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Studying in Wales

WALES welcomes students from all over the world, attracted by a culture of academic excellence, supportive learning communities and beautiful surroundings.

Welsh universities offer qualifications that are respected around the world, and employability is at the heart of their mission.

The universities of Wales are: Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff Metropolitan, Swansea, University of South Wales, University of Wales Trinity St David and Wrexham.

Further education institutions in Wales have active connections to industry. They are located in vibrant towns and cities that are no more than a short journey away from the mountains and coast, granting students an inspiring quality of life.

ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY

Aberystwyth University, overlooking Cardigan Bay on the beautiful west coast of Wales, combines more than 150 years of academic tradition with one of the most distinctive university settings in Britain. Situated between the sea and the Cambrian Mountains, it is part of a lively, cosmopolitan seaside town where university life and the local community have been closely connected for generations.

Founded in 1872 following a remarkable public fundraising campaign, Aberystwyth was the first university in Wales. Today it is a research-led institution with more than 6,000 students and over 2,000 staff, attracting students and academics from around the world. The university describes itself as rooted in rural Wales, proudly bilingual and cosmopolitan – qualities reflected in both its teaching and its wider outlook.

Its principal Penglais Campus sits above the town and within walking distance of Aberystwyth’s famous promenade and seafront. Students have access to the university’s own Sports Centre and the highly regarded Aberystwyth Arts Centre, while the neighbouring National Library of Wales provides another exceptional resource for study and research. With students and staff from more than 100 countries represented in the town, Aberystwyth manages to combine the intimacy of a relatively small university community with a genuinely international atmosphere.

Aberystwyth offers undergraduate and postgraduate study across a broad range of subjects including arts and humanities, business, computer science, education, geography and earth sciences, law and criminology, life sciences, mathematics, physics, psychology, veterinary science, Welsh and Celtic studies, and theatre, film and television. Its 2026/27 portfolio also reflects emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and robotics, space science, engineering, environmental science and digital technologies.

The university has an especially distinguished place in the history of international relations. In 1919, in the aftermath of the First World War, Aberystwyth established the world’s first Department of International Politics. The department was founded with an endowment from David Davies and his sisters Gwendoline and Margaret Davies in memory of students who had been killed or wounded during the war. More than a century later, International Politics remains one of Aberystwyth’s best-known academic traditions.

Another major development has been the growth of the Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Sciences, the first and only veterinary school in Wales. Officially opened by King Charles III in 2021, it operates its veterinary degree in partnership with the Royal Veterinary College. June 2026 marked an important milestone when the first cohort of Wales-trained veterinary students completed their studies and qualified to enter the profession.

King Charles has an earlier connection with Aberystwyth. As the then Prince Charles, he spent time at the university in 1969 studying Welsh ahead of his investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon. He was taught by the Welsh academic Edward “Tedi” Millward, and this episode was later dramatised in the Netflix series The Crown.

Student experience continues to be one of Aberystwyth’s particular strengths. In the 2025 National Student Survey, the university was ranked top in Wales for overall student satisfaction for the tenth consecutive year, with 86% overall satisfaction. It also ranked in the UK top ten for teaching and the top five for academic support and learning resources.

The university has continued to collect significant national recognition. Aberystwyth was named Welsh University of the Year for 2026 by the Daily Mail University Guide, with particular praise for teaching, student support and the wider student experience. It was also named University of the Year for Sustainability in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, which placed it in the UK top ten for teaching quality.

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly visible part of university life. Aberystwyth has invested more than £10 million in energy-saving and renewable-energy projects and is working towards a net-zero university estate by 2030. A 2.5-megawatt solar array now provides almost a quarter of the annual electricity requirements of its largest campus, while university emissions have been substantially reduced in recent years.

Research remains central to Aberystwyth’s identity. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 98% of the university’s research activity was judged to be of an internationally recognised standard or higher, with more than three quarters classified as world-leading or internationally excellent. Current research ranges from climate change, agriculture and food security to global health, artificial intelligence, robotics and space exploration.

International students have been part of the Aberystwyth story almost from the beginning, and today’s university continues to welcome students from across the globe. For the 2026/27 academic year, eligible international undergraduate students can also benefit from an International Accommodation Award which provides free university accommodation during their first year of study, subject to the university’s conditions.

First-year students more generally are guaranteed a place in university-owned or managed accommodation provided they meet the application requirements and deadlines. Residences are situated within a short walk of the main campus, and university accommodation includes utilities, Wi-Fi and free Platinum membership of the Sports Centre.

Aberystwyth is now led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Jon Timmis, himself a former Aberystwyth student who studied Computer Science before completing a PhD in artificial intelligence. Under its new Strategy 2030s, the university is seeking to build on its strengths in teaching and research while strengthening Wales, developing international connections and increasing its contribution to communities locally and globally.

For students seeking a university where the Welsh language and culture sit comfortably alongside an international outlook, Aberystwyth offers something genuinely distinctive. Its combination of academic heritage, highly rated teaching, research expertise, comparatively small and supportive community, spectacular coastal location and lively student town has given “Aber” an identity all of its own.

Aberystwyth University website: www.aber.ac.uk

BANGOR UNIVERSITY

Established in 1884, Bangor University has been providing higher education in North Wales for more than 140 years. Today it combines a long tradition of academic teaching and research with one of the most distinctive university locations in the UK, positioned between the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) and the waters of the Menai Strait.

Around 10,000 students currently study at Bangor, with teaching and research organised across ten academic schools within three colleges: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Science and Engineering; and Medicine and Health. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities across subjects ranging from the arts, humanities, business and law to environmental sciences, ocean sciences, engineering, psychology, health, medicine and the natural sciences.

Bangor has long attracted students from outside Wales and the UK. Today, nearly 2,000 international students from 126 countries choose to study at the university, creating a multicultural community within a comparatively small and friendly city. Dedicated international support is available on issues including visas, accommodation and general wellbeing, alongside opportunities for students to participate in exchanges and study-abroad programmes.

The university continues to perform strongly for research. The most recent Research Excellence Framework found that 85% of Bangor’s research was world-leading or internationally excellent, with the university ranked second in Wales for research quality and within the UK top 30 for the societal impact of its research. Areas of particular strength include environmental and earth sciences, sport and exercise science, health, psychology and engineering.

One of the most important developments in Bangor’s recent history has been the establishment of the North Wales Medical School. Officially launched in October 2024, it allows students to undertake their complete medical education in North Wales and is intended to help address the long-term healthcare needs of the region. Its first direct intake comprised 80 medical students, with annual recruitment planned to grow progressively to 140 students by 2029/30. The school builds upon collaboration between Bangor University, the Welsh Government, Cardiff University, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and healthcare professionals across North Wales.

Student satisfaction is another area in which Bangor has made notable recent progress. In the 2026 National Student Survey, its Teaching Quality score increased to 90%, placing Bangor in the UK top 20 and second in Wales. Overall student satisfaction rose to 85%, while the university also improved across every major theme measured by the survey. A number of individual programmes recorded particularly impressive results, including Electronic Engineering, Product Design, Biomedical Science and Midwifery.

That improvement has also been reflected in national university tables. In the Complete University Guide 2027, Bangor climbed to 49th out of 130 institutions, taking it into the UK top 50 and placing it third in Wales. Biomedical Sciences and English were among its highest-ranked subjects overall, while Health Studies, Agriculture and Forestry and Sports Science performed particularly strongly for research quality.

Bangor’s Welsh identity remains an important part of university life. Welsh and English are used across the institution and hundreds of undergraduate modules are available through the medium of Welsh. The Students’ Union, Undeb Bangor, is also home to UMCB – Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Bangor – which promotes Welsh language and culture among the student community.

Sustainability has become another major feature of Bangor’s teaching, research and campus operations. In the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, Bangor was ranked equal 10th in the UK and equal 74th in the world, as well as 12th globally for its contribution to the United Nations’ Life on Land Sustainable Development Goal. It was also placed 25th in the UK in the People & Planet University League 2025/26.

Location remains one of Bangor’s great attractions. The university sits within a compact city close to the mountains, coast, lakes and rivers of North Wales, providing opportunities for walking, climbing, surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding and numerous other outdoor activities. For students who enjoy combining university life with the outdoors, few British universities can offer quite the same surroundings.

At the heart of university and city life is Pontio, Bangor’s arts and innovation centre. As well as housing the Students’ Union, Pontio includes a theatre, cinema, lecture theatres, exhibition and learning spaces, a bar and café. Sporting facilities are centred on Canolfan Brailsford, which includes gyms, sports halls, courts, pitches and a climbing wall.

Student life extends well beyond academic study. Bangor’s Students’ Union supports a large range of sports clubs, societies and volunteering projects, covering traditional sports, outdoor pursuits, culture, music, drama, academic interests and international communities. The university’s setting naturally lends itself to outdoor clubs, with surfing, canoeing, windsurfing and mountain activities among the choices available.

Accommodation is available principally at the Ffriddoedd and St Mary’s student villages, both within walking distance of the main university buildings and the city centre. Bangor guarantees university accommodation to eligible new full-time undergraduate students and also offers a guarantee to eligible new postgraduate students, provided the relevant application conditions and deadlines are met. Much of its undergraduate accommodation is single occupancy, en-suite and self-catered.

Support for students remains a prominent part of the Bangor experience, covering areas such as mental health and wellbeing, finance, disability support, study skills and employability. Its relatively compact size is also one of the university’s strengths, helping to create a community in which students can quickly become familiar with both the university and the city around it.

The university is led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Edmund Burke, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering whose academic background lies at the intersection of computer science, mathematics and operational research.

For students from Wales, elsewhere in the UK or overseas, Bangor offers an unusual combination: an internationally recognised research university, a strong Welsh and bilingual identity, a growing medical and healthcare presence, improving student satisfaction and a location surrounded by some of the most spectacular landscapes in the country. More than 140 years after its foundation, Bangor continues to evolve while retaining the close-knit character that has long distinguished university life in North Wales.

Bangor University website: www.bangor.ac.uk

CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

Cardiff Metropolitan University traces its history back to 1865, when the School of Art first opened in Cardiff’s Old Free Library. More than 160 years later, the university remains firmly rooted in Wales while providing practice-focused and professionally oriented education to students from across the world.

For anyone considering undergraduate or postgraduate study in the UK, Cardiff Met offers the opportunity to study in the Welsh capital as part of a diverse and increasingly international university community. The university welcomes students from more than 100 countries, while current HESA-derived figures published by UCAS indicate that around a quarter of its student population comes from outside the UK.

Cardiff Met’s teaching is centred principally on its Llandaff and Cyncoed campuses. Llandaff is home to Cardiff School of Art & Design, Cardiff School of Management, Cardiff School of Technologies and part of Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences. The campus lies approximately two miles from Cardiff city centre, close to historic Llandaff and alongside the Taff Trail. Cyncoed is home to Cardiff School of Education & Social Policy and part of Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences, as well as extensive sporting facilities and on-campus accommodation. The university also has its Plas Gwyn residential campus close to Llandaff.

Across its five academic schools, Cardiff Met provides undergraduate, postgraduate and research opportunities covering areas including art and design, business and management, education and social policy, sport and health sciences, computing, digital technologies and engineering. A strong emphasis is placed on applying learning to the world beyond the classroom, with professional experience, industry collaboration and employability incorporated into many programmes.

One distinctive element remains the Cardiff Met EDGE, which develops Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills alongside a student’s academic studies. Work placements, live projects, collaboration with employers and opportunities for entrepreneurship are designed to help graduates build the skills, confidence and practical experience required in an increasingly competitive international employment market.

That approach continues to gain recognition. In 2026 Cardiff Met received the Postgraduate Employability Award at the Graduate Futures Institute Academic Employability Awards for work embedding employability within its MSc International Business Management programme, on which more than 95 per cent of students are international.

The university’s Times Higher Education UK and Ireland University of the Year 2021 title remains an important landmark in its recent history, but Cardiff Met has continued to add to that recognition. In 2023, a Cardiff Met-developed Diversity and Anti-Racist Professional Learning initiative won the Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Two years later, its innovative Halve the Half energy-reduction initiative received the 2025 THE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership.

Sustainability has consequently become another particularly strong feature of the university’s identity. Cardiff Met was ranked first in Wales and among the top ten universities in the UK for sustainability in the People & Planet University League 2025/26. During 2026 it also secured further Welsh Government-backed funding for low-carbon heating, renewable energy, energy-efficient lighting and improvements to its campuses as it works towards its net-zero ambitions.

The university is now led by President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Rachael Langford, who took up the position in February 2024. Cardiff Met’s refreshed Strategy 2030 places particular emphasis on enhancing the student experience, inclusivity, research impact, innovation and greater engagement with communities in Wales and internationally. Its ambition is to combine its Welsh identity and civic responsibilities with an increasingly global reach.

Sport also occupies a special place in Cardiff Met life. Its facilities and performance programmes support everyone from recreational participants to elite athletes, and the university has a long history of producing international sportsmen and women, coaches and other professionals. That sporting reputation remains very much alive: Cardiff Met students, alumni and staff continue to feature at the highest levels of Welsh, British and international sport. It is proud to describe itself as Wales’s Sporting University.

For students moving to Cardiff, accommodation is available at Cyncoed and Plas Gwyn, while the university also works with privately operated partner halls across the city. Cardiff Met operates dedicated transport links between its campuses and offers students access to its Met Rider scheme for travel on Cardiff Bus services, helping students explore not only their campuses but Cardiff and the surrounding area.

For international students in particular, Cardiff Met combines the experience of living in a compact and welcoming European capital with membership of a multicultural university community. Its emphasis on professional education, employability, entrepreneurship, sustainability and international partnerships means that, although its roots stretch back to Victorian Cardiff, it continues to evolve with the needs of students entering a rapidly changing global workplace.

Cardiff Metropolitan University website: www.cardiffmet.ac.uk

Tennis in Wales

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

Cardiff University is one of the United Kingdom’s leading research-intensive universities, combining an international academic reputation with a distinctive position at the heart of Wales’s capital city. Founded in 1883, it is today the only Welsh member of the Russell Group of 24 leading UK research universities and attracts students, researchers and academics from across the world.

The university opened its doors on 24 October 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, initially with just 13 academic staff, 12 departments and 102 full-time degree students. It received its Royal Charter the following year and became one of the founding institutions of the University of Wales in 1893.

Its modern identity developed through a series of important changes. The institution became University College, Cardiff in 1972 and merged with the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (UWIST) in 1988. It adopted Cardiff University as its public name in 1999 and, in 2004, reunited with the University of Wales College of Medicine, which had originally separated from the university in 1931. Cardiff subsequently became legally independent of the University of Wales and began awarding its own degrees.

Today’s university is a very different proposition from the small Victorian college that welcomed its first students more than 140 years ago. Cardiff now has 31,505 students, including 24,645 undergraduates and 6,860 postgraduates. Its student body represents 142 countries, with 5,040 students coming from outside the UK.

Teaching and research are organised across three colleges – Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; and Physical Sciences and Engineering – containing 21 Academic Schools. Subjects range from business, journalism, law, politics, languages and music to architecture, engineering, computing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, psychology and the physical and environmental sciences.

Research is central to Cardiff University’s international reputation. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 90% of its research was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent. Cardiff ranked within the UK top 20 for overall research quality and 14th for research power, reflecting both the standard and scale of work undertaken across the university.

Its researchers work on subjects ranging from cancer, neuroscience and public health to climate change, sustainable energy, artificial intelligence, compound semiconductors, social sciences and creative industries. The university has also won seven Queen’s Anniversary Prizes, while its research community has included Nobel Prize winners Professor Sir Martin Evans and Professor Robert Huber.

Cardiff’s commitment to turning academic research into practical applications can be seen particularly clearly at Cardiff Innovation Campus. What was still a major development project when the earlier Ewegottalove article was written is now an established research and innovation centre. Its facilities include sbarc|spark, home to SPARK – described as the world’s first social science research park – and Cardiff Innovations, alongside the Translational Research Hub, which houses the Institute for Compound Semiconductors and Cardiff Catalysis Institute.

The university is as confident and forward-looking as the city it’s located in, and has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and research

Guardian University Guide

The Innovation Campus forms part of a wider programme through which Cardiff has invested £600 million in its campus and facilities, described by the university as its biggest campus upgrade for a generation.

For many students, however, the most visible addition is the Centre for Student Life on Park Place. Opened in 2021 opposite the university’s Main Building, it brings together student support services covering study and learning, health and wellbeing, careers, money and everyday life in Cardiff. Five floors also provide social and study space, lecture facilities and a direct connection with the neighbouring Students’ Union.

Cardiff University operates principally across two campuses. Cathays Park Campus, within easy walking distance of Cardiff city centre, brings together historic civic buildings and modern teaching and research facilities. Heath Park Campus is the principal base for medicine, dentistry and healthcare and sits alongside the University Hospital of Wales, one of the UK’s largest teaching hospitals.

The university’s standing continues to be recognised in national and international league tables. Cardiff was named Welsh University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, which ranked it 28th in the UK. It is ranked 27th in the Complete University Guide 2027 and equal 179th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027.

Graduate prospects are another important consideration for prospective students. According to the latest HESA Graduate Outcomes figures quoted by Cardiff, 94% of graduates were in employment, further study or other activities 15 months after completing their course, while the university is ranked among the UK’s leading institutions for graduate employability.

Student life extends far beyond lectures and laboratories. Cardiff Students’ Union supports more than 230 societies and 70 sports clubs and was ranked the third-best Students’ Union in the UK in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2026. Its central building provides social spaces, entertainment, shops, cafés, study facilities and one of Cardiff’s best-known live music venues.

University accommodation is spread across a variety of halls and residences, including the large Talybont student community and accommodation closer to the Cathays and Heath Park campuses. For 2026 entry, first-year undergraduates are guaranteed a place in accommodation provided the relevant offer and application deadlines are met. Eligible international postgraduate students beginning their studies in September can also receive guaranteed accommodation subject to the university’s conditions.

Sustainability now forms an important part of Cardiff University’s long-term plans. Its Environmental Sustainability Plan 2025–2035 includes a target of reaching net-zero carbon for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and progressing towards net-zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050. By 2024/25 its Scope 1 and 2 emissions had fallen by 32% from their respective baselines.

The university is led by President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner, who took up the position in September 2023. Its new institutional strategy, Our Future, Together, sets out a path to 2035 built around education, research and innovation, stronger links with Cardiff and Wales, international partnerships and tackling major global challenges including climate change, biodiversity, health, security and social justice.

For international students in particular, Cardiff offers an appealing combination: the academic and research opportunities of a major Russell Group university together with life in a relatively compact and accessible capital. Students can live within walking distance of many university buildings, the city centre, Bute Park, Cardiff Castle, sporting venues, shopping, restaurants and cultural attractions, while also using Cardiff as a base from which to discover the rest of Wales.

More than 140 years after welcoming its first students, Cardiff University retains an important place in Welsh education while operating on an increasingly international stage. Its research strength, broad choice of subjects, city-centre setting, investment in facilities and strong graduate prospects make it one of Wales’s most prominent choices for undergraduate, postgraduate and international study.

Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk

SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

Swansea University has been combining academic study, research and close links with industry since its foundation in 1920. More than a century later, it has developed into a major international university with a distinctive identity shaped by its waterfront location, research strengths and long-standing emphasis on applying knowledge to real-world challenges.

The university began modestly. Its foundation stone was laid by King George V on 19 July 1920 and just 89 students enrolled during its first year. Today, Swansea has more than 22,000 students, including over 5,000 from overseas, and offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research opportunities across a wide range of subjects. Latest university figures record 16,348 undergraduates and 6,264 postgraduates.

Swansea’s academic activity is organised across three main faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicine, Health and Life Science; and Science and Engineering. Courses span areas including engineering, computer science, mathematics, medicine, nursing and healthcare, business, law, psychology, biosciences, geography, languages, media, politics and the humanities. Its long relationship with business and industry continues to influence both teaching and research.

Research remains one of Swansea University’s strongest features. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 86% of its overall research was judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent, while 91% of its research environment achieved those two highest classifications. Swansea also performed particularly strongly in areas including allied health professions, mathematics, geography, engineering and computer science.

The university’s research has a strong practical focus, addressing subjects such as health and medical science, renewable energy, climate change, advanced materials, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and sustainable manufacturing. Swansea’s engineering heritage is especially distinguished: during the 1960s Professor Olek Zienkiewicz helped pioneer the finite element method, a mathematical technique that went on to transform engineering design and computer modelling around the world.

That tradition of innovation is particularly visible at Bay Campus, which opened in 2015 following a £450 million development. Built directly beside the beach on the eastern approach to Swansea, the campus is home to much of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the School of Management, the Computational Foundry and a growing collection of specialist research facilities. These include the IMPACT research institute, the Energy Safety Research Institute and the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials.

The university’s original Singleton Park Campus offers a very different atmosphere. Set within parkland and botanical gardens overlooking Swansea Bay, it is home to much of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, together with subjects including biosciences, geography and physics. The historic Singleton Abbey remains one of the most recognisable university buildings.

The two campuses are separated by several miles of coastline but are connected by regular public transport, giving students the unusual experience of studying at a university where both principal campuses are situated beside Swansea Bay. Singleton combines established university traditions with parkland and mature gardens, while Bay Campus offers a newer purpose-built environment with direct access to the beach.

Swansea’s standing in national league tables has also strengthened. The university was ranked top in Wales in the Guardian University Guide 2026, 37th in the UK in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, and 41st in the Complete University Guide 2027. Internationally, Swansea is placed within the world’s top 350 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027.

Graduate outcomes are another important part of the picture. Latest figures published by the university show that 94% of graduates are in employment, further study or another positive activity, based on HESA Graduate Outcomes data. Swansea also performs strongly in government measures of sustained employment and further study after graduation.

Sustainability has become an increasingly visible part of university life. Swansea holds a First Class award in the People & Planet University League and was ranked 21st among 149 UK universities in the 2024/25 table. It has also achieved strong results in international sustainability rankings, including a place in the global top 150 in the QS World University Sustainability Rankings 2026.

The university has also retained a strong international outlook. Students are recruited from around the world, while Swansea works with partner universities, research organisations and businesses internationally. Its overseas community contributes significantly to campus life, and dedicated international support is available covering admissions, visas, funding and settling into life in Wales.

Accommodation is available on both principal campuses and elsewhere in the city. Bay Campus accommodation offers the unusual opportunity to live immediately beside the beach, while Singleton Park residences place students close to university buildings, parkland and the seafront. For the 2026/27 academic year, eligible new undergraduate students are guaranteed university accommodation provided they meet the relevant application and acceptance deadlines.

Student life also benefits from Swansea itself. The city combines beaches, parks, shops, restaurants, nightlife and sporting facilities with easy access to the Gower Peninsula, the UK’s first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. For many students, this mixture of city life and immediate access to the coast is one of Swansea University’s greatest attractions.

The university is led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Boyle, who has held the position since 2019. His previous roles include President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester and Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.

More than a hundred years after its foundation, Swansea University retains much of the character that has long distinguished it: close links with industry, internationally recognised research and a friendly campus atmosphere. What has changed is its scale and reach. With two striking waterfront campuses, more than 22,000 students, growing international recognition and research tackling major global challenges, Swansea has developed far beyond the small university college that opened its doors in 1920.

Swansea University website: www.swansea.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES

University of South Wales (USW) offers students something relatively unusual: the opportunity to study at one university across several very different South Wales environments. With locations in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd, students can experience the energy of the Welsh capital, a modern riverside city, or a traditional university campus surrounded by the hills of the South Wales Valleys – with coast, countryside and major cities all within easy reach.

The University of South Wales was officially formed in April 2013 through the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport, but its educational roots stretch back much further. The oldest predecessor institution was the Newport Mechanics Institute, founded in 1841 to provide education for local workers and tradespeople. Another important predecessor, the South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines, was established in 1913 to serve the industries of the South Wales Valleys.

Today, USW has more than 20,000 students and around 2,800 staff, making it one of the largest universities in Wales. Its community is also increasingly international, with nearly 2,000 international students each year from around 100 countries.

The university’s three locations have very different characters. Pontypridd is home to the Treforest and Glyntaff sites. Treforest offers the feel of a traditional university campus, with teaching buildings, accommodation, library, Students’ Union, cafés and sports facilities surrounded by the green hills of the Valleys. Glyntaff is also home to specialist teaching and research facilities, particularly in areas connected with health, science and the environment.

Cardiff Campus, situated in the centre of the capital, has developed a particular reputation for creative and digital subjects. Its industry-style facilities support areas including film, television, photography, animation, games, fashion, music and performance, and students benefit from being based close to one of the UK’s fastest-growing creative-media clusters. The campus is also home to the School of Business and Innovation, Cardiff.

The riverside Newport Campus, meanwhile, sits within a short walk of Newport city centre and railway station. Its modern city-centre setting provides another distinct environment within USW, with teaching, library, student support and social spaces brought together in one location and convenient transport connections to Cardiff, Bristol and beyond.

A particularly significant development for students beginning in 2026–27 is Calon, USW’s new Computing, Engineering and Technology hub at the Pontypridd Campus. The £60 million investment is scheduled to open in September 2026 and contains more than 40 new teaching, learning and research spaces. Facilities include electronics and hydraulics laboratories, robotics, computing and data-science areas, a flight simulator, research spaces, virtual-reality technology, collaborative learning areas and a makerspace.

The development reflects an approach that has long been central to USW: learning by doing. The university works closely with employers when developing its curriculum, while many courses incorporate placements, professional experience, live briefs, simulated workplace environments or opportunities to work with industry-standard equipment. USW describes its curriculum as being co-created with employers so that students develop skills relevant to the professions and industries they hope to enter.

The creative industries provide one of the best examples. USW’s partnership with Screen Alliance Wales has enabled students and graduates to gain experience on major film and television productions at Cardiff’s Bad Wolf Studios, including His Dark Materials and A Discovery of Witches. Since the partnership began in 2019, students and graduates have worked on award-winning productions, while hundreds more have taken part in studio visits and opportunities to meet professional production teams.

That relationship with Wales’s screen sector is continuing to grow. In 2026 the university launched the Games and Animation Academy of Wales at its Cardiff Campus, creating a new centre for education, research and industry collaboration in games, animation and visual effects. Students have access to facilities including high-specification computing, motion capture, green-screen technology, VR and AR, stop-motion workshops, model making and 3D printing, alongside opportunities for live projects and placements with companies working in the sector.

Employability remains a major part of the USW offer. Work experience and placements are embedded across many courses, while USW Careers provides help with career planning, CVs, applications, interviews, internships, graduate opportunities and entrepreneurship. The university currently reports that 94% of its graduates are in employment and/or further study 15 months after graduation, based on the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022/23.

Entrepreneurship is another particular strength. According to the latest Higher Education Business and Community Interaction data quoted by USW, the university is top in Wales for new business start-ups for the sixth consecutive year and third in the UK – as well as first in Wales – for the number of active graduate businesses.

The university achieved its strongest performance to date in the Guardian University Guide 2026, rising to 43rd out of 123 UK universities. It was ranked top in Wales for value added, a measure of how effectively teaching and support enable students to exceed their expected academic performance. Five subject areas – Forensic Science, Law, Midwifery, Civil Engineering, and Marketing and Public Relations – were ranked top in Wales, while 12 USW subject areas appeared within the UK top 25.

Research at USW is deliberately focused on practical impact. In the latest Research Excellence Framework, the university recorded a 49% increase in research classified as world-leading compared with the previous exercise. Eighty-one per cent of its research impact was judged world-leading or internationally excellent, placing USW fourth in Wales for research impact, while six of the areas submitted achieved 100% world-leading or internationally excellent impact.

Its research tackles subjects with direct relevance to communities and industry, including health and wellbeing, crime and security, sustainable energy and the environment, engineering, digital technologies and the creative industries. Projects range from hydrogen technologies and biodiversity conservation to social prescribing, criminal-justice policy, health inequalities and sustainable television production.

Sustainability is also becoming increasingly prominent. USW made substantial progress in the People & Planet University League in recent years and continues to develop its approach to energy use, carbon reduction, water management and ethical careers. Its wider strategy includes the ambition to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Support for individual students continues beyond the classroom. New undergraduate students are allocated a Personal Academic Coach, who helps them consider their academic progress, professional development and career aspirations. Wider services provide support with wellbeing, disability, money, study skills and careers.

Accommodation varies according to location. University halls are available at Treforest, while USW works with accommodation providers in Cardiff and Newport. For the 2026–27 academic year, the university offers an accommodation guarantee to eligible new full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who meet its application and acceptance requirements, although the guarantee does not necessarily apply to a student’s preferred location.

USW is now led by Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Osama Khan, who joined the university in May 2026. Previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at Aston University, his background includes work in curriculum innovation, student experience, employability, digital learning and widening educational opportunity.

For prospective students, the University of South Wales is perhaps best understood not as a single traditional campus university but as an institution closely connected to the region it serves. A film student in central Cardiff, a teacher-training student in Newport, an engineering student using the new Calon facilities at Treforest and a researcher working at Glyntaff may have very different day-to-day experiences, yet all are part of the same university.

That variety is one of USW’s strengths. Its emphasis on industry experience, employability, practical learning and partnerships, coupled with more than 180 years of educational heritage and access to the cities, countryside and coastline of South Wales, makes it a particularly distinctive option for students looking to turn their studies into a professional career.

University of South Wales website: www.southwales.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF WALES TRINITY SAINT DAVID

University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is one of Wales’s most distinctive universities, combining a history stretching back more than 200 years with contemporary, career-focused education delivered across a collection of very different locations. Its campuses include Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter and Cardiff in Wales, together with centres in London and Birmingham, giving students the choice of everything from historic university surroundings and smaller Welsh communities to major city-centre study.

The university’s story begins at Lampeter, where St David’s College was founded in 1822 by Bishop Thomas Burgess. Its Royal Charter, granted in 1828, is the oldest held by any university in Wales and, according to UWTSD, the oldest in Wales and England after those of Oxford and Cambridge. Lampeter consequently occupies an important place in Welsh educational history as the birthplace of higher education in Wales.

The modern University of Wales Trinity Saint David was created in November 2010 through the merger of the University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College Carmarthen. Swansea Metropolitan University joined UWTSD in August 2013, bringing with it an educational heritage in the city stretching back to the establishment of Swansea College of Art in 1853. The process described as still being in the future when our original Ewegottalove article was written has also now been completed: the University of Wales formally integrated with UWTSD in August 2017.

The result is a university whose character varies considerably according to where a student studies. Carmarthen Campus combines historic buildings with modern facilities and has a particularly close-knit atmosphere. Around 1,500 students study there, with subject areas including sport and health, performing arts, education, business, history and archaeology, youth and community studies, creative writing and film. The campus is also home to Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, the creative and digital centre which has strengthened links between the university and Wales’s television and creative industries.

Swansea provides a contrasting city-based experience. UWTSD operates across locations including its modern SA1 Swansea Waterfront development and the historic Swansea College of Art. Subjects taught in the city include computing, engineering, architecture and construction, business, psychology, law and criminology, education, health and social care, art, design, photography, film and television. The university describes Swansea as a place where “the city is your campus”, with its teaching locations close to the waterfront, shops, entertainment and Swansea Bay.

Although Lampeter no longer hosts the breadth of undergraduate teaching it once did, it remains an important part of the university’s identity and heritage. It houses the Roderic Bowen Library & Archives and UWTSD’s Special Collections, preserving remarkable material accumulated through more than two centuries of scholarship, and it continues to host university activities including international and summer-school programmes.

In Cardiff, UWTSD’s Haywood House campus provides programmes in areas including creative arts, business and management, and health and social care. Cardiff is also home to the Wales Academy of Voice & Dramatic Arts (WAVDA), which provides professional training in performance and maintains connections with organisations including the Wales Millennium Centre and BBC Wales. It represents the modern successor to the voice academy referred to in the earlier Ewegottalove article.

Beyond Wales, UWTSD operates campuses in London and Birmingham, serving particularly diverse and mature student communities. Its London operation is based at Westferry Circus and places an emphasis on smaller classes, flexible study and support for students balancing higher education with other commitments. International exchange opportunities also connect UWTSD students with partner institutions in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.

One of the strongest reasons for refreshing the university’s profile for 2026–27 is its recent performance for teaching and student experience. UWTSD was named University of the Year for Teaching Quality 2026 by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, recognising it as the guide’s leading UK institution for teaching quality.

That result is supported by several other measures. UWTSD is ranked second in the UK for student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide 2027, while the Guardian University Guide 2026 placed it sixth in the UK for satisfaction with teaching and third for satisfaction with feedback. The 2026 Whatuni Student Choice Awards ranked the university first in the UK for Career Prospects and University Halls, third for Lecturers and Teaching Quality and third for its international experience.

Some individual subjects perform particularly strongly. In the Guardian University Guide 2026, UWTSD was ranked first in the UK for Music and first for Film Production and Photography. Sports Science was fourth, Fashion and Textiles fifth, Psychology eighth and Animation and Game Design ninth. Computing, engineering and product design also achieved strong national positions.

Research remains another important part of university life. In the latest Research Excellence Framework, 49% of UWTSD research was judged world-leading or internationally excellent, while 74% of its research impact was assessed as outstanding or very considerable. Particular research strengths include art and design, education, Celtic languages and literature, theology and religious studies, and psychology. UWTSD was ranked fourth in Wales for research impact.

Welsh language, culture and identity remain deeply embedded within the institution. UWTSD’s current mission includes strengthening opportunities to study through the medium of Welsh and increasing the use of the language across its staff, teaching and engagement activities. Bilingual study is available on a range of programmes, particularly at its campuses in Wales.

The university’s historic relationship with the Royal Family has also continued. King Charles III first became UWTSD’s Royal Patron in November 2011 while Prince of Wales, and following his accession to the throne in September 2022 it was confirmed that His Majesty would continue as Royal Patron of the university.

Sustainability, which featured strongly in UWTSD’s earlier identity through its INSPIRE programme, also remains an institutional priority. Having declared a climate emergency in 2019, the university has now adopted an Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2025–2030, covering carbon reduction, sustainable campuses, education and employability, research and innovation, and engagement with staff and students.

Accommodation varies considerably between locations. At Carmarthen, university-owned halls provide en-suite accommodation immediately on campus, with eligible new first-year undergraduates who make UWTSD their firm choice and apply by the relevant deadline offered accommodation for 2026–27. In Swansea, Cardiff, Birmingham and London, students primarily use private student halls and rented accommodation, with support available from the university’s accommodation team.

The university is led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Elwen Evans KC, who was appointed in 2023 following a distinguished career in law and higher education. UWTSD’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030 places learners at the centre of its plans, with priorities including personalised education, employer-relevant programmes, research and innovation, partnerships, Welsh-medium provision and long-term environmental and financial sustainability.

Perhaps UWTSD’s greatest distinction is that it does not offer just one type of university experience. A student studying art beside Swansea’s waterfront, sport or performing arts in Carmarthen, specialist collections in historic Lampeter, performance in central Cardiff or business in London may experience very different surroundings, yet all belong to an institution whose roots reach back to the beginnings of higher education in Wales.

For prospective students in 2026–27, that combination of heritage and modern vocational education is complemented by some of the strongest current student-experience results in the UK. More than two centuries after the foundation of St David’s College at Lampeter, University of Wales Trinity Saint David continues to evolve while maintaining a particularly strong connection with Welsh culture, communities and education.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David website: www.uwtsd.ac.uk

WREXHAM UNIVERSITY

Wrexham University offers a close-knit, career-focused university experience in the heart of North Wales, combining strong levels of student satisfaction with an increasingly ambitious approach to research, professional education and community engagement.

The university’s roots can be traced back to 1887, although it gained university status in 2008. Today, its principal campus is at Plas Coch in Wrexham, where historic buildings sit alongside modern teaching spaces, specialist laboratories, student support services and accommodation. The university also operates specialist facilities at Northop, with a particular focus on animal sciences, and at St Asaph, where teaching and research connect with North Wales’s opto-electronics and technology sector.

Wrexham University’s strongest recent reputation has been built around the student experience. In the Complete University Guide 2026, it was ranked top in Wales and joint third in the UK for student satisfaction, continuing an impressive run of results. Sociology and Health Studies were ranked first in the UK for student satisfaction, while Social Work, Education and Law also performed strongly.

The results have continued into 2026. In the National Student Survey 2026, Wrexham achieved first-place UK student satisfaction rankings in several subject areas, including Veterinary Sciences, Computer Science, Sociology and Social Work. These results reinforce the university’s emphasis on smaller-scale teaching, personal support and close contact between students and academic staff.

One of the biggest developments came in August 2026, when Wrexham University was named Welsh University of the Year 2027 by the Daily Mail University Guide. The award highlighted its student support, social inclusion, investment in facilities, partnerships and the university’s newly acquired powers to award its own research degrees.

Those Research Degree Awarding Powers represent an important step in Wrexham’s development. For the first time since becoming a university, it can now award its own PhDs and professional doctorates rather than relying on another institution. The first students to enrol under these powers begin in 2026, giving the university greater academic independence and allowing it to develop doctoral programmes around its own research strengths and regional priorities.

Research at Wrexham is deliberately applied and closely connected with communities, public services and industry. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, areas submitted by the university included Computer Science and Informatics, Engineering, Social Work and Social Policy, and Art and Design. Portions of its work were judged world-leading and internationally excellent, with particularly encouraging performance in social work and social policy.

The university is also investing heavily in its physical estate. Its Campus 2025 programme represents an investment of around £80 million in facilities and learning environments. Among the newest additions is the Simulation and Immersive Learning Centre, completed in June 2026 at Plas Coch. The centre provides realistic, technology-enhanced environments where students can practise professional skills before entering the workplace, supporting subjects across health, social care and other disciplines.

The Plas Coch Campus is home to most of the university’s courses and lies within walking distance of Wrexham city centre and Wrexham General railway station. Facilities include computing and engineering laboratories, art and design spaces, library and study areas, student support services and social facilities.

Health and professional education are particularly important parts of Wrexham’s course portfolio. Nursing has performed especially strongly: in the Complete University Guide 2026 it ranked first in the UK for student satisfaction and joint first for graduate prospects. Adult, Children’s and Mental Health Nursing programmes are delivered at Wrexham and St Asaph, helping supply professionally trained graduates to health services across North Wales and beyond.

Other study areas include computing, engineering, business, education, criminology, policing, social work, psychology, creative arts, sport, animal sciences and allied health professions. The university places considerable emphasis on employability, professional practice and enabling students to apply what they learn beyond the classroom.

Social inclusion has also become an important part of Wrexham’s identity. In The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, it was ranked within the top three universities in England and Wales for social inclusion for the eighth consecutive year, reflecting its longstanding commitment to widening access to higher education.

The university’s Vision and Strategy 2030 describes its ambition to become a “world leading modern civic university”. Three priorities underpin that goal: providing an excellent student-centred experience, strengthening the university’s role as an anchor institution for Wales, and developing research and innovation with practical economic and social impact.

Wrexham is led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Joe Yates, whose strategy places particular emphasis on inclusion, community, employability and partnerships. The university sees its role not simply as educating students but as contributing to economic, social, environmental and cultural development across north Wales.

International students are also part of the university community, with admissions and support covering applicants from countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australasia. International support includes guidance on applications, visas, immigration, welfare and student mobility.

Accommodation is available at Wrexham Student Village, immediately on campus. For 2026–27, accommodation includes en-suite rooms with utility bills and Wi-Fi included, together with 24-hour security, residential support, shared social areas and convenient access to university facilities, shops and transport. The university also helps students seeking accredited private rented accommodation in the city.

Location is another attraction. Wrexham became officially recognised as a city in 2022, and its profile has grown considerably in recent years. Students are well placed for access to Chester, Liverpool and Manchester to the east, while the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia), the North Wales coast and the Clwydian Range lie within easy reach to the west and north.

The city itself combines shopping, restaurants, entertainment, sport and cultural venues with reminders of its industrial and medieval heritage. Its rapidly growing international profile, helped considerably by the remarkable story of Wrexham AFC, has also introduced audiences around the world to a part of Wales that was previously much less familiar to overseas visitors.

For prospective students in 2026–27, Wrexham University’s appeal lies less in scale than in personal attention. Its consistently high student-satisfaction results, strong performance in professionally focused subjects, investment in new facilities and growing research ambitions suggest an institution increasingly confident about its place within Welsh higher education.

From its roots in nineteenth-century technical education to its new status as an independent doctoral degree-awarding university, Wrexham University is entering a significant new phase – while retaining the accessible, supportive character that continues to receive particularly strong approval from its students.

Wrexham University website: wrexham.ac.uk

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