This page gives you some information about our University to make it easier for you to decide whether the University of Portsmouth is the right choice for you.
Background
Choosing which university you may want to go to can be a tricky task as there are many factors involved in the decision. You need to think about the courses the university offers, the quality of teaching, the facilities, opportunities for research, career prospects, student experience, financial factors and distance from home, to name a few.
What is the city like?
Although Portsmouth city covers a wide geographical area, university life takes place in a rather small area which makes it very easy to navigate. Despite being rather small, it is a vibrant city that can cater for almost any taste - from maritime history in the Historic Dockyard to clubs, restaurants, small cafes and award-winning pubs. Portsmouth is also great for shopping. There are the designer brands of Gunwharf Quays, well-known high-street shops on Commercial Road and quirky independent boutiques in Southsea. For the culture inclined, Portsmouth has a thriving cultural life with theatres and cinemas, including an independent cinema, and smaller venues with regular gigs. But probably the most important feature is the 4 mile stretch of coast and its beautiful beach.
The city hosts major sporting and cultural events too, from summer festivals such as Victorious Festival or the Isle of Wight Festival -which is only a ferry ride away- to the Great South Run and the America's Cup.
What is the University of Portsmouth like?
The University of Portsmouth is a lively community of researchers, lecturers and students which boasts excellent research as well as above-national average in student satisfaction; a combination that is hard to find. This is so because research is seen as an integral part of teaching and learning activities. Our students have the opportunity to be involved in research and are taught by expert researchers.
Despite our focus on producing high-quality research, students are at the heart of most of our activities and services. There is a wide range of support services for all our students including IT support, careers support, academic skills support, maths support, wellbeing services, housing services, financial services and disability support. All our students have an academic tutor to help you make the most of your time with us. You will meet regularly with your tutor who will be able to give you academic support as well as helping you access any personal support services you may need.
If you are concerned about career prospects, the University of Portsmouth has an excellent Placement scheme to boost your career prospects after you graduate and we offer career support up to 5 years after graduation.
Some facts and figures
- QS World University Rankings give us 5 stars for teaching, employability, internationalisation, facilities, arts and culture, and inclusiveness.
- The University of Portsmouth is ranked in the top 3 modern universities for research power in the last Research Framework Exercise
- The Times Higher Education ranks the university in the top 10 young universities in the UK
- 94% of our graduates are either in employment or pursuing further studies, according to the most recent HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey.
- According to Airbnb, Portsmouth is in the top 10 trending destinations in the UK
- 78% of our research was rated world-leading or 'internationally excellent' in the last Research Framework Exercise (REF).
What to do next?
Book your place on one of the Open Days at our University here.
Questions to think about and practical tips
- How important is for you to be near home? Is Portsmouth well connected to your home town by train/bus?
- Do you have financial restrictions? Student loans to not go very far, if you do not have extra financial support. Portsmouth is relatively cheap and, as it is small, you can walk or cycle pretty much anywhere. But you need to consider whether there may be another university where living costs or travel to/from home may be cheaper.
- Are you considering a research career? If so, it is important that you check out the quality of the research of the course of your choice, but also whether they will give you the opportunity to become involved as an undergraduate. If in doubt, why not email the person in charge of the course you are considering to ask if they offer the opportunity?
- Visit the university and the city to get a feel of what it would be like living here. If you book an Open Day, you will have the opportunity to speak to one of our current students that can give you first-hand information about what it is like studying and living here.
Additional information and links
You may want to read
This toolkit is an adaptation of the Autism&Uni project led by Marc Fabri from Leeds Beckett University, under license CC BY 4.0. The original Autism&Uni project was funded with support from the European Commission with partners in the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. For more information about this project please visit the Autism&Uni website.
