Top 10 reasons to apply to Hartpury University

1. World-class facilities

Our specialist 360-hectare campus is designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge and experience you need to move into your dream career. We’ve invested £50 million in recent years to provide you with an ideal environment in which you can learn and progress. You'll have access to:

380-hectare award-winning farming business across five rural sites
Over 70 domestic and non-domestic species on site
International competition arenas, state-of-the-art rider performance centre, a leading equine therapy centre, and stabling for 230 horses
Specialist technologies, gyms and pitches
Dedicated centre for veterinary nursing, and laboratories

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Our courses have been developed with support from employers and you’ll learn from expert lecturers and coaches, many of whom are producing industry-leading, cutting-edge research. 97% of our graduates are in employment, further study or other purposeful activity (Graduate Outcomes, 2024).

Through our 3,000-strong business network, our students gain skills and experience, ready to begin their career journeys. Visiting professionals in lectures, field trips, careers events, as well as domestic and international work placements, all form part of the Hartpury student experience - your degree could take you all over the globe. Through bespoke workshops and 1:1 support via our Innovation, Careers and Enterprise (ICE) centre, we'll support you to clarify and work towards your career goals.

When you become a student at Hartpury University, you become part of our community. As a small university, we provide personalised support based on your individual requirements and aspirations.

Your health and wellbeing are our top priorities. We have a team of qualified counsellors, nurses, wellbeing officers and a chaplain, ready to provide friendly advice and guidance.

Our ASC team will support you to define your academic and personal goals, and tailor a range of development workshops to help you work towards them. Delivered online and face to face, you’ll have every opportunity to get the very best out of your learning. We’ve been named as a top 10 university for academic support (National Student Survey 2024, UK universities).

4. We're Gold again

We’ve been awarded Gold in all three areas of the Teaching Excellence
Framework (TEF), which means we're providing you the highest quality teaching, student experience and student outcomes - as recognised by the Office for Students (OfS).

As the only institution in Gloucestershire to receive triple gold status, we're committed to putting your learning and experience at the heart of everything we do. The award also puts us in the top 15% of universities nationally.

Hartpury's 360-hectare campus offers the ideal haven for outdoor adventure but we’re also a stone’s throw from lively multicultural cities that enable our students to enjoy the best of rural and urban living.

Gloucester city and Cheltenham town are right on your doorstep. Whether you love trendy bars and restaurants or hidden gems, nights out or cinema trips, watching sports, or soaking up cultural history – you've got a variety of activities to choose from.

Gloucestershire is also known as the festival country, with over 45 festivals and events taking place each year. From music festivals to fright nights, summer shows to annual balls - we have it all.

We're ranked 6th in the UK for Teaching Quality (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025). As a Hartpury University student, you’ll be learning from lecturers who are also coaches, behaviourists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals.

Our lecturers are highly trained and qualified to help you achieve your dreams. They’ll support you to develop the skills you need to be successful as you progress into employment or postgraduate study.

7. Guaranteed accommodation

We guarantee accommodation for all first-year undergraduate students outside a 15-mile radius of our campus.

Settle into an option to suit your taste and budget. You can choose to live in our Hartpury Gloucester accommodation, based in the heart of Gloucester City centre, just a 15 minute bus or car journey away. Or you may choose to live on-campus, surrounded by Gloucestershire’s beautiful countryside.

WiFi, utility bills, and contents insurance are all included at no extra charge across our accommodation.

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From equestrian medal-winners at the Olympics, to our BUCS-winning squads for men's and women's rugby and men's football, we nurture the very best talent. Over 250 international athletes have developed their talents at Hartpury in the last 15 years.

At Hartpury, you can pursue a dual pathway, developing your talent alongside your degree, with specially tailored academic and sporting timetables. We have extensive links with professional and non-league clubs. While you’re with us, you can gain invaluable work experience and build links for your future career. Our Sports Academy staff are among the best in their fields.

Develop real-world experience and make connections with some of the world’s biggest names and brands. Many of our degrees include the option to undertake an integrated placement year, enabling students to gain extra hands-on industry experience.

We have 11 thriving commercial businesses based on campus, providing invaluable opportunities for students to gain practical experience as part of, alongside, and after their studies. These operate across our specialist subjects, including our Digital Innovation Farm, Cotswold Dog Spa, Sports Business Hub, and Equine Therapy Centre.

10. International

We welcome students from all over the world to study at Hartpury. Being a home to students from over 60 different countries is part of what makes our campus and community so vibrant, friendly and inspiring.

Our dedicated International team are available to support you every step of the way. We'll help you during your application and be your point of contact for all pre-enrolment guidance.

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Our courses

Find your perfect undergraduate degree. We offer undergraduate degrees with a range of entry levels across our specialist areas of agriculture, animal, business, equine, sport, and veterinary nursing. Find the subject and pathway that works for you.

How to apply

It’s never too early to start thinking about your future and there’s a lot to consider when applying for university. We review every part of your application – your qualifications, personal statement, references and relevant experience – to decide if you will be a good fit for Hartpury and your chosen course. Here's everything you need to know about applying.

Student life

In between lectures, you'll find our students grabbing a coffee or bite to eat in our brand new catering and social space, Graze, as well as relaxing in our campus bar, Legends, which offers pub quizzes, movie nights and live music and sport throughout the year.