PhD at Bath

1.

How international is the community at the University of Bath?

2.

What would you recommend in terms of accommodation for a prospective PhD student? Would you suggest living on campus or in the city centre? I enjoy walking and cycling, and I would be happy to live in the city centre. In fact, I would prefer to live some distance from the university so that I can incorporate daily exercise into my routine.

3.

In particular, what is your opinion of Centurion House in the city centre? Is it generally a quiet and suitable place to live for a PhD student?

4.

Approximately how much does a typical student need to budget for living expenses in Bath? More generally, how does the cost of living in Bath compare with other UK cities?

1.

Around 30% of our undergraduates are from overseas (30+ countries), and this rises when you look at postgrads. We have loads of international, faith and cultural societies for people form certain places to meet others from their country as well as many events held on campus to celebrate different festivals like Holi, Hannukah and Eid. We're really proud of the international diversity at our uni - I had friends from all over the world whilst studying here.

2.

I couldn't comment on what the best options in terms of accom are as I am not familiar with how it works for PhD students, but this page has a few options on it, and otherwise [email protected] are able to answer any individual questions for you. Generally I would personally advise living on campus for undergrads but perhaps consider the city as a PhD student because as you said, this does provide more separation between uni and your free time and if you enjoy exercise then cycling around the city is a lot of fun as is the gym. Just be prepared to invest in a bus pass too because on rainy days climbing the hill from town to the uni can be unpleasant and tiring!

3.

Centurion house - I have not personally lived there but had a friend who did when she did her Masters here. What's good about Centurion is that its quite central and very close to a to a bus stop, and all the rooms have ensuites so feel a bit more private and homely than some accoms without. It also offers secure bike storage for your bike and because the kitchen is shared, it feels sociable whilst giving you your own space. I personally love the location and overall vibe of it and would defo have chosen it if I'd done postgrad study.

4.

What you spend in a week will very much depend on your lifestyle. I managed on £30 a week for groceries, £20 a week for going out and social expenses and a £20 buffer, but this will vary week on week - I kept a spreadsheet of y monthly income and outgoings to help me stay on track. To keep up I also worked part time as a student ambassador which you can also do as a PhD student (very fun work!). The cost of living in Bath is a little cheaper than London but is definitely on the higher side compared to cities in the North of England. However there are plenty of students and graduates living here, and should you choose to stay in Bath afterwards to work, the wages in the South do tend to be a little higher than the North because of the difference in cost of living.