Overview

Cardiff University is recognised in independent government assessments as one of Britain's leading teaching and research universities. The University combines impressive modern facilities and an exciting approach to teaching with its proud history of recent achievements, and nearly 30,000 students, including nearly 10,000 international students, are currently enrolled at the Welsh institution.

Cardiff University's expertise in research and research-led teaching involves social sciences, engineering, technology and a wide range of business professions. The University is currently ranked 5th in the UK for its quality of research, while the QS World Rankings place it in the top 160. The School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies has been described as the ‘Oxbridge of Journalism.’

95% of Cardiff University graduates enter employment or further study after graduating, while 78% obtain graduate level employment. Cardiff University is also a member of the prestigious Russell Group, one of 24 elite research universities in the UK.

Services for International Students

The International Development department organises an induction programme for international students which includes a coach collection service from Cardiff and Heathrow airports straight to your accommodation.

The induction programme includes five days of events designed to introduce students to life in Cardiff, the University, the city and the surrounding countryside. Trips such as the tour of South Wales are a fantastic way for students to meet new people in a relaxed atmosphere.

A number of international societies also exist at Cardiff University, with organisations for Asian, Bangladesh, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Nigerian, Pakistani and Thai students available.

Ranking

• 34th in the Times University Guide 2021
• 37th in the Guardian University Guide 2021
• 159th in QS World University Rankings 2021

Cardiff University is the only Welsh institution in the top 200 of the QS World Rankings. In the 2014 Research Assessment Exercise, Cardiff University was ranked 5th in the UK for the quality of its submissions. Subjects which performed particularly well include:

• Civil and Construction Engineering
• Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience
• Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management
• Sociology
• Education
• Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy
• Modern Languages and Linguistics

Accommodation

A place in one of the university’s 5,100 student rooms is guaranteed to all first-year international undergraduates students entering through the normal admissions cycle. The vast majority of student residences are single en-suite study bedrooms in self catered flats and students.

For those interested in sport, the main accommodation site at Talybont features a state of the art sports training village and fitness complex which played host to competitors at the London 2012 Olympics.

Location

The Cardiff University campus is located about 2km from the central train and bus station, with Cardiff airport just 17km away and London a little over 2 hours by train. Cardiff is among the fastest growing capitals in Europe, and extremely popular with students who are drawn to its inexpensive cost of living, nightlife, sporting facilities and culture.

Alumni

• Professor Sir Martin Evans FRS – Nobel Prize winner in 2007 and president of Cardiff University
• Neil Kinnock – Former leader of the Labour Party and former president of Cardiff University
• Nathan Cleverly – Light Heavyweight world champion boxer
• Martin Lewis – TV and radio presenter appearing on Radio 1 and This Morning
• Huw Edwards – BBC News presenter and BAFTA award winning journalist
• Dame Mary Perkins – Founder of Specsavers