The University of Portsmouth can trace its history back to 1869 and the formation of the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and the Arts. University status was granted to Portsmouth in 1992, when the institution began to validate its own degrees (degrees had previously been validated by the Council for National Academic Awards).

In 2009 the university’s School of Law opened a mock courtroom, giving students the opportunity to take part in realistic recreations of course cases.

Portsmouth is a coastal town, and its dependence on shipping meant that the principal focus of this college was the training of engineers and dock workers. As the city developed after the Second World War, maritime industry became less prominent in the area and the college diversified. It was renamed Portsmouth Polytechnic in the 1960s, and grew to be one of the biggest such institutions in the country.

We have great achievements as listed below
•NO.1 in UK for graduate salary boost (The Economist, 2017)
•#21 university in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2020)
•97.5% of graduates working or in further study (DLHE, 2017)
•TEF Gold Teaching Excellence Framwork


Your student loan goes further here
Portsmouth is in the top 10 most-affordable places in the UK to live as a student, according to the 2019 NatWest Student Living Index – so living and studying here won't break the bank.

Almost everything is in walking distance, so you won’t need to fork out on Ubers. You can save your cash for going home in the holidays. And with our excellent transport links to London and the rest of the UK, getting home is easy.

Not that you’ll be looking for excuses to go home: Portsmouth has so much to offer, you won’t want to leave: great nightlife, plenty of cultural activities and tonnes of restaurants, cafes, museums and shopping.

We're also one of the top 10 most affordable cities for new graduates, according to Universities UK, and plenty of graduates do choose to stay in the city once their degree is complete and their career has started.


The city is a friendly, welcoming place
You’ll be greeted by miles of beautiful beaches, pretty green spaces and a friendly, optimistic vibe. The city sits just across the Channel from mainland Europe, and is home to people from every corner of the world. The same is true of our students, who come from more than 130 countries.

We also get some of the UK’s best weather: our springs and summers are sunnier and warmer than elsewhere in the UK, and our winters are milder.


You’ll get personal, academic and professional support
Nobody comes to university just to earn a degree: you’re here to grow as a person, to meet new friends, to learn more about your interests and to explore your potential career. We’re here to help with all of that.

Our Students’ Union (UPSU) is run for students, by students. It promotes your rights and looks after your wellbeing. UPSU is consistently ranked one of the UK’s top 20 unions, and can support and advise you on everything from housing to health. We’ve also got a University wellbeing team who’ll look out for you while you’re with us. If you’re worried about money, health, housing, your studies or anything else, the team are on-hand to listen and help.

As for after you graduate: we’ve got that covered as well.