York College

York College (York College)

History: York College dates back to the 1800s, though it moved to a snazzy new site in September 2007. The college is over 100 years old.

Address: York, near the Knavesmire Racecourse.

Ambience: York is full of rambling Tudor houses, meandering back streets and has a lively market. The Minster and city walls are great backdrops to youthful romance. It's also well placed for exploring Yorkshire's national parks and coast, and the cosmopolitan cities of Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh and London.

Who's the boss? Dr Alison Birkinshaw became principal in January 2008.

Prospectus: 01904 770200 or have a look through their 'student life' section here.

UCAS code: Y70

What you need to know

Easy to get into? Requirements vary, but you'll need some kind of Level 3 qualification to study an HE course.

Foundation degrees: Business management; health services management; community and public services; fashion design; holistic and spa treatments; media make-up and hair design for television, film and theatre; sports therapy; young children's learning and development; engineering.

Vital statistics: Around 8,400 students, including 4,350 who study full-time. Around 400 students study at university level. It recently had a big revamp, and in 2007 a new £60m centre with state-of-the-art-facilities opened. It offers a range of academic and vocational qualifications at all levels, and works alongside local education providers and businesses. The college offers courses from pre-vocational through to degree level, and is an associate college of the University of York.

Added value: Good links with local universities and industry.

Teaching: 'An outstanding environment for teaching and learning' (Ofsted, 2008).

Any accommodation? None provided by the college, but if you need assistance and have been offered a place on a full-time higher education course at the college, the accommodation office will be happy to help.

Cheap to live there? Can vary, depending where you look and live. In 2013, private rents were around £70-80 per week for a room in a shared house.

Transport links: There's a park-and-ride opposite the college, which gives easy access from the city centre, and college buses cover the outskirts of York and the surrounding area. York is on the main railway line from London to Edinburgh and the M1.

Fees: Varies for FE courses, and most under-19s are exempt from paying. Full-time home undergrads starting in 2012 will pay £6,000 per year.

Bursaries: There are bursaries available, have a look here for more details.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Pub culture abounds in York, but the club scene isn't all that hot.

Sporting Reputation: York College offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including a variety of sport. The football, rugby and basketball development centres offer tutoring alongside academic courses. Have a look here to see what they offer.