Isle of Man College of Further & Higher Education

History: Began with the Douglas School of Art in 1880, became the School of Technology, Arts and Crafts in 1947 and the College of Further Education in 1960. Current title adopted in 1991. Isle of Man College and the Isle of Man International Business School merged in 2012.

Address: Located near the centre of Douglas close to the famous TT course grandstand. The IBS is located in a magnificent 19th century mansion house, known as 'The Nunnery', set in acres of parkland on the fringes of Douglas, the island's capital.

Ambience: The Isle of Man is a beautiful Island with breathtaking scenery, unspoilt beaches and a relaxed pace of life making it a popular tourist area.

Who's the boss? The principal of the college is Professor Ronald Barr while the acting director of the IBS is Dr Jacqueline Yates.

Prospectus: 01624 648 200 or visit the website here.

What you need to know

Easy to get into: Business degrees at IBS require 240+ UCAS points, with at least 160 at A-level, although applications can be reviewed on a case by case basis. HEC admission details to all degree courses are available on request but typically students are admitted after interview and in all cases must have relevant A-level or other equivalent relevant qualifications.

Vital statistics: The HEC recruits about 5,000 part-time students and over 900 full-time students and offers a variety of degree and HND qualifications. The IBS is a small but growing institution with approx 300 students both on full-time and part-time business programmes. Although the majority of The IBS students are from the Isle of Man, The IBS also attracts international students.

Added value: The main campus of the HEC has over 300 computer terminals and holds over 25,000 items in the library providing comprehensive coverage of all course subjects. The IBS has two computer suites with broadband and wi-fi connection throughout the building, and provide online access to academic papers and journals to aid learning. In addition, the library contains all core text books and additional reading materials. Students benefit from a strong personal tutor system and smaller classes with highly qualified and experienced lecturers, giving a first-class educational service. 25 per cent of undergraduates achieved a first in 2010. Dedicated lecture theatres, highly equipped teaching rooms, computer facilities, study areas and an award-winning French chef are also offered. All courses are endorsed by Liverpool John Moores or Chester University.

Any accommodation: Affordable rented accommodation is available locally.

Cheap to live there? The cost of living is comparable to the south east of the UK outside London.

Transport links: The Isle of Man is located in the Irish Sea between the Islands of Great Britain and Ireland. The sea terminal in Douglas is served by frequent ferries to and from Liverpool and Heysham as well as Dublin and Belfast. The airport in Ronaldsway provide numerous flights to the majority of the UK and Ireland airports.

Fees: Course fees vary quite a bit but history degrees are are £3,637 full-time, or £1,864 part-time.

Bursaries: View the college's financial support page here.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: For those that enjoy bands or a relaxed evening, Douglas town centre has the Gaiety Theatre, Palace Cinema and the Villa Marina holding a variety of high quality productions and shows including Rent and Bugsy Malone, comedians Dara O'Brien, Ricky Tomlinson, Andy Parsons and Lee Evans, and music acts from The Pigeon Detectives to Morrissey.

Sporting facilities: Keep Fit classes are offered at nearby schools.