The Uni's pretty lovely as far as the academic side goes and the staff are all really quite nice as far as the student standpoint goes, Upper levels are terrible and dragging the Uni down. The town is lovely with everything and everywhere within a 20ish minute walk of everywhere else, it's picturesque, has a beach and it's really rather cheap compared to a lot of other places, you rarely feel lacking in Aberystwyth as the students mean it's got plenty of shops. The Union is fantastic as a daytime retreat and as a place to watch live sport and get some food. It's reasonable at actually supporting the students but as for putting on events and raves it's really not brilliant suffering from a significant lack of cash which leads to a spiral of students abandoning it for town which leaves it with less money or impetus to put on larger events. Nights out in town are great though. All round Aber is a pretty solid time!
On 26th March 15
StudentCrowd University Rankings
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Aberystwyth University Hall Rankings
| Rosser G | #1 |
| Glyndwr | #2 |
| Ceredigion | #3 |
| Caerleon | #4 |
| Fferm Penglais | #5 |
| Rosser | #6 |
| Pantycelyn | #7 |
| Trefloyne | #8 |
| Blaenwern | #9 |
| Pentre Jane Morgan | #10 |
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The Uni's pretty lovely as far as the academic side goes and the staff are all really quite nice as far as the student standpoint goes, Upper levels are terrible and dragging the Uni down. The town is lovely with everything and everywhere within a 20ish minute walk of everywhere else, it's picturesque, has a beach and it's really rather cheap compared to a lot of other places, you rarely feel lacking in Aberystwyth as the students mean it's got plenty of shops. The Union is fantastic as a daytime retreat and as a place to watch live sport and get some food. It's reasonable at actually supporting the students but as for putting on events and raves it's really not brilliant suffering from a significant lack of cash which leads to a spiral of students abandoning it for town which leaves it with less money or impetus to put on larger events. Nights out in town are great though. All round Aber is a pretty solid time!
On 26th March 15
Studying at Aberystwyth University
Aberystwyth University is a community of more than 12,000 students and has been voted six times as the top university for student satisfaction by The Times, and is continuing to rise up the tables in a majority of areas. Aberystwyth has also been claimed as the best university city in Wales, meaning students can expect an unforgettable time whilst they live and study here.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink on campus including Tamed Da, The Lounge, Underground and IBERbach and the Arts Centre Café. Nights out on and off campus are plentiful and fun-packed. The Students' Union hosts several regulars, 'Reload' and 'Quids in' whilst the Arts Centre hosts some of the best artists that have recently included Jimmy Carr and Duffy. In Aberystwyth itself there are plenty of pubs and clubs offering something to do every night of the week in a place small enough that you're bound to bump into friends. The Students' Union also runs its own radio station, 'Bay Radio' and two newspapers, 'Yr Heriwr' and 'The Courier' plus 73 societies and 53 sports clubs and its facilities include a hairdresser and advice centre.
There's plenty to do in Aberystwyth and the surrounding area of Cardigan Bay, including cinemas, film festivals, several beaches, shopping, markets, places to eat and it's close enough to visit places like Newquay and Devil's Bridge if you fancy a trip out.
The Sports centre is well equipped with a gym that runs various classes throughout the week, a swimming pool, dance studio, squash courts, sports hall and cage, climbing wall, playing fields, running track, and 3G pitch. Being situated right on the coast means there are also plenty of water sports plus cycling, horse riding and climbing to have a go at.
The university has provided plenty of spaces for studying and great facilities that will help you get the most out of your degree. These include 24hr IT suites, bookshops, the National Library of Wales, plus five additional libraries, new laboratories and lecture theatres. There are also several services provided to give advice and help when it comes to career planning and helping you to gain skills and experience necessary for your chosen path. For those that wish to, there is a number of opportunities to study abroad with Erasmus for which students may be able to get a grant to help cover costs. The benefits of study abroad will help develop skills in many areas and at the same time give a leading edge when it comes to employment post graduation.
272 Aberystwyth University Reviews
The Uni's pretty lovely as far as the academic side goes and the staff are all really quite nice as far as the student standpoint goes, Upper levels are terrible and dragging the Uni down. The town is lovely with everything and everywhere within a 20ish minute walk of everywhere else, it's picturesque, has a beach and it's really rather cheap compared to a lot of other places, you rarely feel lacking in Aberystwyth as the students mean it's got plenty of shops. The Union is fantastic as a daytime retreat and as a place to watch live sport and get some food. It's reasonable at actually supporting the students but as for putting on events and raves it's really not brilliant suffering from a significant lack of cash which leads to a spiral of students abandoning it for town which leaves it with less money or impetus to put on larger events. Nights out in town are great though. All round Aber is a pretty solid time!
Aber uni is great if you go and make the best of the opportunities available to you. The Sports and Societies are what make the University experience so amazing at Aber uni. If you don't bother to try and engage in at least one than your already missing out on a lot of fun. All of the sports teams and societies are incredibly welcoming for students that have previous experience in it or just trying to pick up a new hobby. Academically the University is very accessible with most lectures being open for you to E-mail them or go visit them in their office hours. The Halls are decent, not the best in the world but you could do a lot worse at other universities. The town whilst small has everything you need realistically to enjoy your time. The only draw back is the Students Union which is what you make of it, if you get involved with the Clubs and try and engage with the Students Union you appreciate them more.
Aber is an amazing place to study - both the university and the town itself are so friendly and welcoming and it soon feels like a home from home. There's something here for everyone; a massive range of sports teams and societies, from real ale (which is essentially just the pub crawl society) to things like languages and gaming. The staff are, for the most part, super helpful and always willing to go the extra mile, and the facilities are great. Both Penglais and Llanbadarn campuses are easy to get to from town (except for the massive hill) on foot or via public transport, which is really cheap - bus journeys are £1 to anywhere around the area. The university has a really good reputation for the rural sciences and there's clearly been a lot of investment in these areas. The main campus itself is very clean, relaxed and has plenty of green space to relax between lectures.
I've been here for four years now, and I don't want to leave. Aber as a location is fantastic, cheap rents for students, the beach is gorgeous, and I'm sure Aber has more sunshine than other places, or it feels like it! The uni wifi is completely pants, but there are many many computers available 24hr, and I have no issues with anything else on campus really. Student Union isn't great, but that's not the uni's fault. Clubs and Societies make this uni, everyone is so welcoming and I recommend joining a society, friends for life!
The university is amazing, it really welcomes new students and it doesn't take long for it to become your home. The only issue is money. Both the uni and the town struggle to accomodate all the students that desperately require jobs in order to actually have money for food, never mind nights out. The gym, the union and all the other facilities are fantastic though. There are very few I could see that could make a genuine complaint about anything in that area, maybe a few suggestions to the union shop. The only issue that anyone could encounter is the wi-fi, yes, there is wi-fi EVERYWHERE but don't expect it to always work. The wi-fi in accomodation stretches only so far, and doesn't seem to include kitchens and lounges. Every so often the wi-fi everywhere else thinks it requires another password, which it doesn't, so it locks you out for a few hours. However, in a world of smart phones, 3G and 4G, I've never encountered a real problem with this. Aber is a true home, through and through
Aberystwyth is Unique in a beauty town on the west coast of Wales, the investments in accomodation recently, have shown a view to progress. Though this has been let down by bad publicity and poor results. Where else can you take a bracing walk in the Winter by the seaside or in the summer relax and have a barbecue on the beach. You are far away from the rest of the world, it seems so enjoy your time here. The student union lacks good support but the arts centre is on campus which provide good entertainment with a cinema and three theatres. Have a look on line.
Aber is, overall, a close-knit, welcoming place to study. The campus and town are easy walking distance, and you don't need a car. Being by the seaside is also a plus. If you can endure the harsh winter tides, you'll be rewarded with beautiful sunsets and summer barbecues. The campus is ugly, no doubt, but it has all of the facilities you could need, including libraries, computer rooms, food shops and the union restaurant, which also does good takeaway, sports facilities, and more. There are clubs and societies for most things, but some are much better run than others. The union could use better marketing, as often, when they hold events, we don't hear about them until they're over or they're scheduled for when everyone has assignments to do. Internet connectivity is generally good around campus. The careers services are definitely a drawback. I went in once and they just referred me to a website. I was the only one there, but they rushed me out like they had better things to do.
Overall the facilities aren't bad, SU has lots of options for food and drink, the Arts Center has access to new movies and exhibitions, the campus isnt hard to get around, internet everywhere (but the 12GB cap is a pain). Societies are great if you plan on drinking. ALOT. Or just doing specific non-drinking activities (like cards, or D&D, sports if you're into that, even just hanging around people with the same interest as you...) but usually aa drinking component will be a pretty instrumental part of the social. Career Services are not taken very seriously, and I don't have much experience using them myself just yet, but they will become a big part of your life in 3rd year and can help find jobs around the town during the year if you want/need one. Overall, Aber is a great uni to be at (if you dont like cities, prefer countryside, are prepared for strong winds/rain and for the occasional mix ups with people speaking welsh to you).
Computer facilities are plentiful and fast, there is a society for everything and the union regularly hosts big events worth going to. The careers service appears to largely sit in the background, what little has been heard from them is usually about services or events that can only be attended at specific times. The one time I dropped in, I was turned away with a URL to go to that had nothing of use on it when I visited it. Despite this, they are friendly people working there and I'm sure that with enough digging, appropriate help could be found. The internet can be patchy, there have been a couple of outages/major drops in speed since arriving, and the internet cap is something that very few other universities enforce. The automatic blocking of all ports is also an unusual practice and is a complete pain at the best of times. When all working properly, through allowed ports, it is a fast connection though.
The campus is overall an okay campus, the buildings are quite dated from the outside, but on the inside, most have been refurbished so they look nice. In terms of facilities, they are lots off different things skattered around the campus, such as the su, pubs, shops, takeaways, clubs, lounges, cafes, theatres etc... In terms of clubs and societys, they are lots of things to do - I strongly recommend going to the freshers stalls, and talking to and signing up for as much stuff as you can - you don't have to commit to it or anything. The union is great, and they put on lots of events, and give off a feeling that they genuinely care about the students. The career opportunity's are great - they is a careers department, that can help you with things like CV's etc, but they also help you with finding temp placements inside the uni if you need a little bit of money. The internet throughout campus is great, and they are hardly anyplaces you can't get any wifi (maybe in the middle a carpark)..
The campus itself is nice, but the buildings don't look particularly attractive, and the library facilities aren't very good - but they are being improved constantly! The town is lovely, as are the townsfolk, and most of the other students I've met have been very nice. Another positive is that because Aber is in the middle of nowhere, few people want to go there, so they tend to ask for quite low entrance grades. Also, frequent trains to Birmingham, which is very useful for returning home!
Best university experience ever! Aberystwyth is like living in a unique bubble with everything you could possibly need or want within one town. The social life is brilliant; 53 pubs within walking distance and fancy dress is an everyday occurrence. Living by the sea is beautiful, what better way is there to spend your evenings than bonfires on the beach looking out for Dolphins?! We have so many clubs and societies too, many unique to Wales (sea rowing is a must!). The halls of residence are a great way to meet new friends and range from stunning hotel standard to simply a place to sleep...something to suit everyone! Living costs are ridiculously cheap here too, accommodation is substantially lower than other unis both in private accommodation and uni halls. Nights out are cheap too; Vodka Tuesday's are an experience and shots are 60p everywhere! It is a student town and therefore everything is geared around student living. Easily the best 3 years of my life! :D
During my three years at Aberystwyth I have found almost everything to be excellent. Teaching within my department (Geography and Earth Science) has been great and the staff are always willing to help. The campus is good although not all the buildings look great they all have all the resources required. Moneywise the university have a large amount of bursaries and scholarships so this has meant that along with cheap rents I have had cash to burn whilst at university. Thus the social life has been excellent, the location also means that all the students stick around during weekends so it becomes a tightknit community unlike some city universities. The students union is okay but has got considerably worse each year and this trend is likely to continue. Career opportunities seem fairly good I have just graduated and have had multiple good job offers even though I have limited experience. Aber has been publically dragged down by politics which hasn't affected me at all.
Aberystwyth university provides the perfect basis for the building of a great experience and the feeling of a family. Staff are friendly, informative and helpful and there is always someone or something to point you in the right direction. Opportunities come in great numbers whether it be through sports, societies or work experience. Perfect univeristy experience!
The academic elements at the university are of a high standard and calibre. I can make no real complaints about staff or courses. The atmosphere is friendly, approachable and inspires enthusiasm, The Campus facilities are adequate and while not much to look at you'll find that the town provides the charm and campus, well that's just where you study. The union is on the other hand below standards, it's shabby, poorly staffed and if you're not a sports society good look catching their attention. The university overall however, I would say is a great place to study, learn and live. Just make sure you spend as much time in the town as you do on campus.
Aberystwyth University is a wonderful university that offers a wide variety of courses to suit everyone's tastes. The standard of education is also very good. The student's union is a great place to meet friends and have a chat over coffee during the day or attrnd one of the exciting events held during the evening. The nightlife in Aber is great, with over 50 different pubs it's hard to get bored! There are also a variety of societies and clubs which appeal to all sorts if hobbies and likes. It is a great place to enjoy university life at it's best.
Great uni, great people, amazing views, hilarious societies, slightly repressive SU, internet likes to drop for 3 or 4 seconds every hour or so (Not much of a big deal but when playing games that's a pain)
I've loved my first semester here, it's been hard at times but the support network for students is always there and they're great. Everyone here is generally lovely and the accomodation is pretty nice too!
I've been here for just over two months now and I'm having an amazing time. I've joined some great clubs including WUOTC (Officer training corps). You can swim in the sea when it's calm and it's a great experience.
Nice, close nit community of students, but the resources and facilities of the university just aren't that good
Really good university, with good lecturers and resources. Be careful with where you choose to live though, do your research !!
Aber is the Welsh Cambridge....fact
I still live there... that's say it all really. The best years of my life and it really prepared me for adulthood and the big bad job world. I'm successful in my career now and I have Aberystwyth University to thank for that.
Aberystwyth is an absolutely amazing university. The courses that I and friends study are varied, interesting, and engaging. So many different clubs and societies to join and all have incredibly friendly students running them. Internet isn't the best, and it's not the easiest place to get a job, but it is in an absolutely beautiful area of the UK as a whole, with lots of pubs and nightlife. Love it.
The Theatre, Film and Television Studies department supports it's students throughout the three years and even after they have graduated. The staff are friendly and approachable and so encouraging.
Amazing place everyone's friendly and helpful, staff are always willing to help you if your stuck, courses are well layed out and explained to you before you choose one. Wide variety of module choices for 2nd and 3rd year to help get into what your interested in. The towns brilliant with all your shopping/ eating needs and the place is also on the seafront, whats more to love!
I love my university, it's like a mini family. Everyone in my department is so helpful and the new 'tell us now' system is very useful.
A great, safe laid back university by the sea, with high academic standards in teaching & learning for all students, in my experience as an Economics student, 3 fantastic libraries on it's campuses, & a great social scene.
Aberystwyth is unlike any other university, the number of societies for a small town is amazing. The people are great and the beach!
I had a great time. Lots of great teaching. Lots of practical experience. Lots of help to get a job. A great start to my career.
Clubs and societies are great. SU is cheap but skint. Wifi works. Career opportunities are limited because it's a student town. Campus is constantly in scaffolding and grey but there's always multiple computer rooms open.
I love this place, best decision I ever made!! Love the facilities and it's in a beautiful town, joined a great club and made loads of friends.
Tutor off sick during my dissertation, therefore left without a tutor for the rest of the year. Plagiarism system is crap and provides no first step such as a warning. First year brilliant although tutor useless at teaching. Field trip great. Student union expensive. Some buildings need an update. Sports centre prices are expensive even for its own students. Parking is limited. Feedback on work takes ages.
Really nice place to study! The staff for my department (earth sciences) are great, and are willing to help at all times. The town itself is lively, with two beaches to relax on which is always a bonus. There are many places to visit locally of interest, which you can get to by train or bus with ease. The national library of Wales is a minutes walk from campus, which is free to use for students, a very handy tool for assignments. Overall I would recommend Aberystwyth university as a place of study, a truly great place!
Aberystwyth University has everything to suit ones needs and aspirations. Brilliant facilities particularly the student union and both libraries. I have loved my first year and I can't wait to return in September!
I had an amazing 3 years at uni! Really don't want to leave Aber! It's a brilliant place to study, the improvements made to the uni throughout my study are continuing in the many years to come to make it even better! A wonderful location and friendly atmosphere! Everyone seems to know everyone because of all the societies and clubs. If you don't fall in love with Aber and don't recognise ever other person you see on campus or in town you haven't got involved enough!
Really enjoying my time at Aber so far, such a great town and amazing people there! My course is really interesting and I've learnt a lot in my first year! Finding myself missing the place over summer! Bring on second year!
It's an epic uni in an absolutely fantastic location, and it has the National Library of Wales literally on it's doorstep. That's not an exaggeration at all, campus is on top of a hill and slightly lower down beneath the uni is the library, I don't know what else to tell you. Also the History Society is the absolute best!!
What I like best is its location by the sea with fantastic views all the time, the people I got to know were all so friendly and helpful, before I'd started at uni I had wanted to come to Aberystwyth for many years, safe to say I had the time of my life
Aberystwyth University is definitely the uni for me. I couldn't be happier with the beauty of the seaside town and the students are so friendly. The clubs and societies are amazing and open to all abilities meaning there's something for everyone!
Internet is just awful and inconsistent, it has significantly reduced my video game time to about 4 hours which still infuriates me, but everything else is fantastic but expensive (compared to Birmingham prices if that helps)
Careers are rude but other than that everything is fantastic
Lovely place amazing people and location
A great choice of activities, big halls and accommodations, friendly staff
Great selection of clubs/ societies however the union isn't fantastic, it tries to create events and an atmosphere but due to the size of the building and budget the events aren't plentiful.
Lovely location with good facilities Warm and friendly, everyone knows each other and is a real community
This is honestly really good for such a small town.
Enjoying my time here
Great location, good atmosphere.
The union isn't great, but that's just due to funding.
Plenty of good clubs to choose from. Difficult to be in a sports team if you don't fancy getting drunk every wednesday.
Plenty of societies and sports clubs to be involved in, the campus is pretty with lots of green spaces and communal areas.
Really enjoy the uni, a few issues but nothing major, the societies are awesome
There's no place on Earth like Aber, beside the homicidal seagulls it's a brilliant place to live and study!
Good uni for social interaction
Great array of activities for students in a town so small that you have to make your own entertainment. ABER Rag put on the best socials, not forgetting the May Ball. Space Female of the Species were our grad ball headline act.
Decent but the locals are pretty inbred
the Union could do with updating and better events
Overall a decent uni could do with modernising alot of stuff
One of the greatest unis in the country and a lovely town to live in too
overall a satisfactory university. No more, no less
Not the most lively Union
I couldn't have found a better university. I love living in Aber, and I love the uni. We are a relatively small uni, but for the size they try and do their best for us.
Campus is reasonable, union is nice for pool and big sports games. IBERS cafe is good for food just very pricey.
Universities campus provides a good service!
Great uni, no problems
Facilities situation is getting silly, not enough places to train so using roads to run on at night, AstroTurf is a safety hazard!
Great uni, great people, wonderful scenery, plenty to do. Can't fault it.
Excellent accommodation
A fantastic close knit community in an amazingly beautiful place. A surprisingly vibrant social life is possible.
Really nice town, very safe for living. University have various of schemes and courses which cant be easily found anywhere else!
Very subdued but peaceful and nice place to be
People slate this university and I'm not sure why, I can't imagine being anywhere else!
You have to travel a bit to get a job that's not retail. The accommodation is s*** at uni, and they didn't help me at all when I had a problem with my flat/flatmates. The private accommodation is extremely high for the s*** you get. You have to dish out 600 for a one bedroom flat that's not completely run down. Only way to live semi -reasonable is in a massive house share. My department was really good, though (Criminology). Teachers amazing, understanding, kind, helpful and very intelligent.
Very good all round facilities, occasional wifi problems
Lovely seaside town, but halls are not brilliant in the first year.
Great uni, everyone is welcoming!
Very good, enjoyed it very much
It is amazing and got me a amazing job so who can say bad things about it
Not a lot wrong with Aberystwyth University really, its a warm and welcoming place, the Union isn't fantastic but town compensates on that with interest!
I absolutely love Aber. Plus there's Wifi pretty much EVERYWHERE.
I love spending time on campus as you get the most amazing views. The union is a great place to drink if you live on campus and fancy a cheap night.
Not too bad, nice area to live in
Overall the uni buildings are dated and look ugly but the majority are renovated inside and are to a good standard, however some would be better just knocking down and starting over.
Great atmosphere, beautiful area, awesome people.
Just finished my first year there and I loved it! Can't wait to get back in a few weeks!!
absolutely loved it here! Best uni ever!
Absolutely loved my three years here, great student community within the town!
Aberystwyth is a picturesque university, with a supporting standard which excellent, Accomadation is based all around the town and with new facilities being built we all look forward to using them.
It's been a good time and the tutors for my department have been amazing, but little can be said for the accommodation on campus.
Okay uni, bit run down and old fashioned, need better communication and staff to check emails more and seem more approachable if you have an issue.
Good lot of people.
All of the lecturers are a great help and all assignments are returned on time.
Aber is one of the most unique and fun places I've ever been. There is nowhere like it. Not as daunting and busy as a city uni, but without the shops, yet not as isolated as a campus uni, without the want to hide yourself from civilisation in some strange student only cult. It's got a lovely coastline and a great nightlife. Whilst there may be no maccies for a mile and it's in desperate need of a nandos, there is plenty of cheek to go around without it.
Excellent atmosphere, beautiful town as well. An excellent variety of activities to do. Excellent night life, if you're into pubs more than clubs!
Experience was positive overall
Great uni, ignore the stupid leaderboard stuff they mean absolutely nothing.
Fave place in the world
Please sack the secretary that caused our tables to drop :(
I absolutely love Aberystwyth! The people are lovely, my lecturers are great, approachable and helpful, and the location is beautiful (once you get past the horrendous hill!) I have never regretted my decision to go to Aber. It's my home! I love it!
A close, safe town, thriving with friends. Exciting course with awesome prospects for the future!
Love it. SU can be improved but best year if my life hands down.
My current experience at this university is a positive one.
Beautiful , lots to do, tonnes of activities , personal and helpful university.
A great place to study. Was really helped by the staff when I needed help the most
Amazing place with wonderful lecturers who go the extra mile. It maybe out of the way but Aber has everything you need and makes you feel right at home
If you are thinking of coming here, don't. It's not a bad place but If you ever have a problem, don't expect it to get solved. Expect bull**** charges for no reason and overcharged accommodation. It's no surprise that it's student satisfaction is plummeting.
It's an amazing uni right by the beach and perfect for anyone with a will to study hard without too many distractions but just enough to do to keep you sane. Definitely not for the city types, however the uni and location has a lot to offer. Uni management is horrendous...
Best place ever! Staff are so attentive and the town is beautiful.
AU is one of the most suitable universities for studying as there are not many things to distract you.
Aberystwyth is a great university, it has the National Library of Wales next to the campus and therefore the town with the most books per person in the country...which counters the fact we also have the most pubs per head! It has beautiful scenery and a beach. The town also has a great community feel however be warned it is not a huge place and you will bump into people you know all the time!
Great uni, lovely atmosphere, a really nice place to be
Amazing facilities. New accommodation is to die for. Amazing wifi access and there are so many local jobs going in the town
student Union isn't great but it doesn't need to be town is amazing!
Great town, dispicable institution
God love this place
Website is broken, can't review staff, but I'd give them 2 stars.
Staff aren't helpful at all.
i said 1 * for the students union but there should be a -* because it is TERRIBLE.
The Internet is dreadful, the university itself though is great.
Much underrated university and does not deserve the criticism it's been given from university rankings!
Great university in a great town, even if everything is on a hill
great university!! Miss the place everyday
Accommodation office are awful and shouldn't have jobs. The Union need to sort it out and work with advertising and marketing to push events and make them worth while.
Great University... shame about all the negative publicity...
A very personal university with a great student atmosphere
It has has appaling facilities. I once had a 30 person practical with only 2 fume cupboards between us.
Amazing place and people it depends how much you want to get involved really
the area is so boring !! They need more things to do there msye nandos or Pizza Hut haha
Don't waste your time.
STUDENT UNION: Food and Drink should be cheaper - meal deal is a good idea though! INTERNET: Random moments when the internet crashes altogether.
I really love Lord of the Rings
Not much to do in the town besides get drunk, not a wide variety of societies within the uni but you have to pay quite a lot of money to join them