Newcastle University

Newcastle University is a public research-intensive university in the north-east of England, and a member of the elite, prestigious Russell Group of British universities. Established in 1834, it sits on the banks of the River Tyne, in one of the liveliest cities in the UK. 

Newcastle is a one-off, the home of Geordies – as its natives call themselves- blessed with  striking red brick architecture, surrounded by stunning natural beauty,  and offering a nightlife which competes with the capital for vibrancy, variety and sheer energy.

It is hardly surprising that Newcastle University has one of the highest student satisfaction ratings in Britain, with 93 per cent of students ranking their experience  as “excellent”.

Newcastle University-Statistics

Number of undergraduates	20,000
Number of postgraduates	8,000
Percentage of international students	9.7%
Accommodation on campus	4000 places
National Ranking	28
Global Ranking	110
Number of undergraduate programmes	175+
Number of postgraduate programmes	330+

Newcastle University-Academic excellence

• The university’s London-based Business School has triple accreditation, placing it in the top 1% of business schools in the world.
• The British Medical Council found that graduates from three universities -Oxford, Cambridge and Newcastle – performed significantly better than their peers in postgraduate examinations.
• Newcastle University’s Medical School was the second institute in the world to be given permission to conduct stem-cell research in human embryos.
• Newcastle University’s library is the only one in the UK to have been awarded a Charter Mark.
• The university has Fair Trade status.
• In 2002, it introduced a groundbreaking collaboration : an accelerated degree in Business, Finance and Accounting leading to the ACA Chartered Accountant qualification, in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
• Newcastle is one of ten Russell Group universities that have gained a Gold Award for Teaching Excellence.
• In the Research Excellence Framework, which evaluates research impact, Newcastle University was ranked:
• 1st for Computer Science
• 3rd for Civil Engineering
• 11th for Mathematical Sciences
• 12th for Geography, Architecture and Planning, and Cultural and Media Studies
• 4th for Clinical Medicine.

Newcastle University-University rank

When it comes to course rankings within the UK education system, Newcastle ranked:

• Dentistry – 3rd
• Medicine – 9th
• Architecture – 5th
• Linguistics – 3rd
• Art and Design – 1st
• Communication and Media – 1st.

Newcastle University-Overseas links

Newcastle has two campuses overseas, in Singapore and Malaysia.

The university has established collaborative partnerships with over 100 foreign universities, and plays an active role in Global Partner Research Forums, as well as taking part in a vast number of international projects.

Newcastle University-Research objectives

The university has declared that it is working to tackle three major challenges facing society:

• Ageing
• Sustainability
• Social Renewal.

The National Innovation Centre focuses on research in these areas, as well as rural enterprise studies; data science; and subsea and offshore engineering.

There are also a number of Centres of Research Excellence, studying:

• Data
• Energy
• Cancer
• Heritage
• Regulatory Science
• Healthy Living.

Newcastle University’s research facilities are second to none, and the university receives substantial funding from government departments, industry, charities and Research Councils for its outstanding research work.

It is, of course,  virtually impossible to list every topic which is being investigated and analysed by the thousands of researchers working at the university, at the time of writing. To give you brief overview and an idea of main areas of study – as well as demonstrate  the huge variety of subjects being analysed – here is a selection of popular fields of research:

• prosthetic limbs
• predicting future weather patterns
• reversing Type 2 diabetes
• deep sea pollution
• immersive therapy for children with autism
• improving communication for people suffering with dementia
• smart bricks and sustainability…

Newcastle University-Which are the most popular courses?

• medicine
• science
• computer studies
• business
• media
• engineering
• social sciences.

The establishment of a London campus in the capital’s financial district has attracted many applicants from all over the world, keen to study business, finance and marketing at Newcastle University Business School. The course offers paid placements, ongoing masterclasses run by professionals and a large number of projects which see students working collaboratively with industry giants.

Newcastle, Tyne bridges at sundown

Newcastle University-How do I apply?

All applications are processed  through the UK’s central admissions system, UCAS, and Elab is here to help you produce and create the documents you will need to upload. Just contact us!

In addition, you will be asked to provide evidence of your knowledge of English – most applicants sit the IELTS test, and Newcastle requires an IELTS score of 6.5, with a minimum of 5.5. in each of the four IELTS papers: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

The university provides language courses – for students who feel they need extra support or want to brush up their knowledge – which are held  in London and Newcastle ,  and run before the beginning of the academic year. In addition, it offers free English lessons throughout the academic year, through lectures, workshops and classes. The lessons cover academic reading and writing, listening and speaking, presentation skills and pronunciation and grammar.

Newcastle University-Leisure and campus life

Newcastle University has over fifty sports clubs, so you are bound to find a sport which you want to play . It has an excellent reputation for rowing and rugby.

If the idea of rolling in the mud does not appeal to you, then there are 160  more genteel societies and clubs on campus. These range from Zumba to Baking, Fashion to Chess, Figure Skating to Archaeology. If you are interested in media work, you could volunteer to work on NUTV, the university radio station or its newspaper, the Courier, which has an impressive  circulation of 12,000.

In line with its focus on sustainability and improving human lives, Newcastle University has an ethical and social conscience, which was seen when its students supported the Make Poverty History movement and the Jubilee Debt Campaign, which pushed for developing countries’ debts to be wiped out. 

Amnesty International has a presence on campus, as does Extinction Rebellion, Helping the Homeless, Lawyers Without Borders, Vegan Action, We are Donors  and the Environmental and Earth Sciences society. Whatever your position on the political spectrum, you will find like-minded individuals and welcoming clubs and societies on campus.

Newcastle University-And finally...

Every 14 February, Valentine’s Day, Newcastle University organises an Anti-Valentine’s film night, where only movies which have no references to love can be screened.

If you are interested in applying to this highly-rated and exceptional university, then drop us an email or ring us, here at Elab, and we can guide you in choosing the right course to study at Newcastle University. 

We can also offer you information on requirements, accommodation, costs, resources and facilities, and ensure that you maximise your chances of being accepted and joining the thousands of students who are happily studying  at Newcastle University.