Mid-Cheshire College

Mid-Cheshire College

Age: 114

History: Grew out of Verdin Technical College. The Verdin Centre was built by Sir Joseph Verdin to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It was opened by the Duke and Duchess of Westminster on the 24th June 1897. Hartford Campus opened in 1981, brand new arts and creative media building opened in October 2008. The brand new Winsford Campus opened in 2010.

Address: English country. The market town of Northwich is two miles away. Nature lovers can lose themselves in Delamere Forest and Tatton Park. Wales, the Wirrall, and the Lake District are a day trip away and, for the occasional car-fume fix, Chester, Manchester, and Liverpool are within easy travelling distance.

Ambience: Modern, chic and continuing to change. The Winsford Campus was the result of £9.6m of investment and provides a state-of-the-art higher education centre, while governors recently approved plans for a £7.5m project to develop new buildings on the Hartford site.

Vital statistics: Around 10,000 students. Courses from entry level to foundation degrees. A partner of Manchester Metropolitan University. More than 22,000 books in the library.

Added value: A nursery offers full day care on the Hartford site, restaurant and beauty salon. Students can use the college fitness centre free of charge.

Easy to get into? You'll need 120 UCAS points (or equivalent); three GCSEs at (grade C or above) and one A-level or Access to HE or NVQ 3 to study a foundation degree.

Glittering alumni: None as yet.

Transport links: Most students at the college live locally and travel in from within a 15 mile radius. Transport for them is provided via local bus companies.

Who's the boss? John Reilly, principal since 2002. Plays rugby every Saturday afternoon, so presumably has no problems keeping order at the college.

Teaching: Grade one, outstanding Ofsted inspection profile 2008/2009.

Foundation Degrees: Business management; commercial music technology; contemporary photography; fashion design; sports coaching and physical education; engineering with mechanical and electrical pathways; graphic design; information and communication technology; supporting teaching and learning; travel and tourism management.

Nightlife: Northwich has pubs, restaurants and a cinema. Otherwise, it's a case of making your own fun in the hay or catching a bus to the bright lights of Chester or Manchester.

Any accommodation? None provided by the college - you're on your own when it comes to finding a flat but student services can help finding local accommmodation.

Cheap to live there? A room in a shared house in Northwich usually costs around £75 per week.

Fees: £1,875 per year for full-time foundation degrees, and £950 for part-timers, starting in 2011. The college is yet to announce its fees for 2012 entry.

Bursaries: None offered by the college.

Prospectus: 0160 674 444; www.midchesh.ac.uk

UCAS code: M77