What Students Say
Likes
- They provide end to end support for International students as the students adjusting to a different educational structure can be challenging. They have some dedicated resources particularly workshops on essay writing, citing & referencing sources, and even adjusting to local academic expectations.
- Each and every student will be assigned an individual mentor. Where they provide guidance especially to international students related to academic, social, and even career. This helps an individual to bridge the gap between feeling like a newcomer to becoming a fully united part of the university.
- University organises a career fair every quarter of the year. Where more than 100 international, national companies take part and guide students regarding challenges like sponsorship, visa regulations, cultural differences in job-hunting practices. The Employability team helps you in building your resume/ CV, skills or what type of international experiences to highlight to national employers and they even have a largely connected global alumni network that itself says everything.
Dislikes
- The bad thing about the university is that it’s located in a small city, Swansea might not offer the same level of networking opportunities, or big-city lifestyle that places like London, Manchester, or Cardiff provide. For instance, I feel that the local job market would be less active than in major metropolitan cities, requiring students to travel way far for certain career opportunities.
- Although the university has many societies and clubs for students, the range of extracurricular activities might not be as extensive as what is found at Universities such as Kings College of London, London School of Economics, and this could even lead to students seeking very specific interests or hobbies.
- A notable trend is that more affiliated institutions have larger conferences, seminars and guest speaker and workshop programs with more influential and professional companies. Also, it is possible that events of such high profile placements as well as competition may not be as vigorous in Swansea which may reduce opportunities for interaction and learning.
Course Curriculum
- Course curriculum follows a master level pattern which means they want you to read articles, journals and books and take part in seminars to show your engagement.
- There are up to 2 classes per week in the second trimester and maximum of 9 classes in a week in the first trimester and third trimester.
- University itself offers part time employment opportunities, voluntary services, and has an employability hub which helps you in finding part time and sponsorship jobs in the UK. They offer resume/ CV building classes and one to one sessions for students.
Admission Experience
- I applied for a total of 6 universities in the UK, including Swansea University, Cardiff University, University of Birmingham, Leicester University, University of Nottingham, and the University of Bath.
- All of these institutions are best known for their academic programs and reputations all over, which made them perfect options for my postgraduate studies. Taking into account that my focus was to choose a university that not only matched my career goals but also offered support & guidance for international students especially from India. Luckily, I received conditional offers from all the universities I applied to, reflecting the alignment of my experience, academic background and inclination with their entry requirements.
- Receiving conditional offers meant that each university was prepared to accept me, provided I met specific criteria, that was clearing Ielts Exam 7 band average and not less than 6.5 in any of the tests, other than this I was supposed to sit for the Interview for a successful scholarship of 50% or more. I carefully considered all the factors such as program structure, university rankings, campus facilities, affordable fees, living expenses and scholarships criteria while deciding where to enroll.
- There were several factors based on which I made my decision to go for Swansea University.
Firstly, the intake played an important role in my decision. Maximum universities offered a September intake, while only two provided the option to start in January. Swansea University’s & Cardiff University January intake fitted better with my personal schedule.
I chose Swansea University for various convincing reasons that made it the most suitable choice for my postgrad course. One of the primary factors was the 50% scholarship other than the cost of living in Swansea in Wales, which is less compared to other cities where I received offers. Cities like Birmingham, Nottingham, and Bath have higher living costs. - I applied for January intake because after quitting my job I was looking for an option to study abroad as soon as possible. The admission process including CAS, IELTS, DEPOSIT, INTERVIEW, VISA, VISA INTERVIEW and loan process took 2 months. I started searching and applying for Universities in mid August 2023. It took me 2-3 weeks to receive offers from universities. Deadline for acceptance of the offer or to convert the conditional offer to unconditional is again 2-3 weeks.
Faculty
- I admire Ellie Ismalgoliva (Senior Professor) the most of all. She has had a wonderful journey of being once a student and today module coordinator in University.
- Average number of students in Lectures depend on modules in some you may have 100 or even 500 few subjects. Seminars have almost 30-40 students maximum.
- 25-30% of Indians are enrolled in the University and approx the same in my course.
- Each and everything taught in Lectures are repeated in Seminars and students are asked to take part and get engaged so that they can have confidence in public speaking, presentation skills, etc.
Campus Life
- Swansea University has two campuses: Bay and Singleton. Bay Campus offers management, data science, and engineering programmes, while Singleton Campus offers courses in law, healthcare, medicine, criminology, psychology, and more, with over 50 programs.
- The university provides free sports facilities and on-site medical services, including one of the biggest inside university which is Singleton Hospital under the NHS.
- Celebration of cultural diversity is done, with emphasis on remembering important dates such as Easter, Christmas, Diwali, and Eid. Helping students build their careers, career fairs, trip to Parliament, and collaboration with IIM Shillong as a part of the International Immersion Program were organized. The student union also coordinates a number of country-specific committees to ensure everyone’s participation.
Part Time Jobs
- Students who successfully complete a dissertation with distinction grades are offered a research degree (PHD) by the University. And while studying a student is offered an assistant post for practical experience. Initially the pay range is on hourly basis but once you are trained and superior sees good progress in you they might offer you a monthly salary with sponsorship.
- Maximum hours allowed for a tier 4 are 20 as per the UKVI guidelines.
- It’s easy to secure a part time job on campus as they have an employment zone, student circus, and other activity hiring platforms for international students.
- Students generally earn around £10 to £11.44 per hour but there are few students earning more than the base rate. Some enjoy a pay rate of more than £12.5. It’s easy for a student to get a part time job while studying but he/she should be actively looking for the jobs. Usually a student can get a part time job from indeed as well but if he/she faces difficulty then walk-ins are preferred.
Placement
- 80-85% of graduating students get jobs after 5-6 months of completing their course but are not provided the sponsorship as recruiters are facing difficulty due to new UK government visa guidelines.
- Minimum salary of GBP 23,500 to maximum salary of GBP 54,000 annually can be provided to a graduate student after completing post graduate course.
- After completing graduation students find jobs through the university's own job portal, Alumni reference network, and other job portals available out there, and even Walk ins are considered.
- Recently last week we had our career fair where big companies like JLR, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Volkswagen, PwC, KPMG, Barclays, HSBC and other major companies visited the campus explained the process of conquering assessment and interview process, what skills they are looking for in resume/CV of students and suggested tips for Graduate placement roles available.
Accommodation
- I am living in Student accommodation provided by the university itself. There were no challenges in finding accommodation. Everything is available online on university portals and renting websites.
- My monthly rent is £410 for a large 26m square studio shared by 2 students. Best accommodation in Swansea.
- Students should go for accommodation based on their budget, sharing preferences, & dietary habits (whether veg/non-veg). For those with no specific requirements, low-cost rooms are available for around £250.
Exams
- I was required to undertake the IELTS EXAM as a part of the English language requirement.
- The documents required for the successful admission were:
1. Education documents (10, 12, Bachelors, or if any master)
2. Experience if any
3. Minimum 2 LOR from institution, employer.
4. Resume
5. SOP of minimum 500 words stating your purpose and what skill will you attain with this degree.
Fees
- Total fees: £20,600 for the course
- Scholarship: £8,000 (Bursary + Hardship Funding + Experience based reduction in fees), After Scholarship: £12,800
- Accommodation: £410/ Monthly
- All other Expenses: £135/ Monthly. Further segregated: Food: £80, Recharge: £5, Bus: £50
- Fees is to be paid in 3 installments: 50%: Feb, Once you land in the UK and start your lecture, 25%: June, after completion of the First trimester, 25%: Sept, before the start of the third trimester.
Scholarship
- Swansea University offers many scholarships and financial aid based on need, experience, skills to support students from diverse backgrounds. Some of the notable scholarships include: Chevening Scholarship, this prestigious scholarship provides full financial support to outstanding students who have demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to making a positive impact in their home country. But there is one backdrop of this scholarship that you can’t go for a Post study work visa or sponsorship visa under this.
- The university is also offering scholarships specifically for students with significant professional experience in their chosen field of study. These scholarships aim to attract students who can bring practical insights to their academic field.
- University also has bursaries that vary depending on the student’s country of residence. These bursaries are designed to make education more accessible to international students, and the amounts can differ based on factors specific to each country.
- For students who demonstrate a strong passion for entrepreneurship, Swansea University offers scholarships and grants that can help fund their education. And universities can even provide financial support or investment in business ideas for students who show promise as innovative entrepreneurs.
- Hardship funding is also an option for students facing financial difficulties or are unable to cover their living expenses/ cost due to unforeseen circumstances or other commitments.















