History
On 15 October 1862 the Hartley Institution was declared open by Lord Palmerston.Hartley was the heir to a family of Southampton wine merchants. A studious and reclusive character, he had turned his back on the family business and when he died he left his estate to the Corporation of Southampton to promote the study and advancement of science and learning.
Education
Our emphasis on research-led teaching means that our students are taught the latest theories, research and innovations from experts in their field.
Research
The University of Southampton is changing the world for the better, working with industry, governments and research institutions to make a global impact.
We are a world-class research-intensive Russell Group university. Over 96 per cent of our research has been assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework.
Career
We are one of the world’s top 120 institutions for employability. Our Careers and Employability team help you access:
- placement, volunteering and work experience support
- CV and interview skills workshops and clinics
- mentoring and internship programmes
- networking events
- careers fairs
- drop-in sessions
- assessment centre preparation
- enterprise societies, support and advice
- online resources for current students
University Ranking
Student services
To find out more about the help and support services we can offer you, scroll down the page or click on the links in the list below to jump down the page.
- Student Services Centre
- Healthcare
- Personal academic tutors
- Getting around
- Enabling Services
- Computer Services
- Early Years Centre
- Practising your religion
Housing services
The halls guide is your one stop manual for everything you need to know when living in halls. It is designed for you so that you have the knowledge of how things work, the processes and services and also helpful advice and information for your time in University residences. The halls guide can be downloaded here, or you can also request a published copy from your halls reception.
Library services
The University Library has a comprehensive collection of books and journals, both electronic and print, available from the Hartley and other campus libraries, plus a range of services to support teaching and research across all areas of the University.
Library Search is a single search service providing discovery and access across the library's physical and digital collections.
ICT services
We provide help and support to students, staff and researchers regarding everything IT, from a Windows desktop to high performance computing.
Medical services
We have two health practices at Highfield Campus – the University Health Service and Highfield Health. They provide a full range of health care services which are open to all registered students and their families.
Campus life
Avenue Campus is home to many of our humanities subjects. You can find it just a short walk from our main Highfield Campus. The green spaces of Southampton Common are also close at hand.
Sports facilities
Make the most of our state-of-the-art sports facilities to learn a new sport, to train, to compete, or just to have fun. Our Students' Union (Union Southampton) has over 80 sports clubs to help you enjoy sports with friends.
It includes:
- a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool
- a split-level gym with 140 fitness stations - one of the largest facilities of any UK university
- a magnificent eight-court sports hall, used for badminton, netball, volleyball and basketball - the only hall in the region suitable for international basketball matches
- four squash courts
- martial arts studio
- dance studios and activity room
- bouldering wall
- second sports hall for five-a-side football, cricket, handball, Frisbee, and roller hockey
Student clubs
As a student at Southampton, you will automatically become a member of the University of Southampton Students’ Union. The Student's Union is one of the largest in the UK, with many services and facilities to both support and entertain you.
Achieving chartered status in any profession indicates to the wider community a high level of subject knowledge and professional competence. It provides independent recognition of your standing and experience and verifies that you are a competent, qualified and committed professional.