University of Plymouth

The University of Plymouth is a public university in the city of Plymouth, Devon, on the south-west coast of England. Its origins lie in the Plymouth School of Navigation, founded in 1862. The institution later became a polytechnic, absorbed several regional colleges, and was granted university status in 1992. It was the first post-1992 university to establish its own medical and dental school.

The university operates from a compact city centre campus at Drake Circus, close to the waterfront, and has invested heavily in modern teaching and research buildings in recent years. It has more than 19,000 students and around 2,500 staff, with a wide network of partner institutions delivering Plymouth degrees overseas.

Teaching is organised across faculties covering health, science and engineering, arts, humanities and business. The university is particularly well known for marine and maritime science, healthcare and medicine, and robotics research. It holds a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (2023) across all categories and is recognised for its work on environmental sustainability.

Information for International Students

The University of Plymouth has around 2,000 international students from more than 100 countries studying at its Plymouth campus. A dedicated International Office supports applicants, and the Student Immigration team provides advice on Student visa applications, CAS issues and immigration matters during study.

The typical English language requirement is IELTS 6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5, for most undergraduate courses, and IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5, for most postgraduate courses. Applicants who do not yet meet these levels can take a pre-sessional academic English course, offered both online and on campus, with the course length depending on the student's current level and the requirements of their offer.

Pathway programmes are delivered by the University of Plymouth International College (UPIC), operated in partnership with Navitas on the city centre campus. UPIC offers foundation, first year and pre-master's programmes leading to University of Plymouth degrees, and its students have full access to university facilities. The university highlights a guaranteed place in halls for international students, and eligible graduates can apply for the Graduate Route visa.