University of Salford: What it's really like
Find out more about the University of Salford
Want to study at a city-based university with impressive facilities? Salford could be for you!
The University of Salford at a glance:
| Founded | 1896, as the Salford Royal Technical Institute |
| Locations | Greater Manchester, UK |
| Undergraduate course length | Three years |
| Courses | There are four faculties at Salford: Science and Engineering, Arts and Media, Healthcare and the Business School. |
| Students | 23,000 |
| Great for | Students who are interested in getting a feel for what their career will look like after graduating. |
| Not for | Students who would prefer a quieter campus with more intimate class sizes. |
Owen Calderbank, Creative Technical Demonstrator and alumnus from the University of Salford, tells us what it’s like to study there.
What is the University of Salford?
The University of Salford is located in Greater Manchester in the North West of England. Our main Peel Park campus is just minutes away from Manchester city centre. Then we have our Frederick Road campus that is home to our healthcare courses. We are also the only university with a MediaCity campus, sitting right next to neighbours such as ITV and the BBC.
Since our beginnings as the Salford Royal Technical Institute, we have been industry focused for nearly 125 years. Fun fact - we’re one of only two universities in the UK running an undergraduate programme in prosthetics and orthotics.
Our university community encompasses over 23,000 students, 2500 staff and 170,000 alumni, with a student body from over 130 different countries.
Why apply to Salford?
Salford prepares you for industry life, so you get lots of hands-on experience of the working world studying here. If you’re looking to apply from around the world, it’s also worth knowing that Salford’s awarded more than £10 million in scholarships and bursaries over the past five years, to support high-achieving international students.
Who isn’t the right fit for Salford?
If you’re not a fan of the hustle and bustle of city life, Salford may not be for you. The university has over 20,000 students, so if you’re looking for a quieter experience with more intimate class sizes, it might be worth exploring some of the university’s local further education colleges which offer HE courses instead.
Any application tips?
Make sure you do your research. There’s not only a wide range of courses at Salford, but a range of combinations, so make sure you’ve had a look at what we can offer.
In your Personal Statement, we want to hear not only about your qualifications, but about your passions, your hobbies - everything that makes you who you are, and shows why you’re driven to do the course you’re applying for.
What’s the location like?
Salford’s campus is only 2km from Manchester city centre, with the university being in close reach of everything you need. We’re the only university to have a campus at MediaCity. Right next door, you’ll find the Lowry Outlet shopping mall, and a short walk away is the Old Trafford football stadium, which you can get a free bus to.
There’s loads to do here, with great nightlife, restaurants, music venues and bars.
We’re a big diverse city, with lots of different cultures represented here. Another fun fact is that our Chinatown is the second biggest in the UK, and third biggest in Europe!
What facilities does Salford have to offer?
Facilities-wise, there’s the new £65 million Science, Engineering and Environment (SEE) building, which is totally electric-powered and supported by 154 solar panels. This will be home to students in engineering, robotics, and science and the built environment.
For healthcare students, there’s a human performance lab, prosthetics and orthotics labs and simulation suites.
There’s an Energy House, where research teams can test out the energy efficiency of a home; and an anachronic chamber, which is so quiet that you can start to hear the sound of your own heartbeat. There’s also a wind tunnel for the benefit of aeronautical engineering students.
MediaCity also boasts green screens, recording studios, and a wealth of media equipment matched to industry partners like the BBC and ITV.
What is the accommodation like?
There’s a massive variety of accommodation at Salford. Firstly, there’s Peel Park Quarter, which was recently voted the second best halls of residence in the UK by Student Hut. That’s available to first years only.
Then, there’s John Lester and Eddie Colman Courts located next to the Frederick Road campus, which are popular with nursing and health care students.
When it comes to living off campus, students can access Manchester Student Homes, which is a free, university run housing service for students in Manchester and Salford.
How does the university meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?
The university has worked with AccessAble, the leading provider of access information for all disabled people in the UK, since 2008 to provide trusted accessibility information about the campus. You can now find your way around our whole campus with our free app, AccessAble Salford Uni.
There are blue badge spaces in every car park on the campus, and all our buildings are equipped with a Deaf Alerter radio-based fire alarm warning and a public address messaging system.
We also have accessibility facilities in our library, like adjustable desks and typetalk; and lots of academic support and funding options for disabled students too.
Want to explore more UK universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.