#164 in the world · QS 2027

Lancaster University

A 1960s collegiate campus university on a hilltop south of Lancaster, top 10 in the Complete University Guide 2027.

Lancaster, England, United Kingdom Collegiate public research university Founded 1964 Official website

See my chances at Lancaster Admissions office

Students: 18,620; 13,935 undergraduates
International: 34%; of students
Student–faculty: 15:1; ratio
Tuition: £26,300; From · 2027-28
Founded: 1964

About Lancaster

Lancaster University received its royal charter in 1964, one of the new universities of the 1960s, and moved to a purpose-built hilltop campus at Bailrigg, south of the city of Lancaster, between 1966 and 1970. The campus is arranged along a central walkway known as the Spine, which meets at Alexandra Square, named after the university's first chancellor, Princess Alexandra.

Lancaster is one of a handful of UK universities with a collegiate system: every student belongs to one of nine colleges, eight for undergraduates plus a Graduate College, whether they live on campus or commute. Teaching is organised into four faculties: Health and Medicine; Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences; the Management School (LUMS); and Science and Technology. It has 29,000 students from more than 130 countries, a third of whom study for Lancaster degrees at partner locations overseas, including in China, Ghana, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The university is 10th in the Complete University Guide 2027, holds TEF Gold (2023) and reports that 91% of its research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021. It suits students who want a close-knit campus community with strong management, science and social science departments; typical offers are mostly AAB to AAA.

Patet omnibus veritas

“Truth lies open to all” — university motto

Why students choose Lancaster

Every student belongs to one of nine colleges from day one to graduation, each with 24-hour porters, study and social spaces.

Lancaster University Management School offers a large portfolio of degrees, many with industry placement or study abroad years.

International students who make Lancaster their firm choice can receive a £3,000-a-year Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship, considered automatically.

Lancaster is among the top 30 universities most targeted by the UK's top graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2026).

Admissions

2027 entry

Selectivity

Lancaster does not publish an overall offer rate. Typical offers for 2027 entry are mostly AAB, rising to AAA for Physics and Medicine.

Testing Medicine and Surgery requires the UCAT and an in-person multiple mini interview. No admissions tests for most other courses.

Typical entry requirements

A-levels	Course-specific typical offers for 2027 entry: AAB (History, Law, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Economics including Mathematics); AAA including A in Mathematics and Physics (Physics); AAA including two of Biology, Chemistry and Psychology (Medicine and Surgery). Computer Science may make a lower offer with A-level Computing, Computer Science or Mathematics.
IB Diploma	35 points with 16 from the best three HL subjects for most courses (6 in HL Mathematics for Economics); 36 points for Physics (6 in HL Mathematics and HL Physics) and Medicine (6 in three HL subjects including two of Biology, Chemistry, Psychology)
English language	IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 87 Standard undergraduate requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each element; TOEFL iBT 87 (L17, R18, S17, W20) for tests before 21 January 2026, or 4.5 with 4 in each element from that date. Medicine and some science, mathematics and social work courses have different requirements.

Deadlines

UCAS (Medicine and Surgery) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days

15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time

UCAT required; all offers follow an in-person interview.
UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding In ~3 months

13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

All other courses; Lancaster still accepts later applications for most courses.

Dates are the UCAS deadlines for 2027 entry. Lancaster's own how-to-apply page still listed 2026-entry dates when checked and said 2027 dates were not yet confirmed there.

How to apply

Apply through UCAS Hub with personal details, qualifications, an academic reference and a personal statement. Medicine and Surgery applicants should follow Lancaster Medical School's specific guidance (UCAT plus multiple mini interviews). Supporting documents can be emailed to the admissions team.

What admissions looks for

Grades that meet the typical offer and any subject requirements, such as Mathematics for Economics or Mathematics and Physics for Physics.
A personal statement and an academic reference submitted through UCAS.
For Medicine, commitment to making a difference to patients and communities, tested through the UCAT and multiple mini interviews.
Your context: Lancaster runs contextual admissions for applicants who have faced additional challenges in their education.

Tips for applying to Lancaster

1 Make Lancaster your firm choice if you are aiming for its excellence scholarships: both the Home (£1,000 a year) and International (£3,000 a year) awards require it.
2 Computer Science applicants with A-level Computing, Computer Science or Mathematics may receive a lower offer than the AAB typical offer.
3 Physics applicants who firm Lancaster and achieve A*A* in Mathematics and Physics plus an A are eligible for a departmental academic scholarship (£750 for the BSc, subject to interview).
4 Check whether you qualify for contextual admissions before applying.

Costs & financial aid

2027-28 · figures in GBP

Home students, 2027 entry (from course pages) Tuition £10,050

International (including EU) students, 2027 entry from course pages: e.g. History and Law £26,300, Economics and Accounting and Finance £27,100, Computer Science and Physics £31,700, Medicine and Surgery £50,100; fees are reviewed annually Tuition £26,300 – £50,100

Financial aid

Lancaster automatically considers applicants for its major scholarships. For 2027 entry these include the Undergraduate Home Excellence Scholarship (£1,000 a year for up to three years), the Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship (£3,000 fee reduction a year) and the Undergraduate EU Scholarship (£3,000 fee reduction a year); the excellence awards require Lancaster as firm choice.

£3,000 fee reduction per year (firm choice required)
Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship: £3,000 fee reduction per year
Undergraduate EU Scholarship: £1,000 per year for up to three years
Undergraduate Home Excellence Scholarship

Academics

Accounting and Finance (BSc)

Run by Lancaster University Management School, with professional exam exemptions; AAB and £27,100 international fee.

Economics (BSc)

A mathematical, data-led economics degree requiring AAB including Mathematics.

Computer Science (BSc)

Optional modules in AI, cyber security, extended reality and quantum computing; AAB.

Physics (BSc)

AAA including Mathematics and Physics, with a scholarship for A*A* achievers.

Medicine and Surgery (MBChB)

UCAT plus multiple mini interviews; AAA and £50,100 international fee for 2027 entry.

Environmental Science (Lancaster Environment Centre)

LEC brings biological sciences, environmental science and geography together in one department.

Research

In REF 2021, 91% of Lancaster's research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent, and 99% of its research environment.
The Complete University Guide 2027 places Lancaster joint third in the UK for research intensity.
Lancaster received a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education for its work in digital literacy.

Schools & faculties

Faculty of Health and Medicine
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Lancaster University Management School
Faculty of Science and Technology
Lancaster Medical School
School of Law
Lancaster Environment Centre
School of Computing and Communications

Lancaster is among the top 30 universities most targeted by the UK's top graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2026, High Fliers Research).

Student life

College membership defines life at Lancaster: every student joins one of eight undergraduate colleges or the Graduate College, and graduates with it. Colleges have their own social and study spaces, games facilities and round-the-clock porters. Most first-years live on campus in college accommodation, which offers 6,700 bed spaces across studios, flats and townhouses. Each summer Lancaster takes on the University of York in the Roses Tournament, often described as Europe's largest varsity competition.

Nine colleges: Bowland, Cartmel, County, Furness, Fylde, Grizedale, Lonsdale, Pendle and the Graduate College.
The Roses Tournament against York alternates between the two campuses every summer term.
In the 2026 National Student Survey, 94.6% of Lancaster students said teaching staff were good at explaining things.
Lancaster is one of only 16 UK universities with an overall five-star QS Stars rating.

Housing. Most first-year undergraduates live on campus in college accommodation; continuing students are not guaranteed a room, and most move into the city after first year.

Location

Lancaster is a small historic city in north-west England, near Morecambe Bay and the Lake District. The Bailrigg campus sits about 4 km south of the city centre on landscaped parkland with its own lake. The university notes Lancaster was named among the five best places to live in the UK for under-35s (The Times 2026).

Nearest airport: Manchester Airport (MAN)

Notable alumni

AS
Andy Serkis

Actor; County College, 1985
SW
Sarah Waters

Novelist; MA from Lancaster
AA
Audrey Azoulay

Director-General of UNESCO (2017-2025) and former French Minister of Culture; MBA from Lancaster
TA
Taye Atske Selassie

President of Ethiopia; MA in international relations and strategic studies (1989)
RH
Rami Hamdallah

Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority; PhD in English linguistics (1988)
JQ
Jason Queally

Cyclist; biological sciences, Bowland College
AM
Alan Milburn

Former MP for Darlington and now Lancaster's chancellor; history, 1979
JW
Jo Walton

Fantasy and science fiction writer; studied at Lancaster

Frequently asked questions

What grades do you need for Lancaster University?

Most 2027 typical offers are AAB (e.g. Law, History, Economics, Computer Science) or 35 IB points; Physics and Medicine ask for AAA and 36 IB points.

What is the college system at Lancaster?

Every student belongs to one of nine colleges, whether living on campus or not. Colleges provide accommodation, social spaces, 24-hour support and a community you stay part of until graduation.

What is Lancaster's application deadline for 2027 entry?

15 October 2026 via UCAS for Medicine and Surgery, and 13 January 2027 for all other courses.

How much does Lancaster cost for international students?

For 2027 entry, international fees on course pages run from £26,300 (e.g. Law, History) to £50,100 (Medicine and Surgery), with Computer Science at £31,700. Home students pay £10,050.

Does Lancaster offer scholarships to international students?

Yes. The Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship gives high-achieving international students who firm Lancaster a £3,000 fee reduction each year, and EU students can receive a £3,000 EU Scholarship. Both are considered automatically.

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.