Colleges and community

At the heart of your Lancaster University experience, colleges are your first port of call for everything from support to socialising.

Students at a barbecue and picnic table

Nine colleges, one home

Our colleges are central to the Lancaster University experience.

When you arrive, the University can seem a little like a buzzing town where everyone else knows where they’re going. Getting your bearings can take a while, but your college is there from day one.

We have nine colleges, and each has its own personality, but picking yours usually comes down to the type of place you want to live in and the facilities you need.

Four students stand in a DJ booth illuminated by purple lights.

At the end of every academic year, each college hosts an "Extrav" party.

Photograph: The Lancaster Photographer

However, it’s more than just a place to stay. You’ll have the chance to study and socialise there as well. So, when you’ve finished your work for the day, you can meet your friends in the social space, settle down for a film or even see a band play.

If you can find the time in your schedule, your college’s events and activities can fill it. And, when you get to the second year and decide to live in town, you can always come back to join in – your college is yours wherever you’re staying.

Your university experience is as much about the people as it is about where you’ll live or socialise. Your college becomes your team, your university family.

It might take a little time to get to know the others on your course or to figure out which clubs to join. But your college is a ready-made set of friends. You live together, study together and compete together - in everything from sports to debates to business.

And because these are the people you get to know first, they’re often the friendships that last the longest.

Our colleges

The college really helps you settle in during the first weeks of university and beyond - there's always a friendly face to turn to and lots of support available. I've met many of my closest friends through Furness College - it's my home at Lancaster.

A quote from Emily Furness College

Societies

Student-run clubs and societies are a great way to meet new people and follow your interests. With over 175 different societies, you can also discover new hobbies and interests. You can also join a society to discover a new culture or to increase your academic network.

There are societies that cover a wide range from sport and fitness - football, basketball, swimming and archery for example. There are some societies for Harry Potter fans or the performing arts. There are societies to help international students meet their compatriots. There are societies related to your studies, helping you to advance and network.

And if you can't find a society that matches your interests, you can even start your own!

Discover the society for you

Why Lancaster?

We believe that Lancaster is everything a university should be. We support you through your studies, research and career.

Discover more about Lancaster
Students at a bench in Barker House Farm

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