Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Lincoln Bishop University, known until 2025 as Bishop Grosseteste University, is one of the smallest universities in the UK. It has about 2,400 students on a single campus in uphill Lincoln, a short walk from the cathedral, the castle and the Bailgate shops. It started as a teacher training college in 1862, and education and teaching are still at its heart.
Being small means staff know your name and it's easy to find your feet. Halls are all on campus or across the road, and they're reasonably priced. The flip side is a limited choice of courses and societies, and a quieter social scene than a big-city university.
Known for
Lincoln Bishop University is 51st out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 50.9, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 49 | University of Edinburgh | 51 |
| 50 | University of Brighton | 51 |
| 51 | Bishop Grosseteste University | 50.9 |
| 52 | Robert Gordon University | 50.4 |
| 53 | University of Salford | 50.4 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
2nd of 124 · Freshers Score 80.6
5th of 124 · Affordability Score 73.4
6th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 77
7th of 123 · Happiness Score 68.4
9th of 122 · Careers Score 44.4
10th of 124 · Safety Score 64.3
18th of 124 · Employability Score 41.1
34th of 124 · Value Score 56.4
63rd of 124 · Balance Score 42.3
76th of 124 · Innovation Score 52
77th of 124 · Social Score 46.6
82nd of 124 · Nightlife Score 44.5
89th of 124 · Societies Score 44
97th of 124 · Sustainability Score 38.6
120th of 124 · Inclusion Score 19
Lincoln as a student city
Ranked 7th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 63.
Lincoln Bishop University appears in 8 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature | 17th | of 54 | 109 |
| Primary Education | 19th | of 59 | 128 |
| Psychology | 37th | of 108 | 158 |
| Criminology | 36th | of 94 | 150 |
| Teaching | 31st | of 79 | 138 |
| History | 30th | of 76 | 125 |
| Sociology | 37th | of 86 | 140 |
| Philosophy | 32nd | of 54 | 85 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Social life is small-scale and friendly. Lincoln Bishop University Students' Union (LBUSU) runs the on-campus Union Bar, open Tuesday to Saturday evenings and home to the sports clubs and societies, which range from performing arts to Warhammer. Sports teams such as men's football, badminton and netball play in local and national leagues. The Venue, the on-campus cinema and theatre, screens films regularly. Lincoln's Bailgate and Steep Hill are on the doorstep, and you can share the wider city's student scene with the University of Lincoln.
University halls cost £123–£190 per week (2026/27, 46-week contracts; utilities and wi-fi included) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Applications received by 30 June (30 June 2026 for 2026/27 entry) are guaranteed accommodation, but not necessarily on campus: you may get an alternative offer in private accommodation on different terms. Applications after 30 June aren't guaranteed. Most places go to new full-time undergraduates who have firmly accepted an offer. Rooms are allocated first come, first served, with priority for students from outside the local area. Insurance-choice applicants can apply too, and their application is held until they're confirmed.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constance Stewart Hall | Main campus | shared bathroom (room with washbasin) | £123/wk | The cheapest option: 91 rooms over four floors with shared kitchens and bathrooms, £5,658 for 46 weeks. Open to all year groups. |
| Wickham Hall | Main campus | en-suite | £152/wk | 126 en-suite rooms in flats of six with a shared kitchen and living area, £6,992 for 46 weeks. Rooms have a small double bed. |
| Student Village (standard en-suite) | Riseholme Road, across the road from campus | en-suite | £152/wk | Opened in September 2024: 293 en-suite rooms in total in houses and apartments, with 24/7 security and a small cinema/gaming room. Standard en-suite is £6,992 for 46 weeks. |
| Student Village (premium and deluxe en-suite) | Riseholme Road, across the road from campus | en-suite | £164/wk | Premium standard en-suite £164 a week (£7,544), deluxe en-suite £175 a week (£8,050), both on 46-week contracts. |
| Student Village (studio) | Riseholme Road, across the road from campus | studio | £190/wk | Self-contained studio with its own kitchen, £8,740 for 46 weeks. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Historic and handy for campus, with shared houses a short walk away.
£70–£85 room only, or £70–£97 with utilities (university guidance for 48-week shared-house tenancies)/wk
More shops and nightlife, but you'll walk up Steep Hill (or take the bus) to campus.
Purpose-built blocks, mostly downhill near the city centre, shared with University of Lincoln students.
Top tip
Applications open in February, and you'll be invited by email once you've accepted your offer. You pick 4 to 6 preferences, and rooms are allocated first come, first served, so apply as early as you can and well before 30 June. Offers go out by email around A-level results day. You'll need a guarantor and a £300 refundable deposit.
Lincoln is one of the cheaper places to study. The university highlights that it was ranked the UK's most affordable student city in the NatWest Student Living Index 2025. Halls cost £123 to £190 a week for 2026/27, with utilities and wi-fi included, but contracts are 46 weeks, longer than at many universities. After first year, shared houses typically cost £70–£97 a week. Because it's so walkable, you won't need to spend much on transport.
Getting around
Lincoln is small and walkable. Campus is in uphill Lincoln, about five minutes from the cathedral. Lincoln Central station is downhill, between the High Street and the bus station, and getting to campus means climbing Steep Hill (about 200 ft). With luggage, the university suggests a bus or taxi: a taxi costs around £5–£10. Students living in halls can't park on campus.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Lincoln Bishop University is 51st out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 50.9. Its strongest results are for freshers experience (2nd), affordability (5th), student wellbeing (6th).
Yes. Bishop Grosseteste University changed its name to Lincoln Bishop University in 2025. It's the same institution, on the same campus in uphill Lincoln.
If your application arrives by 30 June, you're guaranteed accommodation, though not necessarily on campus: you might be offered a private room instead. After 30 June there's no guarantee, and rooms go first come, first served.
Contracts for 2026/27 run for 46 weeks, with 50- or 52-week contracts on request. Prices include utilities, wi-fi, 24/7 support, maintenance and electrical safety testing. Fees are paid at the start of each term.
Generally not. Students living on campus, in the Student Village or within a mile of the university aren't allowed to park on campus or in nearby streets, unless the university approves it for access or mobility reasons.
It's in uphill Lincoln, about five minutes' walk from the cathedral, castle and Bailgate shops. The station and the lower High Street are at the bottom of Steep Hill, so it's walkable, but expect a climb.
Small. HESA figures for 2024/25 put it at 2,360 students, including 1,845 undergraduates, which makes it one of the smallest universities in the UK.
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.
