York St John University (YSJ), established in 1841, is expanding its academic and campus facilities for the upcoming academic year. The university, which enrolls just under 7,000 undergraduates, will begin offering business and law courses at the Grade I listed King's Manor, a historic site previously visited by Henry VIII.
New degree programs are set to launch, including midwifery and radiography, which will admit their first students in September 2026. These healthcare programs will benefit from recent facility upgrades, including an MRI scanner, an X-ray machine, and new midwifery and operating theatre suites. The university's Design Centre has also seen modernization, featuring new digital laboratories and studios. Starting in September 2027, YSJ will introduce two new design degrees: concept art and user experience design.
These enhancements aim to maintain the university's strong student satisfaction, underscored by its gold rating for student experience in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework assessments. Recent improvements to the Haxby Road Sports Park, including three new padel courts, also contribute to this effort. In 2025, applications and admissions were reportedly close to record levels, with approximately two-thirds of new students coming from Yorkshire and North East England.
Financial support at YSJ includes a variety of bursaries and scholarships. Last year, nearly 1,500 awards were distributed. The Offer Scheme Scholarship, worth £800 annually, is available to students meeting specific academic criteria or belonging to certain demographic groups, including Black, Asian, and minority ethnic students from households with incomes under £42,000, recent care leavers, and estranged students under 25.
The university employs a points-based system for contextual offers, which are available across most degrees except foundation years. Between 25% and 30% of students typically qualify for these offers. Points are awarded for factors such as age, disability, being the first in the family to attend university, and living in areas with high deprivation rates. Students scoring four or more points may receive an unconditional offer, provided they meet a minimum UCAS point requirement.
Student support services include a dedicated wellbeing team with mental health practitioners, counselors, and welfare advisors, who collaborate with local NHS partners. To promote student safety, YSJ implements compulsory Consent Matters training during Welcome Week and champions its student-led All About Respect program, which includes bystander intervention training. An Early Start Week is also offered to assist students with disabilities, mental health conditions, or neurodivergence in transitioning to university life.
Accommodation options range from £4,884 for a 37-week tenancy in The Grange to £10,350 for a 45-week studio let at 79 Clarence Road. The university offers over 1,100 places in its owned accommodations. The Scholarships Plus program, introduced in September 2025, provides non-financial benefits, including an opportunity and mobility fund, to scholarship holders. A separate student support fund provided over £367,000 in emergency aid during the 2024-25 academic year.