I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere of the campus upon visiting. It was clear that there was a real sense of community.
Emily Glass BSc Sport and Exercise Science
BECAUSE they are set slightly away from the city, staff and students at campus universities often become their own small communities. However, when a university spread over 438 acres has more than 16,500 students, 3000 members of staff and everything from bars to banks on site, it becomes its own little town.
Set on a large green campus, Loughborough University is vast. The land the university is built on initially came from the Burleigh Estate, a traditional English country house from the seventeenth century. Further land acquisitions over the past 16 years have helped the university reach its current size, and with £130m due to be invested in the facilities over the next three years, the historic aspects are being combined with modern facilities. Loughborough would certainly provide a grand location for your studies in England.
Where is Loughborough University Campus?
Unusually for a campus university, the Loughborough campus is based quite centrally to the town centre. There is a bus that runs from Loughborough Railway station to campus in about 10 minutes, and it would only take about 20 minutes to walk to. It’s certainly nice to know that you are never more than 5-10 minutes from a supermarket.
The town itself is at the heart of England, in the county of Leicestershire. Being in the centre of the country, Loughborough is perfectly placed to reach the rest of England by both rail and road: London is one-and-a-half hours away by train, Birmingham one hour and Manchester around two hours. And what’s more, East Midlands Airport is only seven miles away, and has regular scheduled flights to European and international destinations.
Getting Around
Although many people find that they can walk around, with such a large campus you might find that there are times you need a bit more propulsion. Cycling is a safe and popular option, and there are plenty of bike racks available. There is even a cycle shop called Cogz situated right in the middle of campus: their rental bikes could be especially useful when you have people visiting you on campus.
The number 7 bus from the railway station also has four stops on the campus itself, and if you want to bring a car, there are car parks near the accommodation. This could be a great way to explore the surrounding area (why not the rest of the country?) on your free days.
Stroll Between Your Studies
The very idea of a campus university is to have everything in once place for ease. Despite being such a large campus, the main lecture theatres, teaching rooms and academic departments are grouped together to save you from racing around in a panic between classes. The library is centrally located on campus.
The library itself is vast, however, with four floors in total: there are group study areas, a café, group meeting rooms, and bookable booths with screens to practice presentations. It may be worth allowing extra time to find your way out of the library.
And if you’re interested in learning more about the campus, the library archives hold the history of the university too.
Living on Campus
All the university halls are on campus. With over 15 different halls to choose from, there is ample variety for both undergraduates and postgraduates, include self-contained flats. Some of the halls even have catered options for food too, perfect if you don’t want to worry about what to eat in exam time.
Parcelz, located in the centre of the campus on University Road (the campus is so large, it has its own road system), is also a really useful idea for students living on campus. Whether it’s school books or clothes, if you do a lot of shopping online, you don’t have to worry about being in for the delivery. Parcels can be sent here, and then you will be sent an email when there is an item to collect – handy!
There is even a bank on campus, making it easier to access your money (and easier to get cash out when you need to pay for a takeaway).
Help to Stay Healthy
One thing that students coming from abroad often appreciate is that healthcare is readily available in the UK. The Loughborough campus in no exception: there are a medical centre and Medicine Box pharmacy right on campus that are just for students. The medical centre is NHS run, and students can register as soon as they have their accommodation for help with minor injuries, illness and prescriptions. The fact that they also have psychological therapy and sexual health clinics is very reassuring for students. The pharmacy can also administer First Aid – useful if you get a small sports injury. There is also a dentist with both NHS and private options, and an opticians on campus as well.
Sports Facilities to Spare
Loughborough is, of course, famous as a sports university, so it will be no surprise to find that there is campus space devoted to sports. As well as gyms for general workouts, and playing fields and sports halls that are used for a variety of activities, the campus also has over 15 specialist sports facilities. The Loughborough University stadium can hold up to 2700 spectators standing. There is a cricket field, pitches for field hockey, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, several pitches for football and rugby, even an American football pitch, and a 50m swimming pool! The list goes on…
Places to Refuel
After exerting all your energy in sport and study, you’ll be happy to find there are a range of shops, cafes and restaurants on site. The restaurant University Dining Suite, and The various FUEL shops located near lecture theatres will let you get a sugar-fix with drinks, snacks and sweets between classes. The TASTE cafes offer more substantial options like noodle and salad bars. Using their ID cards, students can pre-load money to get money off in these places using the cash+ and diners+ schemes, another benefit of everything being on campus.
Loughborough was also one of the first universities to become a Fairtrade university back in 2005. Fairtrade options are available in all campus shops and cafes.
Finding Places to Rest and Relax
One of the best things about a large campus is that the university has devoted natural spaces, which are perfect to find a bit of peace and clear your head between studying. The traditional Walled Garden is part of the original estate, whilst a large area on the outskirts of the campus is devoted to Burleigh Wood, a nature reserve teaming with wildlife.
Meanwhile, for some culture there is the Sir Robert Martin Theatre, which presents performances from both students and visiting professional acts. Cogs bar is open during the week for quiet events such as poetry, and relaxed study sessions at lunchtime – and is also available to hire.
Loughborough also has bars and club spaces on campus that can be as good as the biggest clubs in London. The newly refurbished John Coopers Restaurant and Bar, and Victory bar each have a unique feel. What’s more, the SU hosts famous artists such as Professor Green. It all helps it feel like a small town rather than a university campus.
This article was sponsored by Loughborough University. If you'de like to find out more, visit their page and request more info.
