2,218 Aberystwyth University reviews

Aberystwyth does have a lot going on. When I really scrutinise the ways in which living in a small town can limit the activities available, the only thing I really land on is the lack of an ice rink. It's ridiculous I even care when there isn't one in my home town, I likely wouldn't use it, and sometimes there is a pop-up one over the winter months anyway. Otherwise, Aber has everything most towns have, while also noticeably sustaining many stand-out independent shops, businesses, and restaurants. The town, university facilities, and societies provide more than enough things to do, and I don't find myself getting bored even in my final year. Though, once you get the initial exploration out of the way (which can still take a while!), there's less spontaneity in finding things to do, and it is more about throwing yourself into societies you've always wanted to try. The only common criticism I can concede is that the location and public transport options are quite restrictive. If you need to try some expensive gear before you buy, the nearest shop for it might be two hours away on a train, or you may need to awkwardly plan around the single bus that goes there that day. Also, the winding country roads can make getting from A to B a far larger undertaking than a bird's-eye view would suggest. However, public transport seems very cheap when you consider the amount of distance covered, and you can always plan around the long journeys with travel entertainment. In all, it becomes less a hassle and more a different way of doing things. Also, it's plainly what you sign up for when you move to a town on the coast of Mid Wales, and the only reason the spaghetti-shaped roads exist at all is because of the beautiful landscape that surrounds everything here. In terms of the Student's Union, they facilitates some great events, and it is the foundation that props up all the societies that I love, though I've sometimes been let down by delays in answering some specific queries I've left in their inbox (having been directed there at their advice). As an example, I asked how I fit into sports events as a trans person, and the delay in a reply caused me to miss sign-ups for an event I was interested in, despite the answer otherwise being really positive and considerate. Also, I've had long delays when asking if certain activities count towards the volunteering awards, to the point where it can be difficult to backdate and verify my involvement accurately. I do still hear back eventually (and, again, the answers are always clear and informative), and I appreciate the busyness of the institution and the rareness of my questions, but there is room for improvement. If there was a faster email turnaround, or more/better signposted information available online, that would solve everything that's affected me directly. The student support at Aberystwyth (in a general sense: the Student Support department itself, and also other support-adjacent services like Accommodation and Site Security) is generally excellent, setting such a high bar that it's hard to imagine much better. The wait times are short or instant, the staff are all lovely, and my friends at other universities are consistently shocked at the speed and level of involvement when compared to the services at their own universities. There have been some anomolous anecdotes where the ball has been dropped, however, but note that this is over several years so, relatively, it's still very impressive. In my case, I felt let down in a situation with an abusive housemate, where the solutions offered prefentially sought to move victims before the perpertrator, and overall the speed of effective intervention was less than ideal. The process was unpleasantly drawn-out in spite of reports from several flatmates (i.e. it wasn't just a one-on-one falling-out), but, in spite of this, I still received a lot of support, and I could always reach someone in a pinch.

Good

The best aspect for me would be the opportunity to make friends and meet people from different backgrounds. For me, the worst aspect is the pressure of work.

Good

Pay your lecturers

Best- Staff are Great and facilitates are new Worst -SU are too close to Uni exec team meaning student lack an independent voice

I love the library but it isnalway freezing even with the heaters

Student support dismissed me with non help

Best experiences are the university facilities especially the huge owen ibrary. My worst experience is the hills around the campu, is so exhausting walking around.

Great fellow students and atmosphere with so much to do for such a small town. There is something for everybody! However, the school is located on top of a very high hill while town and any pubs are downhill, making it a hassle to travel between them. The lecturers are alright, though I personally struggle with the shorter lecture times and lack of direct contact with lecturers / large class sizes. The practicals are much more hands on and high quality, though the assignments and expected outside studyis more hands off and self directed. As someone used to lots of homework and access to tutors (something I feel the uni has a lack of or at least does not advertise well), this has been a difficult adjustment for me. The international staff team is kind and responsive (unless you're e-mailing from the states, in which responses can be up to 2 weeks apart), though the university doesn't provide nearly enough amenities or specialized support to warrant charging international students double the tuition of UK national students.