York University is one of the top ten universities in the UK and a member of the Russell Group, which unites 20 universities with a high research intensity, including Oxford and Cambridge.
York University, founded in 1963, has become one of the country's leading educational and research centers with more than 16,000 students 50 years later, although at the very beginning it had only 230 students.
Notable alumni include John Withrow (editor of the Times), Greg Dyke (former director of the BBC), Harry Enfield (comedian) and 10 members of the British Parliament.
The university campus covers approximately 200 acres (0.81 km2), including York Science Park and the National Science Research Center.
The student supermarket offers a wide range of products, including Halal meat (frozen and to order), kosher (on request) and Chinese products.
York is famous for its bars and pubs, from luxury bistros to original bars, cafes and traditional pubs. According to local legend, there are 365 pubs in the city, one for each day of the year. Leeds and Manchester are nearby, where there are additional entertainment options.
York has a strong reputation as a tourist destination thanks to a year-round program of festivals, including a comedy festival, a Viking festival, a culinary festival and a German Christmas market.
The city also has an excellent art-house cinema offering screenings of independent and world cinema. A modern Vue cinema is available for major blockbusters near Clifton Moor Park.
The university has two campuses, Heslington West and Heslington East, which are located outside the city of York, just 10 minutes by bus or 25 minutes by bike. It takes about 15 minutes to walk between the campuses, and only 5 minutes by free shuttle bus.
How to get to airports and train stations: Manchester International Airport is 2 hours by train, and London King Cross Station is also 2 hours by train.
The campuses are located around the largest artificial lake in Europe, and all educational and residential facilities — colleges, dormitories, cafeterias, shops and banks — are located in one place.