I got into Swansea through clearing, and have loved every minute of it. The staff, facilities, location and other students make the university. I felt very daunted about the prospect of moving to uni, but the small student population, and the small city made it very easy to settle in. I originally loved the uni, but didn't apply due to their high entry grades. When I didn't get into my first or second uni choices, I phoned and enquired about places through clearing. The staff I spoke to were really lovely and confirmed my place at the uni starting in 2012. I would highly recommend living on campus for your first year if possible, although I lived in the student village and enjoyed it also. When moving out of the university accommodation, students generally rent properties in Brynmill or Uplands (10-15 minutes walk from the uni). The cost of living is very cheap compared to most university's so that's a bonus. Getting around the city is very easy with buses going from the student village to campus, then Tesco, and finally to the train station. If you prefer to walk, the city centre is a 30 minute walk along the beach from campus, and the student village is a 35-40 minute walk from campus. I study Geography and find the staff very friendly and helpful. Swansea Uni offer an open door policy in most of their departments so if you ever have an issue staff are easy to get hold of. In my second year, I was required to take a compulsory field trip module, which the uni heavily subsided due to the rise in tuition fees to £9000/year. This meant that the field trip to Mallorca, which would have costed £350+, was free. P.S. Don't worry, not everyone speaks Welsh :)

Coming to Swansea University was the best decision of my life. Im only a fresher but Swansea already feels like home and settling in hasn't been a problem. The night life is amazing with something going on every night and it is very cheap! There are plenty of things to do in Swansea and it is the second university in the world closest to the beach. There is a real sense of community here and the lecturers are all willing to help. The city is great and a highlight of the academic year would be the Welsh Varsity where Swansea vs Cardiff universities compete in a rugby match at the millennium Stadium in Cardiff!