About us

We’ve been inspiring minds and solving problems for more than 90 years.

Find out more about the University’s history.

Home to more than 23,000 students, the University of Reading is proud to welcome staff and students from all of the world. Our award-winning campuses – in Reading, Henley-upon-Thames, Johannesberg, and Iskandar – house contemporary study facilities, halls of residence, support services, cafes and bars.

Visit our Global page for more information.

 

We strive to create a stronger, better University of Reading, building on our past to create an exceptional future. Our four guiding principles form the foundation of our strategy: a genuine love of learning; creating new knowledge; embracing and celebrating diversity of people and ideas; and caring for our environment.

Whiteknights campus

Our main campus is set in 130 hectares of beautiful parkland, so you’ll find plenty of places to relax during the day. The campus has won 11 consecutive Green Flag awards, recognising it as one of Britain’s top green spaces.

The campus is a thriving community and features the Students' Union (RUSU), library, places to eat and one of the UK’s best student clubs. You’ll have everything you need right on your doorstep.

London Road campus

The London Road campus has recently undergone a £30m transformation. This historic site, one of the University’s original campuses, is home to the Institute of Education (IoE). It also features the Great Hall, which is used for concerts and graduation ceremonies, and a bar/cafe that serves hot and cold food.

Greenlands campus
Home to one of Europe’s top business schools, our stunning Greenlands campus is situated on the banks of the River Thames near Henley. It features a fully equipped fitness centre, business facilities, a conference centre, accommodation and dining room. Greenlands is used by the University's Henley Business School as the base for its MBA and corporate learning.

We were delighted to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to Greenlands' beautiful lawns during the summer of 2012, as the campus was chosen as a venue for one of the region's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.

Find out more about our campuses and facilities.

After successfully educating international students for more than a century, the University of Reading established its first overseas campus in Malaysia in September 2015. This is a natural extension of the close ties we have enjoyed with Malaysia over the years. The first cohort of students from the University of Reading Malaysia graduated in July 2017.

Find out more about the University of Reading Malaysia.

One of our key ambitions as a university is to continuously invest in providing first-class facilities for our students. By our centenary year, 2026, we want to significantly build on the successes we have already accomplished so far.

Many of the reasons behind these projects stem directly from student feedback, such as the need for more study space and better technical resources. Other key factors address sustainability, such as improving energy efficiency and reducing our carbon emissions.

While these projects focus on our long-term ambitions, we will be taking great care to minimise the risk of disruption for students currently studying at the University.

See full information about our capital investments and campus improvement programme.

Closure days and public holidays 

• Friday 24 December 2021 - Closure day
• Monday 27 December 2021 - Public holiday
• Tuesday 28 December 2021 - Public holiday
• Wednesday 29 December 2021 - Closure day
• Thursday 30 December 2021 - Closure day
• Friday 31 December 2021 - Closure day
• Monday 3 January 2022 - Public holiday
• Wednesday 13 April 2022 - Closure day
• Thursday 14 April 2022 - Closure day
• Friday 15 April 2022 - Public holiday
• Monday 18 April 2022 - Public holiday
• Monday 2 May 2022 - Public holiday
• Thursday 2 June 2022 - Public holiday
• Friday 3 June 2022 - Public holiday
• Monday 29 August 2022 - Public holiday

The Oracle shopping centre is home to the big names in retail, but there are also independent stores and boutiques around town too. You'll also find plenty of green spaces to relax in and a huge range of cuisines from around the world. 

Club venues and bars extend beyond campus as Reading town centre transforms from day to night. Discover festivals and new music acts, unique club events and cocktail bars or indulge in one of our late-night ice cream parlours.

Reading Festival is one of the best known music festivals in the UK, with over 87,000 fans flocking to see some of the biggest names in music.

You can also experience the thrill of a live football or rugby match at the Madejski Stadium​, which is close to the town centre. The venue, which seats over 24,000 people, is home to Reading FC and London Irish Rugby Club.

Travel links

As well as all the benefits of a beautiful campus location, Reading is also within easy reach of one of the world's most iconic capital cities. There are excellent transport links to London so getting there is easy and simple. 

Direct links by train:

London Paddington – 30 minutes
Oxford – 30 minutes
Bristol – 1 hour 15 minutes
Birmingham – 1 hour 40 minutes
Cardiff –1 hour 40 minutes

International airports are just a short journey away

It takes only 40 minutes by direct Railair bus service to get from Reading train station to London Heathrow, and London Gatwick is just over an hour away by train.