Waking up to lectures and opening your curtains to be greeted with a brooding loch, savage skies and ancient castle sounds like a fairytale - and we would say it was if we hadn’t seen the unbelievable location the University of Stirling enjoys.

Looking around the campus is like a tour of a real life Scottish version of Disneyland, with an even bigger castle and the figure of William ‘Braveheart’ Wallace towering nearby. Only a few miles walk from Stirling city itself, the university covers a stunning campus of natural beauty, only slightly erred with some non-descript recent buildings. 

No doubt helped by the location, the uni ranked in the top 2.5% of global higher education institutions (QS World University Rankings, 2013) and offers loads of subjects for study. Students given relative freedom in choosing joint degrees tend to come out with some interestingly titled qualifications, helped through by a dedicated university staff. 

The historic home of Scottish royalty and dominated by the stunning castle, Stirling was awarded city status in 2002 and has a clutter of bars and pubs to explore, but little else for city-craving students. Edinburgh and Glasgow are close by on the train though, offering city nightlife and strife to those who fancy a dose...