Swansea
22 Reviews by Students #77 out of 422 University locations
Swansea Bay is for the students of Swansea. Studying by the beach and the sea is a unique university experience. I've eaten in most the restaurants and cafes, in town, in Uplands and the Mumbles. I'm a cyclist. You can cycle from woodland to beachside in a matter of minutes.
By member1343771 On 18th November 2019
Study in Swansea
On the South Coast of Wales, you’ll find Swansea and located just outside of the city centre is Swansea University.
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Swansea University
Swansea University has a stunning waterfront campus and is known for its friendly and relaxed atmosphere known as the “Swansea Experience”. They are a research-led university and have been recognised with a gold award for their teaching by the Teaching Excellence Framework.
Study in Swansea? Review your location
Swansea Student Life
Swansea is a great location for beach bums and water sports fans alike. Swansea University gives you the perfect place to start discovering all that Wales has to offer while getting your degree.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs are on average £144 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Aberystwyth: £144/week, Cardiff: £159/week, Bangor: £152/week.
(prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) in August 2020, as listed on StudentCrowd)
The average price for:
A cheap meal at a restaurant: £12.50
A pint of beer: £3.60
A regular takeout coffee: £3.21
1L of milk: £0.85
A loaf of white bread: £0.99
Prices are about 5% lower than equivalent costs in Cardiff.
(Source: Numbeo)
Nights Out
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Wind Street
For a big night out on the town, Wind Street is the place to go. You’ll find it teeming with students with a number of places to go any night, with special student nights and discounts. Some of the top spots are Bambu, Peppermint, Jack Murphy’s and Popworld.
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Uplands
Uplands is a popular student area that has recently been named one of the hippest areas in the UK. If mainstream clubbing isn’t your scene, then Uplands might well be right up your street. Uplands Tavern and Noah’s Yard are lively bars with great music whilst Brewstone has fantastic craft beer and gin menu.
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If you are up for a more cultured night out, Swansea also has a lot to offer. Cinema & Co is an independent cinema where you can catch indie, classic and foreign films. Swansea Grand Theatre as well as putting on shows has a fantastic Comedy Club which has hosted household names like Rhod Gilbert and Sarah Millican.
Public Transport
You can walk or cycle to most places in the city, which means getting around is very easy. However, on a rainy day (and it does rain a fair bit in Swansea) you can hop on one a Unibus which runs 24 hours a day during term time. If you get a season ticket you get free bus travel between Swansea and Cardiff. Swansea is well connected by road and rail, making it easy to get to major cities such as Birmingham, London, Manchester and Bristol.
Eating Out
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Swansea’s Indoor Market is right in the centre of town and is Wales’s largest market, it also won the ‘Great British Market Awards 2020’! It is the best place to pick up traditional Welsh staples such as the best Welsh cakes, fresh Laverbread and cockles.
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Another award winner is Rasoi, a curry house that won ‘Best Spice Restaurant in Wales at the British Curry Awards’. Despite the accolade, it is still great on the student budget, so you can get the best-tasting korma or vindaloo in Wales and not break the bank.
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If you love fresh seafood, then Swansea is a great place to be. The Gower Sea Food Hut is a favourite, they cook and sell their produce in a little horsebox on the Promenade in Mumbles. Think crispy chilli prawns, breaded plaice, whitebait and calamari. All to be enjoyed whilst breathing in the fresh sea air!
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Shopping
There’s a good amount of shopping including all the regular high street brands and great independent boutiques too. There’s also the Quadrant Shopping Centre which is adjoined to the famed Swansea Market as well as fantastic traditional arcades to explore too.
Days Out
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The natural harbour formed by the Swansea Bay has given the area some great beaches that stretch all the way along Swansea’s coastline. Pretty much every watersport under the sun is available here for you to try: surfing; waterskiing; kitesurfing; scuba diving; the list goes on.
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There are parks scattered all over Swansea, and the biggest one, Singleton Park, is close to the student village. It’s large enough that city-wide music events are held here, so keep an eye on their schedule.
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Maritime Quarter is a regenerated former dockland with so much to offer. Whether you fancy a coffee, a big night out or great restaurants (for all budgets) you can find it here. If you fancy some culture and history there’s the Waterfront Museum, which is free!
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Just a little further along the coast is the Gower Peninsula which is renowned for its stunning coastline and beautiful beaches. Whether you fancy a lazy day on a sandy beach or up for some adventures such as surfing, kayaking or coasteering, you’ll love having the Gower on your doorstep.
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If exploring mountains is more your bag, you’ll be spoilt with just being over an hour away from the Brecon Beacons National Park. The fantastic landscape boasts incredible hiking and cycling trails as well as caving and gorge walking. Make more of an adventure out of it and camp out at one of the campsites.
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Read Swansea Reviews
I live here and it's...
I live here and it's beautiful and had many amenities, center of town can be a little rough so would suggest choosing somewhere on the outskirts instead (areas near the Uni are really good) read more
Having family who are...
Having family who are from Swansea, I spent quite a bit of my time here. So it was a no brainer to come here to study and spend my uni years. read more
Swansea Bay is for the...
Swansea Bay is for the students of Swansea. Studying by the beach and the sea is a unique university experience. I've eaten in most the restaurants and cafes, in town, in Uplands and the Mumbles. I'm a cyclist. You can cycle from woodland to beachside in a matter of minutes. read more
Windstreet init, that...
Windstreet init, that is all you need read more
Good nights out, low...
Good nights out, low job opportunities, low prices in most places, busses are expensive, taxis are cheap read more
Buses run quite regularly...
Buses run quite regularly from campus and are not that expensive read more
Eh. One street which...
Eh. One street which is overpriced and isn't that great if you hate large crowds etc. Otherwise clubs cater for everyone but could do with more live music venues read more
Shopping has the essentials,...
Shopping has the essentials, and food is a decent price! I keep an eye out For student deals! Nights out are cheap if you know where to start and end and what nights! Jack Murphys is a solid pub for a early night drinking! Peppermint drink deals are good for Wednesdays! read more
Everything is provided...
Everything is provided like you would expect in a city, but all the prices and infrastructure is suited to students. read more
Cheap bus travel, Wind...
Cheap bus travel, Wind Street is my favourite street, best night out you'll have, lots of restaurants in and around Brinmill/uplands/sketty even just town centre has a gregs within five shops of where you are read more
bus is really cheap for...
bus is really cheap for day tickets. windstreet is my favourite place to drink, something for everyone there. also has lots of food places nearby in the town. never too far from a greggs read more
Buses are expensive for...
Buses are expensive for what they are. Shopping centre and town centre is dated and scruffy read more
The next day i woke up...
The next day i woke up yeah and outside my door, lo and behold, its a massive fish finger. turns out t rexy knew that fish fingers cousin and they sorted me out with another one, so i got my sandwich in the end. read more
Love living here, easily...
Love living here, easily best night life in the UK with the infamous wind street read more