University of Leicester, UK

A seven-time recipient of the times higher education awards, University of Leicester, UK’s four colleges offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgrad and doctoral programmes to 23,000 students

Founded in 1921 and awarded a royal charter in 1957, the University of Leicester is consistently ranked among the Top 20 universities in the UK. The Guardian University Guide ranks it #13 while The Complete University Guide and Times University Guide rank it #16 and #17 respectively. The 93-year-old varsity is also well-reputed for research with its Quality Related Research funding (QR) rank #19 in Britain, and over 90 percent of faculty actively engaged in research. A seven-time (2007-2013) recipient of the Times Higher Education awards, University of Leicester, UK’s four colleges — arts, humanities and law; medicine, biological sciences and psychology; science and engineering; and social science — offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral study programmes to 23,000 students.

The university’s department of museum studies is particularly well-reputed and is credited with leading the successful search for the lost grave of King Richard III. It was also at Leicester that DNA genetic fingerprinting was discovered by Prof. Sir Alec Jeffreys.

“We are a dynamic 21st century university that provides high quality research and teaching alongside meeting widening participation bench-marks and providing an excellent student experience.  It is these features that lead to a positive institutional ethos. This year Leicester has been ranked 17th in the national league tables. We are also delighted to receive highly acclaimed international ratings, coming within the top 2 percent of universities in the world,” says Sir Bob Burgess, vice chancellor of the university.

Leicester. Sited in central England, 160 km north of London (70 minutes by train), Leicester (pop. 300,000) is the country’s tenth largest city offering a wide variety of shops, restaurants, cultural and recreational amenities. They include a range of museums and art galleries; a state-of-the-art theatre (Curve); the largest covered market in Europe (which has been on the same site for 700 years); the National Space Centre (the largest space-related visitor attr-action in Europe); and the Highcross shopping centre.

Leicester is a culturally diverse city and hosts the largest ethnic minority population in the UK, particularly of South Asian origin. Consequently the city boasts several Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and other places of worship and the Melton Road district serves as a hub with a large number of Asian restaurants. The city’s Diwali celebrations are the largest outside India.

Surrounded by scenic countryside, Leicester is within easy reach of several major towns including Stratford-upon-Avon (the birthplace of William Shakespeare), and the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge. The weather in Leicester is typical of Britain — cold, cloudy and rainy in all seasons with brilliant bursts of summer. Maximum temperatures range from 0oC in winter to 28oC in summer.

Campus facilities. Leicester’s compact campus is sited adjacent to Victoria Park, a few minutes’ walk from the city centre. The main Fielding Johnson Building housing the university’s administration offices and law faculty dates back to 1837. Opposite is the Astley Clarke Building, housing the school of economics, and University Sports Centre. The Ken Edwards Building, constructed in 1995, hosts the school of business management while the Percy Gee building houses the students’ union. Other prominent buildings are the 18-storey Attenborough Tower, housing the college of social sciences, and the Bennett and Adrian buildings.

The university’s David Wilson Library was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II in December 2008, following extensive refurbishment. The award-winning £32 million (Rs.290 crore)  library offers over 1,500 study spaces, more than a million printed volumes, a digital library comprising thousands of electronic journals and 350,000 books, group study rooms, a bookshop and cafe. Over 1,400 computers and wi-fi hotspots are available on-campus. The O2 Academy Leicester hosts three venues for musical events, while the RA (Richard Attenborough) Centre offers a packed programme of music, dance, art exhibitions and comedy including a 180-seat performance area serviced by a gallery, studios and cafe bar.

Sports facilities include football, rugby, cricket and lacrosse grounds, a floodlit all-weather pitch, a five-a-side pitch, nine tennis courts, an athletics track, two sports halls, a weights room, two health and fitness clubs and squash courts. Moreover, modern gym facilities are provided on campus and in the Oadby student village.

The Students Union building houses a shop, bar, The Scholar, the 1923 restaurant and a Starbucks coffee shop. With over 180 societies, students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities — sports, media volunteering, charity fundraising, performing arts, music, politics, etc.

Admission. Applications to full-time undergraduate programmes of all British universities must be made through the centralised Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Students need to apply online at www.ucas.com before January 15, 2014, except medical education applicants for whom the closing date is October 15, 2013. The institution code for the University of Leicester, UK is LEICR L34.

The minimum eligibility criterion for admission into University of Leicester, UK’s undergraduate programmes is completion of class XII (CISCE/CBSE or state exam board) with a minimum of 75 percent average. However for several study programmes, the cut-off is 80 percent or higher. Additionally, foreign students must display proof of proficiency in the English language and should have scored a minimum 70 percent in English in the class XII exam (CBSE/CISCE) or 80 percent (state boards) or submit IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or PTE Academic (Pearson) test scores.

Applications to postgraduate programmes must be made directly to the university. Students with a first class bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply.

For further information contact The University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom. Ph: +44(0) 1162522296; Fax: +44 (0) 116 252 2200; e-mail: international.office@ le.ac.uk; website: www.le.ac.uk.

Accommodation. University of Leicester, UK offers a range of varsity-owned accommodation. Students can choose from catered halls of residence or self-catered accommodation, with a range of rooms from standard singles to en suite and deluxe. The Oadby Student Village is sited in a residential community adjacent to the Botanical Gardens and university sports facilities, and offers a mix of properties, from Edwardian houses to purpose-built accommodation blocks. City living accommodation is offered in six main locations, close to the university campus and the city centre. Residence fees include gas, electricity, heating, and furniture and equipment.

Private rented housing is also available. The Students’ Union at Leicester provides support for students seeking private accommodation through SULETS, a lettings agency jointly owned and run by the students’ unions of De Montfort and Leicester universities.

Degree programmes. The university’s four colleges — arts, humanities and law; medicine, biological sciences and psychology; science and engineering; and social science — offer a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral study programmes (see box).

Summiya Yasmeen