Anglia Ruskin University
A Cambridge-rooted university that grew from a Victorian art school and now teaches across four campuses in the East of England.
- Tuition
- £18,825
- 2027-28
- Founded
- 1858
- QS World Ranking
- 1001-1200
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
About ARU
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) traces its story to 1858, when the critic and philanthropist John Ruskin opened the Cambridge School of Art. Over the following century and a half, it absorbed technical and teacher-training colleges, became Anglia Polytechnic University in 1992 and later took its current name. Writtle University College merged with ARU on 29 February 2024, which added land-based and agricultural courses to the mix.
Teaching is organised into four faculties and runs across campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Writtle. ARU holds a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework and was named Times Higher Education University of the Year in 2023. It is especially strong in health and social care: it has trained nurses since 1992 and now also trains midwives, doctors, paramedics and social workers, and its Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research won a Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2021.
ARU is not an elite-tariff university. It publishes entry requirements as narrow UCAS tariff bands, accepts A-levels, BTECs, Access to HE and international qualifications, and says it also weighs the personal statement and reference. It suits applicants who want practical, employer-linked courses with optional placement years, a Cambridge or Essex location, and a relatively accessible route in.
Excellentia per societatem
“Excellence through partnership” — university motto
Why students choose ARU
Computer Science in Cambridge's Silicon Fen is accredited by BCS and the IET and includes Live Briefs set by regional employers such as Redgate and Citisoft.
ARU reports a Gold award in the Teaching Excellence Framework and says it was named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023.
Healthcare degrees are taught in dedicated clinical skills labs with mock hospital wards at the Young Street site in Cambridge and in simulation suites in Chelmsford.
The Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy offers mentorship and start-up support for student entrepreneurs.
Admissions
2027 entry
Selectivity
ARU does not publish an overall offer rate. It shows entry requirements for most courses as a two-point UCAS tariff band and says applicants whose predicted or achieved points fall within the band are likely to receive an offer, alongside a review of the personal statement, reference and any course-specific requirements.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels / UCAS tariff | Most courses show a two-point UCAS tariff band (ARU's own example is 112-96 points); the band for each course is on its course page. AS levels are not accepted on their own. (Band values load by script on ARU's pages and could not be retrieved, so check the course page.) |
|---|---|
| Foundation-year entry | Law LLB with foundation year: 5 GCSEs at grade D/3 or above and evidence of two years of post-GCSE Level 3 study (exempt if you hold at least grade E in one A-level or equivalent), per the course page. |
| Other qualifications | BTECs, Access to HE and international qualifications are accepted; ARU converts them to UCAS points. International applicants should check the country pages on the ARU website. |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 Standard undergraduate requirement: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each skill, TOEFL iBT 80 (17 Writing and Listening, 18 Reading, 20 Speaking) or Pearson PTE Academic 60 (59 in each skill). Degrees with a foundation year: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, PTE 59. Some courses set higher scores. |
Deadlines
- UCAS (Oxford/Cambridge, medicine, dentistry, veterinary) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days15 October 2026
UCAS 15 October equal-consideration date (18:00 UK time) for Oxford and Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses. At ARU it applies to MBChB Medicine (UCAS code A100, Chelmsford, September 2027 start); ARU's other undergraduate courses use the January date.
- UCAS main deadline Non-binding In ~3 months13 January 2027
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most 2027-entry undergraduate courses, 18:00 UK time.
- UCAS final date Non-binding In ~9 months30 June 2027
Applications received by this date (18:00 UK time) are sent to universities; after it they go into Clearing. UCAS's final date for 2027 entry is 23 September 2027.
All three dates are UCAS's published dates for 2027 entry (ucas.com dates and deadlines page). Only the 15 October date applies to ARU's medicine course; the rest of ARU's courses use 13 January 2027. ARU says it continues to accept applications for most courses while places remain and there is time for the deposit, CAS and visa; check the individual course page.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS, choosing up to five courses, with personal details, qualifications, a personal statement and a reference. International applicants who need a Student visa pay a deposit (£4,000 or a sponsorship letter, per course pages) before ARU issues the CAS.
What admissions looks for
- Predicted or achieved UCAS points within the tariff band shown on the course page.
- Any course-specific requirements, such as GCSEs or relevant experience.
- Enthusiasm for the subject, shown in the personal statement, reference and relevant experience.
- For international applicants, English language scores that meet the course requirement.
Tips for applying to ARU
- 1 Check the two-point tariff band on each course page before applying; ARU says you are in a good position if your predicted points fall inside it.
- 2 If you are close to the edge of a band, apply anyway: ARU says it looks at the personal statement, reference and qualifications, not only predicted grades.
- 3 Ask whether you qualify for a contextual offer (for example care leavers, free school meals or low university participation areas).
- 4 International applicants can pay in full before teaching starts to get a 1,000 pound Full Payment Discount, which ARU says can be combined with scholarships. The published deadline for September 2026 starters (18 September 2026) has passed; ARU had not published terms for 2027 entry when checked.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in GBP
International students are automatically considered for the International Undergraduate Scholarship: a lower award of up to 5,000 (2,000 in year one, 1,000 a year after) or a higher award of up to 7,000 (4,000 in year one, 1,000 a year after). A Full Payment Discount of 1,000 applies if the first-year fee is paid in full before teaching starts. These are the terms published for 2026/27 entry; ARU had not published 2027 terms when checked. UK students use government tuition fee loans.
- Up to 7,000 over the course (2026/27 entry terms; 2027 terms not yet published)
- International Undergraduate Scholarship (higher award)
- 1,000 in the first year (2026/27 terms; the 18 September 2026 deadline has passed)
- Full Payment Discount
- 400, no separate deposit
- Advance rent for ARU-managed accommodation
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic year starting in September; the 2026/27 teaching start was 21 September 2026.
Computer Science (BSc)
Accredited by BCS and the IET, based in Cambridge's Silicon Fen, with Live Briefs from employers and a placement-year option.
Nursing (Adult, Child and Mental Health)
ARU has trained nurses since 1992 and teaches in clinical skills labs with mock hospital wards.
Law (LLB)
Available with a foundation year, at Peterborough, and with pathways such as business and criminology; ARU runs a Law Clinic.
Business Management
Offers specialist variants such as digital marketing, finance and entrepreneurship, with an optional placement year.
Cambridge School of Art courses
The original 1858 Cambridge School of Art is still at the heart of the Cambridge campus.
Research
- Queen's Anniversary Prize (November 2021) for music therapy work, including research with people living with dementia and their families.
- Research institutes include the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, the Global Sustainability Institute, the Vision and Eye Research Institute and the Veterans & Families Institute for Military Social Research.
- ARU says its research centres and groups span 16 subject areas.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Business and Law
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
ARU does not publish an overall employment rate in a form tied to a named survey edition, so no outcome ranking is quoted here. Check the Graduate Outcomes survey (HESA) for current figures.
Student life
ARU's Cambridge campus sits on East Road, a short walk from the historic city centre, and has a theatre, gallery, gym, medical centre and Students' Union shop. The university also has campuses in Chelmsford, Peterborough and Writtle, so the feel depends on where you study: Cambridge is compact and cycle-friendly, Chelmsford has a purpose-built site opened in 1992, and Writtle is a land-based college campus. ARU says first-year full-time students starting in September 2026 at Cambridge, Chelmsford or Writtle are guaranteed accommodation.
- ARU Students' Union and a wide sport programme across campuses.
- The Mumford Theatre and Ruskin Gallery on the Cambridge campus.
- Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy supports student start-ups with mentoring and funding.
- Global opportunities and language learning through the Anglia Language Programme.
Housing. ARU-managed halls include Anastasia House, Peter Taylor House, Swinhoe Hall and the Chelmsford Student Village; advance rent is 400 with no separate deposit, and the accommodation guarantee quoted by ARU applies to first-years starting in September 2026.
Location
The main campus is in Cambridge, a compact city where most things can be reached on foot or by bicycle, with the River Cam, punting, the Fitzwilliam Museum and King's College Chapel. ARU's other campuses are in Chelmsford in Essex, Peterborough and Writtle. ARU's Computer Science page describes Cambridge's Silicon Fen as a global tech home to employers including Apple, Microsoft and Samsung AI.
Nearest airport: London Stansted Airport (STN)
Notable alumni
- SB Syd BarrettFounding member of Pink Floyd; took a place in the art department of the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology (now ARU) in September 1962 (college-level study, not a degree)
- DG David GilmourPink Floyd guitarist; began non-degree A-level study at the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology in 1962 but did not finish the course
- SP Sarah PerryNovelist; graduated in English Literature from Anglia Polytechnic University (now ARU)
- NC Nick CraneGeographer, explorer and broadcaster; studied Geography at the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology
- PR Philip ReeveCarnegie Medal-winning children's author and illustrator; studied illustration at the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology before Brighton Polytechnic
- RH Rio HaryantoIndonesian former Formula 1 driver; earned a business degree in 2014 studying at ARU's Singapore campus
- MA Michael AshcroftBusinessman and philanthropist; studied at Mid-Essex Technical College (now ARU), where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies (a sub-degree qualification); later ARU's Chancellor (2001-2021)
Frequently asked questions
What are the entry requirements for Anglia Ruskin University?
Most courses show a two-point UCAS tariff band (ARU's example is 112-96 points); the exact band is on each course page. ARU also accepts BTECs, Access to HE and international qualifications, and considers the personal statement and reference.
What English level does ARU require for undergraduates?
The standard undergraduate requirement is IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each skill, or TOEFL iBT 80 with subscores. Some courses require more.
How much are ARU's international tuition fees for 2027?
International fees for 2027/28 start from 18,825 pounds a year, for example 19,750 for Computer Science and 21,975 for Adult Nursing. Fees for 2026/27 start from 17,500.
What is the UCAS deadline for ARU for 2027 entry?
The main UCAS deadline for 2027 entry is 13 January 2027. The 15 October 2026 date applies to Oxford and Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses, which at ARU means MBChB Medicine. UCAS's 30 June 2027 date is when applications are sent on before Clearing. ARU says it keeps accepting applications to most courses while places remain.
Is ARU ranked in the QS World University Rankings?
Yes: ARU is in the QS World University Rankings 2027 band 1001-1200. In the THE World University Rankings 2026 it is in the 601-800 band.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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