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Guide To Postgraduate Study In Bristol & Bath
The southwest region of England is both rich in history and historic sites.
Not only is it the home to the famous Stonehenge among many beautiful places but is also known for the origins of Cheddar cheese and other well know British delicacies.
This area is a popular destination for tourists and students studying in UK and Europe owing to the enticing tales and folklore embedded in this region’s history.
Boasting four highly regarded universities between them, in this article we cover two of its most popular cities and student destinations, Bristol and Bath.
Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAMStudying in Bristol
History of Bristol
Located in the northern part of this region of the UK, Bristol was awarded the Green Capital Award in 2015 and was named as the best city to live in 2014 and again in 2017.
During the Middle Ages and up until the 16th Century, Bristol was an important trading centre and later played a crucial role in the history of slave trade until Liverpool port grew in prominence. However, the population of the city swelled as the docks enlarged and Bristol progressed and thrived until it fell to the wrath of heavy damage during the Second World War. Nonetheless, it was built from the ground up leading to the beautiful city it is now.
Student life in Bristol
This vibrant tourist haven houses two universities – the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England (UWE). As opposed to many other large cities, Bristol offers a homely environment for students while not compromising on the lively activities and excellent facilities that are needed for the perfect student experience.
It has students coming from all over the world and is home to about 187 nationalities and 91 languages.
Students’ facts and figures
As previously mentioned, Bristol is buzzing with students owing to not only its location but also the rankings of the city’s universities. Both the universities in Bristol recorded a total of around 65,000 students according to the statistics published on their websites.
A quarter of the students at the University of Bristol are international students and 20% of their staff members – equating to nearly 8,000 faculty members – are also from outside UK, making it a very diverse place to study.
5 reasons to be a PG student in Bristol
- Study in acclaimed universities with reputed programs and gorgeous campus spaces.
- Engage your taste buds with Bristol’s vibrant and assorted food scene.
- Experience the lively night life of the city and explore the vibrant street art, courtesy of Banksy, during the day.
- Be immersed in the history and folklore in this culturally historic and diverse city.
- You can forget all about homesickness in this city which boasts a closely knit community that is as welcoming as it is friendly (and it doesn’t hurt that it is also ranked as the number one place to live, twice!).
Tips to student life in Bristol
- Walk down Gloucester Road, a cosmopolitan street lined with bakeries and food stalls for an eclectic mix of affordable and delicious food.
- The student area of Redlands offers cheaper accommodation options for larger groups which are close to both the university campus and bars.
Universities in Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is ranked at 62nd in the world and 10th in the United Kingdom according to the QS World University Rankings 2022. Furthermore, it was also ranked 5th in the UK for research.
According to the Research Excellence Framework 2014 in their assessment of the quality of the university’s research, 36% of research undertaken at the university was marked as world leading.
The university offers more than 600 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees spread across six faculties – Arts, Engineering, Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Science and Social Sciences and Law.
The Faculty of Social Sciences and Law is one of the biggest faculties, admitting around 3,000 out the University of Bristol’s 9,000 postgraduates, and is one of the biggest faculties. With various specialised libraries for law and education and a newly refurbished social science library, this faculty offers postgraduate students a lively campus with access to exemplary facilities including a cute café inside the complex.
University of the West of England (UWE)
The University of the West of England (UWE) is ranked 36th out of 121 institutions across the UK in the Guardian League Table 2022, and was also ranked 9th for student satisfaction for postgraduate taught courses.
The Research Excellence Framework 2014 rated 79% of the research conducted and published by UWE students as world leading or internationally excellent.
UWE offers postgraduate research, taught and certificate or diploma courses that are spread across various faculties and departments. The three most well-established disciples of the UWE combine to form the ACE or the Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education. It also has some other amazing faculties such as Business and Law, Environment and technology and Health and Applied Sciences.
UWE charges a fee that starts around £15,000 for the academic year for full time international postgraduate students with a £5,000 deposit.. Individual course fees can be found with the details for each program here.
Student accommodation in Bristol
Bristol has a variety of student accommodation options both inside the universities’ campuses, provided by University of Bristol and UWE, as well as apartments spread all around the city.
If you wish to reside outside the campus, there is a good range of privately managed accommodation options, for example check out Fresh homes for affordable living solutions for students near both university campuses.
What can you do in Bristol when you are not studying?
Bristol is well known for serving as the canvas for the popular street artist Banksy. In fact, it’s filled with so much art that one can spend days there simply hunting for pieces – or if you are short on time and have the funds you can even go on an organised tour.
A special mention also needs to go out to the food shops and street food markets in the city centre – and for all the foodies and do not miss out on a trip to the award-winning gourmet shop, Arch House Deli and Leigh Court Farm or spend some time at Bristol’s regular food festivals.
Bristol has a very dynamic night life and irrespective of your music tastes, there really is something for everyone to do in the city. The White Bear, The Woods and Thekla (a moored cargo ship turned club) are some of the students’ favourite places to have a partly like no other.
Not only does Bristol have a gamut of pubs and clubs, but it also boasts activities for those who are looking for something a bit different, such as taking a walk along the harbour across the Clifton Suspension Bridge or even getting lost in one of the city’s many escape rooms.
Finally, if you are interested in architecture, make sure to visit the Wills Memorial Building, a stunning example of neo-Gothic architecture.
Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAMStudying in Bath
History of Bath
As very clearly elucidated in its name, this largest city in the country of Somerset is popularly known for its Roman-built baths. Located about 11 miles to the southeast of Bristol, Bath is also a popular tourist destination. It is home to some gorgeous spas, gardens, parks, museums, and shopping centres.
Having witnessed some of the major UK historical events, such as the Battle of Badon and the Battle of Deorham.
Founded in the 1st Century AD, Bath also has a very rich story and this is reflected in its architecture, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a destination for cultural and heritage tourism.
Another interesting fact about Bath is that the city it is engulfed in limestone hills and a green belt bounding the city from sprawling outwards.
Student life in Bath
The city of Bath boasts two top-notch universities – the University of Bath and Bath Spa University.
Whether it’s by virtue of its bound area or the general liveliness of the residents, the city of Bath hosts events all throughout the year ranging from concerts and carnivals to various exhibitions.
The relatively small community of residents are friendly and welcoming, just like in Bristol, making it a perfect home for students coming from all over the world.
Moreover, it has an excellent infrastructure for biking which is a great way to move around the city and its surrounding countryside. It is also a transport hub that connects it to many other parts of UK.
Student facts and figures
Although it is a relatively small city, around 25,000 students have called Bath their home for the last academic year at the two universities, the University of Bath and Bath Spa University.
With this crowd of students, in addition to the tourists coming in, the numerous festivals and other events around the city are fun and vibrant places to spend your time.
5 reasons to be a PG student in Bath
- A chance to live in one of the greatest places in 2021, according to TIME magazine.
- Explore the rich cultural history of the town and immerse yourself in its stories.
- Live and study in heritage structures around the city marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Experience a diverse range of activities and opportunities to meet new people and have the perfect student life.
- Have a calendar booked with events happening year-round.
Universities in Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is among the top ten universities to study at in the UK in 2022, according to the Guardian University Guide, the Times, the Complete University Guide and the Sunday Times Good University Guide.
It also has an overall student satisfaction of 86%, according to the National Student Survey. Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 qualified 92% of the research work published by university as world leading and internationally excellent.
The University of Bath has produced many reputed alumni including Paralympian Kelly Gallagher MBE and TV producer Ash Atalla.
Located at the eastern edge of the city of the Bath in Claverton Down, this campus is home to about 20,000 students out of which 32% are international students coming from 147 nations.
The University of Bath has four departments – these are the Faculty of Engineering and Design, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science and the School of Management. These different departments have a varied fee structure, more about which can be found here.
The campus offers great study spaces and healthcare services to its students along with 24-hour open libraries and The Edge arts centre which hosts a wide range of cultural events with dance, music visual arts, film and interesting exhibitions.
Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University is popular for being a certified member of the Social Enterprise United Kingdom, a membership-based national body with global authority for social enterprises.
It was formerly known as the Bath College of Higher Education and is deeply embedded in the culture of the city through partnerships with reputed organisations such as the Holburne Museum, Theatre Royal Bath and many other festivals.
This university has three campuses, the biggest of them is in Newton Park which is around five kilometres to the west of the city centre. The campus boasts gorgeous architecture from multiple time periods with Grade I and Grade II listed buildings, such as Newton St Loe Castle and the Stiff Leadbetter-designed Main House. Bath Spa University offers some gorgeous teaching spaces like Michael Tippett Centre, Corsham Court, Dartmouth Avenue and Ashman’s Yard.
The faculties at Bath Spa University are divided into seven schools – the Business School, School of Art, Film and Media, School of Design, School of Music and Performing Arts, School of Education, School of Sciences and the School of Writing, Publishing and Humanities.
Accommodation in Bath
The University of Bath offers accommodation to UK home students, however for an international postgraduate student to acquire a place at the university’s accommodation, they have to not only have accepted an offer from the university but also need to satisfy certain conditions which are details on the University of Bath’s website.
In the case of Bath Spa University, the accommodation is preferably reserved for first year undergraduate students and the postgraduate students are not generally considered in the first instance for the same. However, there are many other options at your disposal, such as the privately-owned and managed accommodation provided by Fresh, which is affordable and well located in the city.
What can you do in Bath when you are not studying?
Bath hosts a wide range of social events all throughout the year with arrange of cosy adorable clubs and charming green spaces. There are comedy clubs to tickle your funny bone and a gamut of food venues to dazzle your taste buds.
For those interested in plays and films, the city has spaces such as the Theatre Royal and art house cinemas including the Little Theatre Cinema.
Some of Bath’s popular festivals include the Film Festival, Fringe Festival, Comedy Festival, Bath Festival and the must-visit Great Bath Feast.
Furthermore, the city is simply a 15-minute train ride away from Bristol so many parties spill over from city to city adding to the diverse range of things for students to do whatever city they choose to study in.
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