Living in Swansea

Why did you decide to go to Swansea, United Kingdom?

I was looking for photos of Swansea City on Google and i loved it.

How long is the scholarship for? How much funding did you receive as help?

The scholarship is for one academic year. They gave me just over 3000 euros.

What is the student scene like in Swansea?

There's a great vibe. The teaching methods are different as there are very few contact hours and it's up to the student to organise their own study plan.

Would you recommend Swansea City and University to other students?

Of course. It's a lovely city and has a gorgeous beach.

What's the food like?

To be honest, i didn't like the food very much but you can always take a few slices of cured ham with you.

How did you find accommodation?

It turns out the University itself offered me accommodation. It seems they reserve a spot in a residency and you just have to either accept or decline.

What are the accommodation prices like? And the prices in general?

The residency wasn't very expensive, there were some dearer ones. The good thing is you can adjust your budget. The prices are generally okay. In one of the pamphlets that Swansea University sent me, they considered it to be one of the cheapest cities of the United Kingdom.

What about the language? Did you sign up to any language courses at the University?

At first, it was hard to understand the natives, especially because of the accent. But in the end your ears adjust and start to better understand what is being said. I didn't take any language course at the university because i spent my days communicating in English. I practiced the language with my roommates (who were all native speakers), when i went shopping, with my classmates... so i didn't consider it essential.

What's the cheapest way to get to Swansea from your City?

By plain from either Alicante or from San Javier to Cardiff or Bristol.

What places would you recommend to go on a night out in Swansea?

Wind Street to the max. It's a strip of bars. I would also recommend Oceana on King's Street.

And to eat out in Swansea? Can you name your favourite places?

There are a few typical bars in the centre, close to the bus station. There is also a Spanish bar called "La Tasca" if you get homesick. Although i didn't leave Starbucks or Costa Coffee.

And as a cultural visit?

There's a bit of everything. There are many churches. The castle is quite crumbled down. Close to Swansea there is a small fishing town called Oystermouth. The castle there is really good and you can visit it inside during the summer. You can also visit the Mumbles area, which is quite touristy.

Is there any advice you would give to future Swansea students?

The only advice that i can give is to enjoy the experience, it's worth living through. The rest is secondary.