The Student Room Group

Honest opinions on Cardiff University?

I’ve seen some say Cardiff University along with Queen’s University Belfast and Liverpool are at the bottom of the RG and are on par with Leicester and UEA etc..
Is this true? Brutal honesty please. The ranking matters for my course unfortunately (I’m not an elitist LMAO) and I applied through clearing.
Also, I saw Nottingham got a b tier / mid tier rating as opposed to the other universities. Is it better than Cardiff and Liverpool?
Ranking universities isnt really of any use and is subjective anyway. The high ranking RG wouldnt be in clearing anyway. Most would say places like Cardiff, Liverpool, Queen Mary and a few others would class as the lower RG universities whereas the likes of Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial are the top. However none of those would be in clearing. Having said all those places like Cardiff and Liverpool are still excellent universities
Original post by Anonymous
I’ve seen some say Cardiff University along with Queen’s University Belfast and Liverpool are at the bottom of the RG and are on par with Leicester and UEA etc..
Is this true? Brutal honesty please. The ranking matters for my course unfortunately (I’m not an elitist LMAO) and I applied through clearing.
Also, I saw Nottingham got a b tier / mid tier rating as opposed to the other universities. Is it better than Cardiff and Liverpool?


It's still a great and respected university. In terms of 'where it is' in the RG group it really depends on the course. Cardiff for example is known to be quite good at Medicine (albeit not as high as Oxbridge).
Original post by study23!
It's still a great and respected university. In terms of 'where it is' in the RG group it really depends on the course. Cardiff for example is known to be quite good at Medicine (albeit not as high as Oxbridge).


would you say Cardiff is on the same level as Nottingham?
Original post by swanseajack1
Ranking universities isnt really of any use and is subjective anyway. The high ranking RG wouldnt be in clearing anyway. Most would say places like Cardiff, Liverpool, Queen Mary and a few others would class as the lower RG universities whereas the likes of Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial are the top. However none of those would be in clearing. Having said all those places like Cardiff and Liverpool are still excellent universities


would you say Cardiff is on the same level as Nottingham?
Original post by Anonymous
would you say Cardiff is on the same level as Nottingham?


According to the Complete University Guide (below) Cardiff is better in general, but that really depends on the course you're applying for.
https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/russell-group
Original post by Anonymous
I’ve seen some say Cardiff University along with Queen’s University Belfast and Liverpool are at the bottom of the RG and are on par with Leicester and UEA etc..
Is this true? Brutal honesty please. The ranking matters for my course unfortunately (I’m not an elitist LMAO) and I applied through clearing.
Also, I saw Nottingham got a b tier / mid tier rating as opposed to the other universities. Is it better than Cardiff and Liverpool?

Hi there

Cardiff uni student here!

I'm aware that I'm slightly biased in my advice so I think that it would be helpful for you to definitely do more research, however, the key to Russell Group universities is the research that takes place there. At Cardiff, the people teaching you are active in their fields and this can lead to some great opportunities and internships.

Can I ask what you aim to study? The ranking really does depend on the subject, though I would argue that it's more valuable to check out the modules of what you will be specifically learning on the course, then you can compare this to the other universities you are interested in to find the course that's more relevant and beneficial to your interests.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions specific to the university.

All the best

Jaz - Cardiff student rep
Original post by Anonymous
would you say Cardiff is on the same level as Nottingham?


Everybody will have different feelings. The bottom line is any difference will be minute and wont matter.
Original post by CardiffUni Rep
Hi there

Cardiff uni student here!

I'm aware that I'm slightly biased in my advice so I think that it would be helpful for you to definitely do more research, however, the key to Russell Group universities is the research that takes place there. At Cardiff, the people teaching you are active in their fields and this can lead to some great opportunities and internships.

Can I ask what you aim to study? The ranking really does depend on the subject, though I would argue that it's more valuable to check out the modules of what you will be specifically learning on the course, then you can compare this to the other universities you are interested in to find the course that's more relevant and beneficial to your interests.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions specific to the university.

All the best

Jaz - Cardiff student rep

this is sound advice
you need to say what your subject is and which modules you hope to take in it
listen to Jaz!
Original post by CardiffUni Rep
Hi there

Cardiff uni student here!

I'm aware that I'm slightly biased in my advice so I think that it would be helpful for you to definitely do more research, however, the key to Russell Group universities is the research that takes place there. At Cardiff, the people teaching you are active in their fields and this can lead to some great opportunities and internships.

Can I ask what you aim to study? The ranking really does depend on the subject, though I would argue that it's more valuable to check out the modules of what you will be specifically learning on the course, then you can compare this to the other universities you are interested in to find the course that's more relevant and beneficial to your interests.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions specific to the university.

All the best

Jaz - Cardiff student rep

Hi thanks for your response :smile:
Modern languages
Original post by MedMama
this is sound advice
you need to say what your subject is and which modules you hope to take in it
listen to Jaz!


Do modules make much of a difference?
I’m the first in my family to go to uni so I wasn’t aware that this is something to consider
Original post by Anonymous
Do modules make much of a difference?
I’m the first in my family to go to uni so I wasn’t aware that this is something to consider

In my opinion as someone who is also the first in their family and has little previous insight into uni before coming, what modules you study are arguably more important that the name or anything else of your course. These are what you spend your day-to-day life studying and are what inspired your career choices (based on what you're learning). This can have more impact than rank if you're actually enjoying what you are studying and see a path through that.

I hope that makes sense. Please feel free to ask if you have any more questions :smile:

All the best,
Jaz - Cardiff student rep
Original post by Anonymous
would you say Cardiff is on the same level as Nottingham?

No, from the universities mentioned in this thread, Liverpool and Nottingham are in the higher tier, Cardiff, Belfast, and Queen Mary are in the middle tier, and UEA and Leicester in the lower tier. This is just in terms of prestige, though.
Reply 13
Original post by Carpetshiz
No, from the universities mentioned in this thread, Liverpool and Nottingham are in the higher tier, Cardiff, Belfast, and Queen Mary are in the middle tier, and UEA and Leicester in the lower tier. This is just in terms of prestige, though.

not sure this advice ( or the question itself) has any merit or significance
in a vacuum without knowing which subject area
-why don’t you both look up Gordon Sanghera, for example, or someone educated there who has appeared on say radio 4 The Life Scientific

for the record to say Cardiff is ‘quite good’ for medicine, as above in this thread, speaks more to the commentator and less to the university
Original post by MedMama
not sure this advice ( or the question itself) has any merit or significance
in a vacuum without knowing which subject area
-why don’t you both look up Gordon Sanghera, for example, or someone educated there who has appeared on say radio 4 The Life Scientific
for the record to say Cardiff is ‘quite good’ for medicine, as above in this thread, speaks more to the commentator and less to the university

I believe they're referring to overall prestige. Indeed, course rankings differ wildly across different universities.
Original post by Anonymous
I’ve seen some say Cardiff University along with Queen’s University Belfast and Liverpool are at the bottom of the RG and are on par with Leicester and UEA etc..
Is this true? Brutal honesty please. The ranking matters for my course unfortunately (I’m not an elitist LMAO) and I applied through clearing.
Also, I saw Nottingham got a b tier / mid tier rating as opposed to the other universities. Is it better than Cardiff and Liverpool?

Hi there,

I wouldn’t worry too much about rankings when it comes to unis like Cardiff, Liverpool, or Queen’s University Belfast. They’re all strong institutions and have solid reputations. I think focusing on the course specifics and what suits your goals is more important. UEA, for example, is often overlooked but has excellent teaching and a great student experience, especially for things like medicine and health sciences. Nottingham is definitely well-regarded, but it’s not a massive leap from the others. Go with what feels right for you!

We've got our Open Day at UEA on Saturday 26 October, feel free to give us a visit to see the uni and chat with the lecturers and current students.

Best,
Daniel
PhD Biology
Original post by Anonymous
Do modules make much of a difference?
I’m the first in my family to go to uni so I wasn’t aware that this is something to consider

Hi @Anonymous#1

Picking the right modules and looking into the course profiles is definitely something you need to be thinking about. I created a list of all the modules I found interesting and compared them to each university that I liked.

It’s also a good idea to visit the campus you are interested in as they give you an idea what it will be like studying there. UEA does have an open day on the 26th September, which you can book here !

I am also the first in my family to go to university, so I can understand how scary uni can feel. Just remember you are not alone! Some university may offer a first in the family bursary, dependent on your family’s income. Just before to ask each university and check the eligibility requirements first.

Any questions feel free to ask
UEA REP Tiffany 😊
Original post by Anonymous
Do modules make much of a difference?
I’m the first in my family to go to uni so I wasn’t aware that this is something to consider

Hi there,

Another Cardiff uni student, Jaz has said it well. Cardiff are pretty high in-terms of their research facilities and output, which is good for global recognition, and on their modern language course page, there are lots of good reviews from previous students.
Another thing to remember, is that uni is more independent than school, and you can kind of take from it what you want, and this is very important when it comes to experience and work after uni. For example, opt-ing in for exchage programmes, (useful in modern languages), work experience, and extra-curricular activities. Cardiff is good at offering lots of opportunities like that, they even have free language courses outside of your main degree that you can sign up for.
Hope this helps!

Grace - Cardiff Uni Rep

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