Northumbria University

Northumbria University

Age: 19

History: Newcastle Polytechnic was reborn as Northumbria University in 1992.

Address: Two campuses in and near to Newcastle upon Tyne City Centre – City Campus and Coach Lane Campus.

Ambience: City Campus West, in the centre of Newcastle, is a mix of Victorian municipal and sixties concrete. A new sports facility opened in 2010 and the centre has been mooted as a training venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Vital statistics: One of the biggest of the new universities, with over 31,000 students, more than half of whom are full-time undergraduates.

Added value: Big on solar power: Northumberland Building in the City Campus was fitted with the largest solar panel in the country and the university has opened a new and renewable energy laboratory. A £100m development has just been completed at the City Campus East. Also big for fashion and nursing.

Easy to get into? Yes, on the whole. The average entry requirement is 280 UCAS points, although there are a range of access schemes for those from non-traditional backgrounds. Work or other relevant experience is sometimes accepted in place of formal qualifications.

Glittering alumni: Pop star Sting; Rodney Bickerstaffe, UNISON; Scott Henshall, fashion designer; Jonathan Ive, one of the designers of the iPod and iMac; and Victoria Pendleton, gold Olympic medal winner.

Transport links: Good for trains: high-speed service links London, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Tube. International airport.

Who's the boss? Professor Andrew Wathey is vice-chancellor and chief executive.

Teaching: 63rd out of 116 in the Complete University Guide..

Research: 75th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise.

Overall ranking: Came 60th out of 114 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Hot. Four award-winning union bars and four dance nights a week. Live music is a big attraction in the city. Visit the large arena or smaller clubs.

How green is it? Poor - joint 107th out of 138 universities graded by People and Planet for their 'Green League 2011', an assessment of environmental performance.

Any accommodation? Yes, rent ranges from £70 to £130 per week for a room, or £119 to £28 per week for a studio flat.

Cheap to live there? Not particularly. A room in a shared flat will set you back around £85 per week.

Sports ranking: 19th in the BUCS league table.

Fees: £3,375 per year for full-time home undergrads starting in 2011. Northumbria plans to charge £8,500 per year as of 2012.

Bursaries: £500 per year is available to students in receipt of a full maintenance grant.

Prospectus: 0191 227 4064; www.northumbria.ac.uk

UCAS code: N77