UkWinds5353

Hello

I'm new to this site,am a young 41 year old American will be in Uk this jan to attend college.Must make my selection in next 30 days so to start the visa process.Would love opinions on which college towns in uk that you would recommend for traditional British culture,nice pub scene and other activities? Want to restart my life and experience liking in a different country while gaining my degree.

Thank you in advance for your help

quoll

Well, of course I am prejudiced but Cambridge would be my pick (if you can get in!). Bristol wasnt too bad but it isnt so much a university town as a big city with a bit of university attached.

The academic year starts in September so not quite sure what you are going to be studying that will begin in Jan though.

Good luck

nivlug

You'd be hard pressed to beat some of the big cities in the North of England. Manchester, Leeds, and Newcastle come to mind. However, check out Durham university. Fab uni, great location and I'm sure u'd love it there. You can even spend a weekend in Scotland since it's not far from the border.

Good luck with your choices but I would stay 'Up North'.

dunroving

As such, UK universities don't tend to be in "college towns" in the same way that so many US universities are (you won't find places like Auburn or UGA/Athens everywhere like in the States). The closest thing is Oxford/Cambridge, as already mentioned, but then they are definitely not like US "college towns" either.

I'd also suggest sticking with universities in the north for cheaper cost of living and a different sort of British culture than many US folks imagine. Northern cities have enjoyed a resurgence over the past 10-20 years and many are vibrant, no longer economically depressed and drab like they were back in the 60s and 70s.

Depending on what sort of experience you are looking for, some of the options north of the border are also worth considering (Glasgow, Stirling, Edinburgh).

If travelling back to the US is an issue, consider somewhere within easy reach of major airports (Manchester, Bormingham, etc.)

Cape Blue

Oxford
Cambridge
Bath
Brighton
York
Durham
Edinburgh
St Andrews

Jon77

York often gets over looked as a University city as the University of York was not founded until 1962. It happens to be my University

It is a modern campus located on the edge of York situated in very picturesque parkland famous for it's lakes and wildfowl.

The city itself can match anything Cambridge or Oxford can offer. Medieval streets, cosy pubs packed with charm, top restaurants, good shops and because it is on the main tourist route of the UK there is always something happening for all age groups.

York has excellent transport links to London, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh. The main form of transport in York is a bike as everything is not too far away. Spent many happy hours biking and walking down the River Ouse paths.

It depends on what you are looking for of course. Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester will be much more lively on and off campus.

St Andrews is a very nice place, I would recommend Edinburgh also.

Bevm

I agree with Dunrovin that university towns don't exist in the way Americans think of them. However, there are some campus universities, which have a different dynamic than the city ones. Depends how you feel about that.

Depending on your nature, it's easy to get lost in a big city, especially if you have to rent a place at a distance from the university and do a lot of commuting, so look into where you're likely to be able to live. If you can get housing on campus at a campus university -- not a given, so check -- it might be more what you're looking for.

I agree with looking north and midlands, though, so see a different part of England. Rail travel to London and other points is quite easy from many places.

Bev

nun

Is this part of a year abroad connected with your US degree. If so I'd go to college in London, but go on trips around the country too.

If you are planning to attend a UK university for a full 3 years I would make my decision more on the reputation of a university for my degree subject rather than it's surroundings.

Sally Redux

Me too.

Surely it also depends on which institutions will accept you?

Picnic

To echo a previous reply: do you realise that the UK University academic year commences in August? And that applications are made through a central organisation (UCAS, http://www.ucas.ac.uk/) and not to individual Universities? You say that you need to make your decision soon to start the visa process but it seems highly unlikely that you will be able to study in the UK until Sept 2011.

alipally

As some previous posters have suggested, it depends on what you are studying as to which University you should prefer.
Where there's a Uni, there's always a community to go with it.
My son went to Exeter and that provided him with a very satisfactory social life!
I like Birmingham personally... In the middle of everything, lots going on there, but if you want to visit anywhere else the rail links are cheap and well provided for. ( I know that some of you will disagree!!)
Oxford is brilliant, but, frankly it's a little expensive to live there...

dunroving

Good point - even if it is an international exchange, these take most of a whole academic year to set up.

Sally Redux

Is that true for overseas students though? I don't think they use UCAS.

UkWinds5353

Thank you for responding to my posting. Your help is much appreciated. If it's true that foreighn students must go through ucas and the calendar school year must be entered only in sept? If that is so I will have to adjust my plans accordingly. In the states you can enter the fall or winter semester.It's appealing to me that the cost of living is cheaper in northern uk.Would I miss out by not living near London? Btw, I do plan to study in a three year program,but was hoping to do so in a beautiful medieval town.

I wonder if the reputation of a uk college is more important than the quality of it's particular department (finance,nursing,education ect)?

Sally Redux

The best thing to do is to identify a university course you are interested in and contact the admissions department directly. I have not heard of people in the UK starting the course in January but you could ask.

Different universities have different strengths so the overall quality of the institution and the department must both be borne in mind.