
The University of Stirling, established in 1967, is located on a 300-acre campus in the central belt of Scotland. The campus accommodates over 2,800 bedrooms, with about a third of the students living in halls of residence. The university has consistently been recognised for its excellence in teaching, research, and student experience, ranking 63rd in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025. It offers a wide range of courses, with around 260 undergraduate degree programmes and numerous clubs and societies for students to join.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ranking in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2025 | 100th |
| Ranking in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2022 | 49th |
| Ranking in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 | 63rd |
| Ranking in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 | Top 50 |
| Number of bedrooms | Over 2,800 |
| Year of establishment | 1967 |
| Number of courses at the undergraduate degree level | 260 |
| Percentage of undergraduates from state schools or further education | Over 92% |
| Ranking for student satisfaction with virtual learning environment | 97% |
| Ranking for student satisfaction with learning materials | 94% |
| Ranking in QS World Sustainability Rankings | 177th worldwide, 77th for Europe |
| Ranking in THE 2024 Impact Rankings | Top 100 institutions in the world for 10 out of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals |
| Ranking in the world for Zero Hunger, Reduced Inequalities and Sustainable Cities and Communities | Top 20 |
| Number of students living in halls of residence on campus | Around a third |
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What You'll Learn

Stirling University's student accommodation
Stirling University offers a range of student accommodation options to suit different needs and preferences. The university accommodates approximately 11,000 students, with a significant proportion of these being international students, creating a diverse and vibrant community on campus.
On-campus accommodation is a popular choice for first-year students, as it provides a convenient and immersive university experience. The university has several accommodation villages, offering a range of room types, from single rooms with shared facilities to self-contained studios. The villages are located within easy walking distance of the academic buildings, sports facilities, and the students' union, providing a great opportunity to make friends and feel part of the university community.
For example, one of the most popular accommodation villages is Stirling University's Student Housing at Campus, which offers a range of modern, furnished rooms with en-suite facilities, as well as shared kitchen and living areas. It is located just a short walk from the university's main buildings and has a range of amenities nearby, including a convenience store, laundry facilities, and social spaces. The village also organizes social events and activities to help students meet their neighbors and feel at home.
In addition to the on-campus options, the university also offers a range of off-campus accommodation, including university-managed houses and private rentals. These options are often popular with second and third-year students who want more independence and a chance to live in the local community. The university provides support and advice for students seeking off-campus accommodation, including a list of approved landlords and a room-matching service to help students find compatible housemates.
The university also has a range of accommodation options for students with specific needs or requirements. For example, there are accessible rooms with additional features such as wet rooms and widened doorways, as well as quiet floors for students who prefer a more studious environment. The university also offers family accommodation for students with dependents and a range of options for students with specific cultural or religious needs, ensuring that all students can feel supported and included during their time at Stirling.
Overall, Stirling University's student accommodation provides a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for students to call home during their studies. With a range of options to suit different budgets, preferences, and requirements, the university ensures that all students have access to high-quality, convenient housing, providing a solid foundation for a successful and enjoyable university experience.
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Student satisfaction and rankings
The University of Stirling has been recognised for its research excellence and commitment to providing a world-class student experience. In the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022, Stirling ranked 9th for overall student satisfaction in Scotland, with a score of 79.67%. This is a slight decrease from 2021, when the university scored 80.76%. However, the university continues to perform above UK and Scottish sector averages.
Stirling's student satisfaction was also reflected in the NSS 2020, where it ranked 18th in the UK and 6th in Scotland for overall satisfaction, scoring 86.8% overall. The university scored highly across all areas, including teaching, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, the learning community, and the student voice.
The University of Stirling's overall student satisfaction is also evident in subject-specific rankings. In the Guardian University Guide 2023, Stirling ranked highly in several subjects, including Human Resource Management and Social Work, which achieved 100% student satisfaction. The university was also ranked 2nd in Scotland for Biology, English, Geography, Philosophy, and Religion, among others.
In terms of overall rankings, the University of Stirling has consistently placed within the top 50 UK universities in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. In 2022, it was ranked 49th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide. The university's commitment to sustainability has also been recognised, with rankings placing it in the top 100 institutions worldwide for ten of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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Sports facilities and clubs
The University of Stirling has been recognised for its sporting excellence, with its sports facilities ranked 1st in the UK and top 5 in the world by the International Student Barometer 2022. The university was also named Sports University of the Year in 2020 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.
Stirling's campus boasts an array of indoor and outdoor sports facilities. Students can access a 50-metre swimming pool, tennis courts, a sports hall, an athletics track, and various outdoor pitches, including artificial surfaces. The university also provides a strength and fitness gym, with over 50 drop-in classes and personal training options.
The university's sports facilities cater to a wide range of interests and abilities. The swimming pool, for example, is home to Olympian swimmers, while also being available for groups to book. The athletics track and outdoor pitches have hosted bookings from elite sports teams, schools, and groups of friends.
The University of Stirling supports around 40 sports clubs through its Students' Association (SUSA), which was named "Best Students' Union in Scotland" in 2003. SUSA is primarily responsible for providing entertainment, welfare, and information services to students. With its extensive facilities and supportive clubs, the University of Stirling ensures that sports and fitness activities are accessible to all students.
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History of the university
The University of Stirling is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by a royal charter in 1967. It was the first new university to be established in Scotland in nearly 400 years. The original site of the campus was selected from a shortlist of competing sites, including Falkirk, Perth, Inverness, Dumfries, Ayr, and Cumbernauld. The campus was designed by the Scottish architectural practice Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall (RMJM) in a low-rise, highly functional style that blended with the surrounding landscape.
The university's original vision was to provide higher education for people from all walks of life, encouraging them to fulfil their academic potential. This progressive vision was articulated in the 1960s by Lord Robbins, an economist and the university's first chancellor. The "Robbins Principle" declared that university places "should be available to all who were qualified for them by ability and attainment". The Robbins Report widened access to higher education, and the University of Stirling has been delivering on this principle since its founding.
The University of Stirling campus is located on the historic Airthrey estate, which includes the 18th-century Airthrey Castle, designed by Robert Adam. The campus covers approximately 360 acres (or 300 acres according to another source) and incorporates the Stirling University Innovation Park and the Dementia Centre. In 2002, the University of Stirling and the landscape of the Airthrey Estate were designated as one of the UK's top 20 heritage sites of the 20th century by the International Council on Monuments and Sites. The campus has been described as one of the most beautiful locations of any university in the world.
The University of Stirling has a rich history of student activism. In October 1972, during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the relatively newly built campus, students protested the lack of social spaces. This led to an investigation and charges against several students. However, after a mass demonstration and boycott of disciplinary trials, all charges were eventually dropped. The University of Stirling has continued to grow and develop over the years, with new buildings and departments added, and a recent £20 million transformation of its sports facilities. In 2022, the university had approximately 14,000 part-time and full-time students and was ranked 49th overall in the UK by The Guardian University Guide.
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Location and campus size
The University of Stirling is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by a royal charter in 1967. The campus is located in the Central Belt of Scotland, within the walled Airthrey Castle estate in the Ochil Hills. The campus is approximately 330 to 360 acres in size, incorporating the Stirling University Innovation Park, a large science park home to around 40 to 50 companies engaging in research and development. The campus was originally designed by the Scottish architectural practice, Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall (RMJM), in a low-rise, highly functional style that blended with the surrounding landscape.
The University of Stirling occupies a 300-acre parkland campus three miles north of the City of Stirling and just east of Bridge of Allan. It has been described as having one of the most beautiful locations of any university in the world, with the Ochil Hills rising to the north and a large loch and Airthrey Castle, designed by Robert Adam, on campus. The campus is also home to the Dementia Services Development Centre and the Stirling University Students' Association, which was named "Best Students' Union in Scotland" in 2003.
The University of Stirling was the first new university to be established in Scotland in nearly 400 years. The original site was selected from a shortlist of competing sites, including Falkirk, Perth, Inverness, Dumfries, Ayr, and Cumbernauld. The campus's first building, the Pathfoot Building, was completed in 1968 and housed administrative and teaching facilities, as well as a "crush hall" displaying contemporary Scottish art. Since then, the university has expanded to include residential and academic buildings, such as the MacRobert Arts Centre, the R.G. Bomont Building for the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, and the Colin Bell Building for the Department of Applied Social Science.
The University of Stirling offers a range of accommodation options for its students, with about a third of students living in halls of residence on campus. The university's student accommodation can cater to almost 3,000 students in over 20 properties located on and off-campus. On-campus accommodation includes university halls and town houses at Alexander Court for families and groups of students. Off-campus, residential buildings within Stirling city centre include Union Street, Bayne Street, Lyon Crescent, and John Forty's Court.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Stirling does not publish its exact number of enrolled students. However, the university has over 2,800 bedrooms available for students, with around a third of students living in halls of residence on campus.
The University of Stirling has been ranked highly in several UK and Scotland-wide rankings. In 2022, it was ranked 49th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide. In 2025, it ranked 63rd in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. The University of Stirling was also ranked in the top 100 in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2025.
The University of Stirling has been recognised for its research excellence in teaching, research, and student experience. It has also been awarded for its sustainability efforts, ranking 177th worldwide and 77th in Europe for sustainability by the QS World Sustainability Rankings. The university's Students' Association was named "Best Students' Union in Scotland" in 2003.











































