Queen Mary - In Depth

Founded: 1989, from merger of Westfield College (founded 1882) and Queen Mary College (1887); joined in 1995 by St Bartholomew's and the London Hospital medical colleges.

Structural features: Part of London University. You can look up the medical & dental school (Baits & The London) separately.

Site: Main campus on Mile End Road; clinical studies at Whitechapel. West Smithfield and Charterhouse Square sites.

How to get there: 5 minutes' walk from Stepney Green or Mile End underground stations. 10 minutes from Bow Road station (Docklands Light Railway): No. 25 bus.

Academic features: Course-unit system allows students to make up tailor-made degree programme with guidance.

Special features: Large number of visiting professors.

Awarding body: London University.

Main undergraduate awards: BA, BEng, MEng, BSc, MSci, LLB, MBBS, BDS.

Length of courses: 3 years; others 4 years: medicine, dentistry 5 years.

Library & information services: 600,000 volumes, 2500 periodicals. Annual expenditure on information provision, £151 per (FTE) student. Separate IT facilities; approx 600 workstations, all with access to library and internet (ratio workstations to students 1:15). IT facilities open up to 14 hours/day; support from helpdesk, published information, computer services shop. New students have induction to library, on subject basis, and to information services, including basic PC skills and college network; IT skills courses on Windows. internet, system security, software (eg Excel. Quark Express) and programs (eg Fortran).

Other learning facilities: Language laboratory.

Study abroad: Formal exchange links with Europe and the US. Careers: Information, advice and placement service.

Student advice & services: Health centre, welfare service, chaplains, counsellors, nursery, Nightline.

Amenities: Shop, bookshop. travel centre and bank on site; SU building with nightclub, snackbar, bar.

Sporting facilities: Multigym, gymnasium, squash courts on site; London University Union facilities (including swimming pool); sports ground in Essex (on tube line), hockey pitch in east London and boathouse in Chiswick.

Accommodation: Offered to all single first year students (except those accepted through clearing). 2145 places available: some of these B&B places at £79 per week, term time only; majority self-catering places at £80-£105 per week. Sept-June. Plus 220 intercollegiate places, £106 pw full-board (191 share). Students live in privately owned accommodation for 1-2 years: rents £75-£100 pw plus bills for self-catering, £75-£90 for lodgings. Ample private accommodation within a 3 mile radius.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £8000 pa (excluding tuition fees) recommended.

Financial help: £360,000 government funds, £25,000 own funds (awards range from £100-£3500): own funds for final years students. Strictly limited help for students suffering exceptional financial hardship only. Some departmental scholarships available. Apply for help to Awards Office.

Tuition fees: Home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005). International students pay £8680 pa (classroom), £10,500 (lab/studio), £11,850-£14,890 (pre-clinical), £20,540-£20,930 (clinical).