Cardiff University is a popular university for students wanting to study a range of subjects, enjoy the amazing sports facilities, large student union and a range of accommodation. The university is the third oldest and the top-ranked university in Wales and one of the leading research and teaching institutions in the world. Cardiff University is at the heart of Europe’s youngest and culturally rich capital’s urban setting.
Established in 1883, Cardiff University has a long history of producing some of the most exemplary leaders, researchers and Nobel Prize laureates. Around 160,000 alumni of Cardiff University from 180 countries are recognised across the world.
Cardiff Uni comprises 26 academic schools categorised into three colleges: College of Physical Sciences and Engineering, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences.
The university has over 33,000 students and offers over 300 undergraduate and 200+ graduate courses tailored to the subject or career interests.
If you are planning to be a part of the prestigious Cardiff University and want to know more about the university, you are on the right page.
Is Cardiff University a Good University?
Cardiff University is a member of the elite Russell Group of UK universities and has over 33000 students enrolled each year, which accounts for its immense popularity. One of the significant reasons Cardiff is a good university is that Cardiff University stands as one of the ten most prominent universities in the UK.
Cardiff is a welcoming and student-friendly university and therefore attracts over 10,000 international students from 130 different countries. The university holds a strong reputation for providing international students with an unforgettable “study-abroad” experience.
Apart from these, Cardiff university is recognised as a great university because of the most apparent advantages it offers:
· A plethora of programmes and courses
· Striking modern facilities
· World-leading research
· An innovative approach to teaching
Is Cardiff University Hard to Get Into?
Cardiff University is considered as one of the harder universities to get into; however, the entry requirements of the courses offered at Cardiff University at different education levels vary on the individual academic programmes and English language proficiency.
While some academic programmes have relatively high acceptance or application to offer rates, the more competitive programmes may have a relatively lower rate. Most of the courses offered usually require good grades from recognised universities with good GPAs that differ from course to course.
For instance, some undergraduate courses may require an IELTS score of 6.5. In contrast, other courses at the university demand a higher score of 7.0.
What is The University known For?
Cardiff University is an ambitious and innovative public research university, the only Welsh member of the Russell Group of research-led British universities. The university has garnered a global reputation for research excellence across many academic disciplines and its research centre, frequently conducting crucial academic research.
The university has been awarded the honourable Queen’s Anniversary Prize six times for its effective research. Academics and researchers at Cardiff have won many awards for their discoveries and innovations, including two Nobel Prizes for ground-breaking work: Sir Martin Evans (Medicine) and Robert Huber (Chemistry).
Cardiff University is also known for its rich student experience and fantastic location. Cardiff University has also been voted one of the ten most beautiful campuses in the UK with beautiful green spaces, architecturally striking buildings, excellent transport links, and a year-round calendar of events, from sports to street food festivals and musical tours. Cardiff is the most affordable and second friendliest city in the UK.
Cardiff University Ranking
University rankings determine the superiority of universities over each other and act as an essential indicator that determines the quality of education offered to students. With that said, let us check where Cardiff University stands.
The Times and Sunday Times University Guide
Students who prefer universities that give more importance to teaching and research, student satisfaction, and the facilities provided can consider the ranking methodology of The Times and Sunday Times University Guide. They estimate the student/staff ratios, services and facilities spent, entrance qualifications, graduate prospects, teaching and research quality, and dropout rates.
Cardiff University secures 34th rank in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, making Cardiff the highest-ranked university in Wales.
Guardian University Guide
The Guardian ranking method uses nine performance indicators to create their ranking league table. It gives student satisfaction and career prospects equal importance along with the subject-level league tables.
Cardiff University ranks 37th in the Guardian University Guide for 2021.
The Complete University Guide
The Complete University Guide has been publishing the university and related league tables online since 2007. The ranking methodology for the subject league tables encompasses four parameters: student satisfaction, entry standards, research quality, and graduate prospects.
Cardiff University tops the league table in Wales after ranking 25th in The Complete University Guide 2022.
QS World University Rankings
The methodology of the QS World University Ranking is pretty simple. They effectively capture the performances of a university for a particular year with six metrics and create a list of top-performing universities in the world.
Out of 3,000 universities evaluated in the QS World University Rankings, Cardiff is ranked 151st in 2022, making it the highest-ranked University in Wales and the best in the UK.
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)
Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities is an influential league table of global institutions. The universities are ranked based on the number of Highly Cited Researchers, Fields Medallists, Nobel Laureates, significant research work and papers published.
Listing in the top 500 universities across the globe measures the university’s performance on an international level.
Cardiff University ranks 151-200 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2021.
Cardiff University Student Union
Cardiff’s Students’ Union is the most prominent and most active and has been voted the top in Wales and third in the UK (Source: Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2020). The Student Union has witnessed many exciting developments in recent years, such as Y Plas – a new social learning and evening entertainment venue, new shops, pub, nightclubs, social spaces and student services that have completely transformed the building.
The student union also works to support students’ academic interests at every level and recruit and train 1,000 student reps. Moreover, the student union is currently benefiting from one of the most ambitious projects in Cardiff, a multi-million-pound investment to create a Centre for Student Life that will become a central hub for student support services and offer modern, flexible social learning spaces and a 550-seat lecture theatre.
Accommodation
Cardiff is a thriving city and is globally acknowledged as an outstanding place to live and study. The Welsh capital is an open, cheerful and inclusive, yet vibrant and modern city that offers an entirely different living experience.
The Cardiff campus is a 5 minutes walking distance to the city centre. While Cardiff accommodation offers over 5,500 rooms, you can also opt for off-campus accommodation since Cardiff has the second-lowest student rental rates. It has one of the lowest costs of living in the UK. Private accommodation is an excellent option as it meets your budget and preferences.
Cardiff University is harboured on two large innovative campuses at Cathays Park and Heath Park. Since Cardiff University is in the city centre, you will find a range of Cardiff student housing close to the city centre and the campus.
Cardiff University sport
If you love sports, Cardiff university is the perfect place for you. With over 200 societies and 68 student-led sports clubs, you will have the best time at Cardiff University beyond academics. Over 5000+ Cardiff students are given a chance to represent Cardiff at regional, national levels and beyond.
Cardiff has also created a ‘High-Performance Programme’ that assists student-athletes in the future development to excel in chosen sport alongside their education. You can also sign-up for Athletic Union membership to avail yourself of benefits such as staff support, BUCS subsidy, BUCS affiliation, facility hire, insurance coverage, and so much more!!
Conclusion
If you want to study in a city that is brimming with rich culture, history, adventure and, of course, a strong reputation for academia yet affordable and vibrant, Cardiff is for you. A friendly, welcoming and well-connected city that offers easy access to the countryside and unique cultural experiences.
If you are looking for your perfect and pocket-friendly student accommodation, Meraki is happy to help you find the right accommodation for you across this great city and around Cardiff university.