Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
The University of Cumbria is spread across several sites in the north of England. Its main campuses are in Carlisle, Lancaster and Ambleside, with smaller bases in Barrow-in-Furness, Workington and London. It's especially strong on the jobs that keep communities running: nursing, midwifery, paramedic science, policing and teaching, plus outdoor and conservation courses in the Lake District.
With about 9,000 students split between campuses, each site feels small and personal. Halls are some of the cheapest in this guide, starting at £108 a week. The trade-off is that you won't get a big-city, big-uni scene, and where you live depends heavily on which campus your course is taught at.
Known for
The University of Cumbria is 106th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 40.6, below 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 104 | Solent University | 41 |
| 105 | Staffordshire University | 41 |
| 106 | University of Cumbria | 40.6 |
| 107 | University College Birmingham | 40.5 |
| 108 | University of Chichester | 40.5 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
15th of 124 · Affordability Score 69.2
26th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 61.4
37th of 124 · Safety Score 50.3
40th of 122 · Careers Score 36.1
44th of 123 · Happiness Score 50.4
46th of 124 · Employability Score 33.7
57th of 124 · Value Score 48.1
69th of 124 · Freshers Score 53.6
87th of 124 · Balance Score 38
96th of 124 · Societies Score 42.1
106th of 124 · Innovation Score 42.3
107th of 124 · Inclusion Score 37.6
109th of 124 · Sustainability Score 30.7
117th of 124 · Social Score 33.3
118th of 124 · Nightlife Score 26.2
Carlisle as a student city
Ranked 54th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 46.7.
The University of Cumbria appears in 21 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midwifery | 9th | of 54 | 119 |
| Fine Art | 14th | of 58 | 134 |
| Law | 34th | of 97 | 146 |
| Biomedical Science | 33rd | of 93 | 142 |
| Teaching | 32nd | of 79 | 137 |
| Radiography | 12th | of 29 | 70 |
| Physiotherapy | 21st | of 49 | 99 |
| Business and Management | 49th | of 114 | 152 |
| Occupational Therapy | 18th | of 40 | 93 |
| Zoology | 17th | of 37 | 82 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology | 45th | of 94 | 125 |
| Psychology | 56th | of 108 | 126 |
| Photography | 23rd | of 44 | 79 |
| Primary Education | 32nd | of 59 | 108 |
| Graphic Design | 41st | of 68 | 104 |
| Nursing | 53rd | of 85 | 103 |
| Social Work | 42nd | of 67 | 111 |
| Sociology | 57th | of 86 | 105 |
| Film Production | 58th | of 87 | 109 |
| Environmental Science | 35th | of 47 | 64 |
| Geography | 47th | of 63 | 76 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Student life at Cumbria is campus-based and fairly low-key. Every student is automatically a member of the University of Cumbria Students' Union (UCSU), which runs sports teams, societies, volunteering, events and a RAG fundraising society, and will help you set up a new group if yours doesn't exist yet. Each campus has a different feel: Carlisle is a compact border city with a castle and cathedral, Lancaster is a lively small student city shared with Lancaster University, and Ambleside is a Lake District village with fells on the doorstep.
University halls cost £108–£153 per week (2026/27; bills included at Carlisle halls) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says halls are 'guaranteed for first-choice applicants'. To apply, you must hold a firm offer and have chosen Cumbria as your first choice. All applicants need a UK-based guarantor (or can use the university's partner Housing Hand). Through Clearing, students who accepted a place and applied for accommodation by 28 August 2026 were guaranteed a place in halls at Lancaster and Carlisle. Full terms are in the Conditions of Residence.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waddell Halls | Lancaster (Bowerham Road campus) | standard single, shared bathroom (227 rooms); en-suite (16 rooms, £146) | £108/wk | The Lancaster campus halls, slightly set apart from the main campus and about a 10-minute walk from the city centre. |
| Helvellyn Halls | Ambleside | standard single (£108) or large single (£122), shared bathrooms | £108/wk | A short walk from campus, with a bus stop outside. |
| The Cottages | Ambleside (on campus) | standard or large single in cottages of 4–5 | £108/wk | Five small on-campus cottages; large singles £122. |
| Denton Holme Student Village | Carlisle (Norfolk Street) | standard and en-suite | £141.46/wk | Close to campus; owned and run by Host, but you apply through the university. Water, electricity, heating and wifi included. |
| Carrock Hall | Carlisle (Fusehill Street campus) | en-suite (85 rooms in flats of 5–7) | £146/wk | On campus. Water, electricity, heating and contents insurance included. |
| Fairfield Halls | Ambleside | en-suite (40 rooms, 10 per flat) | £146/wk | Next to Fell Court, close to campus. |
| Fell Court | Ambleside | en-suite (71 rooms in 7 townhouses of 8–11) | £153/wk | Close to the Ambleside campus. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Compact and walkable, close to the Fusehill Street campus and the station.
A busy small student city, shared with Lancaster University, so book private houses early.
Beautiful but tourist-heavy, so private rooms are limited; most students stay in halls.
Top tip
Firm Cumbria as your first choice, then apply for halls through the online portal. You can say which campus, room type and flatmates you'd like (friends should apply at the same time). If you pay termly you'll pay a £150 prepayment up front, then invoices in September, January and April, each due within 7 days. Private houses are advertised through Cumbria StudentPad.
Cumbria is one of the cheaper places to study in England. Halls for 2026/27 start at £108 a week, and even en-suite rooms are £141–£153, with bills included at the Carlisle halls. The university doesn't publish a full cost-of-living estimate, so budget for food, travel and course costs on top. You'll need a UK guarantor or the Housing Hand scheme for halls.
Getting around
Each campus is fairly self-contained, so most students walk. Fusehill Street is close to Carlisle city centre and station, on the West Coast Main Line. Lancaster's campus is about 10 minutes' walk from the centre. In Ambleside, halls are a short walk from campus. Single bus fares in England are capped at £3 until at least March 2027.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Cumbria is 106th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 40.6. Its strongest results are for affordability (15th), student wellbeing (26th), safety (37th).
Yes, for first-choice applicants. You need a firm offer with Cumbria as your first choice, and a UK-based guarantor (or the Housing Hand scheme). In Clearing 2026, students who applied for accommodation by 28 August were guaranteed halls at Lancaster and Carlisle.
It depends on your course. The main campuses are Carlisle (Fusehill Street and Brampton Road), Lancaster (Bowerham Road) and Ambleside, with smaller sites in Barrow-in-Furness, Workington and London. Check your course page, because your halls will be at that campus.
For 2026/27, rooms cost £108 to £153 a week. Standard rooms with shared bathrooms start at £108 in Lancaster and Ambleside; en-suites cost £141–£153. Carlisle's halls include water, electricity and heating.
Yes. The university asks all applicants for a UK-based guarantor, such as a parent. If you don't have one, you can apply to its partner Housing Hand during the offer process.
Yes, as a graduate. The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine in Carlisle, run with Imperial College London, runs a four-year graduate-entry programme. Its first 58 students started in August 2025, and graduates get an MBBS from Imperial.
Ambleside is a small campus in a Lake District village, with five halls close by, from on-campus cottages to en-suite townhouses. It suits outdoor, forestry and conservation students who want fells and lakes on the doorstep, but it's quiet, and nightlife is limited.
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.
