The Northern Consortium (NCUK) is an educational charity, owned by eleven universities in the north of England, which provides pre-university courses for international students as preparation for study outside of their home country. The Consortium was established in 1987 and has successfully placed over 10,000 students into universities in the UK.

Owner universities

The Northern Consortium was founded by the following universities who still comprise the group's membership :

• The University of Bradford
  University of Bradford
  The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
  
  
• The University of Huddersfield
  University of Huddersfield
  The University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
  
  
• Leeds Metropolitan University
  Leeds Metropolitan University
  Leeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
  
  
• The University of Leeds
  University of Leeds
  The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
  
  
• Liverpool John Moores University
  Liverpool John Moores University
  Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
  
  
• The University of Liverpool
  University of Liverpool
  The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
  
  
• Manchester Metropolitan University
  Manchester Metropolitan University
  Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
  
  
• The University of Manchester
  University of Manchester
  The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
  
  
• The University of Salford
  University of Salford
  The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
  
  
• Sheffield Hallam University
  Sheffield Hallam University
  Sheffield Hallam University is a higher education institution in South Yorkshire, England, based on two sites in Sheffield. City Campus is located in the city centre, close to Sheffield railway station, and Collegiate Crescent Campus is about two miles away, adjacent to Ecclesall Road in...
  
  
• The University of Sheffield
  University of Sheffield
  The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
  
  

Note: NCUK’s original membership of 12 institutions was reduced to 11 by the merger in 2004 of UMIST

UMIST

The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...

 and the Victoria University of Manchester

Victoria University of Manchester

The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...

In addition to its owning universities NCUK’s qualifications are recognised by a range of other institutions in the England and the UK. NCUK also works with universities in Ireland/Northern Ireland and Australia.

Malaysia project

The Consortium was initially established by the international offices of 12 universities in 1987 who collaborated to design and deliver a split degree programme for Malaysian government-sponsored students. Programmes were developed which aided the Malaysian economy – engineering, computing, pharmacy and business – and delivered as ‘transfer’ programmes. Students studied a first year in Malaysia before transferring to one of NCUK’s founding universities, or to another UK institution.

Over 6,000 students progressed through the programmes and into UK institutions over the 10 years of the project, saving the Malaysian government significant costs in their sponsorship budget.

NCUK today

NCUK currently works in 10 countries around the world – China, Pakistan, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Ireland and the UK – to deliver its programmes in local centres, and facilitate students’ progression into its partner universities.

The group guarantees all students who pass one of its programmes a place on a suitable course at one of its owner universities, who are also closely involved in the quality assurance and scrutiny of its programmes.

In 2007 around 1,200 students progressed from NCUK courses into UK universities.

NCUK is based in Manchester in the UK.