Students: Total
full-time 15,093. Male/female ratio 1:1. First degree students
12,803 (388 from overseas; 1856 mature on entry).
Postgraduates 2290 full-time, 921 part-time.
Broad study areas:
Arts, sciences, engineering & applied science, law,
mathematical studies, medicine, health & biological
sciences, social sciences.
Accommodation: All
first years housed unless local.
In brief: A top UK
research-led university. Location: South coast of England.
UCAS points on entry: 21.7.
Background: Founded:
1862; received Royal Charter 1952. Structural features: Merged
with Winchester School of Art (you can look it up separately).
Site: Campus 2 miles from city centre. Awarding body:
Southampton University. Main undergraduate awards: BA, BEng,
BM, BMid, BN, BSc, LLB, MEng. Length of courses: 3 years; 4
years for courses with languages or social work, MEng, double
honours courses, midwifery, nursing; 5 years medicine. Library
& information services: Main library with 6 subsidiary
specialist libraries; over 1 million volumes, 1500 study
places; short-loan collection, computerised catalogue on
network; CD-ROMs and on-line information. Specialist
collections: Agriculture to 1900, local history, parliamentary
papers, history of relations between Jewish and non-Jewish
peoples, Wellington papers, Mountbatten papers. Annual
expenditure on information provision, £121 per (FTE) student.
Separate IT service (open 24 hours/day at some sites); 1000+
computers with access to library and internet (ratio
workstations to students 1:17). Personal and telephone IT
helpline during working day; joint library and information
services programme for all new undergraduates. Other learning
facilities: Language centre. Study abroad: Most faculties have
exchange links with European institutions. Careers:
Information, advice and placement service, and weekly
newsletter. 75% of final year students had career-related work
experience. Student support: Student advice and health centres
on campus; doctor, psychiatrist, 3 chaplains, counsellors,
legal advice centre; adviser for students with disabilities.
Residential facilities for married and disabled students.
78-place nursery (must apply early). Amenities: SU shop,
bookshop, travel agency, launderette, banks, concert hall,
theatre and art gallery. Sporting facilities: Playing fields,
6 squash courts and sports hall, multi-gym, table-tennis room,
fitness studio, martial arts, and rifle range. Water
facilities include rowing tanks, canoeing, sailing,
windsurfing, diving, and rowing.
Accommodation:
University accommodation guaranteed for all first years
unless they live locally, 35-40% of all students housed. 5200
places: 3900 self-catering £40.60-£65.60 per week, Sept-June
or longer; 1300 half-board, £75.50-£100.50 per week, term time
only. Students usually live in private rented accommodation
for 1-2 years: £47 pw (excluding bills) self-catering house
share; c £47-£78.50 in lodgings depending on level of meals
and services provided.
Hardship funds:
SU/university hardship fund can give short-term loans.
Also access fund for disabled, single parents, etc. Jobs: SU
has info on part-time work available; Job Shop in careers
centre. Seasonal work, eg boat show in summer; bar and shop
work always available.
Tuition fees: Home
students up to £1075 pa for first degrees; overseas students
£7100 (classroom), £9300 (lab/studio), £18,060 (clinical).
Student view: Grassy
and attractive campus contains a mixture of traditional red
brick buildings and modernistic high-rise boxes. Medical
sciences and arts are about 8 minutes walk from the main
campus; oceanography and geology on a waterside campus in the
city centre; also Winchester School of Arts and New College.
Halls are all off campus but in walking distance (or a short
bus trip on the uni-link service); most are high quality,
single study bedrooms, with shared cooking and bath facilities
(though some are ensuite). Nearly all first years with
unconditional offers are offered a place in halls, with a
choice of self or fully catered. Students are represented on
all faculty boards and most university committees. The SU
provides an excellent range of services including the travel
centre, sports shop, information service and retail centre;
also catering and bar facilities. Student advice and
information centre provides representation and advice for all
students. Excellent entertainments including live bands,
comedy and cabaret. Politics pushing towards right of centre -
but not overwhelming.
Student life: Housing:
1st years in halls; specialised accommodation for disabled
students; some married quarters. Private housing reasonable
(accommodation office helps). Drink: 2 SU bars, incl games
bar. Numerous hall bars (members only); good prices for the
south (£1.35 Fosters, £1.75 Caffreys). Also pubs in Portswood;
town getting better. Eats: Wide range of food at SU coffee bar
(meal £1.50-£2), university Piazza and Garden Court. Many
takeaways near campus and halls; good food in pubs; plenty of
good restaurants to take the parents to. Nightlife: Excellent
SU ents: discos, balls, comedy, films, quiz nights, karaoke
and bands (small, local to large, well-known eg Catatonia).
Town variable; seems quiet to those from big cities. Ikon and
The Academy good student clubs. Locals: Okay. Students best
avoid the Flowers Estate. Sports: SU has use of good sports
grounds; also 6 squash courts, sports hall and multi-gym.
Swimming pool on New College site. Loads of sports clubs.
Hardship funds: SU/university hardship fund can give
short-term loans. Also access fund for disabled, single
parents, etc. Jobs: SU has info on part-time work available;
Job Shop in careers centre. Seasonal work, eg boat show in
summer; bar and shop work always available.
Alumni: Jon Potter, T G
Thomas, John Nettles, Baroness Hooper, Lord Tonypandy, Jenny
Murray, Chris Packham, Kathy Tayler, John Sopel, John Denham
MP, Alan Whitehead, Roger Black, Stuart Maister.
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