Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Harper Adams is a small specialist university in the Shropshire countryside, near the market town of Newport. It's built around a working farm, and its courses focus on agriculture, food, land, animals, vet nursing and engineering. With around 5,300 students, it feels more like a village than a city campus.
Most first years live in halls on campus, and many eat together in the dining hall, so you get to know people quickly. Social life centres on the Students' Union pub and nightclub. The trade-off is that you're rural: you'll rely on the shuttle bus or a car to get anywhere, and it won't suit you if you want city nightlife.
Known for
Harper Adams University is 43rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.5, above the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | University of Strathclyde | 51.9 |
| 42 | University of Plymouth | 51.7 |
| 43 | Harper Adams University | 51.5 |
| 44 | University of Winchester | 51.5 |
| 45 | Bournemouth University | 51.4 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
3rd of 124 · Freshers Score 79.4
3rd of 124 · Wellbeing Score 81.5
4th of 123 · Happiness Score 72.1
43rd of 124 · Safety Score 48.3
74th of 124 · Innovation Score 53.5
93rd of 124 · Societies Score 42.7
103rd of 124 · Social Score 40.2
108th of 124 · Sustainability Score 30.7
112th of 124 · Inclusion Score 33.2
121st of 124 · Nightlife Score 23.6
Not enough published data to rank fairly
Not enough published data to rank fairly
Not enough published data to rank fairly
Not enough published data to rank fairly
Newport as a student city
Ranked 52nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 47.2.
Harper Adams University appears in 8 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate | 9th | of 22 | 69 |
| Robotics | 17th | of 32 | 76 |
| Data Science | 27th | of 50 | 80 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 45th | of 77 | 110 |
| Business and Management | 67th | of 114 | 125 |
| Zoology | 22nd | of 37 | 69 |
| Agriculture | 4th | of 6 | 26 |
| Veterinary Science | 8th | of 10 | 23 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Campus life is close-knit and centres on the Harper Adams Students' Union (HASU). It runs weekly events at the on-campus pub, The Welly, and the nightclub, The Barn, plus trips and themed balls through the year. HASU supports clubs and societies ranging from sports and motor racing to faith groups and gaming. Newport, a market town with a wide high street of cafés and supermarkets, is the nearest town. Telford, Stafford and Shrewsbury are within reach for bigger nights out.
University halls cost £130–£200 per week (2026/27 undergraduate rooms, 40-week contracts; catered rooms include three meals a day Monday to Friday in term) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
There's no formal guarantee, but the university says it 'make[s] every effort to offer on-campus residence to all undergraduate students in their first year of study', and allocated students are told 'we have a room for you'. You can only apply if Harper Adams is your firm choice: insurance applicants can't apply. Students under 18 must live in designated under-18 flats in Boughey Hall. Clearing applicants may be put on a waiting list or helped to find off-campus housing if no suitable room is left.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Houses (Flatt Road, Newtown and Poultry Drive) Catered | On and around campus | shared houses: single or shared study bedrooms (catered) | £130/wk | The cheapest option: a shared study bedroom (you share the room) at £5,188 for 40 weeks, or a single room at £6,518 (about £163 a week), both catered. |
| Pitchside and Courtside (Darwin, Darby, Jebb, Silcock, Leverhulme and Jerman Halls) | Edgmond campus | en-suite (self-catered) | £151/wk | Self-catered en-suite with shared kitchens: £6,030 for 40 weeks. A few 36-week rooms (£5,796) are available, but you must move out over Easter. |
| Ward Hall Catered | Edgmond campus | single room with washbasin, shared bathrooms (catered) | £175/wk | Standard catered room: £7,012 for 40 weeks. Bedrooms are among the largest on campus, which makes Ward a popular choice. |
| Bradford Hall Catered | Edgmond campus | single room with washbasin, shared bathrooms (catered) | £175/wk | Standard catered room (£7,012 for 40 weeks), close to the dining hall, bar and library. |
| Boughey Hall Catered | Edgmond campus | single room with washbasin, shared bathrooms (catered) | £175/wk | Standard catered room (£7,012 for 40 weeks). Part of the hall is reserved for under-18 students; everyone under 18 must live here. |
| Gloucester Hall Catered | Edgmond campus | en-suite (catered) | £200/wk | Catered en-suite: £8,003 for 40 weeks, including three meals a day Monday to Friday in term. There's a snack kitchen rather than a full kitchen. |
| Harris Hall Catered | Edgmond campus | en-suite (catered) | £200/wk | Catered en-suite at the same price as Gloucester (£8,003 for 40 weeks). Rooms are slightly smaller than in some halls. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The nearest town to campus: a historic market town with a wide high street, supermarkets and cafés, and where most students live after first year.
£75–£95 per person, excluding bills (university's guide for 4–5 bed houses in Newport and the surrounding area)/wk
Quiet villages right next to campus. Handy for lectures, but options are limited.
A large town with shops, a cinema and more nightlife, but you'd need to drive or take the bus to campus.
Top tip
Once you've made Harper Adams your firm choice, look out for an email invitation to apply from mid-April (check your junk folder). Invitations go out in batches by the date you accepted your offer, so firm early. You rank room types, not halls. Offers come at the end of August, and you then have 7 days to accept and pay a £300 deposit. Pay in full up front and you get £100 off.
Halls here are good value for what you get: catered rooms include three meals a day on weekdays, plus cleaning, heating and internet. Standard catered rooms cost £7,012 for 40 weeks (about £175 a week), and self-catered en-suites cost £6,030. You'll need to budget for laundry and weekend meals. After first year, Newport house shares typically cost £75–£95 a week plus bills. A car makes life easier but adds cost.
Getting around
The Edgmond campus is in open countryside. The university runs a subsidised shuttle bus between campus (QMH car park) and Newport bus interchange during term, plus weekend minibuses to Newport on Saturdays and Telford town centre on Sundays. Passes are sold daily, weekly, termly or annually through the university's online store. Parking on campus is free if you register your car. The M54 and M6 are under 20 minutes' drive away.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Harper Adams University is 43rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.5. Its strongest results are for freshers experience (3rd), student wellbeing (3rd), student happiness (4th).
It's on a rural campus just outside the village of Edgmond, near Newport in Shropshire (postcode TF10 8NB). Telford is the nearest big town. There's also a small digital skills hub at The Quad in Telford town centre.
There's no formal guarantee, but the university says it makes every effort to house all first-year undergraduates on campus. You can only apply if Harper Adams is your firm choice. Offers go out at the end of August.
Three meals a day Monday to Friday during term, served in the dining room, plus heating, lighting, internet and a regular cleaning service. Weekend meals are pay-as-you-go. You'll need your own bedding and you pay for laundry.
Not exactly. You rank room types (for example catered en-suite or self-catered en-suite) rather than individual halls, and the university allocates on a 'best fit' basis to balance courses and genders across halls.
The university runs a subsidised shuttle bus between campus and Newport bus interchange in term time, and weekend minibuses to Newport (Saturdays) and Telford town centre (Sundays). Parking on campus is free if you register your car.
Most move off campus, usually into 4–5 bed houses in Newport and nearby villages. The university's guide puts rent at around £75–£95 per person per week, excluding bills.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
