Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Swansea is a mid-sized university with a big selling point: the sea. It has two campuses on Swansea Bay. Singleton Park sits in parkland west of the city centre, a short walk from the beach, and is home to most humanities, social science, health and medicine courses. The newer Bay Campus, to the east, is right on the seafront and houses engineering, management and computing.
The set-up suits people who like a relaxed, outdoorsy pace, with Gower beaches close by. Do check which campus your course is on, because buses link the two but they're a few miles apart. Halls are all-inclusive and mostly sit between £141 and £210 a week.
Known for
Swansea University is 8th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 58.5, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | University of Bath | 58.7 |
| 7 | Lancaster University | 58.6 |
| 8 | Swansea University | 58.5 |
| 9 | Nottingham Trent University | 57.9 |
| 10 | Leeds Arts University | 57.3 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
4th of 124 · Innovation Score 72.7
6th of 124 · Sustainability Score 74
10th of 123 · Happiness Score 65.6
11th of 124 · Freshers Score 67.5
14th of 124 · Affordability Score 69.2
15th of 124 · Societies Score 65.3
15th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 66.4
19th of 124 · Balance Score 52.8
22nd of 124 · Value Score 60
22nd of 124 · Safety Score 58.3
36th of 124 · Social Score 55.9
49th of 122 · Careers Score 33.7
50th of 124 · Employability Score 33.1
64th of 124 · Inclusion Score 57.2
78th of 124 · Nightlife Score 46.1
Swansea as a student city
Ranked 30th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 54.3.
Swansea University appears in 44 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 1st | of 108 | 220 |
| Criminology | 1st | of 94 | 221 |
| Sociology | 1st | of 86 | 226 |
| Economics | 1st | of 85 | 196 |
| Media and Communication | 1st | of 79 | 201 |
| Sports Science | 1st | of 78 | 206 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 1st | of 77 | 208 |
| International Relations | 1st | of 71 | 168 |
| Geography | 1st | of 63 | 166 |
| Software Engineering | 1st | of 58 | 168 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature | 1st | of 54 | 153 |
| Philosophy | 1st | of 54 | 157 |
| Computer Science | 2nd | of 102 | 223 |
| Chemistry | 1st | of 44 | 146 |
| Occupational Therapy | 1st | of 40 | 147 |
| Politics | 2nd | of 78 | 175 |
| Business and Management | 3rd | of 114 | 235 |
| Zoology | 1st | of 37 | 132 |
| Pharmacy | 1st | of 32 | 118 |
| Accounting and Finance | 1st | of 30 | 213 |
| Chemical Engineering | 1st | of 30 | 116 |
| Biochemistry | 2nd | of 60 | 163 |
| Law | 4th | of 97 | 196 |
| Film Production | 4th | of 87 | 212 |
| History | 4th | of 76 | 171 |
| Marine Biology | 1st | of 17 | 69 |
| Environmental Science | 3rd | of 47 | 131 |
| Mathematics | 4th | of 61 | 151 |
| Aerospace Engineering 2026 table | 2nd | of 30 | 112 |
| Engineering (General) | 2nd | of 30 | 104 |
| Journalism | 4th | of 59 | 143 |
| Civil Engineering | 4th | of 58 | 144 |
| Actuarial Science | 1st | of 14 | 67 |
| Physics | 4th | of 45 | 123 |
| Marketing | 8th | of 88 | 191 |
| Classics | 2nd | of 20 | 80 |
| Electrical Engineering | 7th | of 67 | 150 |
| Social Work | 7th | of 67 | 169 |
| Pharmacology | 4th | of 37 | 91 |
| Midwifery | 6th | of 54 | 123 |
| Biology | 6th | of 51 | 133 |
| PPE | 4th | of 31 | 96 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 9th | of 66 | 119 |
| Nursing | 13th | of 85 | 171 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Swansea University Students' Union runs 56 sports clubs and more than 180 societies, plus on-campus venues including JC's bar on Singleton and Cove. Life here leans outdoors: surfing, coastal walks and the long sweep of Swansea Bay are close to both campuses, and the Gower peninsula is just west of the city. For nights out, the city centre is a short bus ride away. Campus culture includes the Taliesin arts centre and the Egypt Centre museum on Singleton Park.
University halls cost £141–£220 per week for first-year rooms across Singleton and Bay (2026/27, all-inclusive, 40–44-week contracts). The university's own summary gives £130–£258 depending on requirements (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university guarantees accommodation to first-year undergraduates who: have a firm offer, meet the terms of that offer, apply for accommodation by the August deadline (the How to Apply page says 18 August; another accommodation page says 19 August), and accept their offer of study by 31 October. If Swansea is your firm choice but you apply after the deadline, your application is processed alongside insurance and Clearing students. For 2026/27, applications opened on 26 November 2025.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beck House (Tŷ Beck) | Uplands | standard, en-suite and flats | £136/wk | Six Victorian houses in Uplands, 1.5 miles from Singleton. The university pitches it at postgraduates, medics, mature undergraduates, couples and families rather than typical first years. |
| Nest (Bay Campus) | Bay Campus | shared twin en-suite room | £141/wk | The cheapest room on the 2026/27 list: you share a twin room. Only 16 rooms. £6,204 for 44 weeks. |
| Cefn Bryn | Singleton Park | standard room, shared bathroom (1 bathroom to 2 students) | £157/wk | The cheapest option at Singleton: 144 medium standard rooms at £6,280 for 40 weeks. |
| Caswell and Oxwich | Singleton Park | en-suite | £176/wk | The cheapest en-suites on Singleton: medium rooms at £176 a week on a 42-week contract (£7,392). |
| Kilvey & Rhossili Catered | Singleton Park | standard room, shared bathroom | £178/wk | The part-catered choice: the rent includes a catering allowance. £7,120 for 40 weeks. |
| Bay Campus (main blocks) | Bay Campus | en-suite (medium and premium) | £184/wk | The bulk of Bay Campus rooms: medium en-suite £184 a week on a 44-week contract (£8,096), premium £191. Seafront, next to the beach. |
| Penmaen | Singleton Park | en-suite | £194/wk | The biggest Singleton block on the list (224 medium en-suites), up to £208 a week for a premium room. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The classic student area between Singleton campus and the city, packed with shared terraced houses.
Lively area with shops, bars, cafés and restaurants, about 1.5 miles from Singleton.
Quieter and more residential, a walk or short bus ride from Singleton.
Top tip
Apply as soon as you get your student number, and well before the August guarantee deadline. Rent includes utilities, Wi-Fi and contents insurance. You pay a £100 advance rent payment within 3 days of accepting a room offer, and it comes off your first instalment. Pick your residence based on where your course is taught: Bay for engineering, management and computing, Singleton for most other subjects. 2027/28 prices will be published on the fees page when available.
The university's average for halls is £185 a week (a medium en-suite over 40 weeks), with bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance included. Shared private houses come in cheaper, at about £122 a week plus around £16 for bills. The university also estimates about £34 a week for groceries and £38 for socialising. Buses are cheap if you're under 22 and get a mytravelpass.
Getting around
First Bus runs UniBus services linking Singleton Park, Bay Campus, the city centre and student areas, including the 91 and 92 between campuses and late-night N91 and N92 buses. If you're 16–21 with a Welsh address, a free mytravelpass gets you singles from £1 and day tickets from £3. If you're 22 or over, Tap On Tap Off caps fares at £2 a single and £4 a day.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Swansea University is 8th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 58.5. Its strongest results are for innovation (4th), sustainability (6th), student happiness (10th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, Swansea University places highest for Psychology (1st of 108), Criminology (1st of 94), Sociology (1st of 86), Economics (1st of 85). Across our awards, it also stands out for innovation.
It depends on your course. Bay Campus is the hub for engineering, management and the Computational Foundry. Singleton Park houses culture and communication, social sciences, psychology, health and social care, biosciences, law and the Medical School. You can live on either campus whatever your course, but living where you study saves on travel.
Yes. First-year undergraduates are guaranteed a place if they have a firm offer, meet its terms, apply for accommodation by the August deadline (18 August on the How to Apply page) and accept their offer of study by 31 October. If you apply after the deadline, you're considered alongside insurance and Clearing applicants.
For 2026/27, first-year rooms run from £141 a week (a shared twin room at Bay Campus) to about £220 for a one-bed flat. Most en-suites cost between £176 and £210 a week. All rents include utilities, Wi-Fi and contents insurance.
Partly. Kilvey and Rhossili on the Singleton campus include a catering allowance in the rent (£178 a week for 2026/27). All the other residences are self-catered.
First Bus runs UniBus services between the two campuses (the 91 and 92) and into the city centre, with late-night N91 and N92 buses. Under-22s with a Welsh address can get a free mytravelpass for £1 singles. Otherwise, Tap On Tap Off caps fares at £2 a journey and £4 a day.
Most move into shared private houses, typically in Brynmill, Uplands or Sketty near Singleton Park. The university estimates about £122 a week for a double room in a shared house, plus around £16 a week for bills.
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.
