University of Portsmouth
A seaside city university with its own Dental Academy, a cosmology institute and placement years on most degrees.
- Students
- 22,370
- International
- 36%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 15.9:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- £17,900
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1869
About Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth dates its earliest incarnation to 1869. Its Park Building opened as a municipal college and public library in 1908, it became Portsmouth Polytechnic in 1969 and it gained university status in 1992. Its main campus is in the centre of Portsmouth on England's south coast, and it also has a campus in Waltham Forest, London.
Teaching is organised into five faculties: Business and Law; Creative and Cultural Industries; Humanities and Social Sciences; Science and Health; and Technology. Distinctive parts of the university include the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, the Dental Academy, where a five-year BDS Dental Surgery degree is offered for September 2027 entry, and pharmacy teaching in a model pharmacy and simulated hospital wards.
Portsmouth looks at more than grades: its admissions team considers your personal statement, reference, extracurricular activity and volunteering, and it makes lower adjusted offers to applicants from its region and from widening participation backgrounds. Typical offers for 2027 run from BBB-BCC for Law to AAA for Dentistry, which suits students who want a coastal city, practical courses and the option of a paid placement year.
Lucem Sequamur
“Let us follow the Light” — university motto
Why students choose Portsmouth
Many degrees, including Law, Psychology and Marine Biology, offer a four-year sandwich route with a year-long work placement or study abroad; Business and Law placements paid an average of £24,500.
Marine Biology students can train in powerboating with the Royal Yacht Association or in PADI-certified scientific diving.
Pharmacy is ranked 11th in the UK for pharmacy and pharmacology (Guardian University Guide 2027).
The Careers and Employability Service supports graduates for up to five years after they finish.
Admissions
2027 entry
Selectivity
Portsmouth does not publish an overall offer rate. Offers use A-level grades or UCAS points, and it issues adjusted (lower) offers to applicants from its region and those identified through widening participation data.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels | 2027 typical offers: BBB-BCC (104-120 points) for Law LLB; BBB-BBC (112-120) for Psychology BSc, Marine Biology BSc (with 32 points from A-level Biology) and Computer Games Design BA; ABB-BBB (120-128) for MPharm Pharmacy with Chemistry and a second science or Maths; AAA (144) for BDS Dental Surgery with Biology and another science |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | 24 (Computer Games Design), 25 (Marine Biology), 27 (Law, Psychology), 27-28 (Pharmacy), 30 (Dental Surgery) |
| BTEC | e.g. DDM-DMM Extended Diploma for Computer Games Design |
| English language | IELTS 6 Most bachelor's degrees need IELTS 6.0 with no component below 5.5; Law, Psychology and Pharmacy need 6.5 with no component below 6.0. IELTS Academic Online is not accepted. |
Deadlines
- UCAS (BDS Dental Surgery) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time
UCAS deadline for dentistry courses; the UCAT must be taken in the year of application.
- UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding In ~3 months13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
Deadline for equal consideration for most September 2027 courses.
- UCAS last date before Clearing Non-binding In ~9 months30 June 2027, 18:00 UK time
Applications received after this are entered into Clearing, which opens on 2 July 2027; places depend on availability.
UCAS dates for 2027 entry. Portsmouth publishes advice on applying after the January deadline.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS, or directly on the course page if Portsmouth is your only choice. Applications are assessed on past and predicted grades, personal statement, reference and wider experience; some courses add a portfolio, interview, audition or admissions test. International students pay a deposit to receive their CAS.
What admissions looks for
- Past and predicted grades that meet the typical offer and any required subjects, such as Biology for Marine Biology or Chemistry for Pharmacy.
- A personal statement and reference showing enthusiasm, commitment and potential.
- Extracurricular activity such as work experience, volunteering, Duke of Edinburgh's Award or Young Enterprise.
- Portfolio quality, interview or audition performance, or admissions test results where the course requires them.
Tips for applying to Portsmouth
- 1 If you live in Portsmouth's region or meet widening participation criteria, look out for an adjusted offer, which is lower than the typical offer.
- 2 For Computer Games Design, have a relevant art, design or creative computing qualification, or prepare a portfolio.
- 3 For Dental Surgery, take the UCAT in the year you apply and apply by 15 October 2026; shortlisted applicants are interviewed online or on campus.
- 4 Submit your halls application by the published June deadline after making Portsmouth your firm choice to be guaranteed a room.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in GBP
UK students from England with household income of £25,000 or less automatically get the University of Portsmouth Bursary of £500 a year; care leavers get £1,700 a year. International applicants can compete for the Chancellor's Global Academic Merit Scholarship (£5,000 off the first year), students from eligible countries receive the Vice Chancellor's Global Development Scholarship (£2,500 off the first year), and EU students get an EU Scholarship that brings fees down to £10,300.
- £500 a year
- University of Portsmouth Bursary (UK, household income £25,000 or less)
- £5,000 off first-year fees
- Chancellor's Global Academic Merit Scholarship (international)
- EU students pay £10,300 a year (2026/27)
- EU Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic year starting in September; some courses also start in January
Dental Surgery (BDS)
Five-year degree taught in the Dental Academy, with haptic simulators and early patient contact; AAA, UCAT and interview.
Pharmacy (MPharm)
11th in the UK (Guardian 2027), taught in a model pharmacy and simulated consultation rooms and hospital wards, with placements in practice.
Marine Biology (BSc)
Coastal fieldwork, optional RYA powerboat or PADI scientific diving training and a placement year.
Law (LLB)
Includes a student law clinic that helps real clients, and prepares students for the SQE route to becoming a solicitor.
Psychology (BSc)
BBB-BBC or IB 27, with optional study abroad or a year-long placement.
Computer Games Design (BA)
Part of the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries; applicants without a creative qualification submit a portfolio.
Research
- The Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, based in the Dennis Sciama Building since 2009, is part of the Faculty of Technology.
- Portsmouth was ranked third of all post-92 UK universities for research power in REF 2021.
- Portsmouth is in the top 20% of English universities for graduate start-up activity (Knowledge Exchange Framework 2022).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Business and Law
- Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science and Health
- Faculty of Technology
9 out of 10 graduates were in work and/or further study (HESA Graduate Outcomes survey, 2021/22).
Student life
Portsmouth is a compact, walkable city on the south coast with four miles of beach, and most halls of residence are in the centre close to the main campus, with en-suite rooms from £142 a week. The Students' Union dates back to 1911, when its opening was covered in the first edition of the student newspaper, The Galleon. Over 2,300 student volunteers give more than 60,000 hours a year to the local community. More than a quarter of students are mature, and there is a London campus in Waltham Forest.
- Four miles of beach, with most of the city within walking distance.
- The Students' Union opened in 1911, covered in the first edition of the student newspaper The Galleon.
- Over 2,357 student volunteers contributed 60,200 hours of voluntary work locally.
- A £250 million estate plan is investing in the campus.
Housing. New first-year students who make Portsmouth their firm choice and submit a hall application by the June deadline (26 June for 2026 entry) are guaranteed a place in halls.
Location
Portsmouth is a friendly coastal city in Hampshire on England's south coast, with four miles of beach, and the university says almost everything is within walking distance. All university halls are centrally located near the main campus. The university estimates weekly living costs of £201 to £317 in halls, including rent.
Nearest airport: Southampton Airport (SOU)
Notable alumni
- TP Tim PeakeEuropean Space Agency astronaut; BSc in Flight Dynamics and Evaluation
- SA Simon ArmitagePoet Laureate; studied geography at Portsmouth Polytechnic
- GP Grayson PerryTurner Prize-winning artist; BA in fine art from Portsmouth College of Art and Design, 1982
- BF Ben FogleBroadcaster and adventurer; degree in Latin American studies
- JF John FlintFormer CEO of HSBC; economics degree from Portsmouth Polytechnic
- KB Karen BlackettAdvertising executive, appointed the university's Chancellor in 2017; geography graduate, 1992
- LS Lauren SteadmanParalympic swimmer and paratriathlete; BSc Psychology and a master's in business and management
- PA Paola ArlottaHarvard stem cell and regenerative biology professor; PhD in molecular biology, 2000
Frequently asked questions
What grades do you need for the University of Portsmouth?
Typical 2027 offers include BBB-BCC for Law, BBB-BBC for Psychology and Marine Biology, ABB-BBB for Pharmacy and AAA for Dental Surgery. Adjusted, lower offers are made to some applicants from the region or from widening participation backgrounds.
What is Portsmouth's acceptance rate?
Portsmouth does not publish an overall offer rate. It considers grades alongside your personal statement, reference and wider experience.
How much are Portsmouth's fees for international students?
In 2026/27, international undergraduate fees were £17,900 to £20,000 a year; 2027/28 fees had not been confirmed yet. Fees are fixed for the length of the course, subject to a maximum 5% yearly rise.
When is the Portsmouth application deadline for 2027 entry?
13 January 2027 via UCAS for most courses, and 15 October 2026 for BDS Dental Surgery. Applications up to 30 June 2027 may be considered if places remain.
Does Portsmouth need the UCAT?
Only for the BDS Dental Surgery degree, where all applicants must sit the UCAT in the year of application and shortlisted applicants are interviewed.
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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