Our credentials

Discover why students select Hartpury as their top choice

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We've been changing lives since 1948. We're united both by our history and our passion to positively impact the future for our students and others.

We're a place for big ideas. A place for innovators, game changers, and the downright curious to come together and make a difference in our specialist industries.

Find out more about the accolades that demonstrate our credentials as one of the UK's leading education providers in agriculture, animal, equine, sport and veterinary nursing.

National Student Survey (NSS)

Hartpury is the number one English Mainstream University within ‘Teaching on my Course’, according to results published by the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022 – the largest survey of its kind in the world. 

The NSS gathers opinions and feedback from students about their time at university. It surveys students on a range of factors related to their academic experience, including the teaching on their course, assessment and feedback, and how well courses are organised. Results are collated from the honest feedback received on the student experience at their institution.

We also finished in 2nd place for ‘Overall Satisfaction’ and ‘Academic Support’, and in 3rd place for ‘Assessment and Feedback’. Several of our degree programmes also received a perfect 100% student satisfaction rating, including the BSc (Hons) Agriculture/Applied Agriculture and BSc (Hons) Equestrian Sports Science.

"To be named as the number one English Mainstream University in the teaching category is particularly pleasing given the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19. Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to work closely with our Student Union, using real-time student feedback to guide our decision-making process." Rosie Scott-Ward, Pro-Vice Chancellor

Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA)

Hartpury is the number one university in the UK for Lecturers and Teaching Quality, as voted for by students at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA) 2022.

We also ranked 3rd in the UK for Facilities and Career Prospects as well as 4th in Student Support. Notably, we have been placed in 9th out of 95 institutions in the hugely prestigious University of the Year category, despite only becoming a university in 2018.

The awards are the only ones of their kind in the UK. Institutions are judged and reviewed solely by students, with results based on over 30,000 reviews that have been collected from campuses around the UK and from students using the Whatuni website.

"Lessons are delivered in person, which after COVID has been so beneficial, I feel like I'm actually learning. We have good access to our lecturers – I feel tutor sessions really help this relationship." Student review via whatuni.com

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide

Hartpury University ranks 1st in the South West and 6th in the UK for Teaching Quality, according to The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.  The institution was also named 14th in the UK for Student Experience and climbed an impressive seven places overall in the UK-wide league table.

The guide includes definitive rankings of 132 British universities, based on their performance in areas for undergraduates such as quality of teaching, facilities and graduate career prospects.

“We continue to invest in the facilities we have here at Hartpury University to provide our students with some of the best educational facilities in the world, as well as access to the highest quality teaching.” Rosie Scott-Ward, Pro-Vice Chancellor

Postgraduate accolades

We're just as proud of our international profile and achievements at postgraduate level. Research submitted as part of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 process, has been recognised as ‘world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’.

The REF is a UK-wide assessment of the quality of research in universities undertaken by expert review panels and is undertaken on behalf of Government by the funding councils for higher education. The results place Hartpury amongst a prestigious group of well-established institutions.

"We’re committed to providing our students with everything they need to fulfil their potential within an innovative and focused environment that’s at the forefront of our industries. We’ll continue to invest in postgraduate experience, in line with these survey results, as well as direct feedback from our students and employers, whom we liaise with regularly about developments." Professor Stephen Draper, Academic Dean 

Graduate Outcomes

Hartpury student achieve consistency excellent graduate employability figures. Results released in the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey from HESA revealed that 97% of all 2019/20 Hartpury graduates — 100% across both agriculture and veterinary nursing students — have progressed into employment, further study or other purposeful activity.

100% of former postgraduate students from courses including MRes Animal Behaviour and Welfare, MSc Equine Science, MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy, Postgraduate Certificate Equestrian Performance and Rehabilitation, MSc Applied Strength and Conditioning, MSc Professional Development (Coaching Science) and Postgraduate Certificate Sports Coaching, are all also in employment or further study.

The results place Hartpury in the top 20% of UK universities for graduate employability.

Graduate Outcomes is the biggest UK annual social survey and is designed to capture the perspectives and current work status of recent graduates. All graduates who completed a course were asked to take part in the survey 15 months after they finish their studies.

"Our students continue to embody the Hartpury Graduate Attributes of being professional, independent, responsible, adaptable, and importantly self-aware, all assets that students develop alongside their studies here. These are all things that make them such great employees, so we are delighted that Hartpury University has shown strong rates of employment for a third consecutive year.” Simon Spooner, Head of Innovation, Careers and Enterprise