Mature students

What is a mature student?

If you're over 21 when you commence your studies, UCAS considers you to be at mature student age.

The University of Sunderland is in the top 20 UK universities for mature students (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024). We know age is just a number and we'll be with you every step of the way with whatever support you may need.

Find out more about what you can expect when you join us as a mature student, or why not join us for one of our upcoming open days? We can't wait to meet you.

Book an Open Day

Get inspired by our courses

Find out more about our subject areas and courses available for mature students and take the next step to getting a career to be proud of. Many of our courses are available on a part-time basis, giving you more flexibility to study around work and family commitments.

Learn more about mature student courses

Funding for mature students

We know finance is a big consideration when making the decision to return to education. This is why we offer our mature students studying eligible courses the opportunity to apply for a range of scholarships and bursaries to support them during their studies.

View our scholarships and bursaries

Join our mature student chat

Got more questions about being a mature student at Sunderland? Join our group chat where you can find out everything you need to know from our friendly Student Ambassadors.

Join the mature students group chat

Watch:

Grace McKenzie decided to come and study at the University of Sunderland when she was 25 years old. Hear her experiences of leaving full-time employment and where to find information on funding.

More about studying at the University of Sunderland

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Get support to succeed

As a mature student, you'll be fully supported during your studying. We offer a number of support services at Sunderland including wellbeing, financial, disability, and many more that you can take advantage of when you come to study with us.

Student support Find out more about our student support services

St Mary's Childcare Centre

We understand that many of our mature students are parents and may need that extra bit of support when it comes to childcare. St Mary's Childcare Centre, located on Chester Road, is available for students to use and is equipped with some excellent facilities and a team of highly experienced staff.

Explore St Mary's Childcare Centre