York St John University is a public university located on a large urban campus in York, England. It achieved university status in 2006. It is one of several higher education institutions which have religious foundations; others include Canterbury Christ Church University, Liverpool Hope University, St. Mary's University College, University of Chester, University of Chichester, University of Cumbria, University of Derby, University of Gloucestershire, University of Winchester, and Bishop Grosseteste University.

As of 2014/15, there were 6,550 students, reading a wide variety of subjects, in nine Schools: Art and Design; Education; Health Sciences; Humanities, Religion and Philosophy; Languages and Linguistics; Performance and Media Production; Psychological and Social Sciences; Sport and York Business School.