Lancaster University Colleges

I am thinking of making Lancaster my firm choice for university but I don't know much about the colleges. I have an offer to study Business Management (Entrepreneurship) starting September.

Any opinion on which college to join? Or what I should consider before joining?

Reply 1

Lancaster University

Official Rep

Original post by clixel

Hi @clixel,

When picking a college there are probably two main things you want to consider:

1. Type of accommodation. Some colleges only offer certain types of accommodation, for example, Lonsdale and Cartmel are exclusively ensuite. So whichever accommodation you would prefer/is within your budgeting range will limit your choices.

2. Location on campus. For me personally, I wanted a distinction between my "work" life and home life so I chose Cartmel, which is located on the Southwest campus and is the college furthest from the center of the university (though that still is only a max 15 min walk). This has both perks (its quiet and has a nice walk in) and downfalls (not always nice to walk in if you're late or its raining). But if you wanted to be centrally located you might opt for Bowland, our most central college, located above Alex square.

Each college has a "reputation" and differs slightly in that aspect. I recommend looking at the college descriptions here.

However, each college has the same facilities, which include: a bar, sports (football and netball) and bar sports (pool, darts and dominoes) teams, a JCR (students who run events for each college), Porters (24hr security/help), welfare system and extravs (big end of year party). You also are not restricted to one college. You can intermingle and go to any bar: there is often a campus bar crawl in freshers week to get you explore and meet new people.

In the end, it doesn't really matter which college you select. I'm sure you'll meet new loads of great people in whatever college you are in and your neighboring colleges. The only other aspect is that you graduate with your college.

Hope this helps.
Jake, final year ambassador.

Reply 2

Ghostlady

Original post by clixel

All the colleges are good. My eldest is in Grizedale college but has Bowland and Lonsdale and Grizedale and Pendle friends. Often eats in fylde collge bar/Cartmel college and drinks in Pendle bar. You will get to choose 2 colleges as part of your accomodation process.

Jakes right, go for how far/close it is, and also your budget :smile:

Reply 3

TopBun

Am I right in thinking colleges at Lancaster are more a construct of accommodation blocks than colleges in the Oxbridge sense?

Reply 4

normaw

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by LittleSkink

Am I right in thinking colleges at Lancaster are more a construct of accommodation blocks than colleges in the Oxbridge sense?

Yes.

Reply 5

Ghostlady

Original post by LittleSkink

Am I right in thinking colleges at Lancaster are more a construct of accommodation blocks than colleges in the Oxbridge sense

Eldest applied to both in 2019 for 2020 start, and she did the uniq summer school at Oxford. Shes a second year at Lancaster.
Both uni's have their own college porters lodge, both uni's have their own bar. Colleges do compete against each other warriors, patriots, founders etc at Lancaster. It also had Roses which is a varsity with York, and I believe Oxford and Cambridge do compete in things like dance competitions, boat race etc.
Each college has its own manager, and although Oxford colleges have a ball every 1-3 years, Lancaster has 'extravs' n the summer every year which is kind of like an outdoor event with music and a dress up theme. From what I know theres also a lancaster uni rowing club too https://www.facebook.com/lubc.rowing/ . Colleges also have things going on too.Not BOP's like Oxford, but they have put things on like quiz nights, kareoke, barbeques. This next week or so shes attending a couple of things Grizedale have laid on over the Easter period.

So theres some similarities, but a lot of differences too. Like at Oxford you get taught in the colleges.She had a tutorial in St Johns college with her and another student and a lecturer on the summer school, but you do not get that at Lancaster.
Oxford seems pretty secure when it come to members of the public, you cant just walk around at some places, unless you had an appointment or pay admission charge (example new college and the tree where harry potter was filmed). Lancaster you can just walk around the grounds, and enjoy what they have to offer on campus.
Oxford have a lot of quads. As far as quads go in Lancaster, theres one in Grizedale in front of the Grizedale bar, and theres a courtyard area in County and Furness and Bowland, not sure about the others. Oxford is prettier in a respect of its well maintained grounds, flowers, topiary and lakes, but the lancaster uni has a good woodland walk, plus a great walk down the canal path to the city, and also lake Carter as well. If you chose Lancaster you do get that nice feeling of being in a college, in a 'community' with other people in the same college as you, but give it a few weeks, and your making lots of friends with people in other colleges as well and it does not really matter what college your in, as by second yearyou could be living with friends that could be in different colleges than you.
I wouldnt emphasise on the college too much, as they are all good, but if you are to choose a college (which you choose 2 in the selection process) think about proximity to where your deparment is and how far you want it to be from there, plus your budget on the type of accommodation.

Graduating and covid. prior to covid you would graduate with your own college, but from what ive seen on the videos on you tube on their official channel it looks like its per department at the moment. Not sure if this is to clear the back log of graduants from 2020 (im only speculating) but I do hope the graduation for each college comes back.

Reply 6

Tomblieboo13

Thanks that’s really helpful re colleges. My son has insured Lancaster and is on the Lancaster Access Programme. He hasn’t decided re colleges yet but will be studying history and is a swimmer so possibly County.

Reply 7

Ghostlady

Original post by Tomblieboo13

County is a great college. County was her other choice when it come to accommodation selection. She chose Grizedale/County townhouse. They dropped it the townhouse to 40 weeks which is much better as it used to be 44 weeks. Bowland is that side of campus too, although all are in walking distance to the sports centre.