Royal Agricultural College - In Depth

Founded: 1845.

Site: 30-acre campus, 1 mile from Cirencester.

How to get there: By road on A419 (from Swindon or Gloucester) or A429 (from Bristol and M4 west); train to Kemble, 2 miles away.

Academic features: Some courses lead to membership of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rural Practice Division).

Awarding body: Royal Agricultural College.

Main undergraduate award: BSc.

Length of courses: 3 years, 4 years (sandwich).

Library & information services: 26,500 volumes, 600 periodicals, 160 study places, reference works, statistical publications, 700 videos. Annual expenditure on information provision, £188 per (FTE) student. Library and IT services partially converged; 70 workstations with access to library and internet (overall ratio 1:8 workstations to students), open 24 hours/day. 2 IT support staff; training for new students in library and information services; lecture-based IT courses.

Other learning facilities: Own 770 hectare farm; centre for agricultural and rural skills.

Study abroad: 10% of students spend a period in Europe. Formal exchange links with many universities in Europe, New Zealand and Canada.

Careers: Careers adviser; information, advice and placement.

Employment: Farm, plantation, nursery and estate management; land agency; leisure management; conservation; rural investment and advisory services; food industry; retailing, marketing. journalism.

Student advice & services: Doctor, counselling service, student welfare officer, chaplain, personal tutors.

Amenities: Common rooms, bar, snack bar, student union shop.

Sporting facilities: Sports pitches including floodlit all-weather hockey and tennis, facilities for squash, rowing, water sports and field sports, gym and clay pigeon shooting (sports scholarships available).

Accommodation: 90% of first years in college accommodation, 40% of all students. 300 full-board places at £70-£125 per week, term time only. Students live in privately owned accommodation for 2 years: rents £50-£80 pw for self-catering, £60-£70 B&B. Very small numbers live at home.

Living expenses budget: No College-recommended minimum.

Term-time work: College allows term-time work for full-time students (10% believed to work). Some work available on campus in bar, waiting at dinners and farm work (holidays only); some other holiday jobs displayed on noticeboards.

Financial help: Total available £70,000, of which 80% awarded before course starts. 32 college and industry-funded scholarships (up to £2000) awarded annually, including sports scholarships.

Tuition fees: Home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005). International students pay £6800 pa.