Help with universities

Try and visit Loughborough University as well. It's a sports-centric University and has a very good ranking.

That's okay ..All the best with other choices.

Hi,
I'm an international student from Italy and I planning to visit some universities this summer before applying for Sept 2025. I want to study Sports Science and my grades are pretty good ( I'm predicted the equivalent of around one A*AA). I've had to exclude some UK universities because of the very high international fees but I've selected these which seem to be well placed for sports science and apply some scholarships for European students.
- Portsmouth
- Essex
- Nottingham Trent
- Northumbria
- Newcastle
In addition I'd also visit Bournemouth and Brighton though I have the feeling the entry requirements for these two universities are lower than the othera. Can anyone give me their opinion in terms of city as well as the university reputation? Thanks so much

Hiya @saraeli,
Its amazing that you are thinking of Essex to peruse your studies. 🤩
I also came to Essex as an international student from Portugal and I really loved it.
Essex is like the world in one place with students from more than 150 countries and half of the student community is international.🌏
-At Essex we are 27th for Sports Science (The Guardian University Guide 2024);
-23rd in UK for research power in sport and exercise sciences (THE research power measure, REF 2021);
-27th in the UK for Sports Science in The Guardian University Guide 2024
Our degrees give you the opportunity to study abroad or take a placement year during our time at Essex. placement year/ Study abroad for Essex students | University of Essex | University of Essex
So some our students that went on placement year had the opportunity to be placed in organisations that include West Ham United Football Club, Colchester United Football Club, Colchester Rugby Club and Royal Hospital School.
Your degree will be based on practical work in your first two years providing you with the professional and scientific skills you need to conduct your own research project in your final year, and to make the transition to postgraduate study or on to a fulfilling career in a range of industries, especially sport, health and education.
As part of our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (SRES) you'll have an exciting opportunity to join a community specifically focused on sports and exercise science, sports therapy and physiotherapy. We bring together research, share knowledge, and enhance placement and vocational opportunities for our students and graduates.
We offer a lively, friendly and supportive environment with research-led study and high quality teaching.
Our research covers a wide spectrum of biology – from the cell right through to communities and ecosystems. Key academic staff for this course include Dr Valerie Gladwell, who is researching green exercise and the autonomic nervous system in exercise bouts, Dr Paul Freeman, who works on social support in sports, and Dr Gavin Sandercock, who works on geographical and social interactions with exercise.
Our specialist facilities include the Sport Arena, physiotherapy labs, six specialist sport and physiology labs, two dedicated sports therapy training labs, and an on-campus sports therapy clinic.
The Human Performance Unit (HPU) has been used by professional athletes and sports persons from a range of disciplines, including Team GB athletes participating in the London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and players from our local Colchester United Football Club.
We also offer scholarships so have a look in our website: Performance Sport Scholarship.
Our campus has all the facilities you need such us a 24h library, gym, multiple restaurants, coffee shops, bars, night club and supermarket.
You can also get a part time job in our facilities and as well as be a student ambassadors and help us organize events through the academic year.
We also have more than 100 societies you can join Societies (essexstudent.com)
We also have 40 sport teams where you can be a professional player Essex Sport | University of Essex
Our students union also organizes events every week such us arts and crafts, food markets and much more. Campus (essexstudent.com)
We have buses that go all around the university that came every 10 minutes and takes only 15 ride to town or even 30 minutes walk.
Our Colchester campus is 30 minutes away form central London by train.
You can visit us on a open day Open Days | University of Essex
You can also contact us and we can arrange a private visit to the university. [email protected]
Italy country-specific information | University of Essex
I hope this information helps and if you have any questions don't hesitate in contacting me.
Cat-Essex Official Rep

Hi there!
I am a student ambassador for the University of Exeter and although I can see you did not name us as one of your current choices I wanted to reccomend the university especially as you are looking to study Sports Science! Exeter is one of the top 5 universities for sports science in the UK and has a international reputation for excellence. It is also the number one sports university in the south of England and Wales and truly has a very wide range of different activities you can enroll in. We have around 52 sport clubs that offer everything from social and beginner sport, to supporting elite athletes in international pathways.
You can find the whole course content by following this link here: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/sport/exsport/#course-content
There is also the option of studying abroad or doing a placement year in countries such as Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, the USA, Canada and Spain and I know for a fact that every person coming back from those experiences said that is was one of the best years in their life.
Because it is a sports-oriented university, there are always opportunities to meet new people either through joining clubs, going to socials or joining the intramural team where you can form a team with your coursemates, flatmates, friends or anyone else and play any sport recreationally. As an international student myself I found that studying at Exeter had a lot more advantages than being in a bigger city as it showed to be very friendly, safe and walkable. There are also so many things you can do recreationally during the weekends such as going to the beach in Exmouth, hiking on Dartmoor, kayaking, cycling or visiting beautiful towns around Cornwall.
I hope this gives you a bit of insight into life at Exeter and hopefully you consider it as one of your choices as well!
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.
Laura
Exeter University Student Ambassador

Hi!
Thanks so much. I've actually booked a campus tour in September. I see you also have physiotherapy...which was what I initially wanted to study. Then I considered Sports Science.... Now I'm kind of undecided between the two. I'd like to be a sport physiotherapist so I'm not sure whether it's more advisable to study physiotherapy as an undergraduate or sports science and then do a Master in Physiotherapy.