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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).
4.04.32.8209 Student reviews
Sort:Latest reviews18-24 years
The student body consists of a very active and vocal minority of entitled individuals whose opinions, attitudes and barbaric behaviour dominate all other students who consist of a mix of those passionate about there subjects and those who couldn't get in anywhere else, consequently the campus is a hostile place for many, academic standards and expectations are low. If you drink (lots) and went to a private school you are sure to find friends at the RAU, if you don't then you are unlikely to fit in. The campus is very run down with very poor facilities, outdated IT and library resources and amazingly lacking in modern / working equipment. The town is nice but with very little going on and a hostile approach to students with nothing really to do other than drink. The location is a long way from anything and being able to drive is a must as there is no public transport. The student union is ineffective and are only interested in shooting, drinking and rugby and are obsessed with trying to create formal events that nobody goes to and that loose money every year which then results in a large cut to other budgets. Within the last three years there have been incidents involving large numbers of students that have involved police investigations, including racism, homophobia and animal cruelty which have been excused and minimised as there is a fear of upsetting the alumni, who petitioned for the pride flag to be taken down last year.
18-24 years
First gen student
The RAU is set in some of the most resplendent countryside in England. Could there be a better place to study and spend time having fun with friends? The extracurriculars boast a full range from polo to mountaineering and offer a brilliant way to make new, long lasting friendships.
Diversity, Inclusivity, equality could be improved Specialist courses are good
Best : great atmosphere between students of all years, everyone is happy to help Worst: lecturers are generally not willing or ready to help if asked.
Due to the RAU being a smaller university in regards to number of students, there is a strong sense of community and a close knit feel within the school that one would not find in many other establishments. Activities are severely limited in the town and at the University and the meals are almost always subpar.
18-24 years
The student union dose nothing. The student suport is non existed despite it being advertised. I have regularly felt unsafe on campus. If you take this course at this uni you will feel like an outcast
Great campus, have had issues with accommodation however
Best is the lecture topics - some lecturers are bad
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The environment is friendly and the location is great as it’s not too far from centre of town. I would maybe improve the food but overall it is a good place to study.
All in all the academic aspect is very impressive and the student support system is very efficient. As an international student very far from home I was able to find my way around and make the necessary arrangements because of the staff available. However my experience could have been better, the environment does not feel very comfortable for people of colour. I realise that because of the location it’s expected that the locals themselves are predominantly white and British natives, but the uni makes up part of the town’s population particularly in an under 25 age demographic. The RAU can allocate more resources and focus on marketing the school to more people of colour even the ones from within the UK not just internationals it would be a start to help diversify this institution. The pressure of academics is already a lot to deal with as well as the costs that international students face, we would also like to be able to feel comfortable in a space we are leaving and learning in.
18-24 years
The RAU is a niche university that has very specialized courses such as the degree I am doing- Applied Equine Science. The lecturers at my university have become like friends; I have been given valuable experience and taken part in a few research studies that I feel I have advanced so much since I began my degree in 2020. As the university is very small and in a rural setting (obviously, because it is an Agricultural University- it needs an Ag setting) the transport and getting around is very difficult, thus you must own and drive a car! The place has also a bad rep of being 'posh', but it's not like that at all, there's a very mixed background of students. The downside would probably be is that there just isn't that much going on apart from drinking, the sports are very basic and not that serious, it could do with a bit of an improvement. It can get boring and lonely at the campus as well as the town, Cirencester, because it is very small. The facilities aren't that great either- the main building is super old and there has been some mayor leaks and, in some theatres, (Parkinson Lecture Hall) you have to ensure that your laptop is charged for the full 2-hour seminar as you can't plug it in! Overall, three years have flown by and aside from the student life and facilities, anything concerned with studies has been amazing.
Student union needs improvement
18-24 years
n/a
18-24 years
Na
18-24 years
First gen student
Na
18-24 years
Na
18-24 years
First gen student
Na
18-24 years
Na
4.2
18-24 years
Its a super friendly university, everyone is always very welcoming and accommodating. Absolutely beautiful location and the facilities we have both on and off site are fab. Our student union this year hasn't been great which is a shame, so socials are extremely lacking and events such as our Christmas Ball were pretty bad.
The first semester modules were pretty basic and boring - however, I understand they were necessary. First semester lectures were also 50% terrible and 50% great. Actual face to face lecture time is brilliant, just sadly the teaching in two of my modules was absolutely terrible. On the plus side, semester two is looking far more promising both in content and lecturer standards
Absolutely adore Cirencester. A short walk into town from Uni, beautiful parks, walks, pubs, restaurants, shops etc. The list goes on! Just a beautiful little market town that always has something going on. Everyone is super friendly too
I have loved being in Westlodge, the underfloor heating is amazing and even when its broken it gets fixed as quickly as possible. Facilities have been fab in the kitchen (as I'm self catered). Location on campus is great, it's nice and quiet with lovely views, room size is really good. Maintenance and cleaning staff are bloody amazing - couldn't rate them highly enough. Only negatives I say would be the water pressure is a bit pants in the shower and the Wi-Fi does dip in and out quite a bit - but that's across the whole of campus.