Stirling, University of

University of Stirling

Age: 44

History: The only wholly new university in Scotland, built in 1967 after the Robbins report.

Address: A green field site on the fringe of Stirling, two miles from the city centre. Two other campus: one in Inverness and one on the island of Stornaway, both of which are centres of excellence for the teaching of nursing and midwifery.

Ambience: One of the most beautiful campuses in Europe, located at the foot of the Ochil Hills, wrapped around a loch and set in 310 acres of lush grounds, complete with Airthrey Castle and a golf course.

Vital statistics: A smallish university, with around 12,300 students, it is famous for its flexibility. It pioneered the semester system in Britain by dividing the academic year into two semesters of 15 weeks each and offers September or February entry. There is a choice of over 300 degree subjects at undergraduate level. Although around 70 per cent of the students are Scottish, 23 per cent are from abroad, representing over 100 nationalities

Added value: Designated Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, it is home to the National Swimming Academy, National Tennis Centre, Sportscotland Institute of Sport, Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland, Triathlon Scotland, and hosts golf and football academies. It runs the Winning Students programme for the most talented student athletes in Scotland and presently has 56 sports scholars training and studying on campus. Facilities are outstanding with 23 acres of playing fields, a sports hall, three squash courts and a state-of-the-art fitness centre. Its popular film, media and journalism department has introduced two masters degrees in financial journalism and public communications management. A £13.9 million library transformation is was completed in summer 2010.

Easy to get into? The university operates a system based on grades rather than the UCAS points tariff, with most courses making an offer of BBC at A-level (BBBB at Scottish Highers). There's a whole department dedicated to helping students without the grades get up to scratch, and the university has been commended for its efforts in widening access.

Glittering alumni: Iain Banks, novelist; Dr John Reid MP, former home secretary; Dr Jack McConnell MSP, former first minister, Scottish Parliament; Richie Ramsay and Catriona Matthew, professional golfers.

Transport links: Cheap bus service connects campus to city centre. Easy to reach Edinburgh (37 miles), Perth (35 miles) and Glasgow (25 miles) by car. Or try coach or train.

Who's the boss? Professor Gerry McCormac is principal and vice-chancellor.

Teaching: 17th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Research: 51st out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise.

Overall ranking: Came 45th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Acclaimed and multiple award-winning entertainment facilities. Six bars in the students union, one of which is a nightclub. Macrobert Arts Centre on campus has a 500-seat theatre, and a cinema.

How green is it? Bad - came 114th out of 142 universities graded by People & Planet for their 'Green League 2011'.

Any accommodation? Yes. 2,000 places available on campus, and a further 800 off-site. Undergrad accommodation costs beween £67 and £105 per week.

Cheap to live there? Very. You can get a room in a shared flat from around £65 per week, excluding utilities.

Sports ranking: 22nd in the BUCS league table.

Fees: Scottish and EU students do not have to pay any fees. Students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales are charged a standard Scottish tuition fee, which for 2011/2012 is £1,820 per year, with the exception of medicine, which is £2,895. Fees for 2012/2013 are yet to be decided, but it is expected they will rise by the rate of inflation.

Bursaries: None offered by the university. Students are directed towards their country's student finance body.

Prospectus: 01786 467 046; www.stir.ac.uk

UCAS code: S75