University of Portsmouth

University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth is a leading modern university with a strong reputation for teaching and student satisfaction with notable research strengths. Many of our academics are international experts in their fields and our students can learn from specialists who are pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge.

There are over 20,000 students studying a wide range of courses at the University with around 3,000 overseas students from 100 countries. We offer superb facilities in a vibrant waterfront location - a university by the sea that's also in the heart of one of Britain's most historic cities.

Academic strengths

The University is active in research and knowledge transfer across the spectrum of its activities. Areas of international excellence include the Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, the Centre for European and International Studies Research and the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation.

We want our students to have the best possible experience of University. In the 2008 National Student Survey our students rated us first out of all modern universities (88 per cent), and highest of all south coast institutions for overall satisfaction. We are proud of our teaching record, receiving the highest possible rating in the most recent Quality Assurance Agency audit. More recently we received awards for excellence in teaching and learning, one of only 16 institutions to receive more than one award.

The University has excellent links with industry and a strong record of student employability. We have a clear focus on Enterprise, and our Centre for Enterprise, established in 2000, aims to inspire Portsmouth students to learn and succeed in entrepreneurship, offering free training and mentoring to both graduates and current students. Four of our students have been awarded prestigious Kauffman scholarships - more than any other UK University.

Student support

At the University of Portsmouth we pride ourselves on the level of support we offer all our students. The International Office team is dedicated to providing consistent care for the University's overseas students. Our International Student Advisers are responsible for the pastoral care of international and EU students and organise events and day trips throughout the academic year. Mix and Match is a mentoring scheme that brings together students from different nationalities and cultures.
The University's support network also includes Student Housing, Purple Door Careers and Recruitment, the Student Finance Centre, the University Nursery, the Academic Skills Unit, the Counselling Service, Chaplaincy and the Students' Union. The University also offers international and EU students free English classes for academic purposes for those who want to further improve their English language skills.

All new international and EU students are invited to join a special orientation programme which is held the week before the start of the term. We also provide a free airport pick up service on arrival into Heathrow Airport. New students will then have the opportunity to receive general advice about living and studying in Portsmouth, meet staff from all the support services and teaching staff from their department and take part in cultural and social events throughout the week.

Location

Portsmouth is a vibrant waterfront city on the south coast of England, full of character and diversity. If you are looking for a friendly, compact city with everything in easy reach, Portsmouth is ideal. It is a city with many identities: tourist destination, home of the Royal Navy and university city. The historic sits comfortably with the modern, offering you the best of both worlds.
Portsmouth is within easy reach of Heathrow, Gatwick and Southampton Airports, and is 90 minutes by direct train from London. Regular ferries to France and Spain give you the opportunity to visit continental Europe and the beautiful Isle of Wight is a 15-minute hovercraft ride away.

The University quarter is in the heart of the city, making shopping, public transport and leisure facilities very convenient. Most of our modern halls of residence are located in the University quarter, within a stone's throw of the main teaching buildings.
Portsmouth is one of the country's sunniest spots. The daily temperature is 20°C during the summer months, falling to an average of 12°C in winter. Rainfall is lower than the national average and snow is unusual.

Fast facts

Why choose Portsmouth?
Stimulating degrees that are relevant to your future: in liaison with professions and industry, we develop courses that make you attractive to future employers.

Academic experience: our students report very high levels of satisfaction about the quality of teaching on their courses, the approachability of staff and academic support.

Your degree plus: interesting electives are available to supplement the skills gained through your course; you can learn another language or develop entrepreneurial attributes.

Preparing for your future: we work with employers to secure a range of opportunities from part-time work whilst you are studying, to graduate career openings.

Cosmopolitan community: you'll be joining a varied and vibrant community of people from over 100 countries with different experiences.

Great learning spaces and facilities: over £64 million has been invested between 2001 and 2008 making learning, sport and leisure spaces the best possible.

Location: Portsmouth is a waterfront city surrounded by the sea which has shaped its history and its culture, a modern city that is a breath of fresh air, a distinctive culture with edge and attitude, pride and passion

Fees and entry requirements
Tuition fees for international (non-EU) students for 2010/2011

• Undergraduate: £9,200 - £10,500
• Postgraduate: £9,200 - £10,500
• MBA (AMBA accredited): £15,250

Study Abroad programme

• Fees for one semester will be half the annual fee.

Please note that fees are subject to change and you are advised to contact the University for further information.

Other information

Library
The University Library is conveniently situated right in the centre of campus and is open from 8am until midnight every day during term time. The recent £11 million extension, added 200 more study spaces, six rooms for group study, 200 new IT spaces, a new cafe and space for an extra 60,000 volumes. There are also over 19,500 electronic journals, together with thousands of e-books, which can be accessed across campus, from home and from wherever there is an internet connection.

IT
IT support is available 24 hours a day throughout the year. Our academic departments have computer suites with specialised software and equipment and we also have three large open access centres around campus. These centres contain high specification PCs and Macs, and are open until late with friendly support available at all times. We have a fast, extensive and free wireless network, so if you prefer to use your own laptop, you can access University resources and the internet wherever you choose.

Once you start, you'll receive:
-an email address that you can use even after your course ends
-5GB of ultra fast and secure storage
-a free initial print quota at the start of each academic year of £10
-if you're living in halls of residence, free 10 Mbps broadband, your own phone with low cost calls and free digital TV, with 25 channels received through your own laptop.

At our Student IT Support Centre you can obtain information about wireless and broadband, receive IT advice and support, and access student campus card services. We also have a dedicated student intranet, LookUP, where you can find news updates, links to student services and log in to the student portal, which provides personalised details of your timetables, exam grades, library loans and much more. You will also benefit from our virtual learning environment, Victory, where you'll find activities and resources for your course.

Sport
We have our own playing fields including an all-weather pitch and a range of indoor sports facilities. In addition, we have own fully equipped gym within St Paul's Sports Centre, offering cardiovascular, free weights and resistance training equipment. The Nuffield Sports Hall gives regular fitness and dance classes for both staff and students.

Our sports scholarship scheme offers financial and sports science support, facility access, academic and personal mentoring, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning and fitness programmes, all tailored to the individual athlete's needs amongst many other services. If you play sport at international or national level you could be eligible for a sports scholarship. Visit www.port.ac.uk/sport for more information.

Purple Door Recruitment
We have our own onsite recruitment service which works proactively with employers on behalf of students to help them take those first steps from student life into the world of employment. It offers:
- graduate vacancies, voluntary work and work placements
- personal support in accessing opportunities
- strong links with local and national businesses

Scholarship

The University of Portsmouth is pleased to announce a new bursary scheme for 2010 entry. The Global Outreach: Access to Learning (GOAL) Awards are for students who are nationals of middle and low income countries, as defined principally by the United Nations Human Development Index.

The GOAL Awards are open to self-funding, undergraduate students studying on a full-time course with annual fees of £9200 or above and full-time postgraduate taught and research students. The award is ONLY for international (non-EU) students commencing courses from September 2010 for the first year of study at Portsmouth (and are not available to students who have previously undertaken other courses here).

The GOAL Award takes the form of a 10% fee reduction, effective at the time of registration and will only apply to your first year of study. It cannot be combined with any other scholarship, discount or fee offer, except the 2% 'prompt payment discount' for students paying their fees in full at the start of the academic session.

Malaysia-Portsmouth Scholarship (MPS)

The MPS is a new scholarship introduced in 2010 which is designed to enable students from Malaysia to study at Portsmouth at discounted fee rates. It recognises the strong links which exist between Malaysia and the University of Portsmouth and marks the first decade of SEARO (South East Asia Regional Office) in Kuala Lumpur.

Under the MPS, privately-funded students will receive a 10% fee reduction for the first year of study only. The MPS applies to all degree courses with fees of £9200 and above. The MPS cannot be combined with any other University discount or scholarship scheme, except the 2% 'prompt payment discount.

For more details about the GOAL Award and Malaysia-Portsmouth Scholarship please visit our website: www.port.ac.uk/bursariesforinternationalstudents

Accommodation

There are 10 halls based in and around the city centre and at Langstone Student Village. Langstone also benefits from a large restaurant and a free bus service for students travelling to the Guildhall Campus. All rooms are single occupancy (except for a limited number of twin rooms) and we can offer both catered and self-catered halls, most with en suite shower and toilet facilities.

All rooms have free broadband connection, free internal telephone calls and voicemail. Internet telephony and digital television services, including international channels, are also provided in all rooms at no charge. Accommodation for postgraduate students and female only flats are also available.

All international (non-EU) students are guaranteed a room in University accommodation for their first year, provided they have completed an accommodation booking form and paid an advance rent deposit of £200 by 13th August.

Virtual tours of the halls are available at http://www.port.ac.uk/accommodation

Opportunities to study abroad

Student Life
Portsmouth has a nightlife that has developed around the local student population, making it inexpensive as well as fun. Many local clubs and sports centres offer student discounts, so whatever social and sporting activity you choose to get involved in, you will find a warm welcome and a new set of friends.
For a diverse range of plays, comedy nights, live music and touring London shows, visit the Kings Theatre, New Theatre Royal, the Wedgewood Rooms and Portsmouth Guildhall. The University has close ties to the New Theatre Royal and students frequently perform there.

Sport in Portsmouth
The student sporting life at Portsmouth is varied and lively. Our students currently run approximately 60 sports clubs ranging from scuba diving to rugby. Our location on Britain's south coast provides an ideal position to enjoy water sports of all kinds. Windsurfing from beginner to expert level, in competition or just for fun, can be enjoyed around the island's shores. The University's sailing club regularly competes at international level.

We have our own playing fields including an all-weather pitch and a range of indoor sports facilities. Basketball, volleyball, badminton, hockey, netball and five-a-side football are all available on campus. In addition, we have our own fully equipped gym within St Paul's Sports Centre, offering cardiovascular, free weights and resistance training equipment. The Nuffield Sports Hall gives regular fitness and dance classes for both staff and students.

Our sports scholarship scheme offers financial and sports science support, facility access, academic and personal mentoring, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning and fitness programmes, all tailored to the individual athlete's needs amongst many other services. If you play sport at international or national level you could be eligible for a sports scholarship. Visit www.port.ac.uk/sport for more information.

Part-time jobs
The Students' Union Job Shop advertises around 6,000 jobs every year. It offers you assistance in securing part-time, casual and seasonal employment whilst you are studying at the University.

Mix and Match
The scheme helps overseas students to make new friends at the University and settle into life in the UK. Existing students, who act as mentors, will help you to get to know the city, provide study advice, offer opportunities to practise your English in a more informal way and familiarise yourself with the UK life and culture

Official website: http://www.port.ac.uk