De Montfort University

Age: 141

History: The Leicester School of Art was founded in 1870 – the earliest point in the academic history of the Institution. Became a polytechnic in 1969 and then gained university status in 1992.

Address: Two Leicester campuses – Main City Campus in the centre of Leicester and, just outside, the smaller Charles Frears Campus for Nursing and Midwifery students.

Ambience: A vibrant city centre with a diverse population and a strong sense of multiculturalism benefiting arts, culture and lifestyle across the city.

Vital statistics: More than 18,400 undergrads, of whom 3,400 are part-timers. Also 3,500 postgrads and almost 5,000 non-degree students. Data from 2009/10 indicates that approximately 23 per cent of full-time undergraduates are over 21 at the start of their course.

Added value: Wide variety of courses. Impressive new campus - £186.5 million has been invested in first class facilities and since the year 2000. 95.4 per cent of students are in employment or further study within six months of graduation.

Easy to get into? Accepts a wide-range of qualifications for entry including traditional A-level, Access and BTEC National Awards. However this depends on the course. A typical offer for an undergraduate degree is 260 UCAS points from two passes at A-level (or equivalent).

Glittering alumni: Charles Dance OBE, actor; Engelbert Humperdinck, crooner; Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards; Ken Shuttleworth, architect; Alan Lloyd, pharmacist; Andy Gotts, photographer.

Transport links: Good. Staff and students have free use of the Hospital Hopper bus service that stops outside the Charles Frears Campus and just three minutes from the City Campus, and takes you straight into the city centre. Plenty of commercial buses also stop close to both campuses. Both campuses are within one mile of the train station.

Who's the boss? Professor Dominic Shellard is vice-chancellor.

Teaching: Ranked 45th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide. It boasts the second largest number of National Teaching Fellows of any UK university,

Research: Ranked 59th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise. For English Literature research it received the 4th highest overall average score, equal with Cambridge and Warwick.

Overall ranking: 81st out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: A very varied mix to suit all tastes. The students' union (Level 1) is the main bar and hosts its own club nights. There's also a winter and summer ball. Many city bars and clubs offer student promotions. The campus is situated between numerous bars and clubs in the city centre and Braunstone Gate/Narborough Road – the other major entertainment area in the city.

How green is it? Came 14th out of 138 universities graded by People & Planet for their 'Green League 2011', an assessment of environmental performance. The university continues to successfully reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact alongside world-leading research in its Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development.

Any accommodation? Yes - the university offers around 3,000 rooms in 10 modern halls of residence. Most rents are between £90 and £105 per week.

Cheap to live there? Not bad. Private rental averages £60 per week, excluding bills.

Sports ranking: Came 96th in the BUCS league.

Fees: £3,375 per year for full-time undergrads starting in 2011. The university plans to charge between £6,000 and £9,000 per year for 2012 entry, but precise fees are yet to be announced.

Bursaries: DMU offers a number of bursaries and scholarships, dependent on various criteria. For more details visit the website.

Prospectus: 08459 454 647; www.dmu.ac.uk

UCAS code: D26