Edge Hill University: What it's really like
Get to know Edge Hill University
Want to become part of a tightly-knit campus community in a quirky town in the North of England? Come learn more about Edge Hill University.
| Founded | 1885 |
| Location | Ormskirk, Lancashire, England |
| Undergraduate course length | Three years (or four years with an integrated masters, placement year, or study abroad year). |
| Faculties | We have three faculties: Arts & Sciences, Education, and Health, Social Care & Medicine. |
| Students | 15,000 |
| Great for | Students who want to build a home for themselves at uni – our campus has a small town feel with loads of food and fitness options, and shops nearby. |
| Not for | Students who love the city lifestyle – we’re a campus university (but Liverpool is only 30 minutes away!). |
Chris Mullen is Education Liaison Manager at Edge Hill University. His role is to support students across the UK around applying to university and specifically Edge Hill University, including topics like choosing a degree or uni, personal statements, and student finance. He delivers talks, workshops, information stands, and large exhibitions like UCAS fairs. He tells us what it's like to study there.
What’s the institution like?
Edge Hill was the first non-religious teacher training college in the UK. We’ve been well-known for training teachers since 1885.
Our university focuses on opportunity, support, and community, through things like our study abroad programme, our student opportunity fund, and our work placements.
One thing you might not know is that the university was used in World War II as a hospital site for injured soldiers.
What's it like for students to live in the local area?
We’re an award-winning campus university based in a market town, Ormskirk in Lancashire. The campus covers 160 acres including accommodation, sport and food facilities, and over 60 clubs and societies.
We’re only 30 minutes by train to Liverpool and Preston. Liverpool is an amazing student city with so many things going on in arts, culture, sport, and music. Favourites include the Baltic Triangle with its independent shops, bars and food markets; the Liverpool Empire for plays and concerts; and Gravity Max, an indoor immersive arcade with go-karts, darts, and mini golf. You can also visit Lark Lane on the outskirts of the city for more boutique shops and restaurants.
The trains are regular and run throughout the day into late evening. We’re only a 15-20-minute drive from the coast, so Southport and Formby are great for beach trips in the summer!
Ormskirk is five minutes walk down the road (or two minutes by our free Edgelink bus from campus) and has lots of independent shops, restaurants, and bars. We even have a gingerbread festival every year, celebrating the history of Ormskirk gingerbread, which dates back to mediaeval times.
What accommodation options are available to students?
Most of our first years live on campus; we have guaranteed accommodation for first years if they make us their firm choice. Second and third years tend to live in student houses in Ormskirk or Liverpool, but they have the option to stay on campus too. We have over 2,500 rooms on campus, with a choice of shared or en suite bathrooms, and there are six or eight rooms in each flat.
All our accommodation is owned by the university, and has won awards like 1st in the UK for accommodation from Uni Compare (2023), and ‘Best Moving in Experience’ from the Global Student Living Awards (2023). We were also a finalist in the Global Student Living Awards’ ‘Best Value for Money’ category (2022).
Finally, we offer housing workshops and we partner students with landlords if they’d like to live off-campus.
What facilities does the institution have that make it stand out from other institutions?
One of our most exciting facilities is our clinical skills simulation centre. It has a ten-bed hospital ward, dummies that react to ‘real life’ situations, an operating theatre, and a community flat.
Finally, our media studios include industry-standard TV studios, similar to those you’d find at ITV or the BBC. On top of that, there are music recording studios and we even have our own radio station.
What is the top reason a student living in the UK or overseas should study here?
A great reason to apply is that our campus is an incredible place to make a second home for yourselves. For example, there’s plenty of choice for food with our market, Garden Kitchen, Costa, Subway, and vegan restaurant. And to keep your fitness up, we have an onsite sports centre, including an 80-station gym, eight-court sports hall, 25m swimming pool, and a 2.5km fitness trail.
Support and academic staff are also so friendly, supportive, and accessible and it’s a genuine culture of aspiration, opportunity, and care. We want every one of our students to succeed in their own way.
Eve, a first year student from Preston, says:
‘There are so many amazing aspects to Edge Hill University. Loads of support available, lots of smiley faces, a warm welcome, amazing facilities, and opportunities for fun experiences.
Personally, I wanted a university that makes me feel at home. Everyone knows that university can be a daunting experience for newcomers, but Edge Hill seems to make people feel at ease. The staff at Edge Hill are extremely friendly and welcoming and make you feel like you’re a part of the community.
Another lovely aspect of Edge Hill University is that you can be your true authentic self. People seem to exchange warm smiles through corridors and on campus, making you feel like you belong.’
Who shouldn’t apply?
Edge Hill is a campus university rather than a city-based university, so we may not be right for students looking for lots of nightlife on their doorstep, for example.
We have a bit more of a relaxed, countryside, small-town feel. But there are so many societies and community events to get involved in, from maintaining our community garden to joining our Marvel society or book club. And with Preston and Liverpool being so accessible by train, city life is closer than you might think!
How does the institution meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?
At Edge Hill, we have something called a student opportunity fund (2,000 GBP). This is aimed at any student wanting to enhance their CV and life experiences. In the past, it’s been used for things like creating a short animation, taking up a healthcare placement in China, and receiving sports coaching at a US college.
We also offer support in the form of Uniskills. It’s a series of workshops and presentations to support students with referencing, essay writing, exam timings, and other concerns they may have, like managing stress.
Our specific learning disability or difference team, and widening access and participation team, support students with a range of conditions and from a range of backgrounds. That includes neurodivergent students with conditions like dyspraxia and dyslexia, BAME students, and those who are the first in their family to go to uni.
Examples of support include assistive technology, online examinations, our pre-entry diversity access programme, and our student advisory panels. The panels allow students to discuss their experiences with others from a similar background and have their say on university services and activities.
Do you offer any work placements or study abroad options for students?
Most of our degrees have the option of studying abroad, taking a placement year, or learning a language. The careers team and subject departments can support you with applying for these. They usually take place in your third year, making your degree a total of four years long.
Students have previously worked for Rolls Royce, Liverpool FC, Bentley, Microsoft, and local and national law firms. And they’ve visited countries like Finland, China, Spain, the US, and Canada.
Do you offer any unusual or unexpected courses?
One of our more unusual degrees is our BSc in Criminal Justice. On this degree, students work alongside prisoners and help with their reintegration back into society. The majority of them then go on to roles within the prison service, youth justice, and probation sectors as prison officers, residential care workers, or modern slavery caseworkers.
Want to explore more UK universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.