A guide to the Lancaster University colleges

By Ryan Moynihan, Furness College, January 2026

If you’re thinking of applying to Lancaster University, you may be wondering what the colleges are and how to choose one.

Lancaster University has nine colleges (eight undergraduate and one postgraduate) each unique and with their own strong community. Colleges, in my opinion, are what makes Lancaster University stand out the most because the community they provide is truly special. As a proud member of Furness College, the college experience has certainly enhanced my time at Lancaster and I value having this additional community within the wider student population.

Here’s your complete guide to Lancaster’s colleges and why they truly make the student experience an unforgettable one.

What are they?

Colleges are essentially smaller communities within the wider Lancaster student population. Every Lancaster student belongs to a college and this community is with you throughout your time as a Lancaster student. They will run lots of events throughout the year and these are great ways to make loads of new friends whilst celebrating your college. Colleges aren’t course dependent so you get to pick which one you would like to join, no matter the degree.

Support and facilities

Every college has a College Advisor Team who provides you with pastoral support. Moving away to university can feel quite scary and the College Advisors are there to support you with settling in and with any aspect of student life you might want to discuss.

Each college has lots of facilities too for students, such as study spaces, kitchens and lockers. If you fancy a quiet alternative to the library, then the college study spaces are a great place to go (I have to shout out Cartmel’s study space, it’s incredible!). I currently live off campus and so the college kitchens are a lifesaver when I fancy heating up some food from home. In addition, every college has social spaces like common rooms which are a great place to hang out with friends. Some colleges have bars too which will host a variety of events. For example, Furness’ bar is called Trevor and hosts iconic events such as a weekly quiz and Karaoke night. You’re not limited to your own college spaces too so you can go to any of the social spaces and bars.

Sports and social activities

All colleges have several sports teams such as netball, football and bar sports and will compete against the other colleges, which is another great opportunity to make new friends whilst remaining active. Every college also has a friendly ‘rivalry’ and this rivalry is brought to life during a fun weekend of sporting activities. For Furness, our ‘rivals’ are Cartmel College and for us this takes place during Patriots Weekend in March.

Throughout the year, the colleges offer both a mix of drinking and non-drinking social activities too. In my Welcome Week, Furness College ran a trip to Grasmere (a village in the Lake District) and this was such a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends with other students in Furness, many of whom I’m still friends with today! Other college activities are movie nights, pottery painting, bingo nights and many more.

Becoming involved with the JCR (Junior Common Room)

The JCR is the voice of your college’s student body and they help run the college and organize all these incredible events. The JCR members are students, so it is a great opportunity to get involved and gain some incredible experience.

Accommodation

This will probably be one of the main factors when choosing your college because certain colleges offer different accommodation types. For example, if you want to live in a townhouse, you will be choosing between Grizedale and County, which certainly helps narrow down the options. Most are self-catered although some colleges do offer catered packages, which again might play a role in your decision. Your preferences on accommodation type and catering will likely help you pick your college. It’s worth noting that even if you don’t live on campus, you will still belong to a college, this community is always there for you.

How to choose a college

Having to pick between eight undergraduate colleges can be quite tricky. For me, accommodation was the main factor in my choice of Furness because I preferred the cheaper accommodation of bedroom with shared bathrooms which narrowed down the options. From that, I picked Furness because of its location as Furness is quite central, which for me worked quite well. Some people pick Lonsdale or Cartmel because they are in their own bubble a few minutes away from the main part of campus and they prefer this small distance helping create a feeling of separation from your degree to home life. So essentially, it’s a matter of personal preference on location and then the accommodation type and this might help you decide on a college.

Colleges are certainly an integral part of the Lancaster University experience with the welcoming community they provide and they are also a great way to make friends. Each college does have its unique points, but they will all provide you with largely the same experience meaning no matter what college you pick, you will be part of an incredibly friendly and supportive community.