Studying in Cardiff for 3 years, 2012-15

What is it like to live in Cardiff? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I would always recommend Cardiff to anyone of any age - the fastest growing UK city with the highest percentage of parkland outside London. Cardiff needs a better transport network, a few renovations and some more dense developments but that is it - anything else you want, Cardiff has it. If you want to stay on an isolated campus full of snobby public school students in English England, this is not for you - for everyone else, you can get interesting food, drink, people, green spaces, access to big cities nearby like Bristol etc. ... I don't know what more you could want, and its so much more affordable than any similar UK city :)

What is the student lifestyle like in Cardiff?

Though in many ways like any other UK student city, Cardiff is distinguished by being cheap, spread over a fairly wide area, but from a student POV, always remaining within the city. Cardiff students don't spend time in colleges or campuses like York or Oxford; they are always in the city, even if this means living in suburbs like Cathays.

Plenty of choice for if you want to party hard or take your time - lots of new pubs and cafes popping up, large proportion of the city are students so no trouble meeting people. The fact that Cardiff is fairly cosmopolitan and internationalist helps too, as does general Welsh friendliness, though watch out for the influx of Valleys 30-40yr olds on weekends; really put a downer on student nights out.

How much does it cost to live in Cardiff?

See below

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Cardiff? Is there any advice you can give?

You will have to go through an annoying heirarchy of overly powerful letting agents who love to make life horrible for students, especially international ones - the upside is, you have a lot to choose from, things are getting better and most of all, Cardiff has rents far lower than a normal UK city. £200-300 pppm is normal; most UK cities are more like £400-450, forgetting London! If possible, get a house/room with My Housemate, a new student letting agency run by friendly student Jack Penketh (find them on FB) which puts student welfare first and doesn't charge agency fees. Cardiff Student lettings, the university-run service, is next best in this regard.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

There are little enclaves of Portugese, Lebanese, Yemeni, Welsh, Italian and North African food places, e.g., Clifton Street, Splott Road, City Road, Caroline Street, the Arcades. The fact that an Italian takewaya where you can get pasta and pizza like fast food has just opened is typical. Cardiff offers more food opportunities all the time.

What places would you recommend visiting in Cardiff?

Bute Park, Roath Lake, Cardiff Bay, Penarth, the Taff Valley, the centre/Castle, Rummer Tavern, City Arms, the Arcades...

What advice would you give future students heading to Cardiff?

-Accomodation may be annoying but there is tonnes of it and its comparatively cheap
-You'll never be stuck for something to eat/some park to go to
-Don't think you can rely on public transport - buses are expensive and a bit meh, whilst trains are ancient and don't go many places and are expensive - get a bike or walk instead
-Only don't choose Cardiff if you've already fallen in love with somewhere else in the UK - otherwise, Cardiff represents the best of the UK university experience. Its respected but not snobbish, friendly but sufficiently edgy, easy to get to, big enough to have variety but small enough to know well, and just all round lovely