University of Sheffield facts for kids
![]() Coat of arms
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Motto | Latin: Rerum cognoscere causas | |||||||||||||
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Motto in English
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To discover the causes of things | |||||||||||||
Type | Public research university | |||||||||||||
Established | 1905 Predecessor institutions: 1828 – Sheffield Medical School 1879 – Firth College 1884 – Sheffield Technical School 1897 – University College of Sheffield |
– University of Sheffield|||||||||||||
Endowment | £47.1 million (2023) | |||||||||||||
Budget | £880.2 million (2022/23) | |||||||||||||
Chancellor | Lady Justice Rafferty | |||||||||||||
Vice-Chancellor | Koen Lamberts | |||||||||||||
Academic staff
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3,610 (2021/22) | |||||||||||||
Administrative staff
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4,225 (2021/22) | |||||||||||||
Students | 30,860 (2021/22) | |||||||||||||
Undergraduates | 20,040 (2021/22) | |||||||||||||
Postgraduates | 10,820 (2021/22) | |||||||||||||
Location |
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England
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Campus | Urban | |||||||||||||
Colours | Black & gold
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Affiliations |
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The University of Sheffield is a large public university in Sheffield, England. It is also known as Sheffield University or TUOS. Its story began in 1828 with the Sheffield Medical School. Later, Firth College (1879) and Sheffield Technical School (1884) were founded. These three schools joined together in 1897 to form the University College of Sheffield. In 1905, King Edward VII officially made it the University of Sheffield.
Today, the university has 50 different departments. These are grouped into five main faculties and one international faculty. In 2022–23, the university's income was about £880.2 million. A big part of this, £198.6 million, came from research projects. The university is famous for its top-notch engineering research. It works with big companies like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Airbus. It also partners with leading universities like Harvard and MIT. Sheffield is one of the top 10 UK universities for research funding. It is number one in the UK for money spent on engineering research.
The University of Sheffield is one of the original "red brick universities". These are older universities built in industrial cities. It is also a founding member of the Russell Group, which includes leading research universities in the UK. The university is part of other important groups too. These include the Worldwide Universities Network and the N8 Group. For the past 15 years, QS World University Rankings has placed Sheffield among the top 66 to 104 universities globally. It is also ranked highly for teaching quality in Europe.
Many famous people have connections to Sheffield. Eight Nobel Prize winners have studied or worked there. They helped discover things like penicillin and how our bodies use energy. Former students also include leaders of countries, judges, writers, and Olympic athletes.
Contents
Discovering the University's Past
How the University Started
The University of Sheffield was created by combining three older local schools. These were the Sheffield School of Medicine, Firth College, and the Sheffield Technical School. The Sheffield School of Medicine was the oldest, starting around the 1810s. It was the first higher education school in Sheffield.
In 1795, the General Infirmary hospital opened. At that time, medical training was like an apprenticeship. In 1811, a surgeon named Hall Overend started teaching medical students. His school was officially recognized in 1828. He taught about human anatomy in his home. In 1828, a new medical school, the Sheffield Medical Institution, was opened. It had the motto Ars longa vita brevis, meaning "Art is long, life is short." This refers to how hard it is to learn medicine.
In the 1870s, a movement began to bring university education to cities without one. Sheffield was a growing city with a booming steel industry. In 1871, lecturers from Oxford and Cambridge universities came to Sheffield. They gave talks about the benefits of university learning. A steel maker named Mark Firth and a clergyman named Samuel Earnshaw started popular courses. Firth then gave £20,000 to build a new school. Firth College opened in 1879. It taught arts and pure science. This college also helped the medical school, which was struggling. In 1888, the medical school moved into a new building across from Firth College.
Firth College also helped start the Sheffield Technical School in 1884. This school taught applied science, like engineering. People in Sheffield wanted more technical training, especially for steelmaking. Sir Frederick Mappin helped raise money for the school. Many steel companies in Sheffield also gave money. The school's research helped these companies create new products. In 1886, the Technical School moved to St George's Square.
Becoming a University
Sheffield was the only large English city without a university. William Mitchinson Hicks, the head of Firth College, wanted to create one. He worked to unite the three schools in Sheffield. He also added new departments and buildings to Firth College. In 1897, Firth College, the Medical School, and the Technical School merged. They formed the University College of Sheffield. Hicks became its first principal.
In 1903, they decided to ask for a royal charter to become a full university. They bought land for new university buildings. Sir Frederick Mappin helped get money from the city council and public donations. In 1904, ordinary people in Sheffield, like steelworkers and miners, donated over £50,000. This helped create the University of Sheffield.

At first, the college thought about joining a larger university group. But Sheffield wanted its own independent university. This was because of local pride. They wanted to offer higher education, help industries, and study diseases. Hicks believed an independent university would attract talented staff. On May 31, 1905, the University College of Sheffield officially became the University of Sheffield. On July 12, 1905, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra opened Firth Court. This is a main building on Western Bank. The science, arts, and medicine departments moved there. Sheffield is one of the six "red brick universities" founded in England's industrial cities before World War One.
Growth in the 20th Century
When the university opened in 1905, it had 363 students. It also had 71 staff members. The first student residence and library were built. Student numbers grew to 1,000 in 1919 after World War I. During the war, the university taught how to make weapons and medical tools.
The university expanded from the 1920s onwards. After World War II, the university planned to grow even more. Student numbers jumped from 1,000 to 3,000 by 1946. The university needed new departments, a medical school, and more.
The university grew quickly in the 1950s and 1960s. Many new buildings were constructed, like the Main Library and the Arts Tower. Student numbers reached almost 26,000. The campus master plan from the 1940s was finished by the 1970s.
In the 1980s, new buildings like the Octagon Centre opened. The university's teaching hospital, Northern General Hospital, also expanded. In 1987, the university started working with other northern universities. This group, the Northern Consortium, helps educate international students. The university continued to grow in the 1990s. New facilities opened for dentistry, education, and management. In 1995, the university took over a nursing college. This created a new School of Nursing and Midwifery.
A famous scientist, Hans Adolf Krebs, came to Sheffield in 1935. In 1937, he discovered the citric acid cycle. This earned him a Nobel Prize in 1953. The university opened a Biochemistry Department in 1938. George Porter joined in 1955. He developed his Nobel Prize-winning work on fast chemical reactions at Sheffield.
Sheffield in the 21st Century

In the 2000s, the university opened many new buildings. These include the Jessop Building and the Information Commons. Older buildings like the Arts Tower and Students' Union were also updated. A new North Campus was opened. In 2015, a large six-story building called the Diamond was opened.
In 2016, the university started a project with Sheffield City Council. They improved public spaces around the campus. This included new paths, cycle routes, and green areas. The university also planned to expand its Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. In 2019, the University Concourse was updated. Recent projects in the 2020s include new buildings for the Information School and Social Sciences.
Exploring the Campus
The University of Sheffield does not have one single campus. Instead, its 430 buildings are close together. The Sheffield Inner Ring Road divides the university buildings. It splits them into the Western Bank and St George's campus areas.
The university grew from two main points. These were Firth Court on Western Bank and the Sir Frederick Mappin Building on St George's. These two areas started to connect in the 1960s. New buildings like the Information Commons helped link them. In 2017, a new pedestrian crossing connected the two areas.
The university campus has many different building styles. You can see Victorian, modern, and contemporary buildings. The Sir Frederick Mappin Building is Victorian. Firth Court is an Edwardian building. The nearby Arts Tower is a famous modern building. The Diamond is a new, modern building next to the Victorian Jessop Building.
Many university buildings are listed, meaning they are historically important. The Arts Tower and Western Bank Library are Grade II* listed. Firth Court and Mappin Building are Grade II listed.
Main Western Bank Campus
The main part of the university is about one mile west of Sheffield city centre. This area has many university buildings. It includes Firth Court, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank Library, and Arts Tower. The Sheffield Students' Union and the Octagon Centre are also here. A path under the A57 road connects buildings on both sides. The Information Commons, a library and computer center, opened in 2007. The Western Bank Library and the Students' Union have also been updated. The Arts Tower is also being refurbished.
St George's Campus
East of the main campus is St George's campus. It is named after St George's Church, Portobello, which is now a lecture theatre. This campus is where the Sheffield Technical School used to be. It is home to the Faculty of Engineering and departments like Journalism and Computer Science. The university also has the Turner Museum of Glass here.
In 2009, the university turned the historic Jessop Hospital for Women into the new home for the Department of Music. The old Edwardian wing of the hospital was removed. A new £81 million building for the Faculty of Engineering, called the Diamond, opened in 2015. It has lecture theatres and labs for engineering students. Other new buildings include the Soundhouse and the Jessop West building.
The Sir Frederick Mappin Building is a Grade II-listed building. It houses much of the Faculty of Engineering. The oldest part, the former Sheffield Technical School, was built in 1885. In 2020, the Mappin Building was updated. The two parts are now connected by a large glass-roofed area. This area, called the Engineering Heartspace, has labs and social spaces.
St George's Church, Portobello was built in 1818. It closed in 1981 and the university bought it. It became a lecture theatre in 1994. The upstairs is now student housing.
Past Locations

The old Firth College building was built in 1879. It is now used as city council offices. The old Medical School building, built in 1888, is now offices.
The Manvers campus was located between Rotherham and Barnsley. This is where most nursing training took place. A building called Humphry Davy House was built in 1998. It housed the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The university closed this campus in 2007. The building was later sold.
How the University is Organized
Departments and Studies
In 1905, Sheffield had four faculties: Arts, Pure Science, Medicine, and Applied Science. The Applied Science faculty later split into Engineering and Metallurgy. The university also taught unusual subjects. These included cow-keeping, railway economics, and razor-grinding.
Today, the university has five faculties. These include 50 departments and 82 research centers. It also has an international faculty.
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Archaeology
- School of English
- East Asian Studies
- School of Languages and Cultures
- History
- Modern Languages Teaching Centre
- Music
- Philosophy
- Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies
- Digital Humanities Institute
- Faculty of Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Automatic Control and Systems Engineering
- Bioengineering
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electronic and Electrical Engineering
- Material Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health
- Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Medicine
- School of Dentistry
- Medical School
- Neuroscience
- Health Sciences School
- Oncology and Metabolism
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR)
- Faculty of Science
- Animal and Plant Science
- School of Mathematics and Statistics
- Biomedical Science
- Chemistry
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
- Physics and Astronomy
- Psychology
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Architecture
- Economics
- Education
- Geography
- The Information School
- Journalism
- Landscape Architecture
- Law
- Management School
- Politics and International Relations
- Sheffield Methods Institute
- Sociology
- Urban Studies and Planning
- International Faculty – CITY College
- Business Administration & Economics
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Executive MBA
Arts and Humanities
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities has eight schools and departments. It also has research institutes. One center studied Freemasonry. The Archaeology department faced changes in 2021.
Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering grew from the Sheffield Technical School. This school taught adults working in the steel industry. During World War I, new engineering departments were created. They trained soldiers and made war supplies. Today, the faculty has over 6,700 students and 1,000 staff. Over 90% of its research is considered "world-leading."
Medicine, Dentistry and Health
This faculty has four schools. These include the Medical School and the School of Clinical Dentistry. The Medical School is the oldest part of the university. It is next to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. It is also linked to other hospitals in Sheffield. The General Medical Council allows it to award medical degrees.
Science
The Faculty of Science has seven departments. These include Animal and Plant Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics. All six of the university's Nobel Laureates have been connected to this faculty.
The Department of Animal and Plant Sciences is very large. It studies whole organisms. Biology has been taught in Sheffield since 1884. The department was formed in 1988. It has received top scores for its teaching and research.
Social Sciences
The Sheffield School of Architecture is one of the oldest in the UK. It consistently ranks among the top 10 in Europe and the UK. It opened in 1908. The school is located on the top floors of the Arts Tower. Its courses are recognized by important architecture groups.
The Management School started in 1986. It is a highly recognized business school. In 2013, it moved into new facilities.
The Information School (iSchool) was founded in 1963. It studies information. It is ranked second in the world for Library and Information Studies.
The Department of Urban Studies and Planning (USP) started in 1965. It is ranked as a top planning school in the UK.
International Faculty
The university has an international faculty called CITY College. It is located in Thessaloniki, Greece. It was started in 1989 to connect the UK with Southeast Europe. It has four departments. It also runs a research center.
How the University is Run
The university has several groups that help run it. The Council is in charge of big decisions. These include planning, legal matters, and money. Most members of the Council are not university staff. The Senate manages the academic side. It is the highest authority for teaching and research. The Vice-Chancellor leads the Senate. The five faculties manage teaching, research, and exams in their departments.
The University Executive Board helps lead the university. Its members include the Vice-Chancellor and other leaders. The Vice-Chancellor is the main leader of the university. The current Vice-Chancellor is Koen Lamberts.
The university used to have a Court. This group helped connect the university with the community. It included local politicians and leaders. The Court would meet yearly to hear reports. It also helped choose the Chancellor.
Past Vice-Chancellors
- 1905: William Mitchinson Hicks
- 1905: Charles Eliot
- 1912: Herbert Fisher
- 1917: William Ripper (acting)
- 1919: William Henry Hadow
- 1930: Sir Arthur Pickard-Cambridge
- 1938: Irvine Masson
- 1953: John Macnaghten Whittaker
- 1965: Arthur Roy Clapham (acting)
- 1966: Hugh Robson
- 1974: Geoffrey Sims
- 1991: Gareth Roberts
- 2001: Bob Boucher
- 2007: Sir Keith Burnett
- 2018: Koen Lamberts
University Finances
In 2019–20, the university's income was £737.5 million. £171 million came from research projects. The university had a surplus of £127.1 million. Its special fund (endowment) was £45.5 million.
University Symbols
Coat of Arms
The university's coat of arms was given in 1905. It has a blue shield with an open book in the middle. The book says Disce Doce in Latin, meaning "Learn and Teach." It also has two bundles of eight silver arrows. These are from the city's coat of arms. At the top is a gold crown. At the bottom is a white rose, the symbol of Yorkshire. The motto below is Rerum cognoscere causas. This means "To Discover the Causes of Things." It was also the motto of Firth College.
The university's current logo was introduced in 2005. It is a simpler version of the coat of arms. However, the coat of arms is still the official symbol.
University Fonts
The university uses special fonts called TUOS Stephenson and TUOS Blake. These are based on fonts designed by a Sheffield company. They are only for university use. The university's brand is based on its motto. It focuses on the idea of "discovery."
Graduation Ceremonies
At graduation, students wear special academic clothes. The type of gown and hood depends on the degree they are receiving. Bachelor's degrees have a black gown and a green hood with white fur. Master's degrees have a black gown and a green silk hood. PhD hoods are also green. Higher doctorates wear a scarlet gown.
Each faculty and degree has a special color for the hood. For example, Arts and Humanities is crushed strawberry. Engineering is purple. Medicine and Surgery is red. Science is apricot.
University Mace
The university mace is a special silver and gold staff. It has the coats of arms of the university and Sheffield city. It also has the White Rose of York. A figure of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, is at the top. The mace was first used in 1909. It is carried in academic parades. It symbolizes the university's authority.
University Achievements
Reputation and Rankings
National rankings | |
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Complete (2021) | 18= |
Guardian (2021) | 21 |
Times / Sunday Times (2021) | 18 |
Global rankings | |
ARWU (2020) | 151–200 |
CWTS Leiden (2020) | 169 |
QS (2021) |
105= |
THE (2021) | 105 |
British Government assessment | |
Teaching Excellence Framework | Silver |
The Times newspaper has called Sheffield one of the most powerful universities in Britain. It is a member of the Russell Group, a group of leading UK research universities. It is also part of the European University Association. In 2014, it was among the top 10 Russell Group universities for research. It was ranked 93rd worldwide for research citations in 2018–19.
Sheffield has won the Queen's Anniversary Prize five times. This award recognizes excellent work by UK universities. In 2011, it was named 'University of the Year.' In 2014, it was ranked first for student experience. This included social life and facilities. In 2018, it was named one of the top 50 most international universities. Its teaching quality is also highly rated.
In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Sheffield ranked 11th in the UK for research power. This means 92% of its research was judged as "world-leading" or "internationally excellent." Some top areas include Physics and Astronomy, Biological Sciences, and Engineering.
The University of Sheffield is recognized globally for specific subjects. In 2023, it was ranked first for Library and Information Management by QS. It was also 32nd for Architecture and 42nd for Archaeology. In 2022, ARWU ranked it 8th in Geography and Urban Planning. It was 38th in Civil Engineering and 46th in Ecology.
Admissions
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Domicile and Ethnicity | Total | ||
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British White | 51% | ||
British Ethnic Minorities | 13% | ||
International EU | 4% | ||
International Non-EU | 32% | ||
Undergraduate Widening Participation Indicators | |||
Female | 51% | ||
Private School | 12% | ||
Low Participation Areas | 10% |
In the 2018–19 school year, the University of Sheffield had 30,195 students. This included almost 20,000 undergraduate students. Sheffield gives offers to about 85.6% of its applicants. This is the fourth highest among the Russell Group universities.
About 13% of Sheffield's undergraduate students come from independent schools. In 2016–17, 71% of students were from the UK. 5% were from the EU, and 24% were from outside the EU. The number of female and male students was almost equal. Most international students (57.8%) came from China.
Libraries and Learning Spaces

The University of Sheffield has four libraries. These are Western Bank Library, the Information Commons, Health Sciences Library, and The Diamond. Together, they hold 1.5 million printed books. Western Bank Library was the main library until 2007. It has 730 study spaces and many books.
The Information Commons (IC) is a 24/7 learning center. It combines library and IT services. It was the first of its kind in the UK. The IC has 120,000 textbooks and many study spaces. The Health Sciences Library has two locations. It has books for medicine, dentistry, and nursing. The Diamond, opened in 2018, also offers 24-hour library services. It has over 1,000 study spaces.
The first university library was Edgar Allen Library. It opened in 1905. It had 100 seats and space for many books. As the university grew, a new library was needed. Western Bank Library opened in 1959. Edgar Allen Library is now an office. St George's Library is now an exam venue.
Museums and Collections
The Alfred Denny Museum is a zoology museum. It is run by the university. It started in 1905. The museum has animal specimens from all major groups. It also has letters from Charles Darwin. The museum is usually open on the first Saturday of each month.
The Turner Museum of Glass has the university's glass collections. It includes glass from Europe, America, and ancient times. It was founded in 1943. One special item is a wedding dress made of glass fiber.
The Traditional Heritage Museum (THM) opened in 1985. It showed collections about English culture. It had a replica 1920s kitchen and old shops. The university closed the museum in 2011. Most of its items were moved to other museums.
The Western Bank Library has an Exhibition Gallery. It displays special collections from the library. This includes the National Fairground Archive. The gallery was updated in 2010.
The Henry Clifton Sorby Collection has glass slides of sea creatures. These were prepared by Henry Clifton Sorby in the 1900s. The slides are now in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences. The Sheffield Herbarium also has a collection of preserved plants.
The National Fairground and Circus Archive (NFCA) collects items from fairs and circuses. It has 150,000 photos and many books. It has its own reading room in Western Bank Library.
Special Research Institutes
Sheffield has four main research institutes. They focus on important topics. These include clean energy, sustainable food, and improving health. The Energy Institute is one of the largest in Europe. It has over 300 researchers. The Neuroscience Institute studies brain disorders. The Healthy Lifespan Institute researches aging. The Institute for Sustainable Food studies food security.
Working with Others
The University of Sheffield works with many partners. These include companies like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens. It also works with government groups and charities. The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre is a partnership with over a hundred companies. The university also helps local small businesses.
Sheffield has over 180 special research centers. The university has received "excellent" grades in many subject areas. This is a record few other UK universities have matched.
The university has student exchange programs with about 250 universities. These are in nearly 40 countries. Students can study in places like the US, Singapore, and Australia.
Student Life at Sheffield
Students' Union Activities
The University of Sheffield Students' Union started in 1906. It has almost 300 student clubs and 50 sports teams. The Students' Union has been voted the best in the UK for ten years in a row (2009-2018).
The Sheffield University Football Club has played for many decades. The Union building has cafes, restaurants, shops, and a student-run cinema. It also has two bars and a club venue. Students run a radio station (Forge Radio), a TV station (Forge TV), and a newspaper (Forge Press).
In 2009, the Students' Union building was updated. It was reopened in 2010. The goal was to make it easier to move around the building. In 2012–13, the Students' Union had another big update. University House was also refurbished and connected to the Union building.
Student Housing
The university has student housing in two main areas. These are Ranmoor/Endcliffe and City. Ranmoor/Endcliffe is in the western part of Sheffield. The Endcliffe Village opened in 2008, and Ranmoor Village in 2009. Ranmoor House was once the largest student hall. It was taken down in 2008 to build the new Ranmoor Village.
City accommodation includes Allen Court and Broad Lane Court. These are located near the main campus. Students can also find housing off campus. The Sheffield Student Housing Co-operative offers student-managed housing.
Sheffield Varsity Sports Competition
The Sheffield Varsity is an annual sports competition. It takes place between teams from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. It started in 1996. The competition has winter and summer events. Over 1,000 students compete in more than 30 sports. The university's sports colors are black and gold. Sheffield won the Varsity competition from 2013 to 2019.
Famous People from the University
Notable Alumni and Their Achievements
Many famous people have studied at Sheffield. These include politicians like Nicholas Liverpool, who was President of Dominica. David Blunkett was a Home Secretary in the UK. Several members of the UK Parliament have also studied here. Important public servants include Andy Haldane, a chief economist, and Bernard Hogan-Howe, a police chief.
Sheffield has educated many judges and lawyers. It has the most alumni appointed to the Court of Appeal after Oxford and Cambridge. In 2013, three judges on the court were all Sheffield graduates. Lawyers from Sheffield work around the world.
Writers who attended include Hilary Mantel, who won the Booker Prize twice. Other writers are Lee Child and Andrew Grant. Actors like Brian Glover and Eddie Izzard also studied here. Famous religious leaders, astronauts like Helen Sharman, and explorers have also graduated.
Sheffield students have also done well in sports. Jessica Ennis-Hill and Hollie Webb are Olympic gold medalists. Bryony Page and Nick Beighton have won Olympic and Paralympic medals. Other sports figures include Herbert Chapman.
Scientists like Hans Kornberg and Donald Bailey (who invented the Bailey bridge) studied at Sheffield. The Chemistry Department has also produced two Nobel Prize winners.
Nobel Prize Winners
The university's Faculty of Science is linked to six Nobel Prize winners. Two are from the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology:
- 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (shared): Howard Florey, for his work on penicillin.
- 1953 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Hans Adolf Krebs, for discovering the citric acid cycle (how cells get energy).
And four are from its Department of Chemistry:
- 1967 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (shared): George Porter, for his work on very fast chemical reactions.
- 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (shared): Richard J. Roberts, for discovering introns in DNA (parts of genes that are removed).
- 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (shared): Sir Harry Kroto, for discovering fullerenes (a type of carbon molecule).
- 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (shared): Sir James Fraser Stoddart, for designing tiny molecular machines.
Two other Nobel winners also have ties to the university. They are John Vane and Wole Soyinka.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Sheffield para niños
- Armorial of UK universities
- Hughes Professor of Spanish
- List of modern universities in Europe (1801–1945)
- List of UK universities
- Sheffield school
- Sheffield Hallam University