Ulster University

Ulster University

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Ulster University, our students are at the heart of everything we do, and we want to give you the most rewarding student experience possible. We are committed to the delivery of campus based education. Learning, teaching, and research are social activities where people come together to create and share knowledge through collaboration and partnership. We are committed to the creation and nurturing of interactive shared spaces where people can benefit from research and industry-led learning across each of our campuses. Ulster University is recognised for our outstanding impact on student outcomes due to the excellence of our committed teaching community; delivering a learning experience that develops skills, raises ambitions, and prepares future leaders.

History

Ulster University was established by the Royal Charter in 1984. The Belfast College of Art, established in 1849, was joined by Magee College in 1865. In 1966, the college expanded to Coleraine, creating the New University of Ulster. Later, in 1984, the University of Ulster was established by the Royal Charter, incorporating campuses in Belfast, Coleraine, Derry, and Jordanstown. In 2019, a new and enhanced Belfast campus was opened, situated in the artistic and cultural centre of the city, the Cathedral Quarter. The University also operates branch campuses in London and Birmingham, as well as offering extensive distance learning opportunities. Today, Ulster University has established itself as a leading institution in the UK and Ireland, offering exceptional education and research. Its commitment to excellence has positioned it among the top universities, making it a remarkable choice for students seeking a world-class academic experience.

Education

Ulster University is organised into four faculties, each housing several subject areas. 

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is a research-intensive Faculty, led by world leading researchers delivering courses and research across the full range of disciplines in the arts and humanities. Offering a range of courses to suit your requirements including short courses, certificates, diplomas, undergraduate degrees, master’s programmes, and doctoral qualifications. There is a strong emphasis on professional accreditation, work-based learning, and employability, to equip you with the necessary skills and qualifications to gain a competitive edge in your future career. 

Home to the Belfast School of Art, founded in 1849, the award-winning Ulster University Law Clinic, and world leading research centres in the fields of peace and conflict, human rights, and transitional justice. The Creative Industries Institute draws together world class teaching and research across the faculty to support the development of the art, film, games, music, and animation sectors in Northern Ireland. 

· Belfast School of Art

· School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences

· School of Arts and Humanities

· School of Communication and Media

· School of Education 

· School of Law 

The Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment consists of four Schools, offering industry-informed, professionally recognised courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The faculty has developed strong industry partnerships in both teaching and research, which has helped to foster excellent employment opportunities for their graduates. 

· School of Engineering

· School of Computing

· School of Computing, Engineering, and Intelligent Systems

· Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment

The Faculty of Life and Health Sciences includes eight schools committed to improving quality of life by addressing some of the most important issues including climate change, sustainability, peace building, poverty, and helping others by creating healthy and active societies. With almost 6,500 students and approximately 250 academic staff, they offer an extensive portfolio of accredited degree and research programmes covering seven exciting yet diverse disciplines. 

· School of Biomedical Sciences

· School of Geography and Environmental Sciences 

· School of Health Sciences

· School of Medicine 

· School of Nursing and Paramedic Science

· School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

· School of Psychology 

· School of Sport 

Ulster University Business School, one of the largest business schools in the UK features four schools. With over 5,000 students and 150 staff they deliver undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes of study across Northern Ireland through the Belfast, Coleraine, and Londonderry campuses. The degree programmes at Ulster University Business School are shaped by their world-leading research. They are ranked in the top 25% of UK business schools for world leading and internationally excellent research, with 100% of their research recognised as having outstanding or very considerable impact (REF, 2021).

· Accounting, Finance and Economics

· Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management 

· Global Business and Enterprise

· Management, Leadership and Marketing

Although most students at the University are over the age of 18, we welcome younger applicants who meet the qualifications required to study. We treat all our students as independent, mature adults, regardless of age, but because under-18s living in England are considered by law to be children, we have additional responsibilities towards younger students. We have therefore made special arrangements to ensure that we fulfil this duty of care.

Research

Ulster University’s international reputation for research excellence has received worldwide recognition. International experts have judged Ulster University as being in the top 25% of UK universities for world-leading research based on research power. 

Ulster University has increased its level of 4* world-leading research with 87% of research judged to be either world-leading or internationally excellent. 

Key increases in Ulster’s 2021 submission include: 

· 44% increase in our world-leading 4* overall research profile 

· 53% increase in world-leading 4* research outputs 

· 48% increase in world-leading 4* research environment 

Learn more: www.ulster.ac.uk/research

Career

The Ulster University team of Employability Advisors are there to offer you the informed, expert, professional advice that will help you progress your employability, be more competitive in your job search and make better decisions for your future career. 

At Ulster you can expect a degree with real-world experiences, preparing you to explore, identify and secure exciting career opportunities. You can benefit from one-to-one specialist advice from the experienced, award-winning employability and careers team, available on each campus. The Employability Advisor and Consultant teams offer impartial, informed advice and support for all students and graduates, accessible on-campus and online. 

You can access an extensive range of campus jobs, employer placements, internships, and graduate jobs. The one-to-one support will help you search for and secure the right opportunities. From connecting you with local placement employers to introducing you to Ulster’s global network, you will have a range of opportunities to connect with key employers relevant to your degree area and career interests. 

The support doesn’t stop once you graduate. You will have access to employability and careers support beyond graduation and especially as you continue in professional life and learning.

Top reasons to study here

  • Ulster University is ranked in the top 25 University of the Year (Guardian University Guide, 2025)
  • Ulster University voted best UK University overall (Student Crowd, 2024)
  • Northern Ireland is the lowest cost of living in the UK (National Student Money Survey, 2024)

Ulster University Key Statistics & Highlights

  • #601 Ranking
  • 37 Scholarships
  • 27,000 Students
  • 1,500 Students (int'l)

Ulster University Overview

Ulster University Scholarships

Ulster University Scholarships

Below you will find scholarships related to Ulster University. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.

Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
07 Oct 2026
Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Read more about eligibility

U.S. government
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
10000 GBP
Deadline
21 Jun 2026
GREAT Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

British Council - Accreditation UK
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
30 Nov 2026
ServiceScape Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

ServiceScape
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
Ukrainian Researchers Scheme

Read more about eligibility

Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3500 USD
Deadline
15 Nov 2026
ACES Scholarships

Read more about eligibility

ACES Education Fund
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
19000 GBP
Deadline
Not specified
Scholarships for PhD Students
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Junhua Li
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
12000 USD
Deadline
16 Aug 2026
Amberscholar Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Amber Student
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
6000 USD
Deadline
16 Aug 2026
Amberscholar Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Amber Scholar
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
4000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2026
The New York Pass® Education Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Go City
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
10000 USD
Deadline
01 Sep 2026
The PhD Prep Fellowship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Admit Lab
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 USD
Deadline
28 Aug 2026
Women Scholarship for International Students
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

educations.com
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
13 Jul 2026
Dream Chaser Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Salvado Law
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
31 Oct 2026
$1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IvyPanda
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
22500 GBP
Deadline
Not specified
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids

Read more about eligibility

UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
31 Dec 2026
Scholarship for students with disabilities
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Anonymous Hope Fund
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2026
$1,500 Annual Students’ Presentation Crafting Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

IvyPanda
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
12000 USD
Deadline
11 Jan 2027
Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme

Read more about eligibility

The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
20 May 2026
PlagiarismSearch Essay Contest
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

PlagiarismSearch
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1500 USD
Deadline
Not specified
The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

IELTS from 6 to 9
Location not available

Complete overview of scholarships

Ulster University Rankings

Study Portals Meta Ranking

Top 8.8% United Kingdom
Top 7.7% Worldwide

Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.

World University Rankings

601

By Times Higher Education

The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.

World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.

3 year trend World University Rankings

2024 2025 2026
601 601 601

QS World University Rankings

609

By TopUniversities

Dropped 50 places compared to 2025

QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.

3 year trend QS World University Rankings

2024 2025 2026
498 559 609

Best Global Universities Rankings

891

By U.S. News & World Report

Dropped 40 places compared to 2025

Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.

3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings

2024 2025 2026
814 851 891

Academic Ranking of World Universities

801

By Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Dropped 100 places compared to 2024

ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.

3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities

2023 2024 2025
- 701 801

Housing services

Ulster university offers various university accommodation options in different areas to cater to your specific living preferences and budget. These include individual studios, shared apartments, and larger student houses. 

Coleraine accommodation 

Cranagh Village, Errigle, Knocklayde and Maple Lodge are a mix of ensuite apartments and five and six bedroom houses with shared bathrooms, communal kitchen and living areas. Studio apartments available. Everyone has access to car parking and bike storage. 

Derry~Londonderry accommodation 

Coppin House and Duncreggan Village are a mix of ensuite and shared bathroom apartments with kitchen and living areas. Studio apartments also available. Everyone has access to car parking and bike storage.

Belfast accommodation

State-of-the-art accommodation in 123 York St and LIV building adjacent to the campus. Ensuite apartments, studio, and twin apartments. Everyone has access to the indoor and outdoor communal spaces available.

Ulster University Sports Village accommodation 

Located within the Ulster University Sports Village, the accommodation at Dalriada Village consists of five-bed self-catering apartments with ensuite bathrooms and shared kitchen and living facilities, situated on campus surrounded by idyllic green space. Studio apartments also available. Everyone has access to car parking and bike storage. 

Learn more:  www.ulster.ac.uk/accommodation

Library services

The Library Service offers 24-hour spaces to Ulster students and staff. 24-hour access includes study environments, social learning spaces and access to computing, printing, scanning & photocopying facilities. Staffed opening hours include enquiry services and support, borrowing and access to book stock. The library is available on all three of our campuses’. 

Learn more: www.ulster.ac.uk/library

ICT services

At Ulster University, our Digital Services team is dedicated to providing a range of IT support options for our students on campus. Through our library laptop lending service, students have access to computers to assist with their academic needs. Additionally, we offer internet access so students can easily connect their devices to our WiFi network.

Medical services

Healthcare facilities are available nearby to all of our campuses’. Our Student Wellbeing works in partnership with the local Health & Social Care Trusts to ensure that our students have access to information and support regarding any medical or health concerns. 

Learn more: www.ulster.ac.uk/student/wellbeing/health-and-wellbeing/health-services

Campus life

We are one University with three distinct campuses across Northern Ireland - Belfast, Coleraine and Derry ~ Londonderry, as well as Jordanstown Sports Village.

 At Ulster University, you will have the opportunity to learn in technologically advanced facilities equipped with industry-standard equipment. The facilities include an architecture super-studio, award-winning student-run restaurant, TV studios, financial trading room, laboratories, art workshops, on-campus optometry clinic, and model pharmacy. These facilities reflect real-world working environments. 

Ulster University's Coleraine campus features the impressive Riverside Theatre, a modern sports complex, and the exclusive BBC production studio located directly on campus. 

The Derry~Londonderry campus offers innovative facilities for teaching, research, and support. In addition to upgraded sports facilities, they have recently opened an outstanding Learning and Teaching space, demonstrating a substantial investment in top-tier education, and greatly improving the student experience. 

Ulster University’s Belfast campus offers a dynamic teaching and learning environment. Belfast is a creative, innovative, and vibrant environment which has been designed as a ‘campus community within a building.’ It is home to the prestigious Ulster Screen Academy and the world-class Academy restaurant, providing opportunities to apply business management principles.

Sports facilities

At Ulster University, you have the opportunity to participate in over 70 sport clubs, catering to both social and competitive sports. Whether you are interested in sub-aqua, canoeing, mountaineering, taekwondo, football, rugby, boccia, adapted sailing, or wheelchair basketball, there is a wide range of sports for you to learn, play, and compete in. 

Ulster University offer a Talented Athlete Entry Scheme is designed to support and nurture aspiring athletes by reducing the entry grades required for full-time undergraduate courses. 

Regardless of your level of experience, both athletes and beginners can take advantage of Ulster University's top-tier sports and gym amenities. Ulster’s sports centres have it all, including state-of-the-art fitness studios, a wide range of classes, and multi-sport indoor and outdoor facilities, all supervised by fully trained fitness staff, at affordable student rates.

Student clubs

All students at Ulster University are automatically part of the Students' Union. Becoming a member of a society at Ulster University Students' Union ensures an unforgettable experience during your time at Ulster. With over 100 student-led societies, there is something for everyone on each campus.

Learn more: www.uusu.org

Ulster University Campus Locations

#1 Main Campus
United Kingdom Country
Coleraine City
#2 Branch Campus
United Kingdom Country
Birmingham City
#3 Branch Campus
United Kingdom Country
Belfast City
#4 Branch Campus
United Kingdom Country
London City
#5 Branch Campus
United Kingdom Country
Newtownabbey City
#6 Branch Campus
United Kingdom Country
Derry City
#7 Branch Campus
Ireland Country
Derry City

Ulster University Student Reviews & Awards

4.2

Based on 60 reviews

  • 5 Star
    28 Reviews
  • 4 Star
    22 Reviews
  • 3 Star
    7 Reviews
  • 2 Star
    0 Reviews
  • 1 Star
    3 Reviews

How Students Rated This University

  • Student Teacher Interaction 4.2
  • Student Diversity 4.2
  • Quality of Student Life 4.0
  • Career Development 4.2
5/5

No title

It's was my dream of becoming a life saver I love the job of becoming a nurse

Posted by Anonymous
Studied from Apr 2021 - Nov 2028
Posted on Feb 2026
5/5

I had an amazing experience.

My overall study experience has been positive and valuable. The courses were well-organized, instructors were knowledgeable and supportive, and I gained valuable skills that will help me in the future. I would highly recommend this program. What can be improved; Better promotion of graduate opportunities, Better use of workshops for problem-solving and presentations.

Posted by Anonymous
Studied from Nov 2025 - Oct 2026
Posted on Jan 2026
3/5

Not bad

Is well organised compare with university I leaf with.

Posted by Anonymous
Studied from Mar 2026 - Mar 2027
Posted on Mar 2026
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Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025

The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!

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