York St John University

York St John University is an outstanding university, known for its academic excellence and responsive nature, always putting the student at the heart of everything it does. Our magnificent campus is located in the centre of the historic City of York.

Our eleven-acre site on Lord Mayor’s Walk is in a stunning setting facing the world-famous York Minster across the city walls. Our award winning campus has undergone a £100 million transformation over the past 10 years to ensure students benefit from the right environment in which to study and live. Originally built around a quadrangle, newer buildings including De Grey Court and the Fountains Learning Centre which houses the library, IT facilities and a modern lecture theatre. The Foss Building houses our sports hall, a physiology laboratory, a biomechanics lab, a psychology lab, a fitness suite, physiotherapy labs and general teaching rooms.

Other facilities include a dance studio, drama studio, music rooms (both practical and technical), TV and film production facilities, editing suites and dedicated art and design studios. There are a number of catering outlets and the Students’ Union has a bar, café, shop and offices on campus.

With around 20,000 students and thousands of tourists visiting the city all year round, York really is a lively place to be.

York is great for nightlife of all kinds, it has restaurants, pubs, wine bars and cafés to suit every taste imaginable and it’s fantastic for shopping. York St John is literally minutes away from the city centre, so is perfectly placed for nights out and retail therapy jaunts.

Nightlife

York’s nightlife caters for all, from traditional and quirky pubs, to ghost walks, cinemas and theatre, to the lively, modern and vibrant bars, clubs and live venues – York really does have it all.

To start your night look no further than the Students’ Union, with a variety of entertainments to suit every taste, it is true ‘value for money’. Alongside great promotions throughout the week, it is the perfect place to meet your friends before heading into the city centre.

York has many late night venues catering for every music taste from rock to cheesy pop. Commercial bars such as Revolution and Yates are complemented by independent and popular bars such as Evil Eye and Vudu Lounge. They often have themed nights with student-friendly prices. There are a variety of different clubs in the city; Tokyo, Kuda, Salvation and Fibbers - a live music venue to suit all tastes. All in all York boasts a great night out for everyone.

Shopping

York is paradise for shopaholics - everything from famous high-street names to intriguing specialist, designer and curiosity shops. The outdoor Newgate Market, in the centre of the city, offers a more traditional shopping experience, with stalls selling everything, all at brilliant student-friendly prices.

York also hosts a variety of specialist markets which offer a taste of local and international produce. In September the UK’s largest Food Festival takes over the city for 10 days and one of the largest Christmas markets, the St Nicholas Fayre, arrives just in time for those last minute presents.

There are three out-of-town shopping centres, all within easy reach of the city centre. At Clifton Moor there are shops galore plus a Vue cinema and tenpin bowling. Monk’s Cross Shopping Centre has a layout like a classic American shopping mall with many high street stores and the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet features over 100 designer name stores full of best buys!

Let’s Get Cultural

Shopping and socialising aside, you can’t fail to notice York’s history and culture. It’s hard not to find history fascinating when it lives and breathes around you. York Minster is world renowned and well worth a visit.

The city’s Viking heritage comes to life every year in a rowdy, fun packed festival with hoards of Vikings taking occupation of the streets. You can also step aboard a time car in the world-famous Jorvik Viking Centre to travel back to 948AD. The condemned cell - where the infamous highwayman, Dick Turpin, spent his last night in 1739 - lies within the walls of York Castle Museum. The National Railway Museum is not just for train spotters (so we’re told!) and you can even catch the plague at the York Dungeon.

The arts feature strongly in York’s cultural life. The York Mystery Plays continue a tradition of community performances dating back to the 14th century. Contemporary drama, and much more besides, is on offer at the Theatre Royal and the Grand Opera House.

Film buffs will appreciate City Screen - an arts cinema housed in a refurbished printing works. Music, in all its guises, finds an audience in a variety of venues across the city. York Barbican hosts the UK snooker championship as well as offering comedy, music events and family shows.

Further Afield…

York is also a fantastic starting point from which you can explore more of what Yorkshire has to offer. The Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors are both National Parks, accessible by public transport, where you will find incredible scenery and bracing, fresh air. The seaside resorts of Scarborough and Whitby also make the perfect destination for a day out (and do great fish and chips).

Mission, Values and Vision

At York St John University we strive to be exceptional in all we do and achieve. We are building a reputation as a high quality, friendly university, known for its academic excellence, a strong community spirit and a magnificent campus based in the heart of the city.

Our size, our strong community ethos and our personal approach to learning have made us a special place to study for all these years.

Our students and staff make a meaningful contribution to the fabric of the University and we hope their experiences here inspire them to shape their communities throughout their lives.

We offer our students and staff personal opportunities to learn and grow – both academically and individually – and this is facilitated by the high levels of student-staff interaction within our community. We pride ourselves in identifying and developing potential in all our students and staff.

Our Mission

To inspire our students and staff to reach their full potential, advance knowledge, and make a positive contribution to the world.

Our Values

We are an inclusive, innovative, transformative and ambitious community with a strong sense of belonging.

Our Vision

We will be the best of England’s small universities.

Through our strategy we will:

• Enhance the quality of the student experience, with a particular focus on learning, teaching and research, so that our graduates develop skills for life and work.
• Nurture a diverse and culturally rich community, retaining the sense of community built up over 175 years.
• Deliver growth in our student numbers – Home/EU, international and postgraduate.
• Ensure our financial and organisational resilience.