Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
UWTSD is a multi-campus Welsh university. Swansea is its biggest base, split between the SA1 Waterfront campus by the marina, the Swansea Business Campus and Swansea College of Art in the city centre. It also has historic campuses in Carmarthen and Lampeter, plus centres in London, Birmingham and Cardiff.
Your experience depends a lot on where you study. In Swansea there are no university-owned halls, so you'll live in private student accommodation or shared houses, with the beach and city on your doorstep. In Carmarthen you can live on campus in self-catered en-suites from £107 a week.
Known for
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is 95th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 42.7, below 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 93 | University of Greenwich | 42.8 |
| 94 | University of Hull | 42.7 |
| 95 | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 42.7 |
| 96 | Teesside University | 42.4 |
| 97 | Leeds Trinity University | 42.2 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
23rd of 124 · Affordability Score 65.7
24th of 124 · Freshers Score 63.9
24th of 123 · Happiness Score 59.6
27th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 61.4
27th of 124 · Safety Score 55.1
66th of 124 · Sustainability Score 51.3
67th of 124 · Societies Score 48.6
85th of 124 · Innovation Score 49.8
85th of 124 · Balance Score 38.1
87th of 124 · Value Score 40.3
97th of 122 · Careers Score 23.5
100th of 124 · Social Score 40.9
103rd of 124 · Employability Score 21.7
109th of 124 · Nightlife Score 32.8
Not enough published data to rank fairly
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.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David appears in 30 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 1st | of 55 | 139 |
| Photography | 3rd | of 44 | 112 |
| Software Engineering | 9th | of 58 | 139 |
| Cyber Security | 11th | of 58 | 136 |
| Psychology | 21st | of 108 | 179 |
| Anthropology | 5th | of 24 | 79 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 17th | of 77 | 154 |
| Sociology | 20th | of 86 | 160 |
| Graphic Design | 16th | of 68 | 148 |
| Film Production | 21st | of 87 | 169 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Education | 16th | of 59 | 133 |
| Electrical Engineering | 21st | of 67 | 127 |
| Fashion Design | 17th | of 49 | 113 |
| Business and Management | 43rd | of 114 | 165 |
| Art and Design | 5th | of 13 | 52 |
| Sports Science | 30th | of 78 | 132 |
| Quantity Surveying | 14th | of 35 | 84 |
| Fine Art | 24th | of 58 | 122 |
| Human Resource Management | 24th | of 58 | 115 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 22nd | of 52 | 107 |
| Performing Arts | 16th | of 37 | 87 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 26th | of 60 | 106 |
| Creative Writing | 15th | of 34 | 73 |
| Teaching | 35th | of 79 | 131 |
| Archaeology | 13th | of 28 | 78 |
| Philosophy | 26th | of 54 | 98 |
| Civil Engineering | 28th | of 58 | 98 |
| Product Design | 21st | of 43 | 91 |
| History | 41st | of 76 | 106 |
| Hospitality and Hotel Management | 3rd | of 4 | – |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
UWTSD Students' Union is an independent, student-led charity that supports clubs, societies, events and student voice. It runs venues on the Carmarthen and Lampeter campuses. In Swansea, the city is effectively your campus: the beach, the pubs and bars of Wind Street and the city centre, the marina and the Gower are all close by. Carmarthen and Lampeter are smaller, quieter and more community-focused, with life centred on campus.
University halls cost £107–£139.10 per week (Carmarthen campus, 2026/27, 38-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says accommodation is guaranteed for those who make UWTSD their firm choice, but it also says it can't guarantee university accommodation for all applicants. New first-year undergraduates who choose UWTSD as their firm choice must apply by 31 July 2026. University-owned halls are only at the Carmarthen campus. In Swansea, London, Birmingham and Cardiff, students use private halls and private rented housing. Clearing applicants are offered guaranteed accommodation at Carmarthen.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop Noakes (en-suite) | Carmarthen campus | en-suite, single bed | £107.00/wk | Self-catered en-suite on the main Carmarthen campus. £4,066 for a 38-week contract (19 September 2026 to 12 June 2027). |
| Archbishop Noakes (new-style en-suite) | Carmarthen campus | en-suite, four-foot bed | £139.10/wk | Newer en-suite rooms with a bigger bed. £5,285.80 for 38 weeks. |
| St Davids (Student Roost) | Swansea city centre | private halls (partner) | Not published | Recommended private accommodation for Swansea students. Not university-owned, and prices aren't given on the university site. |
| Crown Place | Swansea waterfront, near SA1 campus | private halls (partner) | Not published | Recommended private accommodation overlooking Swansea Marina and the River Tawe, close to the SA1 campus. Prices aren't on the university site. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Close to the Business Campus and College of Art, with shops, bars and Wind Street nightlife.
Modern waterfront flats near the SA1 campus and marina.
Swansea's classic student areas: terraced houses, cafés and pubs, near the seafront and Singleton Park.
Top tip
Check which campus your course is taught at first. If it's Carmarthen, make UWTSD your firm choice and apply for halls by 31 July. For Swansea, start looking at private halls (the university recommends St Davids and Crown Place) or house shares early. Sites like Studentpad, UniHomes and StuRents are listed by the university.
UWTSD is one of the cheaper places to live in halls: Carmarthen en-suites cost £107–£139 a week for 2026/27. In Swansea you'll pay private rents, which vary by provider. The university doesn't publish a cost-of-living estimate, so budget for food, travel and socialising on top of rent. London and Birmingham students will face much higher private rents.
Getting around
Swansea is compact, and the university says students can walk to the beach, pubs and nightlife. Buses link the SA1, Business Campus and city-centre sites. Carmarthen and Lampeter are small towns where you can walk most places. Carmarthen has a railway station on the line to Swansea and Cardiff.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is 95th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 42.7. Its strongest results are for affordability (23rd), freshers experience (24th), student happiness (24th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David places highest for Architecture (1st of 55), Photography (3rd of 44), Hospitality and Hotel Management (3rd of 4). Across our awards, it also stands out for affordability.
In Wales: Swansea (SA1 Waterfront, Swansea Business Campus and Swansea College of Art), Carmarthen and Lampeter. It also has campuses in London, Birmingham and Cardiff. Check which campus your course is taught at, because student life varies a lot between them.
No. University-owned halls are only on the Carmarthen campus. In Swansea, the university recommends private providers St Davids (Student Roost) and Crown Place, or you can rent a shared house.
For 2026/27, the Carmarthen halls (Archbishop Noakes) cost £107 a week for an en-suite or £139.10 for a new-style en-suite with a four-foot bed, on 38-week contracts. They're self-catered.
The university says accommodation is guaranteed for students who make UWTSD their firm choice and apply by 31 July, but it also notes it can't guarantee university accommodation for everyone. Halls are only in Carmarthen, so in Swansea you'll need private accommodation.
It's a compact, friendly coastal city. The university says you can walk to a five-mile sandy beach and to the city's pubs, restaurants and nightlife. Mumbles and the Gower peninsula are close by.
The university itself formed in 2010, but its history goes back to St David's College, Lampeter, founded in 1822. The university says its Royal Charter (1828) is the oldest in Wales and England after Oxford and Cambridge.
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.
