Biomed Engineering Unis 2023: Leeds vs Sheffield vs Surrey vs Cardiff

Hi!
I have received offers from four universities: Leeds, Sheffield, Surrey, and Cardiff. However, I'm struggling to decide which university should be my firm choice and which one should be my insurance choice. I'm hoping to hear from individuals who have attended any of the universities mentioned above or have been in biomed industry in order to gain some insights.

Leeds:
Pros
- High ranking, which is appealing.
Cons
- First and second-year modules are the same with mechanical engineering, as I was hoping for some biological courses.
- The university course is expensive for me

Sheffield:
Pros
- Like the interdisciplinary nature of the modules.
Cons
- Worries about receiving less engineering-focused education compared to other universities.
- Also I didn't get offered a placement year course.

Surrey:
Pros
- Ranks second among the universities applied to.
- Received a £5000 scholarship and a placement year program
Cons
- potentially high cost of living near London.
- not from Russell Group

Cardiff:
Pros:
- Modules offered are decent.
Cons:
- Far from preferred locations

I've heard that Biomed Eng degree can be redundant because it's possible to become a biomedical engineer through specialization in core engineering disciplines later on. Despite this, would it still be worthwhile to pursue a Biomed Eng degree if the university offering it is of higher overall quality? I would greatly appreciate any insights or suggestions that could help me make an informed decision.

Reply 1

University of Surrey Student Rep

Official Rep

Hi there, @_greyson_!

I am very glad you have received these lovely offers!

The Biomedical Engineering course at Surrey has multiple accreditations from professional bodies, which already shows it is well viewed and respected.

Placement students have gone to large organisations such as 3M, Eli Lilly, NHS, and many many more! Graduates have gone to work in several different areas and roles, as can be seen here.

To address your points about Surrey, our campus hosts many research centres such as Surrey Space Centre and 5G/6G Innovation Centre. The university has a strong reputation for being research-focused. You won't need to worry about quality of teaching here! In relation to cost of living, yes we are very conveniently close to London, but I highly recommend that you have a look at the accommodation prices on this page, as I'm sure you'll be positively surprised (I was very happy to pay £400 p/m for my accommodation in my first year!). The campuses are also close to popular supermarkets such as Tesco and Lidl, which can definitely offer good value grocery shopping :biggrin: