Newcastle University: What it's really like
Discover more about Newcastle University
Want to study at a university in the north east of England, with great connections to Scotland and Northern Ireland? Newcastle could be the place for you!
Newcastle at a glance:
| Founded | 1834 |
| Locations | Newcastle, north east England, UK |
| Undergraduate course length | Three years |
| Courses | Over 30 subject areas, from agriculture to engineering, and fine art to urban planning. |
| Students | 21,000 |
| Great for | Students looking for an innovative experience, who want to contribute to the development of their city. |
| Not for | Those looking for a bigger, more consistently busy city to live in while they study. |
Simroen, who is an outreach ambassador at Newcastle University, shares what student life at Newcastle is like.
What is Newcastle University?
Newcastle University is a Russell Group university based in the north east of England. We have over 21,000 undergraduate students, 2,000 of which are international.
We rank in the top ten in the country in subject areas like dentistry, speech and language therapy, and creative writing.
Why apply to Newcastle?
A great reason for students to apply is that they can take part in the city’s development. Newcastle is an innovative city, and we have opportunities to support the community, through our societies or even through our courses. You can support sustainability through our regular climate action, for example. Our student body wants to give back to the city that we’re in.
We’re also a Russell Group university and offer a high standard of teaching here. A lot of our teaching staff are also conducting research whilst lecturing, so you’ll be at the forefront of what’s happening in your chosen field. Our modules include career development, so you can feel more prepared to find work after graduating, and we offer opportunities with other universities abroad from Europe to Asia.
Lastly, if you’re an international student, you might like to know that we have a diverse student body, and Newcastle has developed into a more culturally diverse city alongside this. Newcastle is well-connected to some of the capitals of the UK which make for great trips away. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland are only 90 minutes away by train or by plane respectively.
Who isn’t the right fit for Newcastle?
Whilst Newcastle has a lot to offer, it’s a smaller city compared to others in the UK, like London for example. If you’re looking for somewhere that’s consistently busy, Newcastle may not be the right place for you.
Any application tips?
Newcastle is looking for applicants who are well-rounded, and feel prepared to handle a large workload. To prove you’re ready, when writing your Personal Statement, highlight any extracurricular activities like clubs or sports, showcasing your skills outside of academia.
What’s the location like?
Newcastle is quite unusual in that it’s a campus university within a city centre. This makes it very accessible by bus, train, and even plane – there’s an airport nearby.
The city itself is a diverse and lively place for students to live. Locally, they can enjoy restaurants, cafes, nightlife, and live music in their spare time, with one live music venue even based on the campus itself. The people of Newcastle are typically really friendly and sociable too.
What facilities does Newcastle have to offer?
Newcastle offers a range of facilities within each faculty. For medical students, our medical and dentistry school is connected to the city hospital and dentistry hospital. For humanities students, our architecture students for example have 24-hour access to studio spaces to suit their working patterns.
We’re in the top 10 national university league for a range of sports at Newcastle University, with a newly refurbished sports building for students to try out if they want to get involved. Our students’ union offers a concert venue and lots of space for socialising. We offer over 180 societies, from subject-specific to cultural interests, with fun activities from quizzes and field trips, to balls and biannual celebrations.
What is the accommodation like?
Newcastle University has 11 accommodation options, with lots of different options to suit your needs.
When you apply, you can choose from independent studios, en suite bedrooms with shared bathrooms, and halls with shared bathrooms. Facilities include gyms, cinema rooms, and study spaces.
If you’d prefer to live off-campus, our accommodation team can help you find somewhere local to live. As Newcastle is a fairly small city, you’re unlikely to need to walk for longer than 20 minutes to get to campus.
How does Newcastle meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?
Newcastle University has wheelchair access throughout the campus, including ramps and lifts, making sure every student can get to where they need to be. Our dedicated wellbeing team that can be approached at any point alongside your studies.
Every student has a personal tutor, who meets with them regularly to check in and see how they’re progressing. We also have a supported entry scheme to increase accessibility to university to a range of students.
Want to explore more UK universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.