Sheffield University - In Depth

Founded: 1897, as University College from three existing colleges. University Charter in 1905.

Site: Campus half mile from city centre. How to get there: Sheffield well connected to other towns/cities by rail (eg 2 1/4 hours to London, 1 hour to Manchester, 4 to Edinburgh) and road (close to M1 junctions 33/34). For university, Supertram and numerous buses.

Academic features: Courses in biological chemistry, material science and engineering with a modern language, engineering/science with a foundation year.

Awarding body: Sheffield University.

Main undergraduate awards: BA, BA (Law), BMus, BSc, MBiolSci, MChem, MComp, MMath, MPhys, MBChB, BDS, BMedSci, LLB, BEng, MEng.

Length of courses: 3 or 4 years; dentistry & medicine 5 or 6 years; architecture 6 years.

Library & information services: New (2005) learning resources centre and 9 staffed sites: main sites open 7 days/week in semester. Over 1.4 million books and periodicals. Annual expenditure on information provision £106 per (FTE) student. Library and IT service work together as part of Information Services Division. 1200 student computers with access to library, university portal (Muse) and the internet. IT facilities open 24 hours/day; IT support staff, by email and telephone help-lines. Separate library and IT induction sessions for all new students; academic departments run IT skills courses tailored to their students.

Other learning facilities: audiovisual and television centre, computing centre, drama studio, English language teaching centre, language labs, computer-aided design lab.

Study abroad: 3% of students spend a period abroad. Formal exchange links with 40 European universities/ colleges plus Socrates-Erasmus links.

Amenities: Bars, food outlets, shops, travel agency, printing service, launderette, banks, insurance office.

Sporting facilities: Sports complex with playing fields, 1 sports hall, 3 artificial turf floodlit pitches, 150-station fitness centre, large heated indoor swimming pool, 4 squash courts, bouldering wall, 4 floodlit tennis courts; additional 38 acres of playing fields 5 miles away; sailing at Ogston reservoir (20 miles from campus).

Accommodation: 96% of first years in university accommodation. Approx 4900 places available: 2800 half-board places at £80-£114 per week, term time or longer; and 2100 self-catering at £58-£77 pw (up to £94 for family accommodation), Sept-June or longer. Most students live in privately owned accommodation for 2 years: £38-£48 pw for self-catering (+ bills). Approx 12% of first degree students live at home.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £5500 for academic year (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university, £7300 for 12 months.

Term time work: University allows term-time work for full-time students, to a limit of 15 hours pw. Some work available on campus in bars, offices, etc; also student employment service helps students find jobs locally.

Financial help: Government funds and university's own schemes to help students in financial hardship.

Tuition fees: Home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005); maybe more if not eligible for student financial support. International students pay £19,350 pa (clinical), other courses £7870-£10,500.