University of Reading
The University of Reading is centrally located, with London Paddington less than a 30-minute train ride away and Heathrow airport only 45 minutes and Gatwick airport 90 minutes from campus.
Our historic and award-winning parkland campus provides the spaces and places you need to make the most of your time at university. We are proud to be a research-intensive university.
We work with governments, international agencies, businesses, and charities striving to tackle some of the biggest problems facing the world today, such as climate change, heart disease and international conflict.
We’re proud to be ranked 1st in the People & Planet University League (2023/24) and are taking a leading role in finding lasting solutions to save our planet.
The University is a world leader in climate science, recently winning a Queen’s Anniversary Prize and the inaugural THE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership.
International students
Reading is a global town: a centre of innovation, cultural diversity, creativity, and technology. The vibrant town centre boasts a huge variety of restaurants offering cuisines from around the world, including both chain and independent eateries, as well as bars, parks, swimming pools, leisure centres, and entertainment, with stunning countryside close by.
The University offers programmes for international students whose qualifications do not meet the normal undergraduate entry requirements:
Attend our pre-departure support webinars, covering a wide range of topics including student visas and immigration, applying to Reading, scholarships, student life and accommodation. You can also book a virtual, one-to-one meeting with a member of our international recruitment team for personalised advice.
You’ll be partnered with a STaR international mentor before you arrive at Reading. Mentors are current international and/or postgraduate students who can help you settle into life in the UK and at the University.
Quick Facts
The University of Reading is at the centre of the Thames Valley commercial hub, ideally placed next to the UK headquarters of Microsoft and Oracle and close to other international companies such as Vodafone, GSK, Ericsson, PwC, KPMG and Deloitte.
We are a global community with more than 23,000 students, including 4,500 international students from more than 160 countries.
The University is ranked 169th in the world and 29th in the UK (QS World University Rankings, 2024/25).
98% of our research is ranked of international standard (Research Education Framework, 2021).
Our Careers service provide you with careers events, 1-2-1 sessions with careers consultants, job opportunities through our Campus Jobs service and access to our services for up to two years after graduation.
The University of Reading was ranked 1st in the People and Planet League for 2023/24.
Student
Stories
I decided to attend the University of Reading because it is one of the few universities that offered an undergraduate program in art and philosophy. Before even attending the university, the facility members were extremely welcoming, answering all questions I had regarding university life. The university campus is filled with international students, you are bound to bump into somebody with a similar home country.
Abigail Tovar (USA), UG – BA Art and Philosophy
My journey to the University of Reading was driven by a keen interest in harnessing the power of data to solve real-world problems. As an international student from India, I chose to pursue an MSc in Data Science and Advanced Computing to deepen my understanding of machine learning, AI, and big data analytics. The decision to study at Reading was influenced by the university’s reputation for cutting-edge research and its inclusive, diverse academic community and its easy access to IT companies and London. Adapting to a new country was both exhilarating and challenging, offering a rich tapestry of experiences that have broadened my perspectives and honed my academic pursuits. The vibrant student life and supportive environment at Reading have been instrumental in my transition, making it a fulfilling chapter in my academic and personal growth journey.
Veena Prabhakar (India), PGT – MSc Data Science and Advanced Computing
I started doing my MSc with the University of Reading and enjoyed it so much that I stayed to do a PhD. I choose Reading because of the proximity to my house and because it is a green campus where everything is in one place. The transport links are superb, and you can even get a train to London in less than 45 minutes from Reading Station. I have gained experience in many campus jobs and skills gained have been useful for my studies. Before coming to Reading, I stayed abroad for 14 years and found that when I first came, everyone was so welcoming around the town and especially in the university. As a postgraduate student, I find that it is important to socialise and make new friends too, so I joined the cultural society on campus which has events throughout the year from dinner parties to paintballing. My personal experience has been insightful, supported and adopted by the wider community and the university.
Kanniz Husain (Malaysia), PGR – MSc Molecular Medicine – PGR Cancer Research