Hull, University of

(HULL UNIVERSITY)

Overall ranking: 63rd out of 126 in the 2016 Complete University Guide.

History: Founded in 1927, following a donation from local philanthropist Thomas Robinson Ferens. George VI, then the Duke of York, laid the foundation stone in 1928. Royal Charter granted in 1954.

Address: Cottingham Road, Hull. There are two campuses: one on the north-western edge of Hull, and the other in Scarborough. A new medical school, HYMS, was opened in 2003, in partnership with the University of York.

Ambience: A redbrick university, its leafy campus is cosy and friendly. With a buyers' market for student accommodation, Hull is a resurgent city on the Humber Estuary, surrounded by unspoilt countryside. The Scarborough campus is based near the centre of this vibrant coastal town.

Who's the boss? Professor Calie Pistorius has been vice-chancellor since 2009. Fellow of a number of societies, including the Royal Society of South Africa and the South African Academy of Engineering, he has more than 100 academic publications to his name.

Prospectus: 0870 126 2000 or order one here.

UCAS code: H72

What you need to know

Easy to get into? Varies. 180 – 410 UCAS entry points required, depending on the course. Five applications per place on average.

Vital statistics: A total student population across the Hull and Scarborough campuses of 17,500 students, with 2,500 staff across both campuses. More than 2,000 courses are offered every year.

Added value: Has a reputation for good teaching and ground-breaking research. Innovative social work training unit won the Queen's Anniversary Prize for higher and further education. American studies, sciences, geography, history, politics and international studies, drama and the digital arts all have good reputations. A £27.4m project to dramatically improve and modernise its Brynmor Jones Library on the Hull campus will be completed in time for the start of the 2014/15 academic year. A £2.4m redevelopment of The Lawns halls of residence has also recently been completed, along with a new biomedical research facility.

Teaching: 32nd out of 126 in the Complete University Guide.

Graduate prospects: 72nd out of 126 with 63.1 per cent finding graduate level employment.

Any accommodation? A large selection at both campuses. Fees for semi-catered rooms are from £89, with full catered rooms costing £150. Self-catered rooms cost from £69 to £114 per week.

Cheap to live there? Hull is very cost-effective. It's a buyer's market for student housing for those looking to share after the first year, with local rent averaging £60 to £90 per person per week.

Transport links: Good access to the M62 leading to the A1 or M1. Eight trains a day to and from London King's Cross direct, or change at Doncaster.

Fees: The university charges home and EU undergraduates the maximum tuition fee of £9,000 for almost all courses. Overseas students will be expected to pay higher fees, which vary depending on the field of study.

Bursaries: There is a wide range of scholarships and bursaries available, offering financial support in the form of fee waivers and awards. Click here for further details and to see whether you are eligible for financial support.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: There's a £3.2m nightclub, Asylum, on the Hull Campus, entirely funded by the Students' Union. The Tower is the biggest and longest running student night in Hull, so head there every Wednesday during term. Hull clubs cater for tastes from hard house to trance, indie and cheesy pop.

Price of a pint: Not too expensive in relation to the national average, at around £2.30.

Sporting reputation: Could be worse, currently ranking 69th out of 145 in the BUCS league.

Notable societies: There are all sorts of quirky societies on offer alongside the more conventional ones. Join the Love Society for that warm fuzzy feeling or unleash your inner Star Wars geek as part of the Lightsaber Duelling Society. There's even a Steampunk and Neo-Victorian Society.

Glittering alumni: Anthony Minghella, director of Cold Mountain; John McCarthy, journalist and former Beirut hostage; Lord Roy Hattersley; former deputy PM John Prescott; poet Roger McGogh; BBC Radio 4 presenter Jenni Murray; chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola, Muhtar Kent; Philip Larkin, former Poet Laureate, was the university's Llbrarian for 30 years.

Alternative prospectus: Sneak a peek at how current and recent students rate their university experience at Hull on What Uni? here. Categories range from the course and accommodation to city life and eye candy.