University of Warwick

Summary

History

The University of Warwick is a comparatively new UK institution with approval for its establishment only being given in 1961 and it received its Royal Charter of Incorporation in 1965. It first took a small intake of graduate students in 1964 and its first 450 undergraduates in 1965. Since then the university has grown rapidly to incorporate the former Coventry College of Education in 1978, and extending its land holdings by purchasing adjoining farm land.

In 2007 there were around 16,500 students, 7000 of which were postgraduates. By October 2013, the student population has grown to over 23,000 of which 9,775 are postgraduates. Today, around a third of the students comes from overseas, and over 140 countries are represented on the campus.

University Environment

The University of Warwick is a campus university occupying 290 hectares on three adjacent sites: Central campus, Gibbet Hill campus and Westwood campus. The sites are situated on the boundary between the City of Coventry and the County of Warwickshire. There is a great sense of community on the campuses with shops and bars, as well as facilities open to the public such as the University Sports Centre and the Warwick Arts Centre.

Warwick is very much a green campus with pleasant lakes and woods, but amongst these the University’s facilities are constantly being developed with, for example, the opening of the Mathematical Science building, the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC), the Materials Engineering Centre (MEC) and the Social Sciences extension in 2018., and Sport and Wellness Hub in 2019.

Based in Pancras Square, with neighbours that include the British Library and Google, Warwick new London hub brings the best of Warwick's teaching and research activities to the vibrant capital city and provides a central HQ for all the University activity across the city. Warwick London hub runs the Pre-University courses, which is designed for students aged 16-18 to sample the outstanding Warwick teaching, gain new knowledge and skills, and make new friends in a dynamic and supportive academic environment. It also runs Pre-University Taster sessions designed for students who will be applying (or have applied) to the University and who wish to enhance their school curriculum with teaching delivered by Warwick staff. The Warwick Summer school is held at the Warwick London hub too.

Academics

Faculties & Departments 

• Faculty of Art

  • Classics & Ancient History
  • Comparative American Studies
  • English & Comparative Literary Studies
  • Film & Television Studies
  • History
  • History of Art
  • School of Modern Languages and Cultures
  • School of Theatre & Performance Studies and Cultural & Media Policy Studies
  • School of Cross-Faculty Studies

• Faculty of Science, Engineering & Medicine

  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Engineering
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Statistics
  • Systems Biology
  • Warwick Medical School (WMS)
  • Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG)

• Faculty of Social Sciences

  • Applied Linguistics
  • Centre for Professional Education
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Institute for Employment Research
  • Law
  • Philosophy
  • Politics & International Studies
  • Sociology
  • Warwick Business School (WBS)
  • Warwick Foundation Study

Research

Warwick is already one of the UK’s leading research institutions and in the future, it plans to enhance its research profile further to make it a top-fifty world-ranked university. In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, 87% of the University's research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent. Three of their departments - Computer Science; English and Comparative Literary Studies; and Philosophy - came top in the UK for publishing outputs, while another three - Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Sciences; Mathematical Sciences; and Economics and Econometrics rated 4*, and six departments came in the top five in the UK based on Grade Point Average (GPA).

Although clearly Warwick has excelled in core disciplines, but is aware of the changing environment in which multi- and interdisciplinary research is becoming increasingly important both nationally and globally. Thus, Warwick has strongly embraced multi- and interdisciplinary research. The University Global Research Priorities (GPR) programmes play a crucial role in their interdisciplinary research strategy and enable Warwick to respond to complex multi-faceted global problems that can only be tackled through collaborative research excellence. Examples of GPR research areas are: behavioural science, food, innovative manufacturing and more.

International & Industrial Opportunities

As a student at the University of Warwick you have fantastic opportunities to study abroad. Warwick has 200 global exchange partners and long-standing exchange programmes with many of the world’s most prestigious universities. The University takes part in the ERASMUS scheme allowing students to spend between three months to two years studying in a European country or doing a work placement in Europe. ERASMUS students do not pay university fees and may be eligible for an EU grant.

Warwick also offers a unique opportunity to History and History of Art undergraduate students through the Warwick in Venice Programme. This programme allows these students to spend the first term of their 3rd year in this city. In this exclusive programme Warwick staff accompany students and lecture them in their very own base in the city – the Palazzo Pesaro Papafava. This experience is praised highly by students who have taken part because it allows them to become part of the life of the city and see the subjects they are studying in their original surroundings.

Warwick also offers students opportunities abroad during the holidays through its Warwick in Africa programme. For the programme, Warwick students travel to South Africa, Tanzania and Ghana to support teachers with mathematics and English education.

All of Warwick’s undergraduate degrees offer either the opportunity to apply your learning in a workplace or industry setting as part of your degree, or the option to apply for a voluntary year out for work experience. These include placements (which are usually a year long arrangements, designed to enhance your studies) and internships. Internships are shorter periods of on-the-job learning, which usually take place over vacations or after graduation.

Warwick work experience bursaries are available to support unpaid work and internships, and many students also gain experience through voluntary work.

Fees & Finance

Scholarships & Bursaries

The Warwick Bursary is an annual payment to help with the costs of studying and is paid directly into the student's bank account for each year of their course. Up to £2,000 a year is offered to those students whose household income is less than £35,000.

Additional Bursaries are targeted at students most in need. The University will pay an additional £1,000 a year to qualifying Warwick Bursary students who are either a Care Leaver or from a Foyer background; a mature student aged 21 or over at the start of their undergraduate course; in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance, Childcare Grant or Adult Dependants Grant from the UK government, or classed as an independent student for student financial support.

The University provides several different undergraduate scholarships. These include sporting and musical bursaries and scholarships, offered by commercial organisations.

Facilities

Learning Facilities 

At Warwick you will learn through a variety of lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory classes, language classes, performance and independent study. All these different methods mean that Warwick students are independent, active learners with advanced skills and knowledge.

For independent study and research, students have a wealth of resources and variety of study areas available to them. The main library has a book collection of over 1.2 million along with access to 15,300 e-journals and 14,000 e-books, and The Modern Records Centre, founded in October 1973, is the main British repository for national archives of trade unions and employers' organisations, and also has strong collections relating to pressure groups, fringe political parties and transport.

Warwick’s main library covers 5 floors: the first two are dedicated to group study with facilities such as interactive whiteboards, plasma screens and over 200 computers. Floors 3, 4 and 5 are quieter and of more of a traditional library sort: ideal for private study, research and revision. The Learning Grid located in University House offers a more innovative studying environment. Open 24 hours a day, its facilities are geared towards group work and discussion. Both the Library and Learning Grid have access to refreshments, and although eating and drinking are restricted in some areas of the library, the Learning Grid is much more relaxed.

A Learning Grid has also recently been opened in Leamington Spa, supporting students who live in the town and do not wish to make the journey into campus to study. In the Grid students have access to the university network, computers, bookable presentation rooms and group study spaces.

Sports Facilities

The University has great sporting facilities at the Sports and Wellness hub. Sports facilities include a 25 metre 6-lane swimming pool, squash courts, 4 court indoor tennis centre with floodlit outdoor courts, a large health and fitness centre, a performance weight training centre, an aerobics studio, and The Bear Rock indoor climbing centre (often used for national competitions) with specialist bouldering room. These facilities, along with 76 active clubs, mean all students have the opportunity to get involved in a sports team or lead an active lifestyle.

Students' Union

Students' Union 

Warwick’s Students' Union is run by students, for students, and takes into account every aspect of being a student.. It runs its own regular club nights along with on-campus bars and eateries such as The Terrace Bar, The Bread Oven, Curiosites and a pub, Dirty Duck. All profits made from these are put back into services for student life such as academic representation, job and volunteering opportunities and the Student Advice Centre. This particular service offers free and confidential advice from professionals for students struggling with anything from money issues to academic concerns, and is independent from the University.

With over 250 societies and 75 sport clubs, there are lots of opportunities to get involved at Warwick. These include academic, sport, culture, music, food and drink and performance societies as well as the opportunity to start your very own society!

Warwick also has its own independent student newspaper, The Boar, as well as its own radio (Radio Warwick RaW) and TV (Warwick TV) stations. Both RaW and WTV win awards at national ceremonies on a yearly basis and are both societies that really give your CV a boost if you get involved in them.

Student Support

Religion & Spirituality 

There is a Chaplaincy situated at the heart of campus, which is home to many of the university’s religious groups and societies, and to the Anglican, Free Church, Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim chaplains. The chaplains are delighted to welcome socially and pastorally students of all religions - or of none. There are regular sessions of public worship and private prayer for all denominations as well as many social events. The Chaplaincy Centre, is the home to the Jewish Meeting Rooms, Christian Chapel and Islamic Prayer Hall as well as its main, octagonal, shared meeting space.

Health & Wellbeing

Students at Warwick university are well looked after. Each student has a personal tutor for academic concerns and members of the Residential Life Team live and work alongside students to ensure their wellbeing in Halls.

There is a campus-based Health Centre with two general medical practices. Students who live on campus or within the catchment area and Staff (including their family) who live on campus can register with either practice.

Wellbeing Support Services provide a range of support to help you develop the personal resources and skills you need to navigate the challenges and opportunities of student life. There is also a University Counselling Service, which works with students to help them think through their psychological/emotional difficulties and effect change. The Counselling Service also runs a programme of specialist workshops for students.

The Warwick’s Disability Service Team offers confidential individual advice, guidance, and support, and works closely with staff and students to create an accessible, and inclusive, teaching and learning environment. Individual support requirements can be arranged through contacting the Disability Services prior to starting at Warwick.

Career Facilities

The Centre for Student Careers and Skills supports students before they join Warwick, during their studies and for three years after graduation, providing them with personal, professional, academic and career management skills, together with support for gaining employment or further study after Warwick.

The Centre for Student Careers and Skills not only helps students with career choices, but helps them achieve their potential whilst at university so that they can fulfil their academic potential. For example, a student has access to one-to-one advice, workshops and events in academic writing, revision, note-taking and seminar presentations in order that students leave university and enter employment with a strong set of results and skills to offer.

Warwick offers Awards, including the Warwick Advantage Award and the Warwick Global Advantage Award. These Awards can set you apart from other graduates as you enter the employment field showing that you have put time and effort into extra-curricular activities, with the Global Award demonstrating that you can interact with people and cultures from around the world.

Warwick offers a wide range of careers and work experience advice including; assessment tools to help you discover your skills and strengths, and how they relate to your career choices; Careers Consultants linked to each academic department; Careers Fairs (five held annually); employer presentations; and help finding placements and internships. Help also comes in the form of MyAdvantage which is an on-line portal that allows you to research employers, job sectors and graduate schemes. It is here that students can also search for job vacancies, and work experience. Whatever stage a Warwick student is at there is support on hand to help them take the next step in their degree or career.

Accommodation

As a first year undergraduate at Warwick you will usually live in the on-campus accommodation which is all within a ten minute walk of academic buildings and social spaces. After First Year students tend to live in either Leamington Spa or Coventry in shared houses or flats. Both Coventry and Leamington are connected to campus by good local bus services. Limited accommodation on campus is also available for final year students but Warwick Accommodation will always help those who miss out on this to find suitable accommodation elsewhere.

There are a total of 14 on-campus halls of residence, all of which are self-catered. The largest of these is Rootes accommodation which offers corridor style living with shared kitchens of 12-19 students in order to foster a strong community feel. However, each Hall has different letting period lengths, kitchen and bathroom facilities, and number of students in each flat, so it is important to research them and decide which Halls is most suited to you. Members of the Residential Life Team live within the halls to provide pastoral care.

International

English Language Requirements

All applicants, regardless of their visa requirements are required to show that their ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English is sufficiently high for them to derive full benefit from their degree course. The level of competence required depends on what type of degree you wish to study. Below is a table of common qualifications and the explanatory notes on the different bands associated with the qualification. Please visit the University website for a full list of the qualifications.

International Scholarships

A number of country specific and commercial scholarships are available to international undergraduate students. Please visit the University website for the list of scholarships.

International Support

At Warwick about one-third of all students are from outside of the UK, representing 140 nationalities, thus making it a truly cosmopolitan campus with great opportunities for intercultural learning and experiences. Warwick works hard to make its campus a friendly and comfortable place to live and study for all its students.

The International Office takes particular care of the international students from the application process right until graduation. They offer application advice, immigration advice, sightseeing trips and holiday support. The University holds events specifically for their Offer Holders throughout the year. If you are an offer holder, you'll be invited by email to any events that the University holds in your country.

When you first arrive in the UK, you might feel overwhelmed by the cultural differences between your home country and the UK. It is perfectly normal to feel this way, but rest assured, you will soon get familiar with the new way of life. If you are staying on campus and feeling homesick, you can talk to your Resident Tutor who is there to help you. In addition, international students have access to the range of counselling and support networks that the University offers to make sure they feel at home at Warwick and can make the most of their time there.

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