Welcome to Lancaster

Explore what Lancaster University can offer you.

A Top 10 UK University

Where is Lancaster?

Lancaster is in the north west of England. Our location means choice - enjoy campus life, city life and visit nearby coastal towns and national parks.

The city is well connected to the rest of the UK. By train, it’s around 1 hour to Manchester and 2.5 hours to London or Edinburgh.

Where will I study?

At Lancaster, you’ll learn in well-equipped, modern teaching and study spaces designed to facilitate your development.

Your subject will determine the spaces and equipment you’ll find most valuable, and your academic department will provide the resources you need to thrive.

Students sit in the library near a green wall

Where will I live?

We know that a comfortable living space is important to feel at home at university and help you to succeed in your studies.

Most Lancaster students choose to live on campus in their first year. Select from accommodation options to fit your budget and preferences.

Two students sit on a bed and read.

How will I be supported?

Sometimes life can be overwhelming, and that’s no different at university. If you experience something that affects your studies or wellbeing, we are here to help.

Your college home

You’ll hear us talk about our colleges a lot. A ready-made community, colleges are what most Lancaster students come to think of as ‘home’. When you’re settling in, you’ll be introduced to your college advisor teams. Their job is to provide welfare support, guidance and advice. Think of them as a friendly face you can rely on, someone to talk to about homesickness, relationships, academic issues or anything related to university life.

Our ‘any or no faith’ chaplaincy is another great resource offering spaces for community, mindfulness and prayer.

Developing new life skills

Whether it’s learning how to work the washing machine, or how to write a literature review, university is all about learning new things. The same can be said for mental health and wellbeing. Some of our services focus on giving you the tools and developing skills to manage mental health.

Our services Silvercloud and Skills for Life offer practical guidance in different ways but both cover common issues faced by students like building a healthy routine, procrastination, managing anxiety and stress.

Silvercloud offers modules you can work through, and Skills for Life hosts regular sessions led by your College Wellbeing Officers. You can access groups and workshops on specific issues such as grief, personal empowerment, and general anxiety.

Mental health support

Our counselling team consists of qualified and professional mental health practitioners and administrators, who are University members of staff. This includes counsellors, psychological therapists and mental health advisers. There are options to talk to our team at one-off appointments if you need to work through a problem or ask about support.

If you find yourself in need of more significant mental health support you can self-refer to access our specialist services. From there we’ll guide you through what we can do, talk about the most appropriate form of help, and in some cases, we may refer you on for further help and support, like the NHS.

We offer a comprehensive wellbeing support offer tailored to meet the needs of our diverse student community. It’s never too early to talk to us about your needs.

A student holds a coffee cup and laughs with her friend
Students sitting in a giant deckchair branded with their college
A group of students preparing food round a kitchen worktop

What are Lancaster's colleges?

We’re one of a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Lancaster’s colleges break down the University into smaller communities.

Every college has its own social space, events and support staff. There’s always something to do, somewhere to go, and someone to help you.

We have eight undergraduate colleges to choose from. Picking a college usually comes down to what type of accommodation you choose, but commuting students also join a college. All postgraduate students join Graduate College.

A group of students stand in front of bright lights on a music stage at a College Extravaganza.

Clubs and societies to join

Lancaster University Students Union is here to enhance every aspect of your time as a student. With more than 200 clubs and societies covering a huge range of sports, activities, hobbies and causes, there’s something for everyone.

Social spaces on campus

Each of our nine colleges has a different social space with its own personality and vibe. Don’t worry, whichever college you pick, you can use the other colleges’ spaces.

There’s plenty of cafes and bars to hang out across campus, plus lots of welcoming places to chillout.

Two students sit at a bench surrounded by green foliage.

A tour of the Campus

Everyday essentials on campus

All you need to live comfortably. As well as shops, cafés and restaurants. The campus has launderettes, a post office, medical centre, pharmacy, preschool centre, chaplaincy and prayer room, hair salon and more.

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A woman reaches into a buffet bar, filled with colourful food. She is using tongues and has a plate ready.
A woman fetches her bike from a bike rack. It is sunny and she is wearing a hat.
People sit outside a restaurant at dusk, with decorative lighting around them.
A student loads washing into a tumble dryer in one of the laundrettes.
Christmas lights shine across shops in a square
A student walks into the on-campus pharmacy.
A farmers' market on campus
A post office on campus

Sport at Lancaster

Hidden gems on campus

You’d expect to find many things on a university campus – accommodation, teaching and study spaces. Lancaster has all that and so much more.

Our campus is designed to feel like a home from home, with unique spaces to spend time with friends or take a break from your studies.

The city and beyond

Only three miles north of campus, the City of Lancaster is easily accessible by bus or bike. There’s lots of student-friendly places to shop or meet friends to relax. Nearby seaside towns offer great days out and a just a little further, the Lake District is well worth the trip.

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Three students walk by Lancaster Castle.
Two students walk in Lancaster's historic streets near the castle. The Ashton Memorial is on the top of the hill in the background.
Two groups of students sit on picnic benches outside a pub on the canal.
A winter landscape photo of the Lancaster skyline with snowy Lake District fells in the background
Two smiling students tuck into a meal in a restaurant.
Two students look at items in an independent boutique.
A trio of students look at a ring-tailed lemur at the mini-zoo in Williamson Park.
A group of students at a table in the bar/event space Kanteena.
An autumnal view of a lake and mountains in the Lake District
A large colourful mural on the side of a house in Morecambe overlooking the sea.
The setting sun peaks through the structure of Blackpool Tower, with the sea behind.
Two students on push bikes in the Forest of Bowland
Four students on a craggy, snowy mountain top at dawn in the Lake District.
Small fishing boats rest on the sands of Morecambe Bay, with the Lake District hills in the background.

Career focused

Lancaster is proud to be named one of the top 25 most targeted universities by the UK’s leading graduate employers (High Fliers 2023).

We know that it can be daunting to start thinking about your future. So our team of experienced careers professionals are here to give you the support and help you need to plan your next steps.

We’ll help you to choose what’s right for you, whether that’s applying for a graduate job, continuing your studies to a higher level, or both.

Careers events

There are careers events to welcome you as soon as you’re unpacked and settled. We have student and graduate recruiters engaging with us all year round who are happy to tell you about their opportunities – which might be part-time work while you’re a student, a vacation or year-long placement, or a job when you graduate.

Mentoring

Come and find out about our Career Mentoring Programme where you can be matched with a mentor who will help you manage your career, and our Employment and Recruitment Service for part-time work while you study.

Online resources

Our online resource offers 24/7 careers help, ranging from videos and other interactive learning activities to help you develop workplace skills, practise psychometric tests, to tips and insights from top employers on their recruitment and selection methods. With thousands of graduate opportunities listed every year on our job search portal, we’ll help you discover a world of possibilities for your career.

Support for entrepreneurs

We encourage you to start preparing for the professional world as early as possible. You can get involved in a range of activities to help you create – and make the most of – your own opportunities. Our Work in Progress Centre offers a wealth of expertise, support and contacts to help you turn your business ideas into a reality.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to develop skills, enhance your CV and make a positive contribution to the community. Lancaster has a thriving volunteering community for you to get involved with. Our Students’ Union also works with a number of charities, schools and local organisations to arrange a variety of volunteering opportunities for students to participate in.

The Lancaster Award

To help you stand out from the crowd and enhance your future employment prospects you can complete the Lancaster Award. Developed in partnership with employers, it is formal recognition of all the activities you undertake during your studies that enhance your employability.

Life-long support

You probably won’t need us after you graduate – most of our students go straight into work or continue their studies. But careers aren’t straight lines on one simple track. Your aims in life can shift over time and your circumstances may change. When that happens, we’ll be here to help. We currently provide our graduates with free lifetime access to our services. Put simply, we’re here for as long as you need us.

three student in a group excercise using post-it notes and laptop
Students working outdoors wearing Green Lancaster t-shirts
A group of graduating students taking a selfie

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