1. © University of South Wales
Frequently Asked Questions
from EU applicants

2. Location
• There are five campuses located
across south Wales in the town of
Pontypridd and the cities of Newport and
Cardiff. The three main locations shown
on the map are within 25-40 min drive
from each other
Transport links with other UK
cities
• London (Heathrow and Gatwick
Airports) – approximately 3h
• Bristol (Bristol International Airport) -
1h 10min
• Birmingham (Birmingham
International Airport) - 2h 30min
• Cardiff Airport - 35 min to Pontypridd
and Newport
© University of South Wales
Q1. Where is the University located?

3. Treforest Campus- located in the town of Pontypridd
• 20 min by train from Cardiff city (capital of Wales)
• A £130m investment has made way for new teaching and learning
facilities, including an Aerospace Centre, Law School, Postgraduate Centre
and Students’ Union building. Construction of a state-of-the-art library is
well underway and due to open in September 2013.
Glyntaff Campus- located in the town of Pontypridd
• 10 min walk from Treforest
• £12m revamp has made way for world-class facilities for health, sport
and science, with additional facilities a few miles away at the USW Sport
Park. The recent expansion has provided new teaching and research
facilities, high-tech science laboratories, a state-of-the-art Clinical
Simulation Centre for nursing, a Crime Scene House and social study areas.
Cardiff Campus- Located at the heart of Cardiff City Centre
• £35m futuristic ATRiuM development contains a cinema, TV, radio and
film production facilities, design studios, theatre and performance spaces,
photography and journalism spaces, animation studios and computer labs.
Professional courses are taught at Atlantic House and Fashion courses are
taught at Cromwell House, both city centre buildings.
© University of South Wales
Q2. Can you give me more information about
University campuses?

4. Caerleon Campus- located in Newport
• 20 min by train from Cardiff (capital of Wales)
• On-campus facilities include a shop, library, computer suites, cafes
and a large food hall. The campus has fantastic photography darkrooms
and studios. The on-campus Sports Centre has a gym, all weather
pitches and a large sports hall. Nearby sports facilities include the
Newport Velodrome, one of the best track cycling facilities in the
country.
Newport City Campus- located in the City of Newport
• 20 min by train from Cardiff
• A £35m investment, City Campus, Newport opened in 2011 and has
received many accolades including a RIBA (Royal Institute of British
Architecture) award. You will find engineering laboratories, music suites
and design, film and performing arts studios.
© University of South Wales
Q2. Can you give me more information
about University campuses?

5. The UK education system is based on independent
study and practical assessments.
Depending on your course, the type of
assessments may include:
• Coursework
• Individual and group presentations
• Essays
• Project work
• Reports
• Exams
At the beginning of the academic year, lecturers will
explain how you will be marked and assessed on their
modules.
© University of South Wales
Q3. How will I study?

6. You will need to consider budgeting for
essentials:
• Accommodation
• Food
• Utility bills (Gas, Electricity, Water)
• Travel
• Laundry
• Phone Bill
Living in private housing- Accommodation
costs usually cover only the cost for renting your
room (bills not included).
© University of South Wales
Q5. What is the cost of living?
Expenditure per week Living in Halls
Living in Private
Sector Housing
Accommodation £98* £55
Food £30 £30
Utility Bills – £10
Contents Insurance £2 £2
Books/printing etc £10 £10
Travel £5 £5
TV Licence £2.50 £2.50
Toiletries/Laundry £4 £4
Phone £7 £7
*This is based on the cost of the cheapest halls at the University. Prices can go up to £143.50 per week. Please visit our accommodation pages for the latest
information.
**Living on Campus - Accommodation costs include all utility bills plus internet.
Note: Additional Expenses are not included in the table. This depends on your individual lifestyle. You should for example consider spending money for socialising
and clothes.

7. We offer on-campus accommodation at:
• Pontypridd
• Cardiff
• Newport
Students who applied for accommodation on Pontypridd or
Cardiff campuses:
• If you have firmly accepted your Conditional or Unconditional offer, you
should have received information from our accommodation team about how
to apply for accommodation online.
• You can apply for accommodation on campus now, as long as you have
accepted the offer to study at the University of South Wales.
• A username and a password will be sent to the email address that you
provided on your UCAS or direct application form.
• Submit your preferences online by logging into our system with the provided
username and password.
© University of South Wales
Q5. What about living in on-campus
Accommodation?

8. For tips on house-hunting in the private sector there are a few resources
available:
• If you prefer to live in Pontypridd, you can use our Students’ Union letting agency:
www.glamorganstudentletting.com
• The University has a list of registered landlords that can be accessed on www.studentpad.co.uk; You
need to select University of South Wales from the list and then you can perform a targeted search based
on cost, location, type of accommodation etc. You can also contact the landlords for further information
or arrange a viewing;
• Tips and advice that you may need to consider when looking for private accommodation:
http://glamlife.glam.ac.uk/pages/3230-accommodation-legal-matters-when-renting-a-student-flat-house
• If you prefer living in Cardiff, there is a list of registered agencies (These are not affiliated with the
University but are ALMA registered): http://accommodation.glam.ac.uk/cardiff/lettingagencies/
• Private accommodation in Newport- a list with private rental accommodation can be found on
www.studentpad.co.uk or on www.newportstudentpad.co.uk .
© University of South Wales
Q5. What about living in off-campus Accommodation?

9. Work Placement Opportunities
• The University runs an employability scheme in partnership with
employers (from Wales, UK, EU and International)
• You can apply for short or long term placements up to 1 year
N.B. Placements are not guaranteed for all students. There is an
application and selection process.
Other Work Opportunities
• During your studies – you can apply to become a student
ambassador and represent the University at different events
• Work part-time outside the University - nearby restaurants, cafe,
shops etc.
For more information, please visit: Key strengths of the University of
South Wales
© University of South Wales
Q6. How to get work experience while I am
studying?

10. There are several categories of EU student employment
regulations:
• Students from countries that joined the EU in 2004 and before – you are eligible
to work without restrictions.
• Students from A2 (2007) Accession countries – Bulgaria and Romania- you can
work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full-time during vacation periods
(Christmas, Easter and summer). You must obtain a Work Authorisation BR1 (yellow
card) before you can legally take employment.
• Students from Croatia (joining EU on 1st July 2013) – you will be also subject to
work restrictions. This page will be updated with further details when available from
the UKBA.
National Insurance Number
Once you have found a part-time job, it is important for you to apply for a National
Insurance number (NINo). All EU students who are working in the UK have to pay
National Insurance contributions.
For more information, please visit the EU website: Working in the UK
© University of South Wales
Q7. Do I need to know anything before I start
working in the UK as an EU student?

11. Most popular clubs and societies
• Men’s and Women’s Basketball team
• Law Society
• Football
• Karate Society
• Swimming and Water Polo
• Debating Society
• Climbing Club
• Electronics Society
• Mountain biking
• Or create your own- there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor and
indoor activities
Visit the clubs and societies pages: Pontypridd and Cardiff and Newport
Get a student sports membership card starting from £6
a month:
• Join the gym and take part in fitness classes with professional
instructors
• Play any individual or team sport using our first class sports facilities
© University of South Wales
Q8. Can I play sport or join any clubs and
societies?

12. Q9. How do I accept my Conditional or Unconditional Offer?
If you have received our offer, you may accept it via:
• UCAS (Bachelor’s undergraduate courses)-
http://www.ucas.ac.uk/students/offers/trackprogress
• If you applied through a University representative - you can contact your
educational consultant and ask them do it for you
• For direct and postgraduate courses, use our ‘My Future’ online portal - sign up
and accept your offer: http://myfuture.southwales.ac.uk/users/sign_in
Q10. May I visit your University in the next couple of months?
• Yes, you can visit the University if you wish. Please contact the EU team in
advance: europe@southwales.ac.uk .
UCAS applicants:
If you applied via UCAS, please accept your offer by 8th May, otherwise your
application will be automatically declined by UCAS. If you have yet to accept your
offer you can do so now - even if you have yet to receive your final exam results.
© University of South Wales
What next?

13. To help you settle in and make new friends before your
course starts in September, the International Student
Support Service organises International and EU welcome
activities.
It will be useful to attend the Welcome Week
because:
• It is a great chance to learn more about university life
• You will find out essential information about cultural
awareness and student finance and budgeting;
• You will make new friends from all over the world and
meet members of staff;
• You will be able to visit places of interest and familiarise
yourself with the local area
For more information about welcome activities that will be
on offer when you start, keep an eye on our EU students
website.
© University of South Wales
Q11. Do I need to attend the International
Induction Week

14. If you have more questions, you can:
• Chat to us online at our virtual events.
• Visit our EU website: http://www.southwales.ac.uk/eu/
• Click on the other links and watch the videos on the
virtual open event.
• You will be able to visit places of interest and familiarise
yourself with the local area.
© University of South Wales
Q12. More Questions?

15. © University of South Wales
Thank you!