Plymouth, University of

University of Plymouth

Age: 19

History: Started life educating navigators in 1862, and evolved to become a college of technology. Then received polytechnic status and became one of the country's largest universities.

Address: The city centre campus is five minutes from the train station and near to local shops, cafés and bars. The seafront and historic Barbican are a short stroll away. The university’s network of partner colleges stretches across the South West from Bristol to Jersey. The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry is run in partnership with Exeter University, with sites in Truro, Plymouth and Exeter, and it provides nurse, midwifery, social work and health profession education teaching facilities in Truro, Exeter and Taunton as well as Plymouth.

Ambience: Students in Plymouth are close to Dartmoor and the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. Good social scene and watersports galore - surfing, sailing and diving in particular.

Vital statistics: Largest university in the South West with around 33,000 students including around16,700 undergraduates. Good for computer science, marine studies, the arts, engineering, geography, nursing, education and business.

Added value: Nationally recognised as one of the UK’s top universities for teaching excellence, having gained 12 national teaching fellowships and £18m for four Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. It has a 'Skills Plus' project encouraging students to become volunteers, do work-based learning, early careers guidance and relevant part-time/vacation work. It is rated highly for education for sustainable development. It has a cinema, performance space and café as well as state-of-the-art teaching facilities. Education and health and social work students benefit from new purpose-built facilities, and labs and computer suites have undergone million-pound investment, as has the students’ union. It has a campus-based fitness suite and sports halls, and is investing £2.5m into a new facilities including a 50m pool, all-weather climbing facility, and12-court sports hall.

Easy to get into? Individual entry requirements range from 200 to 370 UCAS entry points, although non-traditional applicants with commitment and ability in place of qualifications are also welcomed.

Glittering alumni: Baroness Wilcox, consumer champion; Michael Underwood, TV presenter; Pam St Clement, EastEnders actress; Conrad Humphreys, yachtsman; David Braine and Clare Nasir, BBC and ITV weather forecasters.

Transport links: Three hours from London by rail and three-and-a-half by road.

Who's the boss? Wendy Purcell is vice-chancellor. She graduated from Plymouth way back in 1985, and returns as an internationally recognised biomedical researcher. She also collects modern art.

Teaching: Came 92nd out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Research: Came 70th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Excercise.

Overall ranking: 53rd out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: There is a vibrant student union. Amazing number of clubs in Plymouth, students' union has its own nightclub with late licence at weekend.

How green is it? Excellent – came fourth out of 142 universities graded by People and Planet for their 'Green League 2011'.

Any accommodation? Yes. The university allocates a variety of rooms based in eight different properties, from standard rooms with shared bathrooms and kitchen facilities to en suite rooms with shared kitchens and self contained studio rooms with private kitchen and bathroom facilities. Rents range from £80 to £133 per week.

Cheap to live there? About average. Private rents range between £75 and £90 per week.

Sports ranking: 41st in the BUCS league.

Fees: £3,375 per year for full-time home udnergrads starting in 2011. The university plans on charging £9,000 per year as of 2012.

Bursaries: A university bursary of up to £900 per year is available to students with a family income of less than £25,000 per year and in receipt of a full maintenance grant in 2011.

Prospectus: 01752 585 858; www.plymouth.ac.uk

UCAS code: P60