Why I chose Leeds Beckett University

I currently study my degree in Sport & Exercise Science at LBU. At the end of my UCAS application, I eventually knew that I had to choose one university out of my other choices, and you already know which one I picked. The question is, why did I pick it over the rest?

Finding the right course

When looking at universities, I knew I had to study a degree about a subject I enjoy and have an interest towards it. That is when I decided to look into studying Sport & Exercise Science, and it had to be at a good university for sport, in particular.

The choice of different universities comes down to key factors, such as the university itself and the city it is located. These factors apply perfectly to Leeds Beckett, since it is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom for sport degrees, and its campuses are fitted perfectly for the purposes of these courses. When visiting, I really appreciated the way lecturers made an effort to explain the course, and when I started how they conducted our lectures and seminars, because they also made a great effort in getting us involved in the course. That made me really enjoy it, because of its engagement and interesting lectures.

Looking at the facilities

Whilst I was looking at Leeds Beckett during my application, I was instantly impressed by its facilities. The one that caught my attention was the brand-new Carnegie School of Sport building, a state-of-the-art facility located in Headingley Campus. The first time I entered this building, I could not believe my eyes: it was exactly as I was expecting it to be! The fact that this building has many biomechanics laboratories, a therapy clinic, many lecture rooms, a café area with table tennis and sport and exercise science laboratories attracted me to come to study here. The whole Carnegie School of Sport is brilliant for my studies because there is always something to do after your lectures and it is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment so my course can be studied to its fullest potential. Biomechanists have even done some analysis on Leeds United and Leeds Rhinos players for their pre-season here, so you now know why it’s so special!

Not only that, but Headingley Campus definitely catches your eye when you visit. It is the home to many beautiful, classic buildings with lecture rooms and a library located at the James Graham building, the biggest of them all. One of my interests in studying at Leeds Beckett was to join a sports team and focus on my fitness even more, so the fact that it is equipped with a student union, two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, tennis courts, squash courts, rugby and football pitches, hockey and lacrosse pitches made me say yes to this university.

Campus and Location

Leeds Beckett has a total of two campuses: Headingley Campus and City Campus. Headingley Campus is located just further north-west of Leeds city centre, in the neighbourhood that is Headingley. Headingley is a really nice area of Leeds, predominantly occupied by students thanks to its proximity to both campuses. I really like Headingley because it has plenty of nice restaurants, fast food chains, and pubs, pretty much what a student needs in their free time! Also, Headingley campus has got Carnegie Village, one of the best student accommodations in Leeds and the one I stayed in as a fresher. It is one of the best because of how well you live there, with your double bed, own bathroom and nice cosy kitchen. Writing about it is making me miss it! Then there is City Campus, just a couple minutes away of the city centre. It holds many brilliant facilities and halls of residence as well as being really close to the centre, which is extremely convenient for day-to-day activities.

Stories of past graduates

The factor that made me ultimately choose Leeds Beckett was hearing about what the previous graduates have gone on to do and the jobs they are now in. The fact that so many elite athletes that have graduated here is mind-blowing. I’m talking about some big names in British sport, such as Alistair Brownlee, Laura Weightman, Kevin Sinfield and Tom Bosworth. Even when I’m training on the track, suddenly the Brownlee brothers come out of nowhere to train! That’s how I know I’ve made a good decision of coming here, and I can’t stress out enough how good Leeds Beckett is because of all of these outstanding factors.