Our research community

We recognise that a sense of belonging is a key part of the research student experience. Postgraduates make up nearly 50% of our total student population - reflecting the central place held by postgraduate education within the University's mission. In total our research student community has some 2,200 members with research students based across the University's three Colleges and representing a huge range of research disciplines.

An international research community

Our reputation is global. Leicester is ranked in the top 2% of universities in the world by the QS World University Rankings and in the top 1% in THE World University Rankings - so it's no surprise that so many research students from outside the UK choose to come here.

Around 40% of our full-time campus-based research students come from outside the European Union and we have significant numbers of research students from China, India, Iraq/Kurdistan, Malaysia, Nigeria, North Africa, Pakistan, Taiwan, the USA, and Saudi Arabia. And our distance learning research students are based all around the world.

Fellow research students

Of course, your fellow research students will also provide a personal support network. Departmental events such as seminars and group presentations will help you to stay in touch with other research students, post-doctoral researchers, and research and academic staff in your discipline. The Library organises a doctoral writing forum which gives you the chance to get feedback on your writing from your peers and talk informally with other research students.

Students’ Union societies

For those who want to meet students and postgraduates with similar interests, the Students' Union has over 200 student groups with interests from cooking, to sports, to politics. There's even a society just for students who are doing research degrees. There are also a number of international groups giving students and postgraduates the opportunity to meet with others from their country.