University of Chester is a public university located in the city of Chester, England, in the northwest of the United Kingdom. The university was originally founded as the first teacher training college in the UK. It was established as Chester Diocesan Training College in 1839 and became the University of Chester in 2005. It is known as one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom. 

The University of Chester undergoes regular quality assessments in various areas by multiple government agencies. The university was awarded a Silver rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for 2023, a government ranking system for educational quality. This ranking is shared by other prestigious universities like King’s College London and Durham University. 

University of Chester has around 20,000 students from 130 countries worldwide and boasts 6 campuses. Importantly, the university offers affordable tuition fees and provides discounts for international students, as well as merit-based scholarships, which significantly ease the financial burden on students and their families. 

Location

Chester is a small city full of charm, featuring Tudor-style architecture and renowned as one of the happiest cities to live and work in the UK. It has a cost of living that is almost 50% lower than London and is known for being one of the safest cities in the country. Chester is also city-focused on conservation, with the best-preserved city walls in Europe. Key highlights of the city include Chester Cathedral, a large ancient church with intricate and beautiful interiors, and the Eastgate Clock, the second most beautiful clock in England, after Big Ben. 

Chester is located near Wales and is close to Manchester and Liverpool, with only a 50-minute train ride from Liverpool and a 1-hour ride from Manchester. It takes about 2.5 hours by train to reach London. 

University of Chester Rankings 

• No.46 among the top institutions in the UK according to The Guardian University Guide 2025
• No.2 University of the Year in UK according to WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024
• Business School of the Year 2024 according to THE Awards 
• No.1 in International according to WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024
• No.1 in Postgraduate according to WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024
• No.1 in Student Support according to WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024
• No.1 in North West England for Lecturers and Teaching Quality according to WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024
• No.1 in North West England for Career Prospects according to WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024

Popular Courses at the University of Chester

• Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism – Top 5 in the UK
• Theology and Religious studies – Top 10 in the UK
• Children’s Nursing – Top 10 in the UK
• Animal Science and Agriculture – Top 15 in the UK (The Guardian 2024) 
• Accounting and Finance – No.15^th in the UK
• Marketing and Public Relations – Top 20 in the UK
• Music – Top 20 in the UK
• Geography – Top 20 in the UK
• General Nursing – No.21^st in the UK
• Chemical Engineering – No.21^st in the UK
• Languages and Linguistics – Top 25 in the UK
• Social Work – Top 25 in the UK
• Business and Management – Top 25 in the UK

According to The Guardian University Rankings 2025

Application Periods 

The university accepts applications in two rounds: September intake (the main intake) and January intake (available for some courses only). 

Tuition Fees 

The university offers affordable tuition fees. The table below shows the tuition fees for international students applying for the 2025/2026 academic year. 

*1 GBP = 45 baht