Lancaster University

Next open day: Saturday 27 June

Join us for an undergraduate open day and see our beautiful campus, facilities, and accommodation.

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Overview

Lancaster is a top 10 UK university (Complete University Guide 2026) set on a 578‑acre parkland campus in north-west England.

Our campus is three miles from the historic, student‑friendly city centre, with great transport links to the Lake District and major cities across the UK. Here, you’ll learn from leading academics in an inspiring, research-led environment that has earned us a QS 5 Star award for overall performance.

Our degrees are designed with employability in mind, and Lancaster is one of the top 30 most targeted universities by leading graduate employers (High Fliers 2025).

We’re home to a diverse, close-knit community of students and staff from over 120 countries. We’re proud to be one of a handful of collegiate universities in the UK, giving you support, a ready-made community, and a feeling of belonging from the moment you arrive.

Student life

Life outside your studies is a vital part of the university experience. At Lancaster, you’ll join a welcoming, diverse community with plenty of opportunities to make friends and feel at home.

Lancaster University Students’ Union (LUSU) is at the heart of student life, giving you the support, opportunities and voice to shape your university experience.

LUSU supports over 200 student‑run clubs and societies, from sports and craft clubs to academic and cultural groups. If the society you want isn’t here already, you can even start your own!

There’s an exciting calendar of events throughout the year, including festive markets in the winter and the Roses tournament in the summer. Roses is a whole weekend of sports, cheering, and fun as we compete against our sporting rivals, the University of York.

LUSU also runs The Sugarhouse, a student-only nightclub in Lancaster city centre, with a dedicated late-night bus service to help you get back to campus safely.

Campus and facilities

Our beautiful campus is often described as a small town of its own. With everything you need in one place, it’s designed to help you feel at home and make the most of your time at Lancaster.

You’ll find plenty of places to eat and relax, including cafes, bars, takeaways, and restaurants. There’s also a theatre, art gallery, sports centre, and a student‑run cinema for when you want to unwind or try something new.

For everyday essentials, the campus has two supermarkets, a sustainable goods shop, a post office, a pharmacy, a doctor’s surgery, cash machines (ATMs), and launderettes. We also have prayer rooms, and our Chaplaincy Centre welcomes people of all faiths and none.

Support and wellbeing

At Lancaster, you’ll be surrounded by a strong community that’s committed to helping you thrive.

Everyone’s needs are different, so we offer a range of free, professional support services that you can access whenever you need them during your studies.

The support we offer includes:

advice and guidance on academic, personal or financial concerns;
pastoral, faith-based and peer support;
specialist wellbeing, counselling or practitioner-led services;
reasonable adjustments for disabilities or long-term health conditions; and
careers support for life.

Our self-contained campus also has 24-hour security during term-time, helping you feel safe and supported while you live and learn here.

Location

Nestled between two of the UK’s most famous National Parks (the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales), Lancaster is a historic, student-friendly city in the north-west of England. Compact and easy to navigate, it offers everything you’d expect from a city, plus the added advantage of nearby coastline and countryside.

Among the cobbled streets and stunning architecture, you’ll find a thriving coffee quarter. Atkinson’s, the city’s primary roaster, has been brewing for over 180 years and supplies many of Lancaster’s independent cafes.

Alongside familiar high-street names, Lancaster is packed with unique bars, stylish boutiques, and quirky entertainment spaces. Two theatres, cinemas, museums, and late-night art venues are dotted throughout the city. A busy calendar of events, from a light festival to live music gigs, means there’s always something happening.

Our city blends green space with urban life. A firm favourite is Williamson Park: 54 acres of park and woodland where you can walk, relax, picnic, and even visit a mini zoo.

All this is just three miles from our campus. With excellent transport links, Lancaster is well‑connected to major UK cities and beauty spots. Trains reach the Lake District in 30 minutes, Manchester in an hour, and London or Edinburgh in around 2.5 hours.

Fees and funding

The cost for attending university can be broken down into two main elements – tuition fees and living expenses. Tuition fees vary based on fee status (home or international), course, and length/mode of study.

We believe that funding concerns should not hold back any student with the talent to thrive at Lancaster. That’s why we provide a variety of financial support to help make university more accessible and affordable.

Scholarships and bursaries to support your studies

We offer a range of generous scholarships and bursaries that can help with tuition fees and living costs. You’ll be automatically considered for these when you apply to Lancaster, so no separate application is needed. Plus, additional support is available for care leavers and estranged students.

Expert advice to help you manage your money

You can access guidance on budgeting, managing money, and opening a bank account through our Student Money Advice Service. The Student Funding team can also assist with information on all aspects of student funding, student finance assessments, and internal university funding.

Cost of living initiatives

Lancaster’s cost of living is lower than many big cities, and we offer a variety of services to help you save money, including:

Lancaster Opportunity and Access Fund (LOAF), providing additional funding for students in financial hardship
Pre-paid dining schemes offering discounts of up to 50%
The ‘Don’t Ditch It, Donate It’ project, which sells affordable second-hand items
Food initiatives including college community cupboards and free meal events

Careers

A degree from Lancaster opens a world of possibility for your future. All our courses are designed to provide you with the skills and knowledge to prepare you for success after graduation.

Lancaster graduates are in demand – we're one of the top 30 most targeted universities by the UK’s leading graduate employers (High Fliers 2025).

The University benefits from strong industry connections, with student and graduate recruiters engaging with us all year round. You’ll have access to regular careers fairs and events, as well as free lifelong careers guidance – we’re here for as long as you need us.

During your studies, our teams of experienced career professionals can help you plan your next steps. We can assist with applying to internships and placement roles, writing an impressive CV, and practising interviews. The Career Mentoring Programme can match you with a professional in your chosen industry, offering personalised insight and guidance. And through our entrepreneurship scheme, Work in Progress, you can develop your business ideas and get support to turn them into real ventures.

You’ll also have the chance to complete the Lancaster Award. Developed in partnership with employers, the certificate is formal recognition of the extracurricular activities that make you an attractive candidate in the graduate job market.

Studying at Lancaster means you’ll graduate feeling confident and well‑equipped for your career, connecting with a global alumni network of 180,000 graduates in over 190 countries.