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Cardiff University
From The Student Room(Redirected from Cardiff)
TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Cardiff University
 Cardiff University is recognised in independent government assessments as one of Britain's leading teaching and research universities. Founded by Royal Charter in 1883, the University today combines impressive modern facilities and a dynamic approach to teaching and research with its proud heritage of service and achievement. The University's breadth of expertise in research and research-led teaching encompasses: the humanities; the natural, physical, health, life and social sciences; engineering and technology; preparation for a wide range of professions; and a longstanding commitment to lifelong learning. Read the university profile here. FacilitiesLibrariesThere are 18 libraries with plenty of space for silent work, and also space allocated for group discussions. There are many computer rooms available, of varying sizes. Four rooms are open 24 hours and it is very rare not to be able to find a free computer (possibly with the exception of lunchtimes). Voyager is the online library catalogue which allows you to search for a book/journal across all of the libraries. You can reserve and renew books online. Books can be taken out for varying amounts of time. Some copies may only be a 4 hour loan, others may be 4 weeks. Therefore, even if you leave your essay until the night before you should be able to get hold of that all important book! There are fines in place if you do have overdue books. Cardiff University currently seems to be subscribing to more online books, allowing you to search for the book for exactly the page you want! Trevithick LibraryThis is the library primarily used by those studying Computing or Engineering based degrees as it is located down by the Queens/Trevithick Building just off Newport Road. This library is open 24/7 unlike most of the other libraries and also has computers and network printing machines - computing students can get free printing in their departments labs. It is split into two sections, general loans and short loans. Also, within the short loans 'space' there is silent working, where the use of mobile phones, chatting and general noise-making is not appreciated. For students needing room to do 'group work' two rooms may be booked; one within the library and another just down the corridor, these provide the space needed. This library also comes with free Wi-Fi internet access, provided that you have signed up to this service. IT and computingCardiff uses a system called 'Blackboard' where notices relevant to you are put up about tutorials, lectures, coursework etc. Most lecturers also put up their powerpoint presentations here meaning that you can fill in the gaps which you missed, or even print out the slides beforehand so you can annote them during the lecture. Coursework is also put up on blackboard, as well as (if you are lucky!) past papers.
Sports FacilitiesThere are three main sports sites: Talybont Sports CentreThe Talybont Sports Centre contains two large sports halls, a five-a-side court, 6 badminton courts, a fitness suite and a martial arts dojo. Outside there are tennis and netball courts, an artifical pitch suitable for all weathers, and a grass training pitch. The centre is located in the middle of the Talybont residences, about a 15 minute walk from the main university. Uni Fitness & Squash CentreAt the University Fitness & Squash Centre at Park Place there are six squash courts, a fitness suite and aerobics studio. A wide range of different classes are also held here during the afternoon and evenings. Classes include Legs Bums and Tums, Circuits, Hip Hop and Yoga. Sport fields at LlanrumneyThis is a huge sports field a few miles outside of the main campus. Other facilities within the cityWhilst the university itself does not have a swimming pool there is a public one (Maindy) close to Talybont (about 10 minute walk away from the main University buildings). There is also a pool up at The Welsh Institute for Sport which is used by the Swimming and Water Polo club. There are several gyms around Cardiff. Most people go to Maindy gym where there is no monthly fee. You pay a very reasonable charge each time you visit. WelfareHopefully you will never need to use the welfare systems in place at Cardiff, but neverthless it's always nice to know that they are there just in case! Firstly all students are Cardiff are allocated a personal tutor. The tutor you get will largely affect how often you see them. Some tutors like you to meet them at least once a term to check everything is going ok, others prefer to just be there if you do need them. There are also student support services on both the Heath and Cathays campuses.
Cardiff also has a Nightline service which is a telephone helpline. It is run by students but is completely confidential. It is open from 8pm until 8am. Another very useful service is advice for student housing. It is in the main student union building and they can help if you have problems with poor housing, not getting your bond back or any other queries you might have. For more information see the student support homepage HealthcareDoctorsIt is important when coming to Cardiff to register with a GP in the area. There are many good GP practices around (you can find a list in your student handbook, the health centre, the students' union, in halls of residence or here). There is also a health centre next door to the Students' Union in Park Place. This service is meant to supplement the care provided by your GP rather than replace it. You can book appointments over the phone or turn up without one. It is open 9 until 4.30 weekdays. The centre also runs several clinics including one on family planning on Wednesday afternoons. Another thing to remember is that in Wales all prescriptions are free. DentistsUnlike many areas of the country it is still possible to register with an NHS dentist in Cardiff. For a list of practices see here. And don't forget, here in Wales all those under 25 get free check-ups so no excuses now! Alternatively you can register with the Dental School up in the Heath where the dental students will treat you for free. Don't worry though, the qualified staff check everything thoroughly so you don't get a bodge job! If you aren't registered with a dentist and you need emergency treatment, you can go to the Dental school or Riverside Health Centre in Canton. I think that you need to be in pain though for them to be able to treat you so don't go with a broken tooth unless it's actually hurting. OpticiansThere are of course many opticians around Cardiff, but there is also the The Cardiff School of Optometry and Vision Science which offers free eye tests and contact lens trials when you are seen by a student. Again everything is checked by a qualified staff! However, do be warned that tests here tend to take much longer than those you pay for! ShopsSupermarketsThe biggest supermarket is Tescos. This really is a beast! Easily the biggest supermarket I have ever been in! It is close to Talybont residences but not particularly easy to get to after the first year unless you have a car (or you can get the bus) In the main student housing area there is a decent sized Co-op although this is nowhere near as cheap as Tescos. There are also several Tesco Expresses dotted about. In the town centre there is a Sainsbury's Central. This is ideal for those staying in Sengenhydd in the first year. Or a Cheaper option is Aldi/Lidl striaght down the road from Sengenhydd court gates, or tesco metro on Alanby road... these thing take a while to find and i would strongly recoment you ask other studnet where they shop! Other supermarkets if you have a car are the main Sainsburys (off Newport Road) and an Asda near the bay. There are probably others about but I haven't bothered to investigate as the others are all convenient! Town centreCardiff has most if not all of the main chain stores. There is the main shopping street, Queen Street which is pedestrianised, as well as three shopping arcades (St. David's Centre, Queen's Arcade and the Capitol Centre). There are also several Victorian arcades running from St. Mary's Street which contain really lovely smaller independent shops. They are great for Christmas shopping! Out of town shoppingThere are several out of town shopping parks including Newport Road, Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff Gate and Cardiff Bay. RestaurantsTheatresCardiff has several theatres including the New Theatre, the Millennium Centre, and St. David's Hall. Many muscials from the Westend tour to Cardiff, for example Guys and Dolls, Starlight Express, Joseph and Disney's High Street Musicals!!! BanksThere are the normal selection of banks in Cardiff city centre. Careers servicePart-time jobsThere are plenty of jobs available for students and the Jobshop at the Students Union always has many vacancies. (See separate entry) Religious facilitiesSocialBars, pubs and clubsEventsClubs and societiesA variety of accommodation is available at Cardiff University at different prices. The majority is self-catered, such as the larger residences University Hall and Talybont but some also offer part-catered or catered. Similarly, some offer en-suite facilities, whereas others have shared bathrooms. Accommodation PolicyAll first years who are offered a place during the normal admissions cycle are guaranteed a room. There is a small amount of flexibility if you get here and absolutely hate where you are. You can put your name down on a list for a transfer after 2 weeks because rooms become free due to people moving back home/dropping out etc. ResidencesCheck out Cardiff Accommodation for guides to some of the accommodation. Private sectorAfter your first year in residences, most students move into private sector accommodation. The Student Union has its own letting agency, but there are also several other local letting agencies. Some agencies have better reputations than others and the SU likes to give out a lot of advice every year about what to look for when viewing houses. Most students seem to live in the Cathays area, which is something of an unofficial student village! There are non-students in the area, too, though. A slightly further walk and you'll be in Roath, where there are also quite a few students. Even if its slightly further from the main campus area, Roath shouldn't be dismissed when looking for houses as rent could be cheaper. Further again away from the Cathays Campus, is the Heath. The is less studenty than the other areas, but you still find lots of people on health based courses as it is near the university hospital. The quality of private accommodation is fairly good. Most houses have rooms with only double beds and the standard house size tends to be around 5 people (although there are houses around for up to 12 people!!). You can expect to pay about £210 per month + bills (about £25 per month). The are absolutely LOADS of houses out there though so don't panic about not finding anywhere to live! Most people start looking for houses in about February time. If you do have problems with housing you can go to the students union who offer a service for checking contracts, helping to get your bond back, helping to sort out poor housing etc. We had to use them last year and they were great and our problem was sorted in no time! FacilitiesStudent UnionSee the separate TSR wikipedia article: Cardiff University Students’ Union EnvironmentCardiff is a capital city, but it’s also quite compact. Most places are in walking distance, or there are buses or trains. Being the capital of Wales, there’s an obvious Welsh element, too! For those coming from England or other countries, seeing bilingual road signs can be a bit strange at first, but it’s easy to get used to, especially as the English is written above the Welsh. Saying that, it’s best not to wear an England football or rugby shirt about town when there’s a Wales match on! (although I have only ever experienced friendly banter!) One of the great things about Cardiff is the area which it is in! So much money has been invested in the area in recent years that it really is an up and coming place. The city centre is not one of these grey oppressive places but almost like a big town with all the conveniences of a city. There is also stunning scenery around with the Brecon Beacons not far to the north. The sea is also nearby if you fancy a day building sandcastles! The Welsh LanguageDo you need to speak Welsh? NO! I have been here for over 2 years and still only know one word. You will encounter welsh everyday though - all the signs are bilingual, most of the letters/documents the university send you are bilingual and you many suddenly realise that you don't understand the conversation the two people sitting behind you are having. However, it will cause you no problems at all if you don't know any welsh. Of course if you want to learn a bit of welsh the School of Lifelong Learning offer evening courses. If you speak welsh and you are keen to get to know other Welshians, you can request to be put in an all Welsh flat in the first year student residences. CastlesCardiff has its very own castle in the middle of the city. It is well worth a visit at some point during your time in Cardiff. There are many other castles just outside of Cardiff including Castell Coch (one of the walks Rambling club makes finishes here) and Caerphilly Castle. Millennium StadiumCardiff is the home of the Millennium Stadium, of course. It’s used primarily for football and rugby union home internationals, and is the third largest stadium in the UK now that Wembley has been completed.  Cardiff BayCardiff Bay is Europe’s largest waterfront development. These days it might be a little more famous for being home to the team from the BBC’s Torchwood, with the team based beneath the Roald Dahl Plas (yes, you can even stand on the ‘invisible lift’ if you want!). The distinctive water tower is opposite the Millennium Centre. Yes, it does look a bit like an armadillo. The Red Dragon Centre is also down in the Bay, where you can find an Odeon cinema, a bowling alley, restaurants, casino and - just in case seeking out the ‘public’ entrance to the Torchwood base wasn’t enough, there’s also the Doctor Who exhibition to check out, too. ArchitectureTransportCardiff is a very compact city so most places are within walking distance. Some people also cycle, although the roads aren't exactly great for this! However, there is an extensive network of buses which can get you to pretty much anywhere in the city. However, it is not cheap! The buses only accept the exact money so try to keep a bit or spare change in your pocket! A car in Cardiff is not really necessary as a student. Parking is difficult/expensive within the city centre meaning that unless you are going to use it for trips to other towns or home you won't really use it. The only exception to this is if you are a student on a course with placements. For medical students, a car is really useful from the third year onwards. There are also local trains with a stop by the main university buildings, one one end of town, and one the other end of town. The main station, Cardiff Central has trains running to many cities including Newport, Bristol, Birmingham, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Edinburgh and Glasgow,. Trains leave about every 30 minutes to London (which takes 2 hours). Taxis aren't cheap but you will only really need to use them when coming back after a night out. It works out about £6 back to Talybont/most student houses (obviously depends where you live) but when you divide this between the 4 or so people sharing the taxi it often works out cheaper than the bus! The Megabus leaves from outside the main University building and if you book far enough in advance can be as cheap as £1 to London! Cardiff also has an airport with flights Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Dublin, and many international destinations. Teaching qualityApplying to CardiffThinking of applying to Cardiff University? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here? Tuition FeesIf you are from Wales you will not pay top up fees at Cardiff University (saving £1800 per year) as you will be eligible for a £1800 free GRANT. However, if you are from elsewhere in the UK I am afraid the top up fees of £3000 per year still apply and you do not get this grant. If you are from elsewhere in the EU you also do NOT have to pay top up fees and will instead pay approximately £1225 per year. BursariesCardiff University gives bursaries of up to £1000 per year to those with a household income of less than £38,000. ScholarshipsCardiff University offers scholarships in the following subject areas: Sciences/Engineering:
Humanities:
You will automatically be considered for a scholarship if your course is eligible and you get an offer. The scholarship does not consider you household income and is worth a total of £3000. Open DaysThe next open day is in September 2008. Other Cardiff University ArticlesWhy not read these other Cardiff University Articles? Links |
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