East Riding College

East Riding College (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills)

History: Formed in March 2002 by the merger of Beverley and East Yorkshire colleges.

Address: The two main campuses are in the towns of Bridlington and Beverley.

Ambience: The Beverley campus is set in the tree-filled grounds of Longcroft Hall, five minutes from the centre of this beautiful market town. The state-of-the-art Bridlington campus opened in summer 2009 and is 15 minutes from the centre of this popular seaside resort.

Who's the boss? Economics and social history graduate Derek Branton is the college's principal.

Prospectus: 0845 120 0037 or request one online here.

UCAS code: E29

What you need to know

Foundation Degrees: Applied digital media; early childhood policy and practice; learning support; health and social care; computing; sports, exercise and health science; working with substance misuse; and public services. It also offers PGCE and CE courses.

Easy to get into? UCAS point requirements are set by their partner universities, as is the application process. All HE students will have a guidance interview to make sure they are at the right level and on the right course.

Vital statistics: There are about 1,600 full-time students at the college and a further 8,000 part-timers. 90 per cent of students are on further education courses and there are about 500 members of staff.

Added value: It’s small to medium sized so there’s a genuinely friendly culture and everyone knows everyone else. Offers higher education courses in association with the Universities of Huddersfield and Hull. Hair and beauty salons and restaurants on both campuses and a travel agency in Bridlington all open to the public.

Teaching: Rated as good by Ofsted in 2011, with several areas being 'outstanding'. Divided between the two main campuses.

Any accommodation? None provided by the college.

Cheap to live there? Hull is one of the cheapest places to live in the country and the same is true of Bridlington and Beverley. Privately rented accommodation can be found for between £45 and £65 per week.

Transport links: Beverley, Bridlington and their satellite villages are well served by buses. There are train stations about 20 minutes walk from both the Bridlington and Beverley sites.

Fees: Vary widely between courses, with most higher education courses priced at £5,750 per year. Get in touch with the college for detailed information.

Bursaries: No specific awards offered by the college, although it says it may be able to assist with costs associated with learning and encourages students to get in touch if they feel they may need help. Free travel and a bursary of up to £1,200 for students aged 16 to 18 living more than two miles from their place of study.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Beverley has pubs, bars and restaurants, and has a strong café culture. Bridlington has a few clubs, plenty of bars and pubs. The brighter lights of Hull are about eight miles away.

Price of a pint: £2.30 on average in Hull. Local pubs are student-friendly and most places accept NUS cards.

Sporting reputation: Does not feature in the BUCS league. Sports pitch and fitness suite at Bridlington.

Glittering alumni: None as yet, but give it time.