Hartpury University
Hartpury University is a specialist institution occupying a 360-hectare estate in rural Gloucestershire, a short way outside Gloucester. It grew out of an agricultural institute that admitted around 50 students when it opened in 1948. From 1997 the University of the West of England validated its degrees, an arrangement that lasted until Hartpury was awarded taught degree awarding powers in 2017; university title came the following year, in 2018. The estate is also home to Hartpury College, which provides further education. Subjects centre on equine studies, animal science, agriculture, veterinary nursing, sport, psychology and business, taught from foundation and bachelor's level through taught postgraduate study to doctoral research.
Facilities are central to Hartpury's identity. On the estate are a commercial dairy unit, stables for over 200 horses, equine therapy provision that includes water treadmills, a centre for veterinary nursing, sports science laboratories containing biomechanics equipment and altitude chambers, and a modern library in the form of a learning hub. In the Teaching Excellence Framework, the university holds Gold ratings across the board, and athletes from many countries have trained in its sports academies while pursuing their studies.
Information for International Students
Applicants from outside the UK deal mainly with Hartpury's international team, which gives advice before enrolment and helps at every step of the Student visa application. The English requirement for most undergraduate courses is IELTS 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, and most postgraduate programmes expect 6.5 overall. A higher standard applies on certain programmes, veterinary nursing among them. Those who need to strengthen their English can join an intensive pre-sessional course online, run with Oxford International Digital Institute and lasting six, 12 or 16 weeks.
A room is guaranteed for first-year undergraduates who have Hartpury as their firm choice and submit an accommodation application by the published deadline. The majority of halls are on campus, while postgraduate students from overseas qualify for rooms in university accommodation located in Gloucester city. New students receive a pre-arrival guide that explains how to prepare, what to pack, how to arrive and what the first week will involve. Merit-based scholarships are available to international students, among them the Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship, and graduates who meet the eligibility criteria are able to stay on in the UK through the Graduate Route.