Are you thinking about going to university? If you are, then you’ll know that when deciding which uni is right for you, there are lots of things to consider…
You might be wondering which uni has the best courses and lecturers. Or you might be more concerned with which uni offers the best social life. Or perhaps, if you're already thinking about the future, you might be asking which uni has the best job prospects.
Whatever is important to you in making your choice, we have the answers - as we reveal the shortlist for the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2019 (or the WUSCAs, as we like to call them)!
The WUSCAs are our annual celebration of the best universities in the UK – as voted for by the people that really matter: students!
This year, our dedicated student review team travelled a whopping 43,000 miles across the UK and collected a record 41,811 reviews from current students – who didn’t hold back in telling us exactly what they think about their university experience!
We calculated the results of those reviews, alongside the thousands more left by students right here, to find which uni has been voted the best in 13 of our 15 categories.
The winners of the other two awards will be judged by our very own Student Advisory Board, made up of current Y12, Y13, and university students.
So, who’s been nominated for a WUSCA this year? Let’s find out…
University of the Year
This is it. The ‘Big Daddy’ of the awards. This is for the university that students have told us really goes above and beyond in all aspects of student life.
The nominees are…
- Aberystwyth University
- Bangor University
- Edge Hill University
- Harper Adams University
- Leeds Arts University
- Loughborough University
- Nottingham Trent University
- Royal Agricultural University
- Swansea University
- University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Accommodation
This award is for the uni that students believe gives them the best ‘home away from home’, in which to eat, sleep, study, and party (and occasionally do some washing up!) in.
The nominees are…
- Aberystwyth University
- Aston University
- Bangor University
- Bishop Grosseteste University
- Edge Hill University
- Lancaster University
- Leeds Arts University
- Loughborough University
- Norwich University of the Arts
- University of Worcester
City Life
From museums to nightclubs, shopping centres to restaurants, beautiful architecture to the great outdoors… this is for the uni that students have told us gives them the best opportunities to live their best life.
The nominees are…
- Cardiff University
- King's College London
- Liverpool Hope University
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Newcastle University
- Northumbria University
- Nottingham Trent University
- University of Bristol
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Glasgow
Clubs & Societies
This award is for the uni that students say gives them the best and most varied ways to meet new people, learn new skills, and have some fun.
The nominees are…
- Aberystwyth University
- Bangor University
- Durham University
- Loughborough University
- Swansea University
- University of Cambridge
- University of Exeter
- University of Glasgow
- University of Leeds
- University of Southampton
Course & Lecturers
The quality of teaching and delivery of courses and assessments means a lot to the students who sent us their reviews. This award recognises those that students told us do a really great job.
The nominees are…
- Harper Adams University
- Hartpury University
- Newman University
- Norwich University of the Arts
- Plymouth Marjon University
- Swansea University
- University of Bolton
- University of Chichester
- University of Suffolk
- University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Job Prospects
Because getting a good job is one of the main -if not the main - reasons why you go to uni in the first place. This award is for the uni that students believe offers them the best chance of success after graduation.
The nominees are…
- Bangor University
- Edge Hill University
- Harper Adams University
- Hartpury University
- Loughborough University
- Royal Agricultural University
- Swansea University
- University of Bath
- University of Cambridge
- University of Oxford
Student Support
Your time at university has the potential to be some of the best years of your life. But it’s not always plain sailing. This is the award for the uni that students have told us offers them the best support through the good and bad times.
The nominees are…
- Bangor University
- Bishop Grosseteste University
- Edge Hill University
- Harper Adams University
- Hartpury University
- Leeds Arts University
- Loughborough University
- Swansea University
- University of Chichester
- University of Sunderland
Students’ Union
From organising events, giving you a place to meet new people, having your back when things go wrong and fighting for your student rights, a students’ union is at the heart of any uni. This award is for the SU students told us is the best.
The nominees are…
- Buckinghamshire New University
- Cardiff University
- Loughborough University
- Nottingham Trent University
- University of Chester
- University of Chichester
- University of Dundee
- University of Essex
- University of Leeds
- University of Sheffield
Uni Facilities
From hi-spec science labs to state-of-the-art sports centres – facilities are one of the key things that prospective students look for when choosing where to study. This award is for the uni students think has the best facilities for student learning.
The nominees are…
- Arts University Bournemouth
- Edge Hill University
- Harper Adams University
- Hartpury University
- Leeds Arts University
- Loughborough University
- Norwich University of the Arts
- Nottingham Trent University
- University of Dundee
- University of Leeds
International
This is the award for the uni that international students have told us has made their life in a new country a really positive experience.
The nominees are…
- Aberystwyth University
- Arts University Bournemouth
- Bangor University
- Buckinghamshire New University
- Edge Hill University
- Loughborough University
- Nottingham Trent University
- Swansea University
- University of Sunderland
- University of Worcester
Postgraduate
This award recognises the uni that postgraduate students reviewed as offering the best all-round courses, facilities, accommodation, lifestyle, and student support.
The nominees are…
- Aberystwyth University
- Bangor University
- Bournemouth University
- Loughborough University
- Nottingham Trent University
- Swansea University
- University of Southampton
- University of South Wales
- University of Stirling
- University of Worcester
Independent HE
This award is for the best all-round private university across all areas of student life, according to the students who left their reviews.
The nominees are…
- The Academy of Contemporary Music
- Arden University
- dBs Music
- Escape Studios
- Futureworks
- Leeds College of Music
- Mont Rose College of Management and Sciences
- Norland College
- Oxford Business College
- Point Blank Music School
Giving Back
This award recognises the university that not only make a huge positive impact on their students’ lives, but on their local community too. This award will be judged by the Whatuni Student Advisory Board.
The nominees are…
- The Academy of Contemporary Music
- Bangor University
- Birkbeck, University of London
- Cardiff University
- Harper Adams University
- University of Huddersfield
- Newcastle University
- Norland College
- Ulster University
- University of Stirling
Further Education College
This award recognises the colleges that students tell us offers a supportive and engaging learning environment for degree level courses.
The nominees are…
- Blackpool and the Fylde College
- Bridgend College
- College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London
- DN Colleges Group
- Leeds City College
- Middlesbrough College
- Sandwell College
- Solihull College & University Centre
- UCEN Manchester
- West Herts College
Prospective Student Engagement
This award is for the uni that has communicated with prospective students in the most creative, yet supportive way and made their transition in to uni life as easy as possible. This award will be judged by the Whatuni Student Advisory Board.
The nominees are…
- Arden University
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- Heriot-Watt University
- Plymouth College of Art
- Southampton Solent University
- University of Birmingham
- University of Exeter
- University of Glasgow
- University of Gloucestershire
- University of Winchester
We wish all the nominees the best of luck! The winners will be crowned at The Whatuni Student Choice Awards ceremony on Thursday 25th April.
If you attend, or are thinking of going to one of the shortlisted universities, give them a shout out by sharing this article. For further WUSCA updates, and to find out who wins what on the night, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. #WUSCA.
And if you want to read all those lovely (and not so lovely!) student reviews the WUSCAs are based on, step right this way…