Welcome to the University of Derby - a much-loved second home to more than 2,000 international students from over 100 countries.
Excellent teaching and real-world learning prepare you for a successful, fulfilling career. Our courses are closely linked to industry, and students can benefit from our strong relationships with employers and professional accreditations.
For example, this year our international students were personally invited by the University’s Chancellor, Lord Burlington, to an exclusive event in the grounds of his magnificent stately home, Chatsworth House (pictured below).
We are currently offering scholarships and discounts totalling up to £3,000 for international students joining in September 2024 or January 2025 – visit our scholarships webpage to check if you are eligible.*
If you need support, we will make sure you get it. From our award-winning accommodation, Union of Students and Careers and Employment Service, we've got you covered.
Derby is a diverse and welcoming city. The Purple Flag awarded the city of Derby as a safe and inclusive place where international students can immerse themselves in British culture and enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
The best choice for international students
Our award-winning halls are the best choice for international students, offering a wide range of rooms to suit all budgets, great facilities and a safe and secure environment close to your lectures and on the Unibus route. As a member of our halls community, you'll be able to meet, socialise and make friends with residents from all seven of our halls of residence via our free Residence Life programme of activities and events.
We were delighted to be named Best University Housing and Best Environmental Management (UK & Ireland) in the 2023 Global Student Living Awards.
These awards are extra special to us as the results are 100% based on direct feedback from home and international students – a true testament to our fantastic Student Living team who is always on hand to help.
A warm welcome awaits you at our halls. We understand that International students are limited in the amount of luggage they can bring, so we provide a few things you'll need, free of charge:
On arrival, you'll find your bed made up and ready for you, and the bedding on the bed is then yours to keep.
We'll also leave you a free kitchen pack with some basic kitchen items in to get you started.
Because you could be arriving at anytime and may be tired after your journey, we provide you with a small arrival pack containing snacks and water.
Guaranteed accommodation
Finally, remember, if you make the University of Derby your first choice and apply for accommodation by 31 July, we can guarantee you a room in our halls of residence. Applying well before you arrive gives you peace of mind.
Accommodation offers
Whether you're on a tight budget or have cash to spare, we have accommodation to suit your needs. Whatever offer you choose, you can be sure of first-rate service, excellent facilities and wrap-around security and pastoral care, plus an all-inclusive price that takes the worry out of budgeting so you can concentrate on your studies.
The University of Derby has been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.
The TEF is a national scheme run by the Office for Students that aims to encourage higher education providers to improve and deliver excellence in the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.
As well as achieving an overall rating of Gold, in the two underpinning ratings of the TEF, Derby was awarded Gold for student experience and Silver for student outcomes.
Derby’s continued success in the TEF, as it was awarded Gold when the Framework first launched in 2017, comes off the back of recent achievements in the National Student Survey 2023, in which the University was ranked in the Top 20 nationally for assessment and feedback, as well as in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024, where the University was rated in the Top 20 for teaching quality, and in the Top 20 in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide 2024.
The TEF ratings reflect the extent to which a provider delivers an excellent experience and outcomes for its mix of undergraduate students and across the range of its undergraduate courses and subjects. 228 providers took part in TEF 2023.
