Swansea University - Student Life

Housing: Student areas, Uplands, Brynmill, Mumbles, generally OK. Student village best value for money. For private rents, check uni accommodation office.

Eats: College refectory (could be better), SU-run diners on campus and in village (tasty, fast food). Meal for £2 on campus. Locally, over 40 Indian/Chinese restaurants (from £6); plenty for all tastes, vegetarian, vegan, ethnic.

Drink: Union is the cheapest place to drink (from £1.30 a pint and £1.10 for spirits); Idols at Hendrefoelan open until 1am at weekends, Divas till 2am. Some great city pubs welcome students - The Rhyddings, Smoking Dog, Bryn-yr-Mor, and Pub on the Pond; also great bars, Revolution, Cafe Mambo, The Orange House and Walkabout. Local ales OSB and Tomos Watkins.

Nightlife: Great Union ents eg weekly gigs (bands, DJs, visual artists), fortnightly Paramount Comedy (best up-and-coming artists). City has number of student nights in clubs - Time, Envy and Jumpin Jaks; artists include Westwood, Dave Pearce (Radio 1), Lemar (Fame Academy) and The Cheeky Girls. Swansea great place for live music - recently Electric Six, Lost Prophets and Hundred Reasons. All tastes catered for with jazz, blues, D'n'B and hip hop at some well-hidden venues. Also cinema multiplex, bowling alley, Grand Theatre, Laser Quest and paintball in and around Swansea.

Locals: Very friendly.

Travel: SU travel shop with good reductions for air, rail or coach.

Hardship fund: Little joy.

Jobs: SU employs over 170 students (bar, entertainment, shops, catering). Casual/seasonal work, but hard to get, low paid in Swansea.

Informal name: UWS, Swansea University.

Best features: Students Union.

And worst: Rain.

More info: Contact Union Administrator on Tel: 01792 295466, Fax: 01792 206029, email: administrator(at)swansea-union.co.uk, website: www.swansea-union.co.uk

Past students: Donald Anderson MP, John Morgan, Lamin Mybe, Mark Wyatt, Paul Thorburn, Gwynne Howell, Mavis Nicholson, Alun Richards, Ian Bone (Head of Class War), Nigel Evans MP, Half of Manic Street Preachers, Robert Howley (rugby), David Lewis (swimmer), Daniel Caines (athlete), Terry Matthews (self-made billionaire), David Edwards (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire winner).