Anglia Ruskin’s story starts in 1858, when the art critic, patron and philanthropist John Ruskin opened Cambridge School of Art. The art school grew to become Anglia Ruskin University, and it’s still at the heart of our modern-day campus in Cambridge.
Anglia Ruskin University has a wide range of courses in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business and Law, Health, Education, Science, Computing and Engineering. Many of our Business and Computing Masters degrees have work placements of up to 1 year in the UK. We welcome international students in September and January to most of our courses.
The University’s academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 12 areas classed as generating world-leading research. Twelve of the 15 subject areas we submitted were rated as generating world-leading research; Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy, Architecture, Built Environment and Planning, Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory, Business and Management Studies, Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management, English Language and Literature, Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology, History, Law, Music, Drama, Dance and Performing Arts, Psychology, Psychiatry,Neuroscience and Social Work.
ARU is a career-focused university, with on-campus Employability Services running CV and interview workshops alongside company visits and sector events, while also helping students to source part-time, flexible work that fits in with their studies. This is also where students receive guidance to source and apply for placements.
The Employability Service also offers one-to-one appointments both before and after graduation. The number of events organised by the Employability Service was something our student reviewers were impressed by.
Anglia Ruskin University offers students support in a wide range of areas. These include a dedicated service for those with a disability, including a mental health condition, medical condition or specific learning difficulties.
There is also a counselling service, advice on finances, and an International office focusing on the queries and needs of overseas students. Anglia Ruskin University also offer a buddy scheme for student before they arrive with us for the chance to be linked up with current students.
The Student Union is active across all the campuses with an elected committee who develop services and represent student interests.
Anglia Ruskin University has student accommodation on both Cambridge and Chelmsford campus all within a short walk to classes on campus. All of the university accommodation has 24/7 security. The accommodation off campus is still close to the university and is a short distance to the city centres and close to good transport links such as buses and trains to London. Private en-suite rooms are available in most accommodation housing and the University also has a wide variety of high quality, conveniently located accommodation, including catered halls, self-catered halls and houses.
Libraries in Cambridge and Chelmsford are stacked with print and online resources and stay open 24 hours, six days a week during semester time. Self service facilities are available at all campuses. There are plenty of study spaces, including group work zones, silent study areas, multimedia playback, networked PCs, wireless connectivity, and standard IT applications.
Both campuses at Anglia Ruskin are fully Wi-Fi enabled. There are many student PCs available across both campuses and open study areas accessible to all students. There is also IT support on call on campuses for students whilst they are studying or attending classes.
Anglia Ruskin University has a medical centre on the Cambridge campus and a GP surgery open to students and the public on the Chelmsford campus.
Anglia Ruskin campuses are close to the city centres of both Cambridge and Chelmsford. Both include a student union shop, book shop, gym, employment bureau and student bar and social spaces. Both ARU Cambridge and Chelmsford have supermarkets and restaurants within minutes of the campus.
Sport halls, fitness suite and fully equipped gyms are available at ARU Cambridge and Chelmsford. Whether you want to try something new or continue an activity you've been doing for years, there's a wide range of sports on offer.
At ARU, you'll find the sport that's right for you, from American football to volleyball and everything in between. Join a sports club if you want to compete in your chosen discipline, or one of our Campus Sport activities if you prefer to play at a more recreational level for enjoyment, social or fitness purposes.
There is also opportunities for students to volunteer, become part of our sports club committees and train as part of our Coach and officials academy.
The Students’ Union supports over 120 different societies, from course-specfic groups to hobby clubs and special interest meetups. It’s a great way for students to meet new people, build friendships and expand your horizons.
The School of Management links with the following professional bodies:
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 169 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 814 | 772 | 603 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 501 | 601 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | 1001 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 98 reviews
It's a great place to study and acquire knowledge
I love the flexibility that you are affording studying this program. Had not been for it being a young mother of four wonderful boys, I feel like I have been given an opportunity to make a far and distant dream an actual reality.
World class institution in Uk with good research opportunities to transform skills and be competitive
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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