UEA vs Uni of Southampton

Hi,
I am torn between two offers - one from UEA in Norwich and one from the Uni of Southampton.
I am aware that Southampton is a RG university which is principally why I initially settled on it, but after weighing up some of the benefits and drawbacks, I am realizing that, for me, Southampton being a RG is the only thing standing out to me.
Most of my family is in Norwich, I have a connection that could get me a part time job, it's in a good location (not miles away from family but far enough away to be able to have my own independent life.)
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice for this? UEA seems like a firm choice for me, but I just don't know how I feel about letting a RG uni go.

Reply 1

JPF6

15

Original post by Anonymous

Hi,
I am torn between two offers - one from UEA in Norwich and one from the Uni of Southampton.
I am aware that Southampton is a RG university which is principally why I initially settled on it, but after weighing up some of the benefits and drawbacks, I am realizing that, for me, Southampton being a RG is the only thing standing out to me.
Most of my family is in Norwich, I have a connection that could get me a part time job, it's in a good location (not miles away from family but far enough away to be able to have my own independent life.)
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice for this? UEA seems like a firm choice for me, but I just don't know how I feel about letting a RG uni go.

I'm in the same boat, i have an offer from a RG uni and UEA. At first i wanted to firm a RG uni as its a RG uni, so it must be good!

But if you look deeper, UEA is actually a very good university in comparison to some RG universities. I got an offer from Newcastle and was very excited but actually, the main benefit of attending that university was mainly just because of the RG status. However its just making that decision to go to a uni with higher reputation and probably higher employability due to that reputation or go to a more convenient uni with more benefits to personal matter.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by JPF6

I'm in the same boat, i have an offer from a RG uni and UEA. At first i wanted to firm a RG uni as its a RG uni, so it must be good!

But if you look deeper, UEA is actually a very good university in comparison to some RG universities. I got an offer from Newcastle and was very excited but actually, the main benefit of attending that university was mainly just because of the RG status. However its just making that decision to go to a uni with higher reputation and probably higher employability due to that reputation or go to a more convenient uni with more benefits to personal matter.

Thank you for your help, good luck for your uni studies!!

Reply 3

UoS PG students

Official Rep

9

Original post by Anonymous

Hi,
I am torn between two offers - one from UEA in Norwich and one from the Uni of Southampton.
I am aware that Southampton is a RG university which is principally why I initially settled on it, but after weighing up some of the benefits and drawbacks, I am realizing that, for me, Southampton being a RG is the only thing standing out to me.
Most of my family is in Norwich, I have a connection that could get me a part time job, it's in a good location (not miles away from family but far enough away to be able to have my own independent life.)
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice for this? UEA seems like a firm choice for me, but I just don't know how I feel about letting a RG uni go.

Hey!
As a student ambassador for the University of Southampton, I'd be happy to give you some advice on your decision. First of all, I completely understand the appeal of being close to family and having a part-time job lined up. These are definitely important factors to consider when making a decision about where to study.
However, I would also encourage you to think about the long-term benefits of attending a Russell Group university like the University of Southampton. Being part of a prestigious group of universities can open up a lot of doors for you in terms of future career opportunities and networking. Plus, the University of Southampton has a strong reputation for academic excellence, which can be a big advantage when it comes to postgraduate study or entering the job market.
That being said, I don't want to downplay the importance of feeling comfortable and supported in your new environment. If you feel like UEA would be a better fit for you personally, then that's definitely something to take into consideration.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to what you value most in a university experience. If you prioritize the academic reputation and prestige of the institution, then the University of Southampton might be the better choice for you. But if you value being close to family and having a sense of familiarity, then UEA might be the way to go. I hope that helps! Remember, at the end of the day, both universities are great choices and you can't really go wrong either way. Good luck with your decision!

Best Wishes
Priya :smile:

Postgraduate Ambassador
University of Southampton

Reply 4

Kellyg567

1

I'm curious as to what you decided. My son is in the same position this year and would be interested to know what you chose and if you are happy with your decision?

Reply 5

UEA Rep Grace

Official Rep

6

Original post by Kellyg567

I'm curious as to what you decided. My son is in the same position this year and would be interested to know what you chose and if you are happy with your decision?

Hi there, I know this post is a year old now so in the case you don't get a reply, I thought I would respond as I was literally in the same position as the original poster. I ended up firming UEA and Southampton was my second choice. My twin sister also goes to Winchester and my family now live in Norwich too so I also know what it would have been like had I gone to Southampton in terms of distance from home:

•

Norwich to Southampton is a LONG drive. It takes my parents 6/7 hours to do the round trip and sometimes they have to stay overnight. We worry about my dad everytime he makes the drive home in the dark. My sister usually only comes home for the winter break and Easter break because she can't get the time off work. If your son is the type of person to get homesick or would want to come home often this might make things difficult.

•

What's his degree in? UEA is ranked 21st in the Complete University Guide 2025 and Southampton is ranked 20th so depending on your son's degree, there might not be much difference between the teaching experience and subsequent likelihood of getting a job.

•

For location and part-time work: I did a placement year and just before this my family moved to just outside Norwich, so this made commuting, driving to my placement and just all-around life at the university easier, not to mention I saved money by living at home for my third and fourth year.

•

What are your son's current grades like? I was really worried Southampton wouldn't accept me if I didn't get the right grades, so I went to a UEA Open Day I spoke to the admissions team and they really reassured me that I would have a place there! It's definitely worth visiting both unis if you haven't done so already, or emailling admissions.

•

If you have visited the unis, which campus did your son prefer? When I was looking at unis there were some I turned up to and just immediately couldn't see myself living there, but with UEA it just clicked! I think this is a really important part of choosing a uni.

If it were me, I wouldn't choose based on the prestige of a RG. There are so many other factors to consider like the course content, location, financial aspects, social life, lots of different things! And depending on the course it may not even matter if your son goes to a RG.

I hope this helps your son to make a choice, but please let me know if you have any questions 🙂

Reply 6

Kellyg567

1

Original post by UEA Rep Grace

Hi there, I know this post is a year old now so in the case you don't get a reply, I thought I would respond as I was literally in the same position as the original poster. I ended up firming UEA and Southampton was my second choice. My twin sister also goes to Winchester and my family now live in Norwich too so I also know what it would have been like had I gone to Southampton in terms of distance from home:

•

Norwich to Southampton is a LONG drive. It takes my parents 6/7 hours to do the round trip and sometimes they have to stay overnight. We worry about my dad everytime he makes the drive home in the dark. My sister usually only comes home for the winter break and Easter break because she can't get the time off work. If your son is the type of person to get homesick or would want to come home often this might make things difficult.

•

What's his degree in? UEA is ranked 21st in the Complete University Guide 2025 and Southampton is ranked 20th so depending on your son's degree, there might not be much difference between the teaching experience and subsequent likelihood of getting a job.

•

For location and part-time work: I did a placement year and just before this my family moved to just outside Norwich, so this made commuting, driving to my placement and just all-around life at the university easier, not to mention I saved money by living at home for my third and fourth year.

•

What are your son's current grades like? I was really worried Southampton wouldn't accept me if I didn't get the right grades, so I went to a UEA Open Day I spoke to the admissions team and they really reassured me that I would have a place there! It's definitely worth visiting both unis if you haven't done so already, or emailling admissions.

•

If you have visited the unis, which campus did your son prefer? When I was looking at unis there were some I turned up to and just immediately couldn't see myself living there, but with UEA it just clicked! I think this is a really important part of choosing a uni.

If it were me, I wouldn't choose based on the prestige of a RG. There are so many other factors to consider like the course content, location, financial aspects, social life, lots of different things! And depending on the course it may not even matter if your son goes to a RG.
I hope this helps your son to make a choice, but please let me know if you have any questions 🙂

Thank you so much for your response. He is looking to study a law degree. We loved both Southampton and UEA. Planning to go and see Exeter before making the final decision.

UEA vs Uni of Southampton

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