Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
The Royal Agricultural University is one of the smallest universities in the UK, on a historic campus surrounded by farmland on the edge of Cirencester in the Cotswolds. It specialises in agriculture, equine, land and property, and rural business, so almost everyone shares a link to the countryside and the land-based industries.
With around 1,000 students, it feels more like a community than a campus. Social life centres on the Tithe Barn bar, the balls and sport, and the bright lights are limited to Cirencester. Halls are small, mostly half board and not cheap: about £210–£273 a week on 35-week contracts.
Known for
Royal Agricultural University is 48th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.1, above the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | University of Aberdeen | 51.3 |
| 47 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 51.1 |
| 48 | Royal Agricultural University | 51.1 |
| 49 | University of Edinburgh | 51 |
| 50 | University of Brighton | 51 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
1st of 124 · Wellbeing Score 85.2
2nd of 124 · Safety Score 87.9
3rd of 123 · Happiness Score 72.4
3rd of 122 · Careers Score 55.1
5th of 124 · Employability Score 52.8
9th of 124 · Value Score 70.4
13th of 124 · Freshers Score 67.1
17th of 124 · Affordability Score 67.8
44th of 124 · Balance Score 46
62nd of 124 · Innovation Score 55.7
90th of 124 · Societies Score 43.8
101st of 124 · Sustainability Score 36.7
111th of 124 · Inclusion Score 33.7
120th of 124 · Social Score 28.8
123rd of 124 · Nightlife Score 21.9
Cirencester as a student city
Ranked 39th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 50.9.
Royal Agricultural University appears in 3 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate | 8th | of 22 | 71 |
| Business and Management | 66th | of 114 | 128 |
| Agriculture | 6th | of 6 | 21 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Life revolves around campus. Every student is a member of the Students' Union (RAUSU), which has an office and shop next to the Tithe Barn, the student bar. Expect Welcome Week, weekly socials, pub quizzes, a Christmas ball, RAG week (including the famous tractor pull) and the all-night May Ball. Sport is a big part of RAU life, with equestrian, polo, hockey, rugby and clay pigeon shooting among the subsidised clubs. Cirencester's pubs and restaurants are a walk away.
University halls cost £210–£273 per week (2026/27, 35-week contracts; most rooms are half board) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The RAU doesn't publish an accommodation guarantee. Once you've firmly accepted an offer, you can apply for an on-campus room. The university says it will try to give you the type of room you want but can't guarantee it, and rooms are allocated first come, first served. In 2026, application forms were emailed to firm-offer holders, with provisional room offers following in August/September. You'll then pay a £300 deposit and sign a 35-week contract.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Lodge | Main campus | en-suite | £210/wk | 58 self-catered en-suites across two halls, with a lounge and kitchen on each floor and underfloor heating from the university's biomass boiler. |
| Vic Hughes Hall 1 | Edge of campus | en-suite | £210/wk | 26 self-catered en-suite rooms for undergraduates and postgraduates, some accessible. £7,350 for 35 weeks. |
| Bledisloe Court Catered | Main campus | shared bathroom (standard single with basin) | £213/wk | 59 rooms in six houses, some with farmland views. Half board (14 meals a week): £7,455 for 35 weeks. No common room, but the Student Lounge and Tithe Barn are nearby. |
| Coad Court Catered | Main campus (central) | shared bathroom and en-suite mix | £213/wk | Central, with 44 en-suite and 9 standard rooms in 11 houses. Half board en-suites cost £266 a week. Accessible ground-floor rooms are available. |
| George Wing Catered | Main Building | shared bathroom | £225/wk | 20 half board rooms for international postgraduates (UK postgraduates if space allows), with a large common room and kitchenette. |
| Woodlands Lodge 1 & 2 | Main campus | large en-suite | £230/wk | Large en-suites. Self-catered rooms in Woodlands 1 cost £230 a week, and half board rooms in Woodlands 1 and 2 cost £273, the top of the range. |
| Vic Hughes Hall 2 Catered | Edge of campus | en-suite | £266/wk | 26 half board en-suites with a small shared lounge. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
A Cotswold market town within walking distance of campus, with restaurants, boutique shops and pubs. The obvious place to rent if you move off campus.
Quieter and often cheaper per head, but you'll usually need a car or bike.
Top tip
Firmly accept the RAU as your first choice as early as you can. Rooms go first come, first served, and application forms are emailed to firm-offer holders. Complete yours within 10 days of receiving it, then accept your room offer, pay the £300 deposit and sign within 14 days. Off campus, the university says a room in a shared house or a one-bed flat in the area costs about £400–£500 a month, plus bills.
RAU halls cost £210–£273 a week for 2026/27 on 35-week contracts, and most include half board. That's pricier than many universities, but it covers 14 meals a week. Off campus, the university estimates rent of £400–£700 a month and total living costs of £830 to £1,570 a month. Free campus parking helps if you bring a car.
Getting around
Campus is within walking distance of Cirencester town centre. The nearest station is Kemble, about three miles away, with trains via Swindon and direct services to London Paddington in under 90 minutes. A taxi from Kemble starts at about £11, and there's a bus. Free parking on campus is available if you register your car.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Royal Agricultural University is 48th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.1. Its strongest results are for student wellbeing (1st), safety (2nd), student happiness (3rd).
Not formally. Once you've firmly accepted your offer you can apply for an on-campus room, but rooms are allocated first come, first served and the RAU doesn't publish a guarantee. Accept early and return your application form quickly.
Most are. Half board (14 meals a week: breakfast and dinner on weekdays, breakfast and lunch at weekends, in term time) is standard in Bledisloe Court, Coad Court, Vic Hughes 2 and Woodlands. West Lodge and Vic Hughes 1 are self-catered.
For 2026/27, rooms cost £210–£273 a week on a 35-week contract, so £7,350–£9,555 for the year. Half board rooms include meals. You'll also pay a £300 deposit, which is returned at the end of the year minus any charges.
The nearest station is Kemble, about three miles from campus, with trains via Swindon and direct services from London Paddington. A taxi from Kemble costs from around £11, and there's also a bus.
Free student parking is available on campus if you register your vehicle online, on a first-come, first-parked basis. The RAU has equestrian facilities for teaching and supports equestrian and polo clubs, but check with the university directly about keeping your own horse.
Very small. The university describes itself as having around 1,100 students, and HESA counted 925 in 2024/25 (760 undergraduates). That makes it one of the smallest universities in the UK, with a close-knit feel.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
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