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The overall ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a 2026 Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs for short).
5.04.04.63494 Student reviews
Sort:Latest reviewsSince starting I have made quite a few enquiries through the student portal and have been incredibly impressed with how quickly I receive a response. This is incredible helpful as it means I have one less thing to worry about. There are so many different places to study, the centre for student life is lovely and open and a more sociable space, in contrast the main building reading room is often near to silent and is very good for more focused studying. I think the university has a good range of study spaces to accomodate the large number of students. If I could suggest any improvements I think my main concern would be the signage in some of the buildings, it is not a major issue as most buildings have a reception of sorts where the people are very knowledgeable and happy to help you navigate. However, it can be a little daunting to ask for help in your first few weeks. Although I am studying law I am yet to have any classes in the law building, so I have had to navigate through many different buildings and it has given me a bit of anxiety about turning up late to my classes.
The university has good facilities, even some of the older and outdated looking buildings (e.g. the library) still has good facilities inside. The university promotes work experience well, and provides lots of services to make it accessible and set people up to pass interviews etc. The university responds well to a lot of the feedback it recieves, such as introducing free period products in the majority of bathrooms throughout campus. The worst parts of the university experience is probably the handling of the staff and course cuts, even though I was out on placement last year when the worst of it happened, some of the effects are still noticable. It has definitely impacted the teaching staff and this the impacts the teaching of the courses.
Lots of different study spaces, good collaborative workspaces, good facilities and online services. greater sense of community within the course
I love how supportive the staff and lecturers are! You can tell they really care about their teaching and their students. But, the lack of funding (and subsequent course cuts and job cuts) and the centralisation of a lot of services, such as timetabling, has been a mess, and leaves a sour impression of the higher ups.
It’s a very nice university, and the staff and teaching is fantastic. It would be improved if the Vice Chancellor doesn’t keep scaring many staff and students with the threat of getting rid of many courses, and removes the current lingering redundancy threats.
The best is the student life, location, and how hard the students union works to make sure students are happy and fulfilled with all the tools they need. The worst is the residence life - every building has issues like mould and pests that are really annoying. I also wish more study spaces were available especially outside working hours and during exam periods.
Lectures are difficult to understand and are not very engaging but the online resources are very helpful.
Nice friendly vibe. It’s very inclusive towards all types of people. My building (the school of law and politics) is a bit outdated but other spaces to study are nice. Good sport options and activities to do outside of study. Very nicely located next to the city centre.
Campus feels old and run down
I think the best uni experience is what the student union offers. There are so many options like going on trips to different cities or taking part in a society. I dont realy have any bad experiences regarding my uni experience.
Great study spaces
There is a range of really good facilities - study spaces, libraries, kitchens, etc. the student union is an amazing place to go to both for work and relaxation. there are so many extracurriculars offered by the university that help balancing life and university. to improve the wellbeing/counseling waiting list is so long i only got given an appointment 3 months after i had originally applied. i think it would be important to work out a more efficient system.
I have really enjoyed the student life as there is always something to do at the university and the SU has a real homely feel. The libraries that are 24/7 have also been helpful for me getting my assignments finished on time and the librarians have been helpful in helping me find books around the library. I would like there to be a wider selection of books available on the library search as I'm not always able to find books and also the timetabling issues which took me to the wrong seminar location on more than one occasion.
Closeness between staff and students
lots of support, lots of study spaces, timetabling needs improving to stop last minute building changes and back to back lectures in different places
I think it is possible to have more information about the activities organised by the Give IT A Go. I have lost some of them because I was not aware on time. Also, the timetable could be uploaded earlier.
18-24 years
First gen student
Cardiff University has been good in supporting me wherever needed. The staff have always been helpful and friendly. The main university and SU are in a great area for socialisation with lots of amenities. However, the healthcare courses are a bit further out. If I were to improve anything, I would like consistency with the timetabling .
I really enjoy all my lectures - the lecturers are so engaging and willing to answer any questions! It is in a great location being very walkable and also close to the city and lots of beautiful parks.
4.5
The lectures and content is really well structured. The course is great because you can go into it without a background in psychology and come out with a degree. The staff are supportive, the mix of lectures and seminars are engaging. The su has loads of different spaces, from a pub to a quiet space to a sofa. I like how the campus is integrated into the city, makes me feel like a Cardiff resident, not just a student. The mental health support has been good, although waiting lists as always have been a problem. The low income bursary is so so useful, generally the financial support the uni provides is really great. There could be more done to ensure student safety and some more accessible life support, like finding a new house with new people, coping with everyday life.
It's really great because you can come into the course with no background and come out with a degree, it's very accessible. The mix of lectures and seminars keeps it interesting and engaging. Although the mandatory modules in first and second year was annoying because not everyone was interested in each module, it made sense to build a strong knowledge base for us to then specialise into the modules and areas we wanted to, because it provided the opportunity for us to find a new topic we may not have previously considered.
I had bed bugs when I first moved in, my room was tiny compared to other people's, we had so many pest problems in the house that we had to sort out independently, appliances broke all the time. We didn't have a washing machine so had to use circuit laundry and that was really inconvenient and expensive. The location was really good and the rent was cheap.