Loughborough University
A one-campus university where most undergraduates sign up for a placement year and sport is part of daily life.
- Students
- 19,418
- 15,816 undergraduates
- International
- 16%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 15:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- £25,500
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1909
About Loughborough
Loughborough traces its roots to a small technical institute opened in the town in 1909. It received its royal charter in 1966 as Loughborough University of Technology, the country's first technological university, and took its current name in 1996. Today about 19,400 students study here, almost all of them on a single 523-acre campus in the East Midlands, with a second, postgraduate campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.
The university is best known for engineering, design, business and, above all, sport: it has been ranked first in the world for sports-related subjects in the QS subject rankings every year since 2017, and its teams have won the BUCS national university sport competition for 45 years running. Teaching is organised into schools including Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering; Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering; Loughborough Business School; Design and Creative Arts; Science; Social Sciences and Humanities; and Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.
Placements are the other defining feature. Every course offers an optional placement year, and 66% of full-time undergraduates are registered on placement programmes. Loughborough suits students who want a practical, career-focused degree on a green, self-contained campus, and who are happy living in a market town rather than a big city.
Veritate scientia labore
“With truth, wisdom and labour” — university motto
Why students choose Loughborough
Every undergraduate course offers an optional placement year, and 66% of full-time undergraduates are registered on placement programmes (2025-26).
It has been ranked number one in the world for sports-related subjects by QS for ten years running, with facilities including an indoor athletics centre, outdoor stadium and 50-metre pool on campus.
Teaching, halls, the Students' Union and sports venues all sit on one 523-acre campus, with all 17 halls on or within a 15-minute walk of it.
Strong UK league-table positions: 8th in the Complete University Guide 2027 and 9th in the Guardian University Guide 2027.
Admissions
2027 entry
Selectivity
Loughborough does not publish an overall offer rate. For 2025 entry it received 29,755 home full-time undergraduate applications and took in 4,103 home undergraduates; it notes that many courses receive a large number of applications for each place and it cannot always make offers to everyone predicted to meet the typical offer.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels | Course-specific, e.g. ABB (Industrial Design), AAA (Economics), AAA including Maths (Computer Science), A*AA–AAA with two sciences or PE (Sport and Exercise Science), A*AA including Maths and Physics (Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering MEng); Access Loughborough contextual offers are lower, e.g. AAB for Aeronautical Engineering |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Course-specific, e.g. 34 (6,5,5 HL) for Industrial Design, 37 (6,6,6 HL) for Economics, 38 (7,6,6 HL) including HL Maths and Physics for Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering |
| GCSEs | Normally grade 4/C in English Language and, for most courses, Maths; some courses ask for more, e.g. grade 6/B in Maths for Economics |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 88 University standard: IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each element, or TOEFL iBT 88 with at least 21 in each section (tests taken before 21 January 2026). Some departments ask for more. Tests must be no more than two years old at the start of the course. |
Deadlines
- UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
All Loughborough undergraduate courses (Loughborough does not offer medicine, dentistry or veterinary science).
- UCAS late applications Non-binding In ~9 months30 June 2027
Last date to apply before Clearing; courses may already be full.
13 January 2027 is the UCAS equal consideration deadline for 2027 entry. Loughborough's own key dates page currently lists the 2026 cycle, which follows the same pattern.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS with a personal statement and reference. Offers are course-specific and based on predicted grades and your GCSE profile; the personal statement is assessed as a whole for motivation, passion for the subject and relevant skills. Contextual information is considered, and eligible applicants can receive lower Access Loughborough offers.
What admissions looks for
- Achieved or predicted grades that meet the typical offer, including any required subjects such as Maths and Physics for engineering.
- A solid overall GCSE profile, which is considered alongside the specific GCSE requirements.
- A personal statement that shows motivation, drive and passion for the subject, plus skills or experience that will help you succeed.
- Context: the university uses contextual information to identify applicants with the greatest potential.
Tips for applying to Loughborough
- 1 Check whether you qualify for an Access Loughborough contextual offer, which can be a grade or two lower than the typical offer.
- 2 Look at the placement-year version of your course: 20% of the full-time fee is charged in the placement year, and the university helps you find one.
- 3 Sport and Exercise Science is one of the most demanding courses, asking for A*AA–AAA and five GCSEs at 9–6 including Maths, English and a science.
- 4 Make Loughborough your firm choice and register for accommodation by the July deadline to be guaranteed a first-year room (two years for international students).
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in GBP
The Loughborough University Bursary pays UK students from households earning up to £30,000 £1,000 a year. International fee payers are automatically considered for International Excellence Scholarships of £3,000 a year, and Future Leaders Scholarships give a £10,000 discount on first-year fees. Sports Scholarships of up to £5,000 a year support athletes competing at junior international level or above.
- £1,000 per year (UK, household income up to £30,000)
- Loughborough University Bursary
- £3,000 per year, automatic consideration
- International Excellence Scholarship
- £10,000 off first-year tuition
- Future Leaders Scholarship (international)
- 20% of the full-time fee
- Placement or study abroad year fee
Academics
Sport and Exercise Science (BSc)
Part of the subject area QS has ranked first in the world ten years running; typical offer A*AA–AAA.
Aeronautical Engineering (MEng)
A*AA including Maths and Physics, with an optional industrial placement year and access to the STEMLab facility.
Industrial Design (BA)
From one of Loughborough's best-known creative schools; typical offer ABB, or 34 points in the IB.
Economics (BSc)
AAA with no required subjects, and the option of a placement, study abroad or a Year in Enterprise.
Computer Science (BSc)
AAA including Maths, or AAB including Maths and Computer Science; placement year available.
Mechanical Engineering (MEng)
A*AA including Maths and Physics, taught in the engineering hub on the campus's West Park.
Research
- Over 90% of Loughborough's research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021.
- The National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, an Olympic legacy project, is based on campus.
- Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park is home to over 90 organisations and more than 2,500 people.
Schools & faculties
- School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
- School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
- Loughborough Business School
- School of Design and Creative Arts
- School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering
- School of Science
- School of Social Sciences and Humanities
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
- Loughborough University London
86% of 2022/23 full-time UK first-degree graduates were in graduate-level employment or further study 15 months after graduating (Graduate Outcomes), with a median salary of £32,000 at that point.
Student life
Life at Loughborough happens on campus. The 523-acre site holds teaching buildings, the library, dining halls, shops, two gyms, a nightclub and the Students' Union, which runs more than 170 clubs and societies. There are 17 halls of residence, catered and self-catered, each with a student committee that organises socials and fundraising. Sport runs through everything: the university has won BUCS for 45 years running, but there are also free weekly activities for beginners. The campus holds a Green Flag Award and has more than 7,500 trees.
- BUCS champions, unbeaten for 45 years running (2026).
- More than 170 clubs and societies run through Loughborough Students' Union.
- 17 halls of residence on or within a 15-minute walk of campus.
- Facilities include an indoor athletics centre, outdoor stadium, 50-metre swimming pool and all-weather pitches.
- Rated 1st in the UK for facilities in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2026.
Housing. First-year undergraduates who make Loughborough their firm choice and register for accommodation by the July deadline are guaranteed a room in University accommodation; international fee-paying students who meet the criteria are guaranteed an offer of campus accommodation for two years.
Location
Loughborough is a compact market town in Leicestershire in the East Midlands, with the campus, halls and town centre close together. The university describes it as a student-friendly place that offers a good student experience without big-city costs. The university has 17 halls on or within a 15-minute walk of campus, and its second, postgraduate campus is on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London.
Nearest airport: East Midlands Airport (EMA)
Notable alumni
- SC Sebastian CoeOlympic champion middle-distance runner and chair of the London 2012 organising committee
- PR Paula RadcliffeMarathon world-record holder; graduated in Modern European Studies
- TG Tanni Grey-ThompsonParalympic wheelchair racing champion
- ME Mary EarpsEngland football goalkeeper
- SP Sir Peter BonfieldFormer chief executive of ICL and BT Group
- MS Malcolm SayerJaguar Cars designer and engineer
- LM Laurent MekiesTeam principal of Red Bull Racing in Formula One
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into Loughborough University?
Loughborough does not publish an offer rate. For 2025 entry it received 29,755 home undergraduate applications for 4,103 places, and typical offers range from ABB (Industrial Design) to A*AA (Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering).
What A-levels do you need for Loughborough?
It depends on the course: for example AAA for Economics, AAA including Maths for Computer Science and A*AA including Maths and Physics for Mechanical Engineering MEng. Contextual offers through Access Loughborough are lower.
How much are Loughborough's fees for international students?
For 2027 entry, international fees are set in bands from £25,500 to £35,000 a year, for example £25,950 for Economics, £31,500 for Computer Science and £35,000 for Sport and Exercise Science. UK students pay £10,050.
Does every Loughborough course include a placement year?
Every course offers an optional placement year, and 66% of full-time undergraduates are registered on placement programmes. The placement year costs 20% of the full-time fee.
Is first-year accommodation guaranteed at Loughborough?
Yes, if Loughborough is your firm choice and you register for accommodation by the July deadline. International fee-paying students who meet the criteria are guaranteed campus accommodation for two years.
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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