Kingston University

Kingston University

Age: 20, as a university.

History: Started out as Kingston Tech in 1899, comprising schools of technology and art. In 1930, art split away. Came back in 1970 to form Kingston Poly. Became a university in 1992.

Address: Four campuses in and around Kingston-Upon-Thames, south-west London. Penrhyn Road is biggest site, housing science, arts and social sciences and computing, information systems and mathematics. Art, design and architecture is at Knights Park; business, law, healthcare, music and education at Kingston Hill; engineering at Roehampton Vale.

Ambience: Pleasant part of London, containing two parks and Hampton Court, one-time home of Henry VIII. The town centre, including the medieval market square, has been pedestrianised, with a number of new bars and enhanced walkways along the Thames. Penrhyn Road is lively; Kingston Hill leafy; Roehampton Vale full of hard-working engineers; and Knights Park heaving with hyper-trendy arty types wandering by a small river and green terraces.

Vital statistics: More than 25,000 students, with just over 20,000 undergrads. Around 40 per cent of undergrads are over 21 at the start of their course. Famous for art and design, surveying, business and aerospace engineering.

Added value: Pioneering work on peer-assisted learning encourages second-year students to help first years adapt to student life. The university collaborates widely with businesses and schools so students gain practical experience. A theatre opened officially in 2005 with Sir Peter Hall, the university's chancellor, as director. Excellent sporting facilities with a Talented Athlete Scheme to encourage top sporty types.

Easy to get into? Varies: requirements range from a mere 100 UCAS entry points for a three year degree course to a stringent 320. Kingston welcomes mature students and those without standard qualifications.

Glittering alumni: Eric Clapton; actor Trevor Eve; writer Nick Hornby; fashion designer Helen Storey.

Transport links: Free university bus service shuttles between campuses and stops in the town centre and at local bus and railway stations. London is 25 minutes by train. Motorways close by. And Heathrow a 45-minute drive.

Who's the boss? Julius Weinberg is vice-chancellor. He formerly held the position at City University.

Teaching: Came 95th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide in 2011.

Research: Ranked 84th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise in 2011.

Overall ranking: Came 85th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Active student drama scene. Plus live bands and club nights. Bars and clubs in the town centre fill up at weekends. Buses and trains mean easy access to London to satisfy the wilder partying needs.

How green is it? Alright - came 42nd out of 145 universities graded by People and Planet for their 'Green League 2012', an assessment of environmental performance.

Any accommodation? Yes, a range of options available, ranging in price from £99 to £192 per week.

Cheap to live there? Not too extortionate for London. Rooms in private accommodation averaged £85 per week in 2011.

Sports Ranking: 32nd in the BUCS league table.

Fees: Kingston charges £8,500 or £9,000 per year for undergraduate degrees starting in 2012.

Bursaries: A means-tested bursary of up to £1,000 per year is available to eligible students who have an annual household income of less than £39,797. A further bursary of £300 is available to students coming from local schools and colleges as part of the Kingston University Compact Scheme, and students who have been in local authority care may be eligible for a bursary of £1,000.

Prospectus: 020 8547 7053 / www.kingston.ac.uk

UCAS code: K84