This article was written by Lili Kibble from University of Exeter
When A Levels are finally out of the way, future freshers of the UK look forward to their new lives in their university cities. If you’re reading this article, I can only assume you are one of them, that you’re considering that your future university city might be Exeter, and that you want to know what it’s really like to live here. You ultimately want to know – is the University of Exeter any good and are you likely to have a good time and get a good education out if it? In my opinion, there’s nothing like a current student’s testimony to tell you what a university and its city are like, so you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I will discuss the university itself, the city, and how easy it was for me to make friends and settle in here. Hopefully, it will help ease some of the nerves you might be feeling right now and replace them with excitement!

The teaching

Despite all of the stereotypes about students drinking at all hours of the day, the main reason you’re going to university is to learn (however, a night out at Exeter’s Batty Bingo does involve 4 pm pre-drinks, but more on that later). So, what is the teaching like at Exeter? This is quite a subjective thing, so we’ll start with some statistics. The university league tables might be a familiar thing to you at this point, especially those by The Guardian and The Times. You’ll be pleased to know that Exeter ranks highly in both, being 11th in the UK according to The Times and 18th according to The Guardian. One thing that both league tables take into account is student satisfaction with the teaching. For example, The Guardian’s student satisfaction rating for Exeter is 83.2. This score is based on feedback from final-year students at the university and shows that Exeter students are largely satisfied with the quality of their teaching. Personally, I do agree with the ratings! Our teaching is high quality, delivered mostly through lectures and seminars. Another big positive for me is the guidance we receive on our assignments, especially in our first year! This was really useful in my opinion as writing essays at university is drastically different to writing an A-Level essay, but the lecturers made sure we didn’t feel too lost and overwhelmed. Additionally, the campus is stunning and green, so you have beautiful views while you’re studying (or maybe while you’re procrastinating).

Making friends

Is the University of Exeter Good?
Source: University of Exeter Students’ Guild website
Another important aspect of university life is the clubs and societies. They create such a unique experience, and you’ll never have such an array of different clubs to choose from again! As I’m sure you’ve heard before, university societies are one of the best ways to make friends during that scary first week, and the variety of societies at the Students’ Guild (Exeter’s version of a Students’ Union) makes it easy to meet like-minded people. There are many sports clubs, from the more common sports like swimming to some you might never have heard of before, such as korfball. While many sports clubs can be quite expensive, every club puts on trial sessions during Welcome Week for you to get a feel for the club before committing to a sometimes pricey membership. However, if sport isn’t your thing, there are many other societies to choose from! Here at Exeter, we have music-themed societies (Taylor Swift society, anyone?), societies bringing people from different countries together, and even a real-life Dead Poets’ Society! The wide array of societies is one of the things that makes the University of Exeter so great, so they are worth taking advantage of – especially during Welcome Week!

Accommodation

Is the University of Exeter Good?
Source: University of Exeter website
Accommodation is also an important thing to consider when coming to university. It’s going to be your home away from home, after all! Becoming close friends with your first-year flatmates is also quite common for incoming freshers (unless you get lumbered with that flatmate who never does their washing up, of course…). One of the best things about accommodation in Exeter is that the university guarantees accommodation for unaccompanied first-years if they apply by a certain date. There are many different accommodation types to suit different preferences and budgets, with catered and self-catered room types being available. Ensuites and shared bathroom options are also available. Crucially, university-owned accommodation has round-the-clock security thanks to Estate Patrol, so you can feel safe even late at night. They also try to help with any maintenance issues as best they can, which is incredibly reassuring if you happen to have an issue when the repairs team isn’t available (has anyone else’s ceiling ever leaked at one in the morning, or am I just unlucky like that?). Of course, one of the most important aspects of any accommodation is your flatmates! While not everyone becomes best friends forever with their first-year flatmates, there’s always potential to make friends or meet other people through your accommodation. While I never managed to befriend the other people in my flat, I am still friends with the other people I met in my first-year accommodation today!

Housing after first year

The one major downgrade to Exeter is how stressful it is to find second and third-year accommodation! You may already know that Exeter is rather notorious for the early rush to find housing, which means that accommodation tends to sell very fast! This is especially stressful in first year, as you’re often faced with the prospect of living with people you haven’t known for very long (especially as studios here can get very expensive) as you rush to secure somewhere decent to live for the upcoming year. Houses and private halls can also be expensive compared to other parts of the country. Don’t be discouraged though – it is still possible to find a nice house that’s reasonably priced! It may take a little extra effort, but by the time third year rolls around you will have become a pro.

The city 

Is the University of Exeter Good?
Source: Exeter College website
Of course, the university campus itself is only one-half of the “student experience”. The city itself is also key to your enjoyment of your university years. While the University of Exeter is a campus university (meaning all of the buildings are clustered together in one place), the city of Exeter is only a short ten to twenty minutes walk away (depending on where on campus you are!). There is also a dedicated university bus that runs between the Streatham and St. Luke’s campuses, stopping at different spots in town on the way, so it is easy and cheap to get to and from the city centre if you’re not in the mood to walk (and let’s be honest, I think we’ve all been there).

Cost of living in Exeter

While it is cheaper to live here than in other places like London and Liverpool, it can still get rather expensive! However, since Exeter is a student-filled city, it is generally quite easy to find a job. There are often many jobs for students at the university itself, which are quite competitive but pay very well. Food and shopping outlets at the university also tend to be cheaper than those in the city and are just as good in quality – the cheap chips at the campus pub are a great favourite of many students here! I also enjoy the nightlife here. While there’s only a small handful of clubs to choose from, you can expect to get in without breaking the bank! There’s also a wide range of events, like the infamous Batty Bingo, and we have an endless array of pubs for a quieter night.  

To conclude…

So, would I consider the University of Exeter good? I would say yes. Statistically, it is one of the top universities in the UK, but its’ students also give it glowing reviews on websites such as WhatUni, where Exeter scores 4.2 out of 5. With its beautiful campus, supportive lecturers and lively town, I can honestly say that Exeter is a great university, and I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else. However, if you’re still not quite sold, you might want to check out some of our other articles, such as this one about Bristol Uni.

Authors

  • Hi, my name is Lili and I am currently studying for a Psychology degree! When I'm not studying, I love swimming, reading and writing.

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  • Aminah is a dedicated content expert and writer at Unifresher, bringing a unique blend of creativity and precision to her work. Her passion for crafting engaging content is complemented by a love for travelling, cooking, and exploring languages. With years spent living in cultural hubs like Barcelona, Sicily, and Rome, Aminah has gained a wealth of experiences that enrich her perspective. Now based back in her hometown of Manchester, she continues to immerse herself in the city's vibrant atmosphere. An enthusiastic Manchester United supporter, Aminah also enjoys delving into psychology and true crime in her spare time.

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