University of Buckingham

The University of Buckingham is the UK's oldest independent university. It was incorporated as University College at Buckingham in 1973, admitted its first students in 1976 and received its Royal Charter in 1983. The main campus is in the market town of Buckingham, with riverside sites around Hunter Street and further buildings on London Road, creating a small and close-knit academic setting. The university also operates a health sciences campus in Crewe, which welcomed its first students in 2019.

Buckingham has fewer than 4,000 students, with postgraduates making up a large share of the student body. It is best known for pioneering accelerated two-year undergraduate degrees, which run alongside conventional three-year options, and for small-group tutorial teaching that gives students a high level of individual attention. Its schools cover business, computing, education, humanities and social sciences, law, psychology and medicine, including an MB ChB programme, as well as postgraduate medicine and allied health.

Information for International Students

Students at Buckingham come from more than 70 countries. The International Office, based on the Hunter Street campus, provides guidance on Student visas, accommodation and general preparation for study in the UK, and eligible offer holders receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The typical English language requirement for most undergraduate programmes is IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, with higher scores required for medicine.

Applicants who do not yet meet the entry requirements can study with the university's own Foundation Department. It offers a nine-month foundation pathway, with September and January intakes, leading into a two-year degree, as well as integrated foundation programmes that combine foundation and degree study in a single three-year course. A pre-sessional English programme is available for students who need to strengthen their language skills before starting their main course. The university guarantees on-campus accommodation to full-time first-year students who apply by the published deadlines. Eligible graduates may apply for the UK Graduate Route after completing their degree.