University of Leeds

Overview

The University of Leeds is located in one of northern England’s major cities. The University came into being in 1904 but its origins go back to the nineteenth century with the founding of the Leeds School of Medicine in 1831. In 1830 the population of Leeds was approaching 100,000 and the city boasted five medical institutions. Six young men drew up plans for a new school "for the purpose of giving … courses of lectures on subjects connected with Medicine and Surgery." These early roots are still apparent in the University of Leeds today, where Healthcare Studies remains the largest department with 2,178 students.
The second major event that led to the founding of the University of Leeds was the creation of the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874, after representatives of the textile industries around Leeds visited the Paris International Exhibition of 1867. They had been alarmed at evidence of the rapid development of new technologies on the Continent, which appeared to them to pose a considerable threat to the local cloth trade. Thereafter, the Yorkshire industrialists established the College to make Leeds a centre of scientific innovation. The College began teaching experimental physics, mathematics, geology, mining and chemistry. Biology was soon included and, after a few years, classics, modern literature and history were also being taught.
The Yorkshire College was briefly part of a union with similar institutions in Liverpool and Manchester before the three split to become independent universities. The Yorkshire College became the University of Leeds in 1904 when King Edward VII granted the University its own Charter as an independent institution.
In 2001 the University of Leeds merged with Bretton Hall, which was founded by Sir Alec Clegg in 1949 as a training college for teachers in the arts. Bretton Hall had continuous academic links with the University and became a leading specialist centre for the Arts and Arts Education.
Today, the University of Leeds offers one of the widest ranges of courses of all UK universities and has an ambitious spending plan which it hopes will allow it to break into the world’s top fifty universities in the next few years.

Ranking

The University of Leeds was ranked 31st in the Times Good University Guide 2009. It was also 80th in the world rankings published by Times Higher Education and QS.

Services for International Students

The University of Leeds is a truly international university with links to over 600 institutions world-wide and up to 5,000 international students studying at the University each year. The International Student Office provides information and advice to help you adjust to living and studying at the University of Leeds. Please visit the ‘International’ section of the University of Leeds website for further information and to download your own copy of the International Pre-arrival guide and International Student Handbook.

Accommodation

Being one of the largest universities in the UK, the University of Leeds has an impressive range of accommodation to cater for 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 some studio apartments.
All international undergraduate and postgraduate students arriving from outside Leeds who apply by July 1st are guaranteed University accommodation for the whole duration of their course.

Campus

The University of Leeds is one of the UK's top civic universities, with its main Leeds campus in the heart of England's third largest provincial city. The Bretton Hall campus is set 15 miles south of Leeds around a spectacular 18th Century mansion with formal gardens, lakes and woods.
The University of Leeds's campuses are vibrant and lively places to live and study, with excellent academic facilities including a world-famous academic library, first-rate computer resources and state-of-the-art laboratories and teaching space. Regular bus services link the Leeds campus with Bretton Hall and Wakefield, and facilities on all campuses are open to all University of Leeds students.

Health centre

There is a full range of on-campus health facilities at the University of Leeds with doctors, nurses and dentists. All students have full access to the health centre and all health care fees are fully covered by the National Health Service for full time students.

Location

Leeds is a major city in Yorkshire, northern England, around two hours from London by train. Leeds is renowned for its cultural attractions, including museums, nightlife and shopping. The city has just 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 natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales with their awe-inspiring scenery and a huge selection of outdoor activities and pursuits. Yorkshire is also home to the ancient city of York with historical attractions such as the Viking and Roman heritage, the Minster, Shambles and selection of museums. Readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler magazine voted Leeds the number one city in the UK in 2003, above more well known locations such as London and Edinburgh.
URL: www.leeds.ac.uk