Enquire to study in the UK 
AnneMarie Deeb knew she was ready for a leap of faith. After high school, she had played it safe, choosing a college just 15 minutes from home. In her junior year, she decided it was time to move over 3,200 miles away to the UK. There, one university stood out to her: the University of Leicester.
It was only natural – a criminology and forensic science student going to Leicester, the place where DNA fingerprinting was discovered. Today, it’s a friendly East Midlands city, bursting with heritage and culture.
From the moment Deeb set foot at the Daily Mail University of the Year 2025, she was exposed to diverse perspectives and challenges that pushed her to think critically and adapt quickly. “This maturity has translated into a more thoughtful and reflective approach, where I now take initiative in my learning, seek out opportunities for growth, and approach problems with a solutions-oriented mindset,” she says.
At Leicester, you’re stepping into a warm and welcoming campus with a student body from over 150 nations, making it one of the most diverse universities in the UK. In fact, as a University of Sanctuary, it is more than just welcoming. Many refugees and asylum seekers call this place home, bringing with them diverse experiences and stories that enrich the fabric of the community.
The university provides a positive, research-based educational setting that transforms society for the better. Source: University of Leicester
The Study Abroad programme welcomes students from across the globe to spend a semester or year here. You can choose from a long list of subjects in over 15 fields, such as Biosciences, Archaeology and Ancient History, and Politics, to name a few.
Credits earned here can be transferred to your home university, and a Study Abroad experience on your résumé can help you stand out from the crowd when you later apply for jobs. A Leicester credential signals two things: you’re from a university ranked #30 in the Research Excellence Framework analysis by the Times Higher Education in 2021, and you learned from field experts and in world-class research centres.
And that’s just what you stand to gain from within the university.
Step beyond campus, and you’re in the city of Leicester. It’s big enough to hold areas, attractions, and deep-cuts that are vibrant, with lots to do and explore. But it’s not too big that it becomes overwhelming; it’s easy to get around on public transportation and small enough to bring about a sense of community. Best of all? It’s affordable – making it easy for you to enjoy everything on offer here, most of which are never too far away.
Since the campus is in the city centre, you’re surrounded by restaurants and pubs, grocers, and plenty of independent retail stores. There are lots of free or low-cost activities to do at the likes of the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, live music venues showcasing local artists, green-filled parks, and the 16-acre Botanic Garden.
It’s the best of both worlds at Leicester — the campus is near the bustling city centre, but it’s small enough to find your community. Source: University of Leicester
Don’t think you have to figure it all out alone, though. The university provides support from the moment you arrive until the day you leave. Right from the start, each new student is guaranteed accommodation. Whether that’s Edwardian villas and lodges doused in green space at The Village, The City for quick access to campus, railway station, and city centre, and more living sites — you do not have to scavenge the web to find a space in a city you’ve yet to step foot in.
There is a student team ready to help with welfare, well-being, and everything in between. They provide specialist advice on budgeting, finances, and study skills support. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners and Mental Health Advisors can offer short-term talking therapy, psychoeducation, international wellbeing check-ins, and more. A dedicated International Student Experience team helps you settle into your new life in Leicester and support you throughout your studies.
But what most students find the most “amazing” and “can’t recommend enough,” are the Personal Tutors. At the start of your course, you’re assigned a staff member as your Personal Tutor. They will contact you at least monthly and respond to your emails normally within three working days during term time. This is someone students can turn to throughout their time at Leicester. You can reach out to them through exam week, and tutors will guide you towards resources for skills support and events that are going on and around campus. Their support can be either academic, or lean more towards personal matters, with one-on-one meetings to discuss your progress.
“Our personal tutors have been working with international students for years and are able to guide and support our study abroad students well through their time here,” says Ella Cooper. “[They] will ‘check in’ with their tutees at least once every three weeks — the check-ins are personal to the student and contain both academic and non-academic information.”
Ella Cooper is the Director of Undergraduate Credit Bearing Modules and Short Courses, and the Senior Personal Tutor in the Centre for International Training and Education. Today, the team has over 30 personal tutors. They go through an induction session at the start of the academic year to refresh their training, and ideate ways to improve their system.
Having approachable, impactful personal tutors is hardly the only experience you’ll take away with you once it’s time to pack up.
“Studying abroad demanded a high level of flexibility, as I had to adapt to new cultural norms, academic expectations, and living conditions,” says Deeb. “This adaptability has carried over into my professional life, where I’m often required to adjust quickly to changing circumstances.”
Apply for the Leicester Study Abroad programme today for a global education in a dynamic city.
Follow the University of Leicester on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
