Lancaster University&#x27;s Ask an Ambassador

Original post by zaykenyon

👋 Hey there! I'm looking into accommodation at the moment and have a quick question about the size of the campus.

Assuming I walk as slow as the Google Maps estimate (who does TBH), how long would it take me to walk from the LFC building to the INF building on the South Campus? I have applied to CS so I would like to stay near the department, but I wouldn't mind if it's a quick walk or cycle.

Also, are there any associations around certain colleges being more for sports or music etc...? If so, please would you let me know what these are? Thanks 😁

Hi @zaykenyon,
Its about a 15 minute walk from the top of the main campus to the bottom, or if you walk fast and know some short cuts you can usually do it in 10 minutes. There's an extra part of campus called South West campus where Cartmel and Lonsdale college accommodation is, that's about a 5 minute walk from the bottom of campus to the furthest part on SW campus. If you get accommodation in County South, most of the academic buildings will be less than a 10 minute walk a way.
In terms of colleges, there's not really any massive associations to certain hobbies ect, some colleges are larger in size, and there are all located on different parts of campus, and they have different social spaces, for instance Fylde has a sports bar, Pendle a cafe, and Grizedale a cocktail bar, but you are free to use any colleges social space.
Hope this helps!
-Jasmine (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 22

zcapp

5

Hi! I am trying to decide whether to firm my offer for Physics at Lancaster.

•

Any opinions/observations about the physics department?

•

How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades?

•

How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed?

•

Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.)

•

Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus?

•

How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year?

•

Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended?

•

Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere?

•

Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas??? :smile:

Thank you!

(edited 4 weeks ago)

Reply 23

Ghostlady

21

Original post by zcapp

Hi! I am trying to decide whether to firm my offer for Physics at Lancaster.

•

Any opinions/observations about the physics department?

•

How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades?

•

How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed?

•

Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.)

•

Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus?

•

How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year?

•

Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended?

•

Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere?

•

Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas??? :smile:

Thank you!

Hi my daughter is in year 4 for Physics Particle Physics and Cosmology at Lancaster, so can go on what she says to me 🙂
•
Any opinions/observations about the physics department? She joined in 2020 covid year and the department has been superb. The supervisor and support she has had during the time there has been fab. She struggled in second year, but come third year she pulled out a first so shes averaging 2:1. She had 1-2-1 support in improving exams and anything she didnt understand, and she had regular check ups in 3rd year to make sure she was on track. They also gave support for applying for a phd, which shes got at Manchester, all thanks to Lancaster uni. She also got 2 internships with the uni. One was first year voluntary for a couple of weeks remotely in Tau Neutrinos. The second one was in proton decay which was a paid placement at the uni.
•
How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades? This is the link for that https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/lancaster-scholarship/
•
How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed? Bus takes about 20 mins on the 1a, on the 100 about 25-30mins as it has to go through Bowerham. As to are they all rammed. At peak times yes, but if you live in the city, then best place is to catch it either at the bus station or on common garden street/spring garden st. She lives at Chancellors wharf so she goes to common garden st /spring garden to get the bus.
•
Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.) Can answer this as she was in private halls for year 3. Private halls there is bailrigg student living close but not in the city, but she stayed at Penny street which is ran by Hello students and there was 3 accommodations on the same street. Mixed years 1st to 4th year. She was in the flat of 12 and there was 2 first years, the rest other years and it was a mix of international and home students. She loved her accommodation, I cannot add photos to TSR but added on my channel communities section. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjU-4NoKlWi46RKVUQItFQ/community?lb=UgkxKtSly_2GDVKHiWpXIcDGczIL0P7-FAdr its of 99 penny street. She loved Penny street, it was a good location and close to everything.
•
Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus? Hard to answer as it was 2020 back then and she went to Glow (now called vibe) in a 'table of 6' when it was restrictions. There is a complimentary bus to Sugarhouse to and from campus. She loves to go to pendle rooms for drinks with her friends after a day studies, and pendle witch/white cross in the city for pub quizzes which is her thing. Each college has a bar, and there are plenty of bars in the city. She loves to go out for a meal either at Pendle witch which is pretty resonable, or at the water witch, or gallico lounge. The buses run late enough, but after midnight there is the sugar bus.
•
How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year? Accommodation applications appear around late november for on campus/chancellors halls, and it is likely as long as its not like too too late i think its late jan, but I believe they do email you with a deadline. She applied for Chancellors early december and she got told early Jan.
•
Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended? I can answer this one. Yes you do have to vacate during the summer when your contract ends, however she also paid extra to stay during the summer. She was in Grizedale college, and the accommodation (for all college groups) is in Bowland Main and Furness. Bowland is the cheaper version and she stayed July to September last year so she could work at her job at Primark. Any college member can apply and its by making contact with the accommodation manager (she made contact in the June) to make arrangements and payments.
•
Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere? Shes more of a pub quiz person, but she does love Generation which is a LGBTQ night club. She does like Vibe and Sugar, but Pendle rooms sometimes have musicians on campus playing there (pendle college)
•
Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas???

Morecambe is really flat and it has a very long promenade. Lancaster is hilly to the east, so more to the west is better. On campus id have to say County near the townhouses? I see a lot of skateboarders there when Ive been that way.

Other things to consider is that during second year, a lot of students live pretty much all over. Also in Bowerham as well. She was in Grizedale Townhouse year 1. She lived on New street in the city in landlord accommodation second year, penny street private halls in third year, and 4th year Chancellors owned by the uni. Lots of students live in the east of the city, as well as an area called Bulk.When restrictions lifted, she would be going to the city from campus (1st year) probably 2 or 3 times a week, one would be her shopping. And so it was not worth getting a bus pass, but has got a bus pass since 2nd to 4th year. She also went to Lancaster Christmas physics dinner at the Toll house inn https://www.facebook.com/lancsphys (photos on their official page) . Theres pics of the 2022, but she did go to the 2023 also but pics were not posted, not sure if they was on instagram. Definitely queue up for this as they do go quick and its paid in person.
Overall shes had an amazing time at Lancaster. Coming from a village where we live, she felt the uni and city was the perfect fit for her and she calls Lancaster her home. She is going to Manchester now doing a phd in neutrinos all being well and she gets the 2:1, but so far, so good 🙂

(edited 4 weeks ago)

Reply 24

zcapp

5

Original post by Ghostlady

Hi my daughter is in year 4 for Physics Particle Physics and Cosmology at Lancaster, so can go on what she says to me 🙂
•
Any opinions/observations about the physics department? She joined in 2020 covid year and the department has been superb. The supervisor and support she has had during the time there has been fab. She struggled in second year, but come third year she pulled out a first so shes averaging 2:1. She had 1-2-1 support in improving exams and anything she didnt understand, and she had regular check ups in 3rd year to make sure she was on track. They also gave support for applying for a phd, which shes got at Manchester, all thanks to Lancaster uni. She also got 2 internships with the uni. One was first year voluntary for a couple of weeks remotely in Tau Neutrinos. The second one was in proton decay which was a paid placement at the uni.
•
How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades? This is the link for that https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/lancaster-scholarship/
•
How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed? Bus takes about 20 mins on the 1a, on the 100 about 25-30mins as it has to go through Bowerham. As to are they all rammed. At peak times yes, but if you live in the city, then best place is to catch it either at the bus station or on common garden street/spring garden st. She lives at Chancellors wharf so she goes to common garden st /spring garden to get the bus.
•
Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.) Can answer this as she was in private halls for year 3. Private halls there is bailrigg student living close but not in the city, but she stayed at Penny street which is ran by Hello students and there was 3 accommodations on the same street. Mixed years 1st to 4th year. She was in the flat of 12 and there was 2 first years, the rest other years and it was a mix of international and home students. She loved her accommodation, I cannot add photos to TSR but added on my channel communities section. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjU-4NoKlWi46RKVUQItFQ/community?lb=UgkxKtSly_2GDVKHiWpXIcDGczIL0P7-FAdr its of 99 penny street. She loved Penny street, it was a good location and close to everything.
•
Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus? Hard to answer as it was 2020 back then and she went to Glow (now called vibe) in a 'table of 6' when it was restrictions. There is a complimentary bus to Sugarhouse to and from campus. She loves to go to pendle rooms for drinks with her friends after a day studies, and pendle witch/white cross in the city for pub quizzes which is her thing. Each college has a bar, and there are plenty of bars in the city. She loves to go out for a meal either at Pendle witch which is pretty resonable, or at the water witch, or gallico lounge. The buses run late enough, but after midnight there is the sugar bus.
•
How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year? Accommodation applications appear around late november for on campus/chancellors halls, and it is likely as long as its not like too too late i think its late jan, but I believe they do email you with a deadline. She applied for Chancellors early december and she got told early Jan.
•
Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended? I can answer this one. Yes you do have to vacate during the summer when your contract ends, however she also paid extra to stay during the summer. She was in Grizedale college, and the accommodation (for all college groups) is in Bowland Main and Furness. Bowland is the cheaper version and she stayed July to September last year so she could work at her job at Primark. Any college member can apply and its by making contact with the accommodation manager (she made contact in the June) to make arrangements and payments.
•
Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere? Shes more of a pub quiz person, but she does love Generation which is a LGBTQ night club. She does like Vibe and Sugar, but Pendle rooms sometimes have musicians on campus playing there (pendle college)
•
Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas???

Morecambe is really flat and it has a very long promenade. Lancaster is hilly to the east, so more to the west is better. On campus id have to say County near the townhouses? I see a lot of skateboarders there when Ive been that way.
Other things to consider is that during second year, a lot of students live pretty much all over. Also in Bowerham as well. She was in Grizedale Townhouse year 1. She lived on New street in the city in landlord accommodation second year, penny street private halls in third year, and 4th year Chancellors owned by the uni. Lots of students live in the east of the city, as well as an area called Bulk.When restrictions lifted, she would be going to the city from campus (1st year) probably 2 or 3 times a week, one would be her shopping. And so it was not worth getting a bus pass, but has got a bus pass since 2nd to 4th year. She also went to Lancaster Christmas physics dinner at the Toll house inn https://www.facebook.com/lancsphys (photos on their official page) . Theres pics of the 2022, but she did go to the 2023 also but pics were not posted, not sure if they was on instagram. Definitely queue up for this as they do go quick and its paid in person.
Overall shes had an amazing time at Lancaster. Coming from a village where we live, she felt the uni and city was the perfect fit for her and she calls Lancaster her home. She is going to Manchester now doing a phd in neutrinos all being well and she gets the 2:1, but so far, so good 🙂

Thank you!

Reply 25

Original post by zcapp

Hi! I am trying to decide whether to firm my offer for Physics at Lancaster.

•

Any opinions/observations about the physics department?

•

How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades?

•

How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed?

•

Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.)

•

Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus?

•

How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year?

•

Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended?

•

Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere?

•

Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas??? :smile:

Thank you!

Hi @zcapp

I’m a physics PhD student and did my undergraduate physics degree at Lancaster too!

I really like the physics department. Everyone is very friendly and it has very good facilities / labs - the whole department was renovated just before I came around 2017. The atrium is one of my favourite places. It is a big open space with plenty of tables for working as a group with friends.

I’ve found some information about the physics scholarship for 2024. I believe the information for 2025 will be out in due course.

Physics Scholarships 2024
The Physics Department rewards excellence by providing an academic scholarship of £1,000 for students on our MPhys/MSci Physics courses, and a scholarship of £750 for those on a BSc Physics course. This is open to applicants who place us as their firm choice and achieve AA in A level Mathematics and Physics with a strong third A level (or equivalent grades) as well as strong performance in their first-term exams at Lancaster.

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/physics-bsc-hons-f300/2025/

Hope this helps!

Tineke
Lancaster University Student Ambassador

Reply 26

Original post by zcapp

Hi! I am trying to decide whether to firm my offer for Physics at Lancaster.

•

Any opinions/observations about the physics department?

•

How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades?

•

How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed?

•

Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.)

•

Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus?

•

How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year?

•

Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended?

•

Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere?

•

Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas??? :smile:

Thank you!

Hi @zcapp

Most students commute from town to uni via bus. This usually takes 15/20 minutes. The buses can be quite busy during rush hour so I usually leave at least 45 mins before a lecture to give some extra time.

Hope this helps!

Tineke
Lancaster University Student Ambassador

Reply 27

zcapp

5

Original post by zcapp

Hi! I am trying to decide whether to firm my offer for Physics at Lancaster.

•

Any opinions/observations about the physics department?

•

How do the scholarships work for good A-level grades?

•

How is the second year commute from town accommodation? Realistically how long does the bus take in the morning rush hour? Are they all rammed?

•

Any nice private halls local to the uni? Are they ALL international students? (No issue with international at all, but would prefer not to be only non-international.)

•

Is going out in town in the evening manageable in the first year? Do year groups other than first years go out on campus?

•

How likely are you to get a room in on-campus halls after the first year?

•

Do you have to vacate any of the accommodations during any holidays? Any halls recommended?

•

Are there any good indie/alternative club nights/bands playing anywhere?

•

Are there any rollerskating groups, or nice flat smoothish areas??? :smile:

Thank you!

By way of an update, have found an Indie/Alternative music society and a Rollerskating society, which are either not yet official or at least not mentioned on the union's list of societies - exciting!

(edited 2 weeks ago)

Reply 28