What is a campus university? List of campus unis in the UK

What is a campus university?

A campus university is one where most facilities - teaching spaces, accommodation, libraries, sports and social areas - are located in one main area. This makes getting around easier and often creates a stronger sense of student community.

A city-based university, by contrast, has buildings spread across a town or city. This can mean more travel between lectures, but better access to city life.

There’s no official definition of a campus university in the UK. Many universities combine elements of both.

For more detail, read our guide to campus vs city universities.

UK universities with a strong campus-style experience

These universities are commonly experienced as having a main campus or campus-style setup, even if they also operate additional sites:

• Aberystwyth University
• University of St Mark & St John
• Aston University
• University of Bath
• University of Birmingham
• Bishop Grosseteste University
• Brunel University London
• University of Central Lancashire
• University of Cumbria (multi-campus)
• University of Derby
• University of Dundee
• University of East Anglia
• Edge Hill University
• Edinburgh Napier University (multi-campus)
• University of Essex
• University of Exeter
• Heriot-Watt University (multi-campus)
• University of Hertfordshire
• University of Hull
• Keele University
• University of Kent
• University of Wales Trinity Saint David (incl. Lampeter)
• Lancaster University
• University of Lincoln
• Liverpool Hope University
• Loughborough University
• Newcastle University
• University of Nottingham (multi-campus)
• University of Reading (multi-campus)
• Royal Holloway, University of London
• University of Southampton (multi-campus)
• Staffordshire University
• University of Stirling
• University of Surrey
• University of Sussex
• Swansea University
• Cardiff Metropolitan University
• University of Warwick
• University of the West of England (UWE)
• University of the West of Scotland (multi-campus)
• University of Winchester
• Wrexham University
• University of York

Quick takeaway

Campus-style universities = more centralised, community-focused

City universities = more spread out, better city access

Many UK universities sit somewhere in between.

Always check campus maps and accommodation locations - labels don’t tell the full story.