University of Bradford guide: Rankings, open days, fees and accommodation
Overview
Bradford is our University of the Year for Social Inclusion and makes our shortlist of five for the overall UK University of the Year title off the back of its strong performance across many of the ranking measures in our league table. The pursuit of social inclusion extends beyond admissions practices to permeate the curriculum and research focus of the institution. It's evident in initiatives such as the Digital Health Enterprise Zone, which seeks to develop digital health innovations to improve the lives of people living with long-term conditions. One of the most diverse student populations at any university is well-supported financially and academically, and Bradford serves its region well, from which it draws 85% of its recruits. More than 70% of last year's domestic intake were of Asian descent, with the university mirroring the ethnic diversity of the city it calls home. The university is helping the area to celebrate its status as the 2025 UK City of Culture, too. Bradford offers an extensive range of science, technology, engineering and health-related degrees, and a significant proportion of graduates go into the NHS, contributing to the university's excellent graduate employment outcomes.
Paying the bills
More than 3,000 students get financial assistance under Bradford's undergraduate bursary scheme. A bursary of £500 is paid in the first year to students from homes with an annual income of less than £30,000 (a generous upper limit in a university with such high levels of social diversity), with the sum rising by a further £100 in both the second and third years of study, up to £600 and £700 respectively. Bradford also makes a serious play for the best-qualified students from diverse backgrounds with its £1,000 annual UK Academic Excellence scholarship, worth up to £3,000 over the duration of a degree. This is paid to students who achieve AAA at A-level (or equivalent) who come from homes in the 40% of postcodes with the lowest rates of progression to higher education. The Bradford Futures scholarships, meanwhile, are worth £1,500 per year and are paid to students who tick a widening-participation box, such as coming from a low-income household, being disabled, coming from an ethnic minority, being a care leaver or young carer, or being a mature student aged 25 or over when starting university. About 20 of these scholarships are awarded each year to deserving applicants. There is no university-owned accommodation, but Bradford endorses around 1,000 rooms with a private operator. Prices for 2025-26 begin at £3,526 for 43 weeks in a room in a classic 12-bed, six-bathroom townhouse and rise to £6,400 for 50 weeks in a deluxe ensuite room.
What's new?
It has been a year of mixed fortunes for the university. Triumphs and recognition of its endeavours to create a socially inclusive campus have been offset by a £19.5m cut in tuition-fee income from international students in 2023-24. Courses in chemistry and film and television closed as Bradford faced 'significant financial challenges' not dissimilar to those that have hit many other institutions. As well as winning our University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2026 title, Bradford was also named University of the Year at last year's Social Mobility Awards in recognition of the support given to students who have been in foster care; the university's web of loans and scholarships; and the range of support available for students and graduates, which includes careers advice for up to five years after graduation. Bradford has been designated one of 19 Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK and Europe, giving students access to the latest professional-quality Adobe software during their studies. The university works with 3,000 local, national and international employers to offer career development and to support the institution's ethos of offering 'more than a degree'. Students benefit from curricular and extracurricular opportunities to engage in careers-focused learning that is subject-specific. Employers have had a say in the design of many courses, which often carry professional accreditation. Bradford's longstanding success in the graduate jobs market is the natural result of this focus. When it comes to the proportion of students who believe their careers to be on track 15 months after leaving, the university ranks in the UK top 40, with three-quarters of its graduates in high-skilled jobs.
Admissions, teaching and student support
Bradford's counselling and mental health service is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. The service works closely with the students' union, personal academic tutors and the university's student experience and success team. When they enrol, students are invited to attend a Step Up to HE programme which offers sessions on mental health and wellbeing. A partnership with the Talking Therapies arm of the local NHS Trust gives students access to in-person and online courses on themes such as anxiety, depression and stress. More than one-third of students admitted in September 2024 received a contextual offer. These typically cut the standard offer by eight Ucas tariff points (equivalent to one A-level grade). Eligibility criteria include being a mature entrant aged 21 or over when courses begin, living in a postcode among the 40% with the lowest rates of progression to higher education, being a care leaver or a carer, being estranged and being from an Armed Forces family. These same groups are eligible to be part of the university's Progression Scheme, which is central to its championing of social diversity on campus. Attendance at an open day and a progression scheme workshop, and the completion of an associated task, can double the Ucas points discount offered.