Newcastle University

(James Fish)

Overall ranking: Came 26th out of 126 in the Complete University Guide for 2016.

History: Originally founded as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and part of Durham University from 1852. Awarded university charter as the University of Newcastle upon-Tyne in 1963. Following a rebranding exercise in 2006, the university's official trading name became Newcastle University.

Address: A 50-acre campus in Newcastle city centre. A medical campus in Malaysia offers medicine and biomedical science degrees while a campus in Singapore runs degree courses in naval architecture.

Ambience: Classic red-brick campus with attractive Victorian buildings arranged in blocks around paved squares. Newcastle itself is a compact city with a reputation as a world-class destination for culture and nightlife. Northumberland is nearby with its unspoilt coastline and historic castles.

Who's the boss? Professor Chris Brink, vice-chancellor, whose previous career was divided between academic and management positions in South Africa and Australia.

Prospectus: 0191 208 3333 or request one to be delivered here.

UCAS code: N21

What you need to know

Easy to get into? Mixed bag. Newcastle don't make offers on the basis of tariff points, but on exam grades. Generally, offers are in the range of ABB to AAA, but can vary according to subject.

Vital statistics: Currently over 22,000 students in total, with 16,872 full-time undergrads across its campuses. It has over 4,000 mature students, and 5,654 staff, including those based overseas. A university increasingly sought after due to its nightlife and academic reputation, Newcastle is one of 24 Russell Group universities dedicated to the highest levels of excellence in research and teaching.

Added value: Wired up with over 2,000 networked PCs across campus and blanket wireless access over most of it. Newcastle is big on sport and has over 55 established sports clubs. The sports centre incorporates a large sports hall with a 125-station health and fitness suite, three large activity halls, four squash courts and a dance studio. Five main sports sites are located in and around the city, including pitches and courts, a floodlit all-weather pitch for hockey and football, an 18-hole golf course to the west of the city and a boat house located on the Tyne.

Hot on student employability, establishing extensive links with over 1,500 local, national and international graduate employers to ensure students develop relevant skills and experience which are of real benefit after graduation. There is an £11m cancer research centre and an £18m environment and e-science institute. The university is currently undergoing a £150m programme of investment. Recent developments include a new Business School building, a £35m building which houses many of the main student services under one roof, an £8m renovation of the Grade II listed Students’ Union and new and refurbished accommodation sites.

Transport links: The Metro, Newcastle's underground train system, has a station opposite the campus and connects to nearby suburbs, the coast and the airport. The central station is 15 minutes walk away or five minutes by Metro. It takes three hours to get to London by train and an hour and a half to reach Edinburgh. Newcastle International Airport is a 30 minute Metro journey away. A good road network provides fast motorway links with all major cities in the UK and the International Ferry Terminal connects with Holland.

Teaching: Came 23rd out of 126 in the Complete University Guide student satisfaction rankings.

Graduate prospects: Ranked 19th with 78.7 per cent finding graduate employment on completing their degree.

Any accommodation? Over 5,000 rooms, most of which are 10 minutes walk from the campus and the city centre. The weekly rate for a place in university-owned accommodation is from £78.98 per week to £139.50 per week for undergraduate accommodation and to £145.60 per week for postgraduate accommodation.

Cheap to live there? Yes- students living and studying in Newcastle can generally expect a lower cost of living than in many other parts of the UK. The average cost for private rented accommodation is £75 per week. A night out doesn't have to break the bank either as many venues offer student discounts and run special student nights.

Fees: As for 2012 entry, fees are £9,000 per year for new undergraduates. International undergrads can expect to pay more, with prices adjusting depending on type of study. See here for more details.

Bursaries: Lots of scholarships and bursaries are available, such as tuition fee reductions and Sports Scholarships. Click here to find out more.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Buzzing seven nights a week with bars, clubs and restaurants that spill out on to the Quayside from the city centre. Popular night time venues include Chase, Digital, Florita's, Tiger Tiger, the Hyena Comedy Club and the O2 Academy. The Students' Union is popular too- try 'CCTV' at Venue on a Saturday night.

Price of a pint: About £3 but beers can be found for cheaper in some student-friendly bars.

Sporting reputation: Very good- currently in 11th place in the BUCS league.

Notable societies: Tea lovers, Newcastle is calling you to join Socie-Tea for tea reading, sampling and socials including drinking from tea pots. Gourmet Society is for the cooks among you, featuring Come Dine With Me style socials.

Glittering alumni: Richard Adams, founder of Traidcraft; Kate Adie, television journalist; Rowan Atkinson, comedian; Ed Coode, Olympic rower; Tom May, Newcastle Falcons and England rugby player; Sir Terry Farrell, leading architect; Bryan Ferry, singer; Debbie Horsfield, writer of 'Cutting It' and 'True Dare Kiss'; Ross Millard, lead singer of The Futureheads; Paul Smith, Maximo Park frontman; John Yorke, head of drama production at the BBC.

Alternative prospectus: For more info on your potential future university, check out The Student Room.