University of Bradford

What University of Bradford does

The University of Bradford is a public UK higher education institution founded in 1966 and headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, serving 10,887 students in 2024/25 (8,037 undergraduate, 2,562 postgraduate taught, and 288 postgraduate research) with 1,755 staff (645 academic and 1,110 professional/support). It delivers degree programmes across subjects including law (LLB with an integrated Law Clinic), optometry, paramedic science, chemical engineering, and a globally top-ranked Distance Learning MBA (Financial Times 2025, 1st for value for money), alongside NHS-bursary-eligible healthcare programmes (Paramedic Science, Occupational Therapy, Diagnostic Radiography). Its revenue model combines regulated UK undergraduate tuition (capped at £9,790/yr), higher international undergraduate fees (~£16,100/yr), postgraduate fees, NHS clinical placement funding (£5,000/student/yr), and external research grants and contracts.

The university's go-to-market relies on the centralised UCAS admissions system and Clearing for domestic recruitment, supplemented by Open Days, school and college partnerships, student ambassadors, and direct international recruitment, with curriculum assets such as the world's first Peace Studies department (1973), two Queen's Anniversary Prizes (Dementia Care 2016, Archaeology 2021), and a top-ranked social mobility profile (1st in England) acting as differentiators. Technology investments include a MazeMap-powered interactive digital campus map (launched November 2025), Handshake and GoinGlobal career platforms, and Microsoft Teams-based virtual interviews, while applied AI activity spans computer-vision-based art authentication, EU-funded 6G-VERSUS robotic wildfire detection, and AI sports analytics. As a statutory, not-for-profit institution, the University of Bradford is accountable to UK higher-education regulators rather than shareholders, with no parent company, M&A activity, or external funding rounds identified in the available data.

Name

University of Bradford

Legal name

University of Bradford

Website

https://bradford.ac.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The University of Bradford is a UK public university founded in 1966 serving approximately 10,900 students across undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and research programmes, with revenue from tuition fees, NHS bursaries, and research grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Portfolio, Capstone & Project-Based Program Support (EDAMAKAD), International Student Admissions Counseling (EDANAEAC)

Keywords

• Higher education degrees
• Undergraduate programs
• Postgraduate research
• Distance learning courses
• Healthcare training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Domestic Tuition Fees: UK/EU students pay tuition fees up to £9,790 per year for undergraduate programs, regulated by UK Government policy
2. International Tuition Fees: International students pay higher tuition fees, approximately £16,100 per year for undergraduate programs
3. NHS Bursary Funding: Healthcare programs (Paramedic Science, Occupational Therapy, etc.) receive NHS bursaries of £5,000 per student per year
4. Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from research councils, government bodies, and industry partners for academic research activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of Bradford is a public higher education institution that delivers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs, postgraduate research degrees, and continuing/distance learning education across multiple academic disciplines. It offers practice-based learning through clinical placements, sandwich years, internships, and a Law Clinic, alongside structured employability development (Bradford Employability Award) and award-winning research in archaeology, dementia care, peace studies, optometry, and AI.

Product overview

The University of Bradford is a higher education institution offering undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and research degree programmes across multiple disciplines. Its core educational products include degree programmes such as the LLB (Hons) Law with integrated clinical training via the Law Clinic. Supporting student development, the university provides The Bradford Employability Award for skills recognition, placement and internship services through its Career and Employability team, and digital services including the MazeMap-powered campus navigation system. Research initiatives include AI-powered wildfire detection technology developed in partnership with EU-funded projects. The institution was established in 1966 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LLB (Hons) Law A rigorous academic legal education providing thorough grounding in legal, academic and clinical skills for careers as solicitors or barristers. Taught by academic experts and practitioner lawyers with a Law Clinic for hands-on experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1st in England for Social Mobility Index (2021-2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and strategic.

• MazeMapcoreTechnology or Integration · 4 November 2025Digital campus mapping platform partnership to enhance navigation for students, staff, and visitors, replacing static signage and paper maps as part of digital transformation strategy
• Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic partnership for Bradford's UK City of Culture 2025 designation, delivering events and activities, improving student experience, and collaborating on projects that bring change to the city
• Bradford City AFCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partnership with the football club; the stadium is known as University of Bradford Stadium; provides placement opportunities and community engagement
• Bradford Literature FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Bradford Literature Festival for cultural events and student engagement opportunities
• National Science and Media MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with museum for research collaboration, student engagement, and cultural programming
• World Technology Universities NetworkstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member since 2016; global network of technology-focused universities for collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Bradford Metropolitan District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainability initiatives, climate action, and local economic development
• West Yorkshire Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on regional economic growth, climate emergency response, and green economy initiatives
• University of SanctuarystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst British University of Sanctuary (2018); commitment to creating safe spaces and supporting refugees and asylum seekers in higher education

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Huddersfield: Post-92 UK university in West Yorkshire with similar size (~14,000 students), strong social mobility profile, and comparable placement-focused teaching model; serves as Bradford's closest geographic and demographic competitor for non-Russell Group UK applicants.
• Leeds Beckett University: Post-92 university in Leeds with similar size and student demographics; competes directly with Bradford for non-Russell Group Yorkshire applicants and operates comparable professional programs including healthcare, law, and engineering.
• Manchester Metropolitan University: Large post-92 university with similar size (~40,000 students), social mobility focus, and broad portfolio of professional/vocational programs; directly comparable in mission, demographic positioning, and post-92 institutional category.
• Sheffield Hallam University: Post-92 Yorkshire university with strong healthcare, engineering, and placement-focused programs; competes for similar applicant pool and operates with comparable mission of widening participation and applied learning.
• University of Salford: Post-92 Greater Manchester university with similar size, social mobility mission, and professional/vocational program mix including health sciences and engineering; competes for non-Russell Group applicants in the North of England.
• University of Wolverhampton: Post-92 university with strong social mobility credentials, similar size, and comparable demographic focus on first-generation and disadvantaged students; directly comparable in widening participation positioning and UK post-92 category.
• University of Hull: Northern England research university of comparable size (~10,000-15,000 students) with similar disciplinary strengths in health sciences, law, and applied sciences; competes for similar UK and international applicant pool.
• University of Sunderland: Post-92 North East university with comparable social mobility profile and applied professional programs including health sciences; serves similar demographic segments and operates with comparable institutional mission.

Regional players

• University of Leeds: Russell Group university in West Yorkshire offering the full range of research-led programs; competes with Bradford for international students and postgraduate research candidates, but operates at a much higher research intensity and global ranking tier.

Emerging players

• The Open University: UK leader in distance learning higher education; competes most directly with Bradford's globally-ranked Distance Learning MBA and represents both a competitor and a benchmark for scaling online credentialing offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UniversityOfBradford
• Facebookfacebook.com/university.bradford
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-bradford
• Instagraminstagram.com/universityofbradford
• TikToktiktok.com/@uniofbradford
• Xx.com/BradfordUni

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Bradford