Southampton, Solent University, UK - Ranking, Reviews, Courses, Tuition Fees

Overview

About Southampton

Solent University's story stretches back further than most. Officially established in 2005, its roots trace to a private School of Art founded in 1855, and it became an independent higher education institution in 1989. Solent as it exists today was formed through the merger of Southampton College of Art, the College of Technology and the College of Nautical Studies at Warsash, three very different institutions united by a shared belief in learning by doing.

That history shapes everything about Solent now. Students and staff from more than 100 nationalities study and work side by side, creating a genuinely international campus where different perspectives and backgrounds are part of the everyday learning experience. Courses span a wide range of subjects, from accounting, finance and business management to digital technology, fashion, film production and sport management, giving students the chance to specialise in exactly what excites them.

Life at Solent extends well beyond the lecture theatre. Support is built in from day one, covering everything from academic challenges and study skills to personal wellbeing and career planning, so students always know where to turn.

The campus sits right in the heart of Southampton, a short walk from shops, restaurants, parks and cultural attractions. Students can sample cuisine from around the world, explore museums and green spaces, and reach London, Bournemouth, the New Forest and Winchester easily by train or bus.

Graduate outcomes

Southampton Solent University prepares graduates to be confident, capable and ready for the world of work. Every course is built with practical learning at its core, so students leave with hands-on experience and specialist knowledge that employers recognise.

Careers support starts early and continues throughout a student's time at Solent. Solent Careers offers personalised guidance, employability workshops and access to graduate job opportunities, alongside support with CVs, interviews, networking and career fairs. That support doesn't stop at graduation. Solent alumni have access to career services for life, wherever their career takes them.

Many courses include work placements built into the curriculum, giving students real industry experience before they graduate. Optional opportunities go further still: Solent Creatives gives students live client projects through a student-run creative agency and the university supports aspiring entrepreneurs building their own ventures.

The results speak for themselves: Solent ranks 15^th in the sector for graduate start-ups (HESA 2023) and is in the top 25 per cent of UK universities for sustained employment (LEO 2025).

What’s New

Inside the SMART Centre. Where hands-on learning meets real industry

In January 2026, Southampton Solent University opened the SMART Centre, home to the South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT).

The IoT is a regional collaboration bringing together four colleges, two universities and a network of employers. Backed by more than GBP 15 million from the Department for Education, the Institute supports advanced technical education in areas including maritime, engineering and digital technologies. It aims to strengthen skills across the region, create clearer routes from education into employment and widen access to high-quality technical training.

Solent’s new SMART Centre represents a major investment in industry-standard equipment, giving students and apprentices practical training opportunities across a wide range of subject areas.

Home to innovative facilities, fully equipped laboratories and specialist workshops, the new centre provides a high-quality learning environment for the university’s maritime, science and engineering students.

With facilities for materials testing, welding, machining with lathes and mills, and composite work, the centre gives students and apprentices plenty of opportunities for practical experience and helps them develop the technical skills needed for future careers in industry.

Finances

How much will it cost?

Average tuition fees per year

11,42,656 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details

13,97,641 Postgraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details

Scholarships & funding

Tuition fees at Solent vary by course, so checking individual course pages is the best way to get accurate, up-to-date figures. To help make studying abroad more affordable, Solent offers a range of scholarships that reduce tuition costs for eligible international students.

Students from EU countries may be eligible for the Solent EU Welcome Scholarship, which reduces undergraduate fees to GBP 10,500 a year. International postgraduate students who achieved a 2:1 or equivalent in their bachelor's degree may qualify for the Solent Postgraduate Taught International Excellence Scholarship, offering a GBP 1,500 fee reduction.

Additional scholarships are available across a range of courses and circumstances. The fees and financial support section of Solent's website is the place to check eligibility.

With support built in from the start, international students can plan their studies with confidence.

Eligibility

Entry requirements

Entry requirements vary by course, so it's always worth checking individual course pages in the course directory for the most current details. Solent also provides country-specific guidance on entry requirements and visas, helping international applicants understand exactly what's needed before they apply.

As a general guide, undergraduate applicants are expected to hold qualifications equivalent to UK A-Levels, while postgraduate study typically requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent.

If English isn't a student's first language, they'll need to show a suitable level of English proficiency to study at Solent, at either undergraduate or postgraduate level. Solent accepts a range of secure English language tests and offers pre-sessional English courses for students who want to strengthen their language skills before their main programme starts.

Full details of English language requirements, along with country-specific entry guidance, are available on Solent's course pages.

Department and Faculty

Teaching quality

Southampton Solent University is built around one idea: that high-quality teaching should prepare students for what comes next. Lecturers bring real experience from their fields into the classroom, pairing academic knowledge with practical, transferable skills students can put to use from day one.

That commitment has been recognised nationally. In the latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), Solent was awarded three Gold ratings, for teaching, student experience and graduate outcomes — a reflection of the support and opportunity students find here.

Solent was also ranked in the top 20 of UK universities for student satisfaction, out of 130 institutions (Complete University Guide 2027), and named the best university in Hampshire for learning opportunities, teaching, assessment and feedback, and academic support in the 2025 National Student Survey (NSS).

For international students, these results mean more than rankings. They mean a university where teaching is designed to be understood, applied and built upon, and where every student's progress is taken seriously.

Department structure

Solent offers more than 130 undergraduate courses and over 40 postgraduate options, alongside higher technical qualifications, foundation years, apprenticeships and professional qualifications. Many courses are available part-time or through distance learning, giving students flexibility to shape their studies around other commitments.

Courses are organised into academic schools by subject, so students benefit from specialist teaching and subject-specific opportunities in their chosen field. Solent's schools include:

School of Creative Industries
School of Business, Law, and Society
Solent Business School
Solent Law School
School of Health and Sport
School of Technology and Maritime Industries
Warsash Maritime School

Whatever subject a student chooses, they'll be taught by specialists who understand the sector, in departments equipped with the tools professionals actually use. It's a structure built to turn curiosity into a career.