An international university where over 40% of students arrive from 100 countries, with campuses along the River Wear and the highest teaching quality rating in North East England.

Campus Locations

University of Sunderland operates two campuses along the River Wear—City Campus in the downtown core and Sir Tom Cowie at St Peter’s along the riverside, just twenty minutes apart on foot. City houses the £85 million Sciences Complex with simulated hospital wards and biomechanics labs, plus the renowned Pharmacy School with Living Labs technology. Sir Tom Cowie serves creative and tech students through the David Puttnam Media Centre, which hosts the award-winning Spark FM radio and broadcast studios, alongside the David Goldman Technology Centre with 500+ computer stations connected to software partners. Beyond North East England, the university maintains full campuses in London and Hong Kong, creating a global network of 25,000 students.

University of Sunderland’s Significance

What began as a technical college in 1901 evolved into a polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992. Today it employs 1,800 staff across five faculties—Arts and Creative Industries, Business Law and Tourism, Education and Society, Health and Wellbeing, and Technology—each built around practice-oriented learning. Faculty members integrate their research directly into courses, with 70% of published work recognized as world-leading by the Research Excellence Framework 2021. The university maintains partnerships with 24 institutions across 17 countries and ranks in the top 20% nationally for regional economic contribution.

Accessibility and Recognition

University of Sunderland sits in the top 40 of Guardian University Guide 2025 and earned a nomination for University of the Year in THE Awards 2024. It leads North East England for teaching quality and ranks eighth nationally for social inclusion, with Daily Mail naming it 2025 University of the Year for Student Support. Housing costs place it seventh among the UK’s most affordable universities, with living expenses £124 below the national average. International students comprise over 40% of enrollment. The university plans £250 million in investments over ten years for a new library, student centre, and expanded computing programs, while the city itself receives £400+ million for cultural spaces.

Future-Focused Programs

What distinguishes these programs is their blend of established disciplines with technological innovation, including one of Britain’s first 5G testing labs and a Digital Incubator for student ventures. The portfolio spans information technology with applied computing for career changers, computer science with deep learning and robotics modules, cybersecurity preparing students for GCHQ work, game development emphasizing VR/AR and procedural content generation, media studies covering journalism and social media management, specialized MBAs with HR and finance tracks, and engineering programs in automotive design and sustainable development. Among unique offerings are conversion courses—applied computing master’s for humanities graduates entering IT, accredited psychology conversion programs, and game development focused on multiplayer network systems, rarely found at undergraduate level. Programs integrate up to 48 weeks of industry placement, with students regularly receiving job offers before graduation through partnerships with Sage, British Airways, NHS, Accenture, and PWC.