10 reasons to study in Wales

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Choosing which university to go to can be a difficult decision to make and there may be a few different places you’d like to live. The unis on offer in Wales include Cardiff University, Swansea University and Bangor University among others. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of studying in the land of dragons and what it has to offer you...

1. Beautiful beaches

image via rough guides

Wales is surrounded by coastline on three sides so there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be attending a university near a beach.

Both Swansea and Aberystwyth have their own beaches, plus Bangor, Cardiff and Newport are all a stone’s throw away from the coast. Despite being inland, Carmarthen, Lampeter and Wrexham aren’t too far away from the sea either. Basically, any university you choose to attend in Wales is, at the most, a bus ride away from a beach.

2. Beautiful selection of castles

image via walesonline

If climbing up a steep hill to see a part of Wales’s rich history is your thing, then it’s really worth considering Wales as a university choice.

There’s Cardiff Castle (with free entry for Cardiff residents), Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech, Castell Coch, Dinefwr, Laugharne, Llansteffan, Oystermouth and so many more.

3. Breathtaking countryside

image via partyof.wales

There are a lot of mountains in Wales, and there’s always a great view to be had once you’ve climbed them. There may be more sheep than you’re probably used to on the way up, but if you’re looking for places with amazing views, such as Llyn y Fan Fach, then you won’t find any better than in Wales.

4. Amazing food

image via britishfood

If you’ve never tried Welsh cakes before then you’re missing out. They’re a flat cake filled with sultanas and they’re great with a bit of butter. Bara brith is another Welsh delicacy - it’s a cake soaked in tea - and it goes really well with a cuppa. Basically all cake in Wales is good.

5. A chance to learn a new language

image via visitwales

All right, everyone in Wales speaks English, but that’s no excuse not to experience the Welsh language if you want to. At the very least, you can impress all your friends back home with a few choice phrases, such as ’popty ping’, the slang word for microwave or ‘Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch’ if you’re feeling adventurous. You’ll be surprised at what you pick up and how quickly you can speak the lingo and impress your friends back home!

6. Dragons appear on the national flag

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That’s right! We might not be in Game of Thrones but if you’re looking for another country with dragons as part of its culture then you won’t find it.

Plus, there’s all the celtic mythology. Mabinogion folk stories featuring a man’s 40 impossible tasks before he marries someone he hasn’t even met, or a dead man’s talking head, feature as part of Wales’s history.

7. There are a lot of Welsh celebrities

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Did you know that Cerys Matthews, Catherine Zeta Jones, Aneurin Barnard, Taron Egerton, Ioan Gruffudd, Christian Bale, Michael Sheen and Ruth Jones were all born or brought up in Wales? Wales definitely has their pick of the A-list talent!

8. Cardiff is the capital city

image via eventeem

And what a great capital city to have. There's plenty of culture, a great music scene (Clwb Ifor Bach, which likes to promote Welsh artists with low key shows, is a definite must-visit), the Swn music festival and Cardiff Bay. Some BBC shows are also filmed in Cardiff, among them Casualty and Doctor Who.

9. Prominent arts scene

image via cardiffstudentmedia

The arts scene is huge across Wales. There’s the Dylan Thomas Centre and the Taliesin Arts Centre in Swansea, the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth and plenty of theatres in Cardiff, including the Sherman Cymru, the New Theatre and Chapter Arts Centre. The Wales Millennium Centre is worth a visit too.

10. Rugby

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The Welsh are big fans of their rugby so if you’re into your sports, then Wales is definitely a place you’ll love. There’s a real camaraderie on match days, especially if Wales is playing at the Principality Stadium, but make sure you don’t try and catch a train at the same time as the emerging crowds. You’ll be waiting for hours!

If you're thinking of going to university in at one of Wales' unis, you can't go wrong. Each one has its own unique appeal, a wide range of courses and you'll have access to everything we've just mentioned. If that wasn't enough to convince you, maybe you'll want to learn more about some of Wales' uni cities and what they have to offer students:

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10 reasons to study in Wales

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