilities right in the centre of the city. Alongside the undergraduate programmes there are postgraduate and research degrees.

Location and student life

Newcastle has two main campuses, City Campus and Coach Lane, and there's a further campus in London, near Liverpool Street. City Campus is in the middle of Newcastle upon Tyne, close to shops, venues and public transport. That's where you'll find the library, Sport Central and the Students' Union. Coach Lane is a short bus ride away. It has the facilities for education, health and social work, with sports pitches nearby.

Newcastle itself does well in student rankings: the university describes it as the UK's fifth best student city in the QS 2026 ranking. The Students' Union, Sport Central and a range of societies sit at the centre of student life, and the shops, venues and transport links of the city centre are close to the teaching buildings.

Courses and subjects

Within Northumbria's three faculties (Society and Culture, Science and Environment, and Health and Wellbeing) you'll find Newcastle Business School, Northumbria Law School and schools covering architecture and built environment, computing, engineering, design, humanities, psychology, nursing and social work. Placements or practice-based learning form part of many courses. If you need more academic or English preparation before you start a degree, the Northumbria Pathway offers International Foundation Programmes and an International Year One in Business. These can take you into year one or year two of a degree, and there are pre-sessional English courses as well.

Entry requirements for international students

For undergraduate entry you apply with school-leaving qualifications; for postgraduate entry, with a bachelor's degree. The university's website gives guidance by country, and each course page sets out the exact requirements for that course. English language requirements vary too. The university's pre-sessional pages refer to degree programmes asking for IELTS 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5) or IELTS 6.5, and research degrees typically ask for IELTS 6.5 with no component below 6.0. If you're below the level you need, pre-sessional English is available, and the Northumbria Pathway offers foundation and International Year One routes. Because requirements vary by course, read the relevant course page before you apply.

Accommodation

For 2026 entry, the university guarantees accommodation to all new full-time undergraduate students, including international students. The guarantee applies to university-owned or university-commissioned residences, and you need to have accepted a course offer and completed the booking steps through the student portal. What's guaranteed is a single-occupancy room for the full year. Which residence you get depends on availability. You choose from the university-owned or commissioned residences on offer, and there are private rentals across Newcastle as an alternative.

Scholarships and funding

The main award to know about is the Northumbria International Scholarship. New international undergraduates starting in September 2026 get a £3,000 fee discount in their first year, plus £2,000 in later years, up to a total of £7,000. Postgraduate taught students joining in September 2026 or January 2027 get a £3,000 discount. Some applicants are offered more: those domiciled in Nigeria, for example, can receive larger awards of up to £6,000. Eligibility rules and exclusions apply, and the amounts change each year, so check the university's funding pages for the current figures before you apply.