St Mary's University, Twickenham

St Mary's University is a Catholic university based in Twickenham, London, with a secondary campus in Edinburgh. A smaller university, it has a student body of approximately 6,000 students across undergraduate, postgraduate and foundation degrees, with almost 18 percent being from outside the UK.

There are a wide range of courses available at St Mary's University across a number of disciplines. With the universities' relatively smaller size, funding and academic focus for its courses is exceptional, including recruiting top faculty from each industry and creating outstanding facilities. Students will learn using the same grade of equipment and study spaces as they can expect to use in their future careers.

The quality of the facilities extends beyond the labs and studios used by specific courses. Students at St Mary's will enjoy a high class of education alongside excellent extra-curricular opportunities, for a fully rounded student experience. The university is ranked 2^nd in London by students (National Student Survey, 2026).

The campus is situated just 35 minutes from London and is in one of the safest boroughs of the city. Students can enjoy a relaxing atmosphere, with all the amenities of the capital in easy reach via public transport.

There is also an extensive network of support services available to students too. Dedicated teams help to make sure students can cope with any academic, financial, or wellbeing issue they may encounter during their time at St Mary's.

All of the courses offered at St Mary's University are of a high standard. This is ensured thanks to the continued funding of new resources and facilities, along with the careful recruitment of some of the best lecturers in each respective field – faculty that have extensive experience within their fields but also a real passion and drive to deliver course content in a way that is engaging and exciting.

Sporting courses are a real strength of the university, with a huge range of study programs available across a range of disciplines, including coaching, nutrition, and sports science. In particular, the university has a range of courses targeting strength and conditioning, and it works closely with professional football club Chelsea FC for some foundation coaching and development courses.

This strength is reinforced by the world-class sporting facilities that the university has to offer, meaning students will learn using the same quality studios and equipment as major sporting institutions use around the world.

St Mary's University splits up its courses by category. Students can use these categories on the university website to browse related subjects and find the qualification that best fits them. These categories include:

• Business, Management, and Communications – including a range of business, marketing, and journalism-related courses
• Computer Science
• Creative Arts – including acting, production, film studies, creative writing, and playwriting.
• Education and Teaching – covering primary education and a range of postgraduate courses for secondary education.
• Health Sciences – including courses in nutrition, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation.
• Humanities and Theology – including literature, politics, history, and a selection of courses related to Christianity and Catholicism.
• Law and Criminology – including a range of law-based courses
• Medicine- a 5 year course in doctor training
• Psychology – including regular and sports-based psychology
• Sports Science – including courses in biomechanics, and strength and conditioning
• Sports Coaching and Physical Education – including sports sciences, officiating, and coaching including a foundation course designed in partnership with Chelsea FC.

The entry requirements for study at St Mary's University vary depending on a number of factors, including students' home country and the chosen study program.

Broadly, all international students will need to upload copies of their academic transcripts and certificates, along with answering a visa history questionnaire. Students may be required to have studied certain subjects previously, depending on their chosen course.

International students may also need to submit evidence of English language test scores to prove their capability with the language. This only applies for students from whom English is not their first language. Students who don't meet the requirements can still apply provided they sign up for a pre-sessional English course before starting their main degree.

Upon acceptance, international students will be required to pay a GBP 8,000 deposit to secure their place.

The university campus is equipped with a wide range of facilities to ensure that students have every opportunity to succeed academically, creatively, and athletically.

The university is well known for its sporting excellence. The campus features professional-standard training pitches, athletics tracks, fitness studios, and a high-performance gym. The Performance Education Centre is where students on sport-related courses learn practical skills and develop coaching and physical training techniques. In addition, the university also has specialist laboratories, including an anthropometry and body composition suite, a biomechanics lab, and exercise physiology labs.

The E-Sports Area is a state-of-the-art space designed for gaming, training, and research, equipped with 60 high-performance gaming machines.

Students in creative programs have access to exceptional facilities as well, such as a fully equipped media production suite for filmmaking, TV, radio, and online broadcasting, along with a drama theatre that includes set-building and prop-making workshops, extensive lighting equipment, and microphones.

The university also has two libraries that provide extensive digital and physical resources, IT access, and 570 study spaces. Students can use these spaces for individual study or group projects.

Student support

There are a number of support services at the university that are available for students to use freely. They cover a wide range of topics, so that no matter what students encounter during their time at St Mary's, they can overcome it and give their full attention to their studies. Students who need help with academic skills can enjoy a number of online resources along with drop-in clinics, with topics including library research, academic writing, presentation skills, and time management. There are also wellbeing support services including counselling and mental health help, along with targeted services for students with a disability or dyslexia that need additional help to meet the challenges of their study program.

Student safety

London is a vibrant and exciting city that is generally very safe, although as with any major worldwide city there are risks. As such, the university has its own security team that helps to care for students' safety around the university campus and give advice and support to students as they enjoy their time beyond in London. The campus itself is in Richmond, one of the safest of the London boroughs and easily accessible via various means of public transport even throughout the night. The university is ranked top two in London for safety. The campus team works 24/7 to monitor the campus through CCTV and regular patrols, and are available for any students who need emergency help or general security advice and assistance. To help students get acclimatised to the area and security guidelines, there are mandatory safety modules for all students on Moodle, one of the university's internal platforms.

There are a number of scholarships and bursaries available through the university to help with the financial burden of study. These include a mix of awards aimed at home and/or international students, including some broad options and some that are course specific.

These bursaries typically offer a set fee per year of up to GBP4,000, although some of those aimed at a specific study program will cover the full tuition fees for three years. Students should check the eligibility requirements for each award, and should note that only one scholarship is permitted per student.

Alongside the scholarship awards, there are some additional financial support options that students may be eligible for.

These include the Digital Equity IT Loan Scheme, which can help students to borrow IT equipment to use during their time at university, and the Student Engagement Fund, which can cover the costs of some extracurricular activities for students while at university.

The university is always working on new developments and exciting projects that engage students and help to improve the quality of degree offered. St Mary's University is not an institution that stands still – it is constantly evolving, improving and helping to shape the next generation of leaders across a wide range of fields.

The university is dedicated to widening access to higher education, and in July 2026, it won the Innovation award, recognising the university's determination to adapt so that learners can access meaningful experiences and opportunities.

The university is also ranked 2^nd for academic support in London (National Student Survey, 2026), demonstrating St Mary's University's deep commitment to its student population.