Sheffield Hallam University guide: Rankings, open days, fees and accommodation
Overview
Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) is joining the higher-education stampede to London in 2026 as the latest university to open a campus there. It's a significant development for a university faced with a long-term decline in applications (down 30% on a decade ago), offering accounting and finance, business, computing, law, psychology and public health courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. And at the heart of its city campus in central Sheffield, three new zero-carbon buildings will open for the 2025-26 academic year, providing a new home for the business school among other faculties. Business - alongside nursing and healthcare and teacher training - is one of the key subject offerings of this institution, which enjoys an excellent graduate employment record and a strong ranking in guides such as ours. A civic university agreement enshrines its commitment to contribute to the region's economy and jobs, education and skills, health and wellbeing and community. It is one of the largest providers of earn-while-you-learn degree apprenticeships with more than 3,000 apprentices enrolled. The quality of teaching at SHU is recognised by an overall gold rating in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework and an outstanding rating from Ofsted for its teacher training across four age groups.
Paying the bills
The bulk of Sheffield Hallam's financial support is dispensed via its student success scholarships. Valued at between £600 and £2,100, the scholarships are open to students from homes with an annual income of up to £62,347. By no means do all students who meet that requirement alone get an award, as there are several groups the university looks to specifically assist. This includes final-year students and those on high-cost or high-intensity courses, alongside the more standard prioritisation of care leavers and carers, estranged students, those with disabilities, transgender and non-binary people, student parents, and those from black, Asian and other ethnic minorities. Care leavers get the maximum student success scholarship award, topped up by an additional £1,500 per year of study (making £3,600 in all), while students from homes with an annual income of up to £62,347 on a placement year can offset some of Hallam's £1,907 placement year tuition fee with a £700 placement bursary. More than £300,000 was awarded last year in hardship support to students in extreme financial need. The university also runs a performance athletes support programme for those competing at the highest levels. This saw £36,000 awarded to 32 students in 2023-24. Overall, just over one in four students received some form of financial assistance from the university. Student accommodation is competitively priced with the cheapest self-catered rooms priced at £85 a week, or £3,570 over a standard 42-week tenancy. The top-priced studios among the 3,081 beds available come in at £210 a week, or £9,240 for a 44-week contract.
What's new?
The new academic year should see the completion of one of Sheffield Hallam's biggest campus development projects which has been several years in planning and construction. Three new buildings will open - made using the latest technology to make them zero carbon ready - containing new facilities for the Sheffield business school, the institute of law and justice, the institute of social sciences and architecture students from the institute of creative industries. The buildings have been constructed around a new central green space with seating for up to 150 people. The development includes food venues and social spaces for students as well as the university's not-for-profit law teaching firm, Hallam Legal Advice Centre. The business school includes a business lounge and a trading floor equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The university may hope to reverse the steady decline in the number of applications with the opening of a London campus in September 2026. The development in Brent Cross, north London, will include 662 spaces in student accommodation as well as cafes, restaurants, sports facilities and social areas. The campus will offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, delivered through a mix of in-person and online teaching. Subjects will include accounting and finance, business, computing, law, psychology and public health.
Admissions, teaching and student support
SHU's contextual offers scheme ensures that it maintains a high level of social diversity on campus with more than half the intake being the first in their immediate family to go to university. Its contextual offers scheme cuts between eight and 16 Ucas tariff points (equivalent to one or two A-level grades) from standard entry requirements. These offers are made to all participants in the Sheffield progress outreach programme for applicants whose personal circumstances might mean there are barriers to progressing to higher education or who come from groups under-represented on campus - including mature students, those from ethnic minorities, military families, carers and care leavers. Contextual offer holders receive additional support, including a mentor and early access to learning communities, in the run-up to joining the university, as well as additional consideration should their results fall short of requirements. Mental health and wellbeing support for all students is extensive, with Hallam Help offering a one-stop shop for all student inquiries and a first point of contact for those seeking support. This service can be contacted by telephone, email and online webchat, as well as in person via four points on campus to get advice or make an appointment with specialist advisers. All students are required to attend three compulsory induction sessions: welcome to your course (giving an overview of courses and expectations), success and support @Hallam (outlining the support available and expected student behaviours), and meet your course mates (a social and ice-breaking session). The university has developed several mini modules, embedded into course curriculum sites, on topics relevant to students: money and mental health, five ways to wellbeing, enhancing motivation, stress management, and overcoming perfectionism and procrastination. To maintain high levels of campus safety, students are also expected to complete a welcome module which includes information on sexual consent and being an active bystander.