Successful sports careers
The UK has always been at the top of world sport. From the origins of tennis in King Henry VIII’s court to the birth of football, table tennis, rugby, boxing and cricket, our passion for competition and ambition has helped fuel some of the best athletes and clubs of all time.
All of that heritage, knowledge and innovation is present in our sports degrees too. Each year thousands of international students choose to study in the UK, and draw on our overlapping passions for medicine and technology when they do. With some of best sports programmes in the world, we’re the best possible place to start your sporting career.
A proud sporting nation
Sport is one of the most important ways that people come together socially in the UK, whether they are competing or watching from the sidelines. Many of our biggest events are landmarks on the sporting calendar – from Wimbledon to European Football fixtures – and hundreds of thousands of people watch live, with thousands more spectating on televisions around the world.
When you live in the UK, you’re immersed in a fanatical sporting culture, and if you want to take part, you’ll be spoiled for choice, from university teams to the London Marathon.
Give your career a competitive edge
The UK is home to the best university for sport in the world – Loughborough - as well as the sixth, the University of Birmingham, and the tenth, the University of Exeter.
But wherever you choose to begin your studies, an undergraduate sport science degree in the UK is the best possible way to kick off your career. Our cutting-edge research and brilliant, supportive teachers will help get you ready to compete for jobs on a world stage.
What to expect
Industry insights
The sports industry is worth around £400bn, and a key part of any sports degree is an understanding of how professional sport works. With input from people at all levels in the industry, you’ll be guided by teaching staff who will in many instances have worked or competed at high levels themselves.
Science
With so many universities leading the world in science, a sport science degree in the UK ensures you’re getting premium insights into the scientific aspect of sport. From motor control and biomechanics to molecular biology and biochemistry, you will be taken through all the essentials of how our bodies behave when exercising.
The psychology behind success
The psychology behind winning is just as important as the physiology, and you’ll be given a detailed understanding of what motivates us in sport – from the elements required to build a champion mindset to inspiring members of the public to keep fit.
Blend your specialisms
Many UK universities offer international students combined degrees so you can blend the disciplines that interest you most. This could be combining sport with a physical subject like dance, a scientific discipline like biology, or something unrelated like history.
After you graduate it’s easy to take your career even further with a wide range of postgraduate studies, each with links to professional clubs and teams close to wherever you choose to study.
Compete for your university
If you love to take part in sports you’ll find all manner of opportunities to compete at your university. 5,800 teams compete every year across UK universities and colleges. So you’ll be able to choose from 50 different sports, from soccer to hockey or maybe even a boat race between two very famous rival universities.