University of Leeds

Overview

Established in 1904, the University of Leeds has an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research and is part of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities.

Leeds is one of the largest universities in the country, with 38,000 students currently enrolled from over 170 countries, while its single campus location is spread out over 98 acres just one mile from the busy city centre. Campus facilities include excellent teaching space, four libraries, a state-of-the-art swimming pool, and a fitness centre called ‘The Edge’ and ‘stage@leeds’, which is a contemporary performance space.

The University of Leeds offers one of the widest selections of courses available across all UK universities, from English Language and International Foundation Year to hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate degree options and PhD opportunities. Degrees from the University of Leeds are respected by employers and universities all over the world, and alumni can be found in positions of influence across the globe.

The University is famous for its social opportunities, with its Student Union being the only one in the country to have won two gold standards in the Student Union Evaluation Initiative, and there are over 300 different clubs and societies to join. The University of Leeds is serviced by two major airports – Manchester and Leeds Bradford – while London is just over two hours away on the train.

The University of Leed's acceptance rate is 64%, and key University of Leeds rankings include being 82nd in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and being awarded the Queen’s Anniversary prize, the country’s highest accolade for an academic institution, in 2009, 2011 and 2021. The University of Leeds courses also offer many fantastic placement and internship opportunities to help you become more employable upon graduation.

Services for International Students

The University of Leeds is an international university with over 12,000 international students currently enrolled in over 170 countries. The International Student Office provides information and advice to help you adjust to living and studying at the University of Leeds. Regular events take place where students can get to know other students in similar positions, while Leeds’ Global Community, led by a number of international ambassadors, will help you connect with new people and cultures from all over the world.

International student support structures include dedicated personal tutors in all academic departments, the Student Advice Centre, Student Counselling and Wellbeing, Disability Services, Residence Life teams, the Leeds Student Medical Practise, 24/7 Security on campus, and a network of student support services in Schools.

Ranking

• 29th in the Times University Guide 2025
• 37th in the Guardian University Guide 2025
• 82nd in the QS World University Rankings 2025
• 129th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
• 151st-200th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024

The Research Excellence Framework 2021 results identified that 90% of the University of Leeds research has a quality rating of “world-leading” or "internationally excellent”. REF 2021 positions Leeds as one of the UK’s top universities for research and impact power.

The University of Leeds is also the 6th most targeted UK university by graduate recruiters (The Graduate Market in 2023 High Fliers Research), the 31st most international university in the world (Times Higher Education 2023), and named one of the best places to live in the UK (North and Northeast) in The Times and The Sunday Times 2023 university guide.

Accommodation

Being one of the largest universities in the UK, the University of Leeds has an impressive range of accommodations to cater to different tastes and budgets, from modern, purpose-built apartments to converted mansion houses. Many University of Leeds residences offer en-suite rooms, and there are also studio apartments available.

All international undergraduate and postgraduate students arriving from outside Leeds who apply by the deadline are guaranteed University accommodation for the duration of their course.

Location

Leeds is a major city in Yorkshire, northern England, just over two hours from London by train. The city is renowned for sports, music and its cultural attractions, including museums, nightlife and shopping. It has been voted as one of the top three places to shop in the UK by numerous independent surveys and offers a huge range of shops and stores to suit all tastes. Just outside the city lie the impressive and beautiful Yorkshire Dales with their inspiring scenery and a huge selection of outdoor activities and pursuits.

Alumni

• Alistair Brownlee, MBE – Olympic athlete
• Alistair McGowan – Actor and impressionist
• Piers Sellers, OBE – NASA astronaut
• Jacqui Oatley – Sports commentator
• Wole Soyinka – Nobel prize-winning playwright
• Steve Bell and Kipper Williams (both Fine Art) – Cartoonists
• Bekele Geleta – Director-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• Liz Kershaw – Radio presenter