Loughborough University: Courses, Fees & Rankings

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About Loughborough University

Loughborough University is a public research university in Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England, with a second, postgraduate campus in east London. It grew from a technical institute founded in 1909, received its Charter in 1966 as the country's first technological university, and today has around 18,000 students from over 130 countries and regions. It is known for strong links with business and industry, engineering and design, and an international reputation in sport.

The main campus is a single 523-acre site on Epinal Way, Loughborough, with teaching hubs, research centres, sports facilities, shops, dining halls, two gyms, a pharmacy, dental practice and the Students' Union (LSU) near the main entrance. Loughborough University London sits inside Here East on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and teaches master's and research degrees across seven disciplines.

Teaching and research are organised into schools: Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering; Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering; Loughborough Business School; Design and Creative Arts; Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering; the School of Science (including Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics Education and Physics); the School of Social Sciences and Humanities (including Communication and Media, Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy, English, Geography and Environment, International Relations, Politics and History, and Law); and Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. Teacher Education and the Language Centre sit alongside them. The London campus hosts institutes for Digital Technologies, Design Innovation, Diplomacy and International Governance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Management, Media and Creative Industries, and Sport Business.

Notable strengths include sport-related subjects, ranked number one in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject from 2017 to 2026, and the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, an Olympic legacy project. The £17m STEMLab serves science and engineering students, and the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park is home to over 90 organisations and more than 2,500 people. The University holds three UNESCO Chairs and has received eight Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education.

Seventeen halls of residence stand on or within a 15-minute walk of campus, catered and self-catered, each with a Warden team providing pastoral support. Sport is open to all levels, from elite athletes to recreational players, and Loughborough has been unbeaten as British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) champions for 45 years (2026). International students are supported by an International Student Experience Team, immigration advisers, pre-sessional English programmes and a one-year International Foundation Programme run through OnCampus Loughborough.

University information

Tuition fees (2027 entry)

UK undergraduates: fees follow the UK Government cap, £10,050 for 2027-28; 15% of the fee applies in a study abroad year and 20% in a placement year. Foundation years in Business, Economics, and Social Sciences and Humanities are capped at £5,760; Art and Design Foundation Studies is £5,421 for fee payers (free for UK students aged 18 and under).

International undergraduates: courses fall into fee bands of £25,500 (Band 1), £25,950 (1a), £28,000 (2), £31,500 (3), £33,000 (3a) and £35,000 (4); 20% of the fee applies in study abroad or placement years. International Art and Design Foundation Studies is £22,000.

Research degrees (MPhil/PhD, 2026/27): £5,238 UK full-time; £23,100 or £29,500 international full-time depending on discipline. For 2027/28 international full-time fees are £23,750 or £30,500. Master's fees vary by programme.

Undergraduate scholarships and bursaries (September 2027)

Undergraduate Excellence Scholarships (international): £3,000 towards tuition per year, up to £9,000 over a standard degree; awarded automatically to self-funded applicants who firm Loughborough and typically achieve AAA at A level or equivalent (A*AA for some engineering, Natural Sciences and Sport and Exercise Science courses).
Undergraduate Future Leaders Scholarship (international): £10,000 tuition discount in the first year for self-funded offer holders who show leadership potential; application form deadline 11 April 2027.
Loughborough Undergraduate Computer Studies Award (international): £2,000 tuition discount for one year on BSc or MSci Computer Science.
Loughborough University Bursary (UK): £1,000 per year depending on household income.
Opportunity Scholarship (UK): £3,000 per year for three years for students from areas of low higher education participation.
Care Leaver Bursary (UK): £5,700 per year for three years.
Women in Science Bursary (UK): £1,000 per year for women applying for maths or science subjects.
Sport Scholarships: up to £5,000 per year for athletes competing to at least junior international level; Sports Bursaries of £1,000 for UK students.
Arts and Music Scholarships, Santander Brighter Futures Grants (£1,000), the Student Experience Access and Participation Support Fund (up to £2,000 per year) and a Hardship Fund.

Master's funding

Loughborough-Ferguson Trust African Scholarship: 100% tuition fee discount and living expenses for exceptional students living in Africa.
Creating Better Futures Master's Scholarship for African Students: £6,000 off tuition fees.
Postgraduate Excellence Scholarships: up to £6,000 off tuition fees (UK and international).
Postgraduate Future Leaders Scholarship: £10,000 off tuition fees for international students.
GREAT Scholarships: £10,000 partial fee waiver for students from eligible countries.
Chevening Partnership Scholarship (one fully funded award for 2027/28), Commonwealth Master's Scholarships, an alumni discount of up to £3,000, London campus scholarships, Business School and Computer Studies awards (up to £3,000) and UK government postgraduate loans.

Details and application routes: undergraduate scholarships and bursaries, master's funding, undergraduate tuition fees and postgraduate tuition fees.

Loughborough University International Excellence Scholarships (Undergraduate) →

Loughborough University Undergraduate Future Leaders Scholarship →

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Undergraduate entry

Most full-time undergraduate courses are applied for through UCAS (institution name LBRO, code L79); the Art and Design Foundation is applied for directly. Applicants normally need GCSE English Language at grade 4/C and, for most courses, GCSE Mathematics at grade 4/C, with higher grades for some courses. Typical offers are set course by course.

A levels: normally at least three, often in specified subjects; the EPQ and Cambridge Pre-U GPR are not usually offer conditions but may be considered at results stage.
International Baccalaureate: the full Diploma with at least three Higher Level subjects, an overall points score and specified HL subjects.
Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers: usually at least two Advanced Highers plus Highers in three other subjects.
BTEC: the National Extended Certificate with two A levels or the National Diploma with one A level is acceptable for most courses; Extended Diplomas in relevant subjects suit many courses, and HND/HNC may allow entry to Year 2.
Welsh Baccalaureate counts as one A level alongside two A levels; the Irish Leaving Certificate requires at least five Higher Level passes.

UCAS dates (2026 cycle)

Applications open in September. 15 October is the first deadline (Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, veterinary science and dentistry); 13 January is the equal-consideration deadline for all other applications. Most offers are made by the end of March; 30 June is the last date for late applications and Clearing begins on 2 July.

International undergraduate entry

Country-by-country equivalences are set for qualifications from over 70 countries and regions. Students from Ghana or Nigeria with WASSCE, and from several other systems, need a suitable foundation year; students with A levels or the IB are considered for direct entry. The one-year International Foundation Programme, delivered by OnCampus Loughborough, offers pathways in Business, Economics, Finance and Management; Engineering and Physical Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; and Art and Design, with guaranteed progression subject to meeting the criteria.

English language

The standard requirement is IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each element; some schools ask for more. Accepted equivalents include PTE Academic 65 with 61 in each sub-test, TOEFL iBT 88 with 21 in each section (tests before 21 January 2026) or 4.5 overall on the new scale (from 21 January 2026), Cambridge C1 Advanced grade C/180, LanguageCert Academic 70 with 65 in each test and Oxford ELLT 7 with 6 in each test. Tests must be no more than two years old at the start of the course; Medium of Instruction letters are not accepted. Pre-sessional English programmes are available at the discretion of the school.

Postgraduate taught

Master's applications are made directly through the University's online portal with no application fee. Entry requirements are expressed as UK degree classifications, with country equivalents on each programme page. For September 2027 entry, international applicants must apply by 23 August 2027 (13 August for programmes requiring a portfolio or creative writing) and UK applicants by 13 September 2027; London programmes starting 1 February 2027 close on 14 December 2026 for international and 25 January 2027 for UK applicants.

Postgraduate research

PhD, MPhil and EngD applications are made through the online portal and require certified transcripts and degree certificates, a personal statement, a research proposal where the project asks for one, and two references, at least one from the applicant's most recent institution.

Visas and CAS

International students need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), issued once all offer conditions are met and funding is confirmed, normally from May for autumn starts. Self-funded taught postgraduates pay a £2,500 CAS deposit, credited towards tuition fees; for September 2027 the deposit deadline is 23 August 2027.

Loughborough campus (Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU): the 523-acre single-site main campus for undergraduate, postgraduate and research study across all schools. Facilities include the University Library (over 500,000 print books, over 30,000 online journals and over 1,300 study spaces), the £17m STEMLab laboratories and workshops, the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, an indoor athletics centre, outdoor stadium, 50-metre swimming pool, gyms, all-weather pitches and courts, the Elite Athlete Centre and Hotel (44 bedrooms including 20 altitude rooms), the Students' Union, shops, cafes, a pharmacy, optician, dental practice and nightclub. The Science and Enterprise Park adjoins the campus. The site holds a Green Flag Award (since 2018) and more than 7,500 trees, including two ancient woodland areas.
Halls of residence: 17 halls on or within a 15-minute walk of the Loughborough campus, catered and self-catered, with laundry, bike storage, internet and Warden teams; approved private housing is advertised through Studentpad.
Loughborough University London (Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London): postgraduate campus for master's and research degrees across seven disciplines, with lecture theatres, seminar rooms, a library, a cafe and the Future Space innovation and enterprise hub. Stratford International Station is within walking distance.

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