About Edge Hill University

Edge Hill is constantly investing in itself to give students the best possible experiences and outcomes. Our commitment to our students has been recognised with several awards in recent years:

Modern University of the Year

Edge Hill University has been crowned the Modern University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

The prestigious award highlights the University’s continuous investment in the student experience, its quality of teaching, outstanding facilities and courses that are designed to meet the needs of employers in a competitive jobs market.

This accolade follows the institution being named as the University of the Year in the Educate North Awards 2020/21. We have also been shortlisted in the categories of Outstanding Support for Students and Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community in the Times Higher Education Awards 2021.

Campus and Facilities

The campus has been ranked 2nd in the UK for university facilities (WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2022) and 2nd in the North West for learning resources (National Student Survey 2022). It has also been recognised as one of the UK’s best green spaces for 11 successive years (Green Flag Award 2022).

Accommodation

Our halls of residence have been voted best value for money student accommodation in the UK (National Student Housing Awards 2019). We were also a finalist for best university halls (National Student Housing Awards 2019).

Student Support

Edge Hill has been voted by students as offering student support that’s ranked in the top 10 in the UK in the WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2022.

Employability

95.4% of our students employed or in further study within 15 months of graduating (Graduate Outcomes 2019/20).

Student Satisfaction

Edge Hill has been ranked in the top 15 for lecturers and teaching quality (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2022).

Edge Hill is a self-contained university with accommodation, sports facilities, a shop, a launderette, a library, and a bar within the campus grounds. All students have access to 24 hour security on campus to provide help with everything from day-to-day support to emergency help.

Furthermore, all of the accommodation on campus are single rooms with a lock to provide every student with a private space, and access to accommodation blocks is by swipe access only.

Vehicular access through the campus is minimal and controlled by our facilities management team.

For problems relating to heating, lighting, general maintenance and repairs, adverse weather, cleaning, pest control, furniture, access and keys, students can contact the facilities management team in person, online, or by phone (01695 584455).

If there are ever any issues (such as noise disturbances) then the campus support team can be contacted via the phones within the Halls of Residence or by visiting them at the campus support hut (located by the main entrance).

Off campus, Ormskirk town has low crime levels, and significantly lower levels of crime than other similar areas. Ormskirk has a local police service who work very closely with the University.  Local officers regularly patrol the campus and surrounding areas and if there are any issues they can be contacted on [email protected].

All local areas will have a local police station and officers who can respond if there are any issues, so if you are living a bit further afield (such as Liverpool, Manchester) then be sure to find out where your local police station is located and how they can be contacted.

If there is ever an urgent emergency then the emergencies services (police, fire, ambulance, coastguard) can be contacted by dialling 999 (or 9 999 from your hall phones) however this service is for emergencies only.

All rooms include a bed, wardrobe, desk and chair, and students are free to bring their own items to personalise their room. Bed linen and towels are provided in all International student rooms, although you may wish to purchase your own when you arrive. Crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils are not provided so you will need to purchase these on arrival or in advance.

All students have access to wifi in their bedrooms which can be used to connect devices to use skype and email. All rooms in Founders Court and Graduates Court include a flatscreen computer/freeview TV. The international office has a phone which can be used to ring home when they arrive or if any issues arise (phoning bank, phoning home institution). Parcels that are sent to Edge Hill are received by a central mail room before being delivered to Halls of Residence by the facilities management team. This reduces the risk of parcels going missing or students not being at home when they are delivered.

There are several doctors surgeries within walking distance of the University. The University strongly recommends that students register with Beacon Primary Care Medical Practice upon arrival. The registration process may delay appointments and therefore it is very important that students register on arrival rather than waiting until an appointment is needed.

McColl’s shop, located within the Hub sells a selection of groceries, as well as hot food, sandwiches, stamps, toiletries, and basic medicines. It is open Monday to Sunday 7:30 am – 11pm.

Students living in Main Halls will be given a catering allowance to use in any of the Edge Hill catering outlets as part of their accommodation package. Students in all other Halls of Residence have self-catering facilities but catering packages are available and provide better value for money if your student will eat regularly in the Edge Hill catering outlets. Students with little experience cooking or who don’t wish to spend time at the supermarket sometimes prefer to eat from the selection of meals available on campus. Meals can also be purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis either using cash/card or by topping up the Edge Hill Unicard online which can be used in all catering facilities on campus.

The Edge Hill University Students’ Union organises events for all students throughout the year which we encourage International Students to attend as it really helps with meeting other students and integration. Details of events can be found online or by following the Students’ Union on social media.

Edge Hill also runs a ‘Global Friends‘ scheme where incoming International Students are put in contact with a current home student who will answer any questions they have before they arrive in the UK. Then, once in the UK, the students will meet up on a regular basis with the aim of helping international students to integrate and meet new UK students. This scheme has been highly successful for previous semesters and applications are accepted on a first come first served basis.

The Tech Hub is one of Edge Hill’s newest buildings, housing state-of-the-art biotechnology laboratories, big data servers for research and a Harvard style lecture theatre. It also offers the UK’s first Computer Augmented Virtual Environment (the CAVE). The access to these ultra-modern facilities is key to ensuring our students are fully prepared to enter the modern, digitally minded workforce.

The building is designed around teaching and learning, providing high-spec suites of industry-standard facilities for students studying Media, Film, Animation, Advertising and Computing. Creative Edge brings industry-leading television and media production facilities on to the Ormskirk campus, matching those at Salford Quays used by the BBC, and providing professional opportunities for both the University and the locality. Some facilities include:

• TV studios with broadcast capacity and full production capabilities for news, drama, documentary and experimental work
• Recording studios
• Sound-editing suites
• Radio studio
• Animation studios
• Photographic studio
• Multimedia laboratory
• Networking and forensics laboratories
• Computer laboratories

The innovative £26m building was completed in June 2018. It houses the University’s library, careers and student services functions in its contemporary 8,000 square metre space. At the heart of Edge Hill’s campus it is the ideal place to study, meet with peers and have 24/7 access to study materials and support from the Library and Learning Services team. Visit The Catalyst for further information on opening times and the facilities available.

Edge Hill invested £30m in sport and leisure facilities including new sports pitches, gym, sports hall, and swimming pool. The new sports centre opened its doors in September 2015. Visit Edge Hill Sport for more information.

International students should have access to sufficient funds to support themselves in the UK without working. However, some Visas may allow part-time work or voluntary work. Some students find this type of work useful to gain experience but it should not exceed 20 hours a week. Your Visa may also allow you to work in the UK over the summer.

Visit the Careers Centre to find out more about working while studying

Regular Graduate Recruitment Careers Fairs give students a chance to grow their professional network by meeting  professionals from everything from large companies to Small and Medium Enterprises. 40 business attended the Careers Fair in 2016.

Some Departments (for example, Computing) also run subject specific Careers Fairs with businesses of interest to certain career paths or degrees.

The Careers Centre offer services to all Edge Hill students. The Careers Centre website is full of lots of useful information on writing applications or students can make an appointment to see an adviser in person.

Some of the things the Careers Centre can help students with are:

• What employers look for
• CVs and Covering Letters
• Applications
• Online forms
• Online tests
• Assessment centres
• Interviews
• Subject specific resources
• Application for further study

Some courses involve compulsory or optional short term placement opportunities integrated within the course. An example may be a teaching degree.

Sandwich placements are year long work placements taken after two years of study. Students then return to Edge Hill to complete their final year. Taking a sandwich placement would therefore extend your degree from 3 years to 4 years. Research shows that students that have taken a sandwich placement year are more likely to gain graduate level employment after finishing their course.

Some placements may result in an extra year of study. There may also be restrictions due to Visa status, or changes to your Visa may be needed to facilitate placements.

Students interested in courses with placement opportunities should in the first instance contact the relevant faculty for information on what is available to students, or the International Office for information on visas

Ormskirk is home to many excellent restaurants, cafes and tearooms. Whether you are looking for British, Portuguese, Tapas, Italian, or Asian Fusion, Ormskirk is an increasingly popular foodie destination. Many locations also offer value for money set menus or early diner menus which are great for students on a budget.

Edge Hill Students’ Union run lots of fun events on campus from welcome week to the Graduation Ball. The Students’ Union bar and club is staffed mainly by students and open until 2am or 3am every night in term time so you can meet with friends without even leaving campus. Ormskirk town centre is also home to bars, pubs, and clubs to suit all budgets with many offering student nights so it’s easy to find a place to suit your nightlife needs. Check out our student blogs to find out what our current students think of the nightlife at Edge Hill.

Behind Edge Hill University you can find Ruff Woods, 19 acres of mixed woodland. Ruff Woods has a Biological Heritage Site status because it is home to the endangered Red Squirrel. Ruff Woods is a haven for wildlife and its many paths, car parking, and picnic areas make it a fun place to explore.

In Ormskirk town centre the 20 acre Coronation Park opened in 1903 and is now home to a wildlife meadow, outdoors fitness equipment, and a skate park. Thanks to the beautiful surroundings and the help of the local community, Coronation Park has held the Green Flag award for several years, identifying the park as a location which meets high standards.

Every Thursday and Saturday, Ormskirk holds a market which originated in 1286 when local monks were given permission to host the market by King Edward. Everything from clothing to local produce can be found if you are looking for a bargain, or simply head down and drink in the atmosphere.

Ormskirk is ideally situated for exploring the rest of the UK. Whether you are looking for countryside or city life as your next destination, many locations are easily accessible within 1-2 hours, giving you plenty of opportunities for weekend visits.

We are:

1 hour from the Lake District

2 hours from idyllic Wales

1 hour from New Brighton beaches

1 hour from Delamere Forest

City life:

We are:

45 minutes from Chester

1 hour from Manchester

2 hours from Leeds

2 hours from London

3 hours from Edinburgh

There are regular flights and ferries from Liverpool to Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man. The beautiful British island of Jersey is also a short flight from Liverpool.

Edge Hill offers award-winning student accommodation on campus, rated as the best value for money in the UK (National Student Housing Awards 2019) and a finalist for best university halls (National Student Housing Awards 2019).

Students can choose to live on campus in halls of residence, or in privately rented accommodation off campus. Most international students choose to live on-campus for ease.

Edge Hill has a range of accommodation available for all budgets, and with all bills included in the price they representing excellent value for money. Based on campus you will be a few minutes walk away from everything you need. There are a small number of female only rooms available.

To make your move to the UK a little easier, all students from an international background are guaranteed accommodation on campus for the duration of their study as long as the application deadline is met.

Edge Hill Sport provides a variety of fitness services in a custom-built modern space on campus. Students are welcome to use the facilities on a pay as you go basis or by signing up to one of our student memberships. Facilities are aimed at all levels of fitness by supporting competitive sports teams as well as providing recreational activities and women only sessions.

Some of the facilities available include:

• 8 court sports hall with spectator gallery
• 25m 6-lane swimming pool
• 80-station fitness suite with in-built entertainment technology
• Sauna & steam room
• Exercise studio
• 4 court gymnasium with sprung floor
• Sports therapy clinic
• Floodlit astroturf pitches for hockey, rugby and football
• 1 Floodlit 3G astroturf football / rugby pitch
• Competition standard floodlit 8-lane synthetic athletics track with an 2 x 10-lane straights
• 6 grass pitches for football and rugby
• Dance studio with sprung floor
• 2.5km fitness trail with exercise stations (home of the Ormskirk ParkRun)

The Students’ Union (SU) provides students with free, independent, advice and guidance on issues such as finance, fees, debt, housing as well as academic issues. They also run societies and sports clubs which all students are welcome to attend.

Societies are a great way to meet like-minded people by doing a hobby you love, or trying something you’ve always wanted to do.

Like music? Why not join the choir, the DJ society, or the acoustic society…

Or are the Arts more your thing? Why not try the Anime society..

We also have an active LGBT+ society, a China society, and an International Society. Find a list of all societies online.

Can’t decide? Why not join several? Or is your interest not represented? Why not start your own

The SU also offer sports clubs to meet a range of needs from recreational to competitive, from Football to table tennis.

The Students’ Union runs an on-campus bar, offering a wide choice of refreshing drinks, stocking both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. As well as offering food from Stone Willy’s which is located next door to the bar providing a range of tasty treats such as pizza, fries and waffles.

Venue, our very own on-campus club, runs regular theme nights and is open until 2am most nights, ideal to meet friends in social setting without having to leave campus!

The Arts Centre houses the Performing Arts Department and facilities including dance studios, costume design workshops, and a digital sound studio.

All students, as well as staff and members of the public can benefit from the facilities including the Rose Theatre and bar, live theatre screenings, high quality professional productions and family-friendly shows.

The Arts Centre also has a variety of events aimed specifically at Edge Hill students, including free film Fridays.