Amazing location! I had never been to Newcastle or anywhere nearby before but the uni is in a very convenient place with lots of accommodation options (often cheap in comparison to other cities) nearby and the city is great with the beach and other towns and nearby cities very easy to get to via metro or train. Sports centre/gym good with helpful staff, can be a bit overcrowded as with anywhere but not impossible to work around. Variety of sports and clubs with something for everyone to get involved with (both casual and competitive) with new clubs regularly being created. Libraries and study spaces are excellent with lots of options across campus and they also run useful workshops and drop ins as well.

My course is very good and, particularly the 1st year engineers, are well supported with regular student rep meetings with lecturers and other staff to solve any issues and give feedback. The facilities are good, if anything, slightly overcrowded. I believe most/all 1st year engineers are given a computer tablet in induction week which is really useful if you have no alternative device to use, but the computer labs are also good and the uni computer applications and files can also be accessed virtually from your own computer through a website the uni uses. New Stephenson building is a great place to work with a makerspace and 3 computer labs as well. Most engineering lecturers are good and all are friendly and willing to help. Lots of opportunities available advertised by the department and neighbouring ones. Some budget cuts to the department do less PHD student helpers in labs but I believe most unis/departments are facing these sorts of problems. All of my teaching hours have been in person with occasional online drop in sessions or supplementary videos.

Portland green isn’t an on campus hall but I applied for it through the university’s accommodation system and I think it is still an option this year. Location isn’t too far from the university but in first year it would have been nicer to be on campus but it was still easily walkable. My block always felt very safe as the main block with 24/7 reception/security at reception and multiple locked doors to get through until your room. Wifi was really good don’t think the ethernet port in my room worked but I never asked about fixing it as the wifi was so good I didn’t need it in the end. Fairly good value for money with only 5 in my flat so not too busy/squashed in kitchen, etc. En-suite as well was nice for first year. Think I paid around £148 a week? A couple of staff were very friendly and nice, especially one of the maintenance guys who helped us out a lot. Managers were very slow to fix any problems (2 main ones throughout my year there) so you had to constantly be asking and emailing to get anything to be done.

The uni is pretty good, except for their accommodation management. I could not stay in halls, even though I was a first year undergraduate, because I applied late . Rest assured, both the uni and the city are very good. I am quite satisfied with the overall University life in Newcastle.