University of Plymouth

University of Plymouth Overview

The University of Plymouth is renowned worldwide for its high-quality teaching, research, and innovation, along with its spirit of enterprise and deep commitment to sustainability. With a mission to advance knowledge and transform lives, the University drives the global debate in a wide range of disciplines.

Facing the Atlantic Ocean, on the coast of South West England, Plymouth is ‘Britain’s Ocean City’ – a place with a pioneering history of international exploration, discovery and adventure that forms a vital part of the University’s DNA. First established more than 160 years ago as the Plymouth School of Navigation, the University of Plymouth has a proud track record of helping its students find their way in an increasingly complex world, including developing the essential skills, resilience and real-world experience they will need throughout their future careers.

In 2023, Plymouth was one of fewer than 20 UK universities to achieve a triple Gold – the highest possible accolade – in the Teaching Excellence Framework. That followed success in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, where 78% of the University’s research was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent, with nine subject areas seeing 100% of their submission rated in the highest categories for impact.

The University was the second in the UK to be verified carbon neutral and continues to invest in a sustainable future through upgrades to its estate. A three-time winner of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education – most recently in respect of its pioneering research on microplastic pollution in the ocean – Plymouth consistently ranks among the world’s leading universities in relation to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

With more than 18,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, plus a further 7,000 studying at partner institutions in the UK and around the world, and almost 200,000 alumni pursuing their chosen careers internationally, the University of Plymouth has a growing global presence.

University of Plymouth Rankings

• 70th in the Times University Guide 2025
• 84th in the Guardian University Guide 2025

The University of Plymouth is ranked in the top 40 global modern universities according to the Times Higher Education ‘100 Under 50’, and is also a top green university in the UK, according to the latest People & Planet Green League.

Overall, 78% of the University of Plymouth's submissions in the REF 2021 were assessed as 4* or 3* (internationally excellent) – an improvement on the score of around 63% in the corresponding 2014 REF.

University of Plymouth Location

Plymouth is a city on the south coast of England with a long history as a port and shipbuilding city, currently hosting the largest naval base in Western Europe. Entertainment in the city centre features many clubs, bars, restaurants and theatres and the city’s coastal location also makes it very popular for watersports, including surfing in the summer months and boating.