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- by Charlotte King
- In Study in UK
Posted July 6, 2015
Student City Guide: Swansea
Let's take a look at Swansea and just what it's like to live and study there as a postgrad student. Although moving to a new location can be unsettling, Swansea is a small city and generally very pleasant with friendly people and a relaxed pace of life.
Student accommodation The campus is situated on the seafront in parkland, just to the west of the centre and overlooking Swansea Bay. Student accommodation is modern and comfortable, with a choice of en suite and standard bedrooms with kitchens, in three different venues including the Student Village and Beck House. Over a hundred different nationalities study and live in the city. There's also private student housing available from specialist providers like Fresh.
Swansea city centre and Waterfront The Quadrant Shopping Centre provides lots of places to meet and socialize, including Italian coffee bars, while the Odeon Cinema and Mega Bowl is only a few minutes walk away. Other points of interest include the new National Waterfront Museum and the Dylan Thomas centre and theatre, as well as the Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, revered for its collections of modern and traditional art, porcelain and china.
A festival of music and arts is held every year and the local Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) branch organises beer and cider festivals, which as you might guess are very popular with students!
Surrounding area Past the Mumbles area, award-winning Rhossili Bay is one of the best beaches in Britain. Picturesque surrounding villages offer gourmet delicatessens and craft shops, and the Gower Peninsula is not far away with the tiny city of St. Davids. The area is a haven for lovers of the great outdoors – hill walking, mountain biking or water sports.
Transport The mainline railway station is near the maritime quarter. Local bus services are with First Cymru and an all-day ticket (including to Mumbles) is available on the bus for less than £5.
If you like cycling, apart from getting around the city centre and along the seafront with ease, you might also want to try the Celtic Trail - a costal cycle path from the university area to the Mumbles. To help prevent theft, as with any town or city centre, it is best to make sure you have a good quality lock to secure your bike.
Entertainment If you are looking for somewhere to go out after you have finished your studies, Swansea offers a number of interesting choices ranging from the relaxing to the lively. With a few careful choices, nightlife here can be relatively inexpensive. The Divas nightclub on campus is owned by the students’ union. Alternatively, heading north, there are several popular bars including Noah’s Yard. The Waterfront has a wide choice of pubs and clubs, or for a simple reasonably-priced drink, there is a Wetherspoons here too. Oceana is Swansea’s biggest nightclub, with five bars themed bars. For indie and rock music fans, Sin City offers student drinks promotions and hosted gigs.
Health and Fitness From running on the beach or in nearby parks to hiking along the coastal path (heading west from the campus) and down towards the Mumbles area, there are plenty of exercise options. If you like staying in shape by going to the gym, the University gym may be of interest, or perhaps student offers from city-centre fitness clubs. In season, the beautiful south facing beaches (there are over fifty to choose from!) are ideal for playing volleyball, swimming, canoeing, sailing or windsurfing.
As well as exercising the mind, exercising the body is important too. Keeping fit and taking quality time off are important to maintain a balance- and for success as a postgraduate student. You will come back to your studies feeling revitalized and refreshed!
Related articles
Swansea city centre and Waterfront The Quadrant Shopping Centre provides lots of places to meet and socialize, including Italian coffee bars, while the Odeon Cinema and Mega Bowl is only a few minutes walk away. Other points of interest include the new National Waterfront Museum and the Dylan Thomas centre and theatre, as well as the Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, revered for its collections of modern and traditional art, porcelain and china.
A festival of music and arts is held every year and the local Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) branch organises beer and cider festivals, which as you might guess are very popular with students!
Surrounding area Past the Mumbles area, award-winning Rhossili Bay is one of the best beaches in Britain. Picturesque surrounding villages offer gourmet delicatessens and craft shops, and the Gower Peninsula is not far away with the tiny city of St. Davids. The area is a haven for lovers of the great outdoors – hill walking, mountain biking or water sports.
Transport The mainline railway station is near the maritime quarter. Local bus services are with First Cymru and an all-day ticket (including to Mumbles) is available on the bus for less than £5.
If you like cycling, apart from getting around the city centre and along the seafront with ease, you might also want to try the Celtic Trail - a costal cycle path from the university area to the Mumbles. To help prevent theft, as with any town or city centre, it is best to make sure you have a good quality lock to secure your bike.
Entertainment If you are looking for somewhere to go out after you have finished your studies, Swansea offers a number of interesting choices ranging from the relaxing to the lively. With a few careful choices, nightlife here can be relatively inexpensive. The Divas nightclub on campus is owned by the students’ union. Alternatively, heading north, there are several popular bars including Noah’s Yard. The Waterfront has a wide choice of pubs and clubs, or for a simple reasonably-priced drink, there is a Wetherspoons here too. Oceana is Swansea’s biggest nightclub, with five bars themed bars. For indie and rock music fans, Sin City offers student drinks promotions and hosted gigs.
Health and Fitness From running on the beach or in nearby parks to hiking along the coastal path (heading west from the campus) and down towards the Mumbles area, there are plenty of exercise options. If you like staying in shape by going to the gym, the University gym may be of interest, or perhaps student offers from city-centre fitness clubs. In season, the beautiful south facing beaches (there are over fifty to choose from!) are ideal for playing volleyball, swimming, canoeing, sailing or windsurfing.
As well as exercising the mind, exercising the body is important too. Keeping fit and taking quality time off are important to maintain a balance- and for success as a postgraduate student. You will come back to your studies feeling revitalized and refreshed!
Related articles
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