Greenwich School of Management

History: Established in Greenwich in 1973 as an independent college of higher education, specialising in business management and cognate areas. Originally taught professional accountancy and banking, but for the past 20 years its focus has been on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes up to doctorate level.

Address: One campus is located in south-east London's historic Greenwich, with another newly-opened in Greenford to accommodate a further 6,000 students

Ambience: Greenwich is by the Thames and has fabulous markets to rummage through at the weekends, cosy pubs and the Cutty Sark. Close to the Royal Park and the old Royal Naval College.

Who's the boss? William Hunt BEd MA PhD.

Prospectus: 020 8516 7800

UCAS code: G74

What you need to know

Easy to get into? Not too difficult. BSc programmes ask for two A-level passes, while both undergraduate law courses ask for 240 UCAS points. BBAs validated by Northwood University only require 5 GCSE passes.

Vital statistics: Unusual three-semester calendar year with teaching through the summer, allowing flexible start dates (February, June and October), as well as the possibility of completing a University of Plymouth BSc (Hons) in only two years. Offers full time, part time and weekend programmes, awarded degree status by the University of Plymouth and the University of Wales. American BBA degrees are awarded by Northwood University, Michigan.

Added value: For the undergraduate there are good financial advantages, including a smaller top-up fee than usual, a pay-by-installment facility, and the possibility of a fast-track two-year course (you can work out in your final year). Those studying for a BBA get to travel to Midland, Michigan, to complete their studies.

Teaching: External examiners from validating universities gave a positive report to the school in 2010 following an investigation of areas such as methods of assessment, consultation process, information provided to students, assessment criteria, feedback to students and academic performance standards.

Any accommodation: None provided by the school but their accommodation officer can assist. The nearby Student Village is a popular choice, with prices for en-suite rooms starting from £168 per week. Home-stay is another option, with meals, laundry and cleaning supplied from £130 per week.

Cheap to live there? Not very - private rents locally are at least £85 per week exclusive of bills. Rooms outside Greenwich may be cheaper but travel costs to reach the college will naturally be higher.

Transport links: National rail, underground, Docklands Light Railway and London City Airport are within easy reach.

Fees: As an independent provider of higher education the school is not restricted by guidelines on fees. Course rates vary but cost £6,000 per year on average.

Bursaries: Three categories of variable bursaries: The Principal's Bursary for non-EU students, The Nelson's Bursary for serving or retired members of the armed forces, and The Educationist's Bursary for any member of the teaching profession. No restrictions currently apply to the number of bursaries available. The school also offers two full scholarships, based on academic excellence. An application form can be obtained online.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Greenwich is a popular tourist area with numerous restaurants and bars, while good rail connections allow access to the West End in about 20 minutes.

Sporting facilities: None.

Glittering alumni: Over 20,000 successful graduates worldwide, many of whom occupy high profile positions in industry and the public sector.