The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has three main campuses in south-west Wales –Swansea, Carmarthen and Lampeter – a London campus and learning centres in Cardiff and Birmingham.

UWTSD's three institutes broadly reflect the wide range of subjects available at the university:

• Business and Health
• Education and Humanities
• Science and Art

UWTSD Swansea has a reputation for innovative industry-led and career-driven programmes in art, business, education, health and sciences. The new £350m SA1 Waterfront campus, by the river and seafront, joins the art buildings in the cultural quarter and business campus near the train station at the heart of the city.

Long known for its teacher training, at UWTSD Carmarthen students can find a range of Education programmes, including Initial Teacher Education, Early Years and Physical Education, as well as Performing Arts, Sport and Health courses, Business Management, Advocacy, Sociology and Youth Work.

The historic Lampeter UWTSD campus founded in 1822 is mainly known for the Humanities including Anthropology, Archaeology, Classics, History, Philosophy, Theology, Publishing and Creative Writing.

UWTSD Cardiff is a close-knit learning community offering specialist performing arts education at The Wales International Academy of Voice (WIAV) and Canolfan Berfformio Cymru (CBC).

UWTSD London students are taught by experienced staff in a friendly and professional environment. The range of courses on offer has expanded and now includes Skills for the Workplace, Business Management, Health and Social Care, and Cloud Computing.

UWTSD Birmingham’s learning centre provides opportunities for people of all backgrounds to study a higher education programme in their community.

Employability skills are embedded in UWTSD courses to help students prepare for life after university.

In the most recent survey, 94% of UWTSD graduates were in employment and/or further study 15 months after completing their studies (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18).

UWTSD is one of the world’s foremost institutions in creativity-based entrepreneurship education, spearheading efforts to find new ways to equip students for the 21st-century working environment. Students are offered internship and work experience opportunities, with regular employers and enterprise experts visiting the university.

UWTSD’s careers service is there to help from day one and after graduation. Staff can help structure a plan to achieve career goals and provide advice on writing a CV, filling out application forms, and practising interview questions. Information on work placements, volunteering opportunities, and further study options is also available.

Students also have access to Life Design, a four-step process that helps make the most of their time in university and beyond.

Students praised the lecturers and teachers at the university, describing them as “passionate” and “knowledgeable”. Lectures are recorded and can be found online, something that proved popular in our reviews too. Many of the study programmes incorporate workshops and field trips, while spending time abroad is also possible – allowing students to experience life in another country and learn about new cultures. For those looking to gain hands-on work experience, many of the courses also offer industry placements, enabling students to gain practical skills and build up contacts for their future career. 

Students are taught in small classes, benefiting from personable, interactive teaching, which includes lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops. There is also the option to customise degrees with elective modules, enabling students to specialise in topics that interest them the most. Studying towards a joint honours degree is also optional. Assessments among the different programmes will include exams, coursework, essays, group work and presentations. 

Students say:

“Passionate and helpful lecturers who will guide you to achieve your best.”

“The lecturers get to know you well and the courses are well prepared.”

“Accessible, lecturers are knowledgeable on their fields.”

The Students’ Union is made up of full-time officers, part-time officers and voluntary positions including Course and Faculty Representatives, who are elected by students to represent their ideas and opinions to the various academic schools. Students found the Union members to be helpful and supportive, while the activities on offer were described as “fantastic” and “fun”. 

Students say:

“They are OK. If you want something to change, they can help with this. Plenty of volunteering opportunities.”

“The SU is fantastic.”

“It's getting better year by year. Bringing new aspects each year.”

Carmarthen, Lampeter, and Swansea campuses all have on-site, self-catered accommodation. All are fully furnished and have free wireless internet available for students.

There are also plenty of options to find private rented accommodation, either in privately-run student halls or in private rented accommodation.

Carmarthen

Carmarthen accommodation is located on campus in close reach of class. First-year students are offered accommodation within the self-catered accommodation in Archbishop Noakes containing 288 single occupancy en-suite rooms. Each flat contains eight rooms together with a shared kitchen and lounge. All halls are catered and cost £3,610 for a 38-week contract. All rooms in halls of residence come fully furnished, the fixtures and fittings include a bed with mattress, desk and chair, wardrobe, shelving, bedside cabinet, and en-suite bathroom.

Lampeter

On-site accommodation at Lampeter is guaranteed to first year students. There are 15 different residences, mainly all self-catered. There is also the option to have an en-suite bathroom. Prices range from £3,000 for a standard room in a self-catered block to £3,600 for an en suite in a self-catered hall.

Swansea

Accommodation is available at the Llys Glas complex and is available to first, second, third year and postgraduate students. Llys Glas offers 80 self-catered en-suite rooms for single occupancy located in the city centre. Prices range from £5,000 to £5,600. There is plenty of private student accommodation and other options close to the university. 

Students say:

“Everything needed is there. The hall is clean and spacious.”

“It's nice, very central.”

“Pretty good quality, cheap!”

Carmarthen

Carmarthen boasts a wide range of academic facilities, including a Learning and Teaching building, complete with social spaces for students to relax in between classes. Media and performing arts students will have access to music and media suites and a fully equipped theatre.

Wales’ national broadcaster, S4C, has moved its headquarters to the stunning Yr Egin building on the campus, offering work-experience opportunities as well as the chance to attend live broadcasts and other events in the studio and café-bar.

A well-stocked library holds a wide range of books and journals. Sports fans will enjoy visiting the Sports Centre, or the swimming pool and multi-purpose dance studio.

After the study, students are able to enjoy a visit to the on-site bar, offering reasonably priced food and drink throughout the day and night, as well as hosting weekly events and themed parties.

Lampeter

The campus at Lampeter has two libraries and is home to an impressive collection of over 30,000 medieval manuscripts and early modern first edition prints, found in the Roderic Bowen Library. The main library has over 275,000 books and journals, as well as a variety of study areas and hi-tech learning equipment. There is also a MAC laboratory and two computer suites on site.

The 1822 Starbucks café is a great place to meet friends and get a snack between lecturers, while over at the Students’ Union, students can find a café, bar and club. There are also sports halls, featuring badminton and squash courts.

Swansea

Students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology at UWTSD in Swansea.

Architecture, Computing, and Engineering students have the use of a range of industry-standard equipment, including a race car simulator and rolling road.

Dedicated subject facilities include a TV studio with green screens, professional cameras and Mac computers, psychology labs, and more. Student reviews praised the art facilities, which include 2D printing workshops and laser cutting machines. 

The new £350m SA1 Swansea Waterfront campus, with its award-winning buildings right by the sea, has superb facilities for a range of science subjects as well as ultra-modern digital teaching equipment. There is a café, an attractive new library with subject-specific books and online materials, as well as computers and comfy seating areas.

Swansea Business Campus and Swansea School of Art have cafes and relaxation areas and are a stone’s throw from the city's shops, cafes and other recreational facilities.

The university works with several sports groups and leisure centres to provide additional opportunities for students to get fit and have fun.

Students say:

“Well stocked library, good sized sports hall and facilities, okay laundry on site.”

“Decent.”

“Very clean and modern.”

“Fantastic facilities available on campus (very diverse range for Art students).”

UWTSD’s Swansea sites are at the heart of the city centre. Providing easy access to shopping, entertainment, sport, culture and nightlife, as well as a magnificent beach and the stunning Gower coast just a few miles up the road. 

Carmarthen is the oldest town in Wales and provides plenty to entertain students after lectures, including cosy cafés and cool café bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres.

UWTSD’s historic and picturesque Lampeter campus is at the heart of the town. Surrounded by mountains and the Welsh countryside, Lampeter is rural and peaceful, yet there is an interesting and useful variety of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants right on the doorstep.

Based in Wales' vibrant capital city, UWTSD Cardiff is close to a host of cultural activities and opportunities. UWTSD London provides unique opportunities for study, work, leisure and travel. UWTSD Birmingham’s learning centre offers opportunities for people of all backgrounds to study a higher education programme in their community. 

Cost of a pint This is the average cost of a pint.

Source: IDP Connect 2019

£3.80

per pint

Students found there to be a great range of clubs and societies available for them to join at all three campuses. If there is a club or society that students don’t see represented, the Students’ Union can help set one up. More information can be found on the university’s website.

Carmarthen campus clubs include hockey, netball, rugby, lacrosse and basketball, while societies range from the Christian Union to dance, Welsh, film and photography, LGBTQ+, and the Medieval Society.

In Lampeter students will be able to join clubs ranging from archery to yoga, battle to basketball, and classics to Nerf. There’s fencing, football, rugby, and netball too. Societies include the Welsh Society, Pagan, Viking, and performing arts.

There is a whole host of groups to join at the Swansea campus. Clubs include football, rugby, netball, volleyball, athletics and cross country, and badminton. Societies range from animal volunteering, choir, environment, and Christian Union, to karting, ESports, fantasy and live role-playing, and Sci Fi. Students who had joined societies gave high praise to them.

Students say:

“Lots of variety, very enjoyable.”

“Football team is great.”

“Diverse and interesting.”

“Wide variety of clubs and societies - widely available information that's easy to access.”

Students found the range of services at the university to be beneficial and praised the helpful staff running them.

The university’s new Student Hubs (Hwb) bring a range of services together to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ to deal with queries and issues. The Student Hubs are the place where students can access all the information and support they will need to get the most out of their time at UWTSD. The hubs provide comprehensive information services to students on all student-related matters.

Disabled students will be able to access additional learning facilities to help them with their studying, while one-to-one tutoring is also offered. There is a professional counselling service that offers individual sessions, group workshops and information leaflets on a wide range of topics. A money doctor service is available to help students budget their finances.

A buddy system is in place at the university for all international students. International students will be teamed up with a student volunteer, who will show them around the area and answer any questions they might have. This was praised in our student reviews, along with the quick responses from the various support groups.

Students say:

“Lots of services available.”

“Very good support and they always make the effort to listen.”

UK students per year: £9,000

International students per year: £10,200

Examples of scholarships and bursaries at UWTSD. See the university website for the most up to date information.

Academic Excellence Scholarships

Up to £2,000 scholarship awarded to first-year students who have attained at least three A’s at A-level, or Triple Distinction at BTEC Level 3, prior to entry on a full-time, undergraduate degree course.

Departmental Scholarships

Up to £600 scholarships awarded to full-time undergraduates based on a student’s ‘all-round’ performance (effort, attendance, contribution, academic progress, and so on).

Care Leaver Bursary

Up to £1,000 to assist with initial costs of resources and equipment, available to undergraduate and postgraduate students, aged 18-25, entering university from a care background.

Childcare Bursary (Undergraduate)

Up to £700 (full-time), £300 (part-time), bursary for undergraduates with children who are not in receipt of the Childcare Grant or Child Care Tax Benefits. Please note that this bursary is means-tested.

Diagnostic Testing Bursary

Up to £350 bursary available to students requiring assistance with the costs of diagnostic assessment.

Educational Bursary

Up to £200 bursary available to full-time undergraduates who require assistance with course-related costs (placement travel, specialist books and equipment etc).

Internship Bursary

Up to £1,000 available to full-time undergraduate students wishing to gain additional, relevant work experience with a company that cannot offer paid employment. Assists with travel and/or accommodation costs. Includes INSPIRE and Enterprise Internships, but not the compulsory work placement element of a students course.

Part-time Bursary

Up to £200 bursary to assist part-time undergraduate students with the costs of travel, course materials and specialist equipment.

Residential Bursary

Up to £400 means-tested bursary available to all full-time undergraduate students who are housed in UWTSD-managed accommodation.

Skill-up Bursary

Up to £200 bursary available to any full-time undergraduate wishing to undertake any additional skills development to supplement their course and employability.

Welsh-medium/Bilingual Scholarship

Up to £600 (full-time), £400 (part-time), awarded to full-time undergraduate students who undertake all or part of their studies through the medium of Welsh/bilingually: £50 per 10 credits successfully completed through the medium of Welsh/bilingually (modules must be minimum 50% bilingual).

Young Adult Carer Bursary

Up to £1,000 bursary for students aged 18 to 25 who are registered as young adult carers for family members.

The university also offers various scholarships and bursaries for international, PGCE, teacher training and postgraduate students.

Education Studies

Students will benefit from being taught by tutors with extensive professional experience in the education sector, on a small and friendly campus. 95% of the university’s students find work or enter further employment within six months of graduating from the course.

Motorsports and Automotive Engineering

The Motorsport engineering degree programmes at UWTSD in Swansea cover a wide range of Motorsport and Automotive-related subjects that enable students to tailor their studies to their own needs and career aspirations. The Motorsport Engineering course is the longest-running in the country. The student-led racing teams provide hands-on and practical industry-guided experience.

History, Anthropology, Archaeology

Classes are small and interactive. Students will have the opportunity to construct their own degree to suit personal interests. Students have access to a wide range of local museum resources and archives and are taught by tutors who have published work in their chosen fields.

Computing

Students have access to state-of-the-art High-Performance Computing (HPC) facilities, as well as leading-edge development systems for computer games and mobile application development.

Fine Art

Staff on the Fine Art programme are made up of internationally renowned artists. Students have the opportunity to work on live projects with artists, and graduates have gone on to find work in established galleries, including Mission Gallery and Oriel Bach. Workshops facilities include glass, metal, ceramics and 3D printing, as well as traditional 2D printing workshops and digital printing.

Sport

The university offers undergraduate programmes such as Physical Education, Sport Therapy, Personal Training, Public Health and many more. In Carmarthen, all students studying these subjects have free access to the Health Suite, Sports-hall and Swimming Pool to support their degree interests.

Classics

Classics has a thriving undergraduate student body of all ages and backgrounds, undertaking a range of single honours degree courses that include Classics, Ancient History, and Classical Studies, with a variety of joint honours degrees with Philosophy, Archaeology, Medieval Studies, History, English, and Education.

Performing Arts

Performing Arts sits at the cultural heart of the Carmarthen campus with a wide range of theatre professionals contributing to the programmes as tutors, directors, designers and musical directors. Canolfan Berfformio Cymru (CBC) in Cardiff also offers a Welsh-medium course called BA Perfformio, as well as programmes in Musical Theatre, and The Wales International Academy of Voice, previously postgraduate only, now offers a BA in Vocal Studies.

Early Years Education and Care

This course has a successful reputation for delivering high-quality higher education. Lecturers maintain close links with the early childhood sector in order to ensure students can link what they learn in university with real issues in the workplace. There are close ties with the local community and a strong focus on widening access so that non-traditional students can return to education.

Psychology

The BSc Applied Psychology programme on the Carmarthen campus offers students a unique opportunity to learn about psychology in the ‘real world’. The university wants to encourage students to look and think beyond the textbook, to understand how psychology translates to everyday lives. New Psychology labs in Swansea encourage critical thinking, problem-solving and research skills among students on the Psychology, Counselling and Mental Health courses there.

Social Studies & Youth and Community Work

The understanding of theory and policy are embedded in practice so that students are able to understand the multi-dimensional nature of social justice and inclusion in practice. The staff is research active and enthusiastic about equality both in theory and in practice.

Primary Education with QTS

The BA Primary Education honours degree with QTS is provided through the Yr Athrofa education institute in Carmarthen where the university has a long-respected teaching heritage. The Athrofa Professional Learning Partnership model allows students to learn with experienced teachers and university teacher educators. All are passionate about their subjects and are dedicated to helping student teachers develop their own teacher identity and expertise. Students benefit from the opportunity to choose an elective experience in school so they can pursue a curriculum interest.

Environmental Conservation

Students take full advantage of the coastal location for fieldwork, reflecting research strength in this area.

UWTSD offers a wide range of courses. Details of entry requirements can be found on its website.

The university welcomes applicants with a diverse range of UK and international qualifications. UWTSD is committed to increasing participation in higher education and therefore considers each applicant on individual merit, taking previous study and experience into account.

For some programmes, applicants are invited to the university to discuss their chosen course and the university is happy to advise potential students on the appropriate programme and preparation for studying at higher education.