London South Bank University

London South Bank's Keyworth building (London South Bank University)

Overall ranking: Came 119th out of 126 in the Complete University Guide for 2016.

History: Borough merged with four further education colleges in 1970 to form South Bank Poly in 1892 (named after the South Bank complex). It kept the name when it became a university in 1992. Now renamed and rebranded as London South Bank University.

Address: Two locations: Southwark, main campus, around the Elephant and Castle, SE1; Havering (Essex), where some health courses are taught.

Ambience: London sites are deeply urban. This is concrete rather than ivory towers. Elephant and Castle consists of two huge roundabouts and thundering traffic surrounded by some grim buildings, although it is set to undergo a £1.5bn regeneration. Short walk to the trendy South Bank and West End.

Who's the boss? Martin Earwicker has been the vice-chancellor since April 2009.

Prospectus: 0800 923 88 88 or order one online here.

UCAS code: L75

What you need to know

Easy to get into? Yes. Access courses enable people without A-levels to get a foot on the higher education ladder. Welcomes mature students and further study. Check out their website for more details.

Vital statistics: Nearly 20,000 students from over 130 countries, with an almost equal split between full and part-time learners. Lots of mature students, with almost 60 per cent over 25 at the start of their course. Big ethnic minority population too, making up 52 per cent of the student body.

Added value: Good sports facilities and recently won a BUSA award for the most improved university for sport. The university has a strong record on employability. A new £7.4m Student Centre recently opened and offers a dedicated space for students to study and socialise, as well as providing a new home for the majority of the university’s non-academic student support services and Students’ Union. September 2013 saw the opening of The Clarence Centre for Enterprise and Innovation, which creates a dedicated hub for knowledge transfer and student and community-run business start-ups. Other developments include refurbishment of the Perry Library, and the main refectory on campus, along with a new, dedicated entrance for the LSBU Sports Centre. The university has recently invested big-time in student residences.

Teaching: 112th out of 126 for student satisfaction with teaching quality.

Graduate prospects: 124th out of 126 with 48.6 per cent finding graduate level employment.

Any accommodation? Yes. The university has nearly 1,400 study rooms across four residences, with rents ranging from £111 to £136.70 per week. Almost all students who request accommodation (and apply on time) are offered places in halls. To find out more, click here.

Cheap to live there? No, it's London. Private rents are very high, at upwards of £100 per week.

Transport links: Central, so it's good for Tubes, trains and buses. A stone’s throw from Elephant & Castle station and a five-minute walk to Waterloo station. Over 20 bus routes connect the university to most places in London.

Fees: Most courses are £9,000 per year for full-time home undergrads starting in 2014.

Bursaries: Over 300 undergraduate fee reductions are available, from the National Scholarship Programme to sport scholarships. See here for details and to assess your eligibility for means-tested financial support.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Several local tavern pubs and Ministry of Sound just around the corner.

Price of a pint: £3.65 is the average pint price across London, but don't fret just yet- the union bar offers plenty of drinks deals. Numerable student nights around the city too.

Sporting reputation: Not the sportiest- ranked 94th in the 2014/15 BUCS league of 145 universities and colleges.

Notable societies: Range of sports clubs with something to suit most, plus a strong Acting Industry and entrepreneurs group.

Glittering alumni: Sarah Mullally, former chief nursing officer; Greg Searle, Olympic gold medal rower; Simone Callender, Commonwealth gold medallist in judo; Phil Spencer, TV presenter and property developer; David Camp, CEO of Stanhope plc; Shahid Malik MP; Mike Jatania, CEO of the Lornamead Group.

Alternative prospectus: Head to The Student Room to chat with former, current and prospective London South Bank students and ask any questions you may have.