York, University of

University of York

Age: 48

History: A child of the sixties, like the universities of Warwick, Essex, East Anglia, Sussex, Kent and Lancaster.

Address: Two sites: the main one is one mile from the centre of York in the village of Heslington, and is undergoing a major expansion; the other is a medieval manor in the city centre.

Ambience: The main campus is set in a rural landscape wrapped around two lakes. A collegiate university, it has eight colleges. Some departments are based in college, others have their own purpose-built premises.

Vital statistics: Around 15,000 students, just over 10,000 of which are full-time undergrads. Highly rated for teaching ahnd research, York is one of the most successful of the 1960s universities. Its policy of concentrating on a small number of large departments has paid off.

Added value: The Hull York Medical School welcomed its first students in September 2003, and York Law School and the department of theatre, film and television admitted their first undergraduates in 2008. The university runs the York Award, where you study subjects such as IT, languages, financial management and active citizenship – with the emphasis on applying skills through voluntary work and work placements. It also runs the award-winning ‘York Students in Schools’ scheme, where students volunteer in schools. Strong links with the business community across science, social science and humanities departments. The university hosts the National Centre for Science Learning. £750 million is being invested in the expansion of Heslington East, which is currently reaching the end of its first phase. A further £60 million is being invested throughout 2011/2012 to deliver a new sports village, a new Langwith College, library refurbishments and chemistry research facilities.

Easy to get into? Competitive. Courses ask for grades rather than UCAS points. Typical offers range from AAA at A-level to BBC. In 2010, applicants had an average of 420 UCAS points.

Glittering alumni: Former BBC director general Greg Dyke (now the university's chancellor); the late Labour MP Tony Banks; Harriet Harman MP; writer Helen Dunmore; Victor Lewis-Smith, writer and radio presenter; Sunday Times editor John Witherow.

Transport links: Take the train or a coach (cheaper) for London, Glasgow or Birmingham. For local travel, use buses or bikes.

Who's the boss? Professor Brian Cantor, a world authority on materials manufacturing.

Teaching: 11th out of 114 for student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide.

Research: 8th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise.

Overall ranking: 12th out of 114 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Plenty of pubs, restaurants and wine bars in York, although music venues are a bit scarce. Each college has a bar. Students’ union music consists mostly of local bands and cover acts.

How green is it? Not great – came joint 83rd out of 142 universities graded by People and Planet for its 'Green League 2011'.

Any accommodation? A room in college halls costs between £85 to £118 per week. 33 per cent of undergraduates live in University-owned or managed accommodation. All first year undergraduates who apply by the deadline date are guaranteed a place in university-owned or managed accommodation.

Cheap to live there? About average – private rents are £65 to £80 per week.

Sports ranking: 48th in the BUCS league table.

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

Bursaries: Up to £1,436 per year via the means-tested University of York Bursary for students with an annual household income of up to £41,040. As of 2012, the university will award £4,500 to first years with a residual family income of up to £25,000 per year, and £2,000 for each subsequent year, to offset against tuition and accommodation fees.

Prospectus: 01904 433 527; www.york.ac.uk

UCAS code: Y50