St Martin's College

What St Martin's College does

University of Cumbria (formerly St Martin's College, founded 1964) is a UK higher education institution established in its current form in 2007 with university status. It operates five physical campuses across Ambleside (Lake District UNESCO World Heritage site), Carlisle (Brampton Road and Fusehill Street), Lancaster, London (near Canary Wharf), and Barrow-in-Furness, serving over 10,000 registered students and reporting £78.3m of income for FY 2024/25. The institution delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, research, degree apprenticeship, and CPD programmes with 46% of students studying off-campus, supported by digital learning platforms and learning management systems. Its named proprietary technology asset is a Digital Professionalism Mapping Tool designed to help students evaluate their online presence against professional persona development requirements.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: tuition fees (UK undergraduate £9,535 for 2025/26 rising to £9,790 for 2026/27; international undergraduate £16,900 for 2025/26 rising to £17,800 for 2026/27; postgraduate and research fees vary by programme), research grants and contracts including Research Excellence Framework participation, business and employer services (CPD, conference hire, specialist facilities), and degree apprenticeships delivered under workforce contracts with NHS, BAE Systems, Sellafield, Rolls Royce, BBC, Forestry Commission, DEFRA, and Defence Medical Services. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, leveraging UCAS admissions, international agent networks, open days, clearing processes, and direct employer partnerships.

Strategic differentiation rests on a regional place-based model addressing skills gaps in Cumbria and the wider Borderlands region, anchored by the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine partnership with Imperial College London, £66m of secured public-sector funding (Borderlands Growth Deal, Carlisle Town Deal, Barrow Town Deal), and TEF Silver Award status achieved in 2023 alongside 97.5% graduate outcomes ranking No.1 in the Northwest and Top 5 in the UK. Core strategic partnerships span NHS (Long Term Workforce Plan delivery), Imperial College London, Department for Education, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, and the Lake District National Park Partnership, positioning the institution as a workforce pipeline provider for health, advanced manufacturing, nuclear, defence, and public-sector employers.

Name

St Martin's College

Legal name

University of Cumbria

Website

https://cumbria.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

University of Cumbria (formerly St Martin's College, founded 1964) is a UK higher education institution operating five campuses across Cumbria, Lancashire and London, serving over 10,000 students with undergraduate, postgraduate, research and degree apprenticeship programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition fees: Revenue from domestic and international student tuition fees across undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programmes.
2. Research grants and contracts: Funding from research activities including Research Excellence Framework participation and knowledge exchange partnerships.
3. Business and employer services: Continuous Professional Development programmes, apprenticeships, project management training, conference facilities hire, and specialist facilities for business clients.
4. Degree apprenticeships: Workforce development contracts with employers including BAE, BBC, Sellafield, Rolls Royce, NHS, Forestry Commission, DEFRA and Defence Medical Services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

St Martin's College, presently operating as the University of Cumbria, is a UK higher education institution delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programmes across five campuses. It also provides degree apprenticeships, Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses, and workforce development programmes in partnership with employers including the NHS, BAE Systems, Sellafield, and Rolls Royce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programmes Undergraduate degree programmes across multiple disciplines including health, sciences, arts, business, education, and environmental studies. Available to school leavers and mature students via UCAS applications, with UK tuition fees of £9,535 for 2025/26 and £9,790 for 2026/27.
• Postgraduate Degree Programmes Postgraduate taught and research degree programmes including Masters, PhD, and professional doctorates for students seeking advanced qualifications, research opportunities, and career advancement. Tuition fees vary by programme.
• Research Degrees Research degree programmes delivered through The Graduate School, including PhD and research master's degrees, with funding from scholarships, bursaries, and the Research Excellence Framework.
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and Short Courses CPD programmes and short courses for business and professional development. Includes project management training and other professional certifications delivered on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Foundation Courses Foundation courses providing pathway access from further education to undergraduate degree programmes for students who do not meet direct entry requirements.
• Degree Apprenticeships Workplace-based degree programmes delivered in partnership with employers including NHS (over 1,000 paramedic apprentices across seven ambulance Trusts), BAE Systems, Sellafield, Rolls Royce, BBC, Forestry Commission, DEFRA, and Defence Medical Services. Nearly 2,000 degree apprentices learning in the workplace.
• Pears Cumbria School of Medicine Medical school programme operated in partnership with Imperial College London to produce medical practitioners from, for and into Cumbria with a focus on general practice, public health and rural health.
• International College Pathway Programmes Pathway programmes for international students delivered in partnership with international colleges (SHRM College, FAME International College, RKC, Cerwise Education Technology) to support transition into UK degree programmes.
• Conference and Specialist Facilities Hire Conference facilities and specialist equipment hire for businesses and external clients across the university's campuses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.5% of Graduates into employment or further study within 15 months (Graduate Outcomes Survey, HESA 2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Imperial College London for the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine to produce medical practitioners from, for and into Cumbria with a focus on general practice, public health and rural health.
• National TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner supporting environmental and conservation education and research initiatives.
• NHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary healthcare partner providing practice placement opportunities for health students. NHS Long Term Workforce Plan partnership including paramedic apprenticeships across seven ambulance Trusts.
• Department for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for teacher training and education programmes including PGCE and school-based training.
• BAE SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic employer partner for workforce development, apprenticeships and skills training in advanced manufacturing sector.
• SellafieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNuclear sector employer partner for workforce development and skills training programmes.
• Food, Farming & Countryside CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and knowledge exchange partner in food, farming and countryside innovation.
• PfizerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmaceutical sector partner for healthcare education and research initiatives.
• Lake District National Park PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental and conservation partner leveraging the UNESCO World Heritage site location for teaching and research.
• Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-chair of LEP People, Employment and Skills Strategy group. Strategic collaboration for regional skills and employment needs.
• Rolls RoycecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing employer partner for workforce development and skills training.
• Forestry CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for outdoor studies and environmental programmes.
• DEFRAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department partner for environmental and rural sector training.
• BBCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner for creative and media arts education and work experience opportunities.
• Defence Medical ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDefence healthcare training partner for workforce development programmes.
• North-West Universities Purchasing Consortium (NWUPC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProcurement consortium helping mitigate modern slavery risks and providing supplier compliance assurance.
• International Partner InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational college pathways including SHRM College, FAME International College, RKC, and Cerwise Education Technology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Derby: Regional UK university of comparable scale and mission, with similar health, education and business programme mix and active apprenticeship portfolio.
• University of Sunderland: Post-92 regional UK university with similar revenue band, multi-campus footprint, strong NHS/health partnerships and significant apprenticeship and CPD activity.
• University of Chichester: Smaller regional UK university with multi-campus model, comparable apprenticeship and education programmes, serving a non-metropolitan catchment.
• University of Chester: Regional UK university with comparable undergraduate/postgraduate mix, similar size, and similar emphasis on employer-led programmes and CPD.
• University of Huddersfield: Post-92 regional UK university with similar size, strong apprenticeship and employer engagement, and TEF Gold/Silver recognition.
• University of Central Lancashire: Regional UK multi-campus university of comparable size (similar undergraduate/postgraduate mix, modern post-1992 institution, strong apprenticeship and CPD portfolios, similar revenue band and student headcount).
• University of the Highlands and Islands: UK regional university with a multi-site rural model comparable to University of Cumbria's Cumbria-wide footprint, serving a sparsely populated region with similar place-based mission.
• University of Worcester: Regional UK university with comparable size, broad UG/PG programme portfolio, strong health and education offerings and active apprenticeship/CPD engagement.
• Edge Hill University: Similar-size UK regional university with strong health and education portfolios, comparable apprenticeship involvement and TEF recognition, operating in a non-metropolitan catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Northumbria University: Larger established North East England post-92 university with overlapping health, business and apprenticeship portfolios; broader portfolio and stronger research base make it a larger incumbent rather than direct peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CumbriaUni
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8PFKag0_zqyiFM21ZQ26qA
• Facebookfacebook.com/universityofcumbria
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/school/university-of-cumbria
• Instagraminstagram.com/cumbriauni/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@cumbriauni

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 St Martin's College