Swansea Institute (Student Life)

Accommodation: Halls relatively cheap. Private accommodation moderate but improving; ask student housing for list and look in the Evening Post.

Eating: Institute refectories not bad; meals on campus £2.50. Large variety of restaurants, eg Chinese, Indian, Cantonese food; local chippies very good, cheap and everywhere. Some health food shops and restaurants; few veggie places.

Drinking: £1.50 a pint in Institute Islwyn bar at Townhill campus; Australian theme pub, Walkabout Inn in Wind Street, very popular (sponsors of Athletic Union). Loads of local pubs, majority student dominated.

Nightlife: Plenty of choice in city. Cinema - discount with NUS card. Lots of good pubs and clubs on Wind Street and Kingsway, student night every night somewhere in Swansea.

Locals: Friendly and social. Sports: Wide range of facilities, can get free use of Swansea Leisure Centre.

Travel: Bus between Townhill and Mount Pleasant. Good coach and train services. Shared lifts always advertised.

Financial help: Institute emergency fund and access funds (but need extenuating circumstances to get anything).

Jobs: Part-time jobs (eg department store, bar/restaurant work) advertised through Work Link scheme. Summer jobs not bad but pay poor.

Annual living costs: The minimum amount students say you need to live on each year (covering all living expenses but excluding tuition fees) is £3000 (in institute accommodation), £3200 (in private accommodation).

Best features: Closeness of students and campuses; range of vocational courses.

Worst features: Lack of SU commercial services.

More info: Contact SU on Tel: 01792 298845, Fax: 01792 208376.

Past students: Mervyn Davies, Wayne Proctor, Andy Moore (welsh rugby internationalists), Glyn Garner (Bury FC).