University of Bristol

The University of Bristol is a redbrick research university located in the vibrant city of Bristol, southwest England. Sir Winston Churchill was a former chancellor of the university, from 1929 until his death in 1965.

The university’s motto derives from the famous Roman lyric poet Horace, and translates into English as ‘learning promotes one’s innate power’.

Founded in 1876, the university started out as University College, with just two professors and five lecturers offering courses in 15 subjects. It was the first higher education institution in England to admit both genders on an equal basis, with 30 men and 69 women registering as day students during its first session.

Over thirty years after University College was established, it received its royal charter and became the University of Bristol in 1909.

Today, the university offers over 200 degree courses covering a wide range of subjects. It is home to 23 academic schools, divided into six faculties: Arts, Biomedical Sciences, Science, Engineering, Social Sciences and law, and Health Sciences.

The university boasts strong connections with hundreds of employers, ranging from small businesses to worldwide organisations.

As an accredited Fairtrade university, caring for the environment is one of the university’s main priorities. It was the first university to participate in the Green Impact Awards, and has won awards for its energy efficiency, transport planning and environmentally pioneering teaching.

Alumni of Bristol include the actor and comedian Simon Pegg, broadcast journalists Alistair Stewart and Sue Lawley, and the author and Children’s Laureate (2011-2013) Julia Donaldson MBE.

The university also lays claim to 13 Nobel Laureates. They include Dorothy Hodgkin, a former Chancellor of the University who won the 1964 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; the playwright Harold Pinter, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature; and Angus Deaton, winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics.