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Find out which unis our student reviewers
The Whatuni Student Choice Awards are almost entirely based on real-life reviews from current uni students. We ask students to rate their university experience in distinct categories, carefully chosen to give you a good sense of the strengths (and weaknesses) of your university choices, which might give you insight into areas you’d not previous considered. What does each category mean for you?
Career Prospects
A future career in an area you love is high on the list of reasons to go to university. This category is all about how universities help students to reach their dream careers. It includes employability skills through courses and extracurricular activities, access to internships and work placements, support with preparing CVs and building students’ confidence to be ready for work after graduation.
Facilities
Campus life must be appealing and enjoyable for you. The facilities category looks at the physical environment of a university and its campus. It covers lecture halls, sports and recreation facilities, accommodation and subject-specific facilities and libraries. Students value well-equipped gyms, 24-hour and well-stocked libraries, and resources for specialist courses.
Halls and Student Accommodation
This is often the most important consideration for students after choice of course, and the largest single item of a student’s budget. Good quality, comfortable and well-run accommodation can make all the difference to adjusting to living away from home and your day-to-day comfort. Reviews in this category often mention the modernity of facilities, the helpfulness of residential assistants, the speed and availability of wi-fi, distance to campus, and whether there are shared social spaces for making new friends.
International
The International category is calculated as the overall student experience as rated specifically by international students. The focus is on how supported and welcome international students feel. This includes an inclusive student body (integration between international and domestic students), specific programmes and activities to support and welcome students from overseas, the variety of nationalities on campus and making sure that students feel supported with coursework.
Lecturers and Teaching Quality
This category is vital to your learning throughout your course. Quality of teaching is one of the main reasons for students choosing a particular uni. This award focuses on the academic side of university life and covers everything from teaching to types of assessment. Some of the most common themes mentioned in student reviews include the quality of feedback from lecturers, how inspirational and passionate the lecturers are, and the balance between theory and practical application in a course.
Submission Award: Career Coaching and Work Placements
Finding work after university can be a stressful task, especially if it's your first job. Luckily, many unis understand this and have come up with a host of methods to help their students achieve their job goals after getting a degree. From career coaching with respected and successful business minds to work placements at impressive companies, unis go out of their way to give their students the best chance in the job market after education. Unlike the other categories, this is a submission-based award judged by a student panel, where institutions demonstrated the work they did to identify the specific needs of students, the initiatives that have been put in place, how students were involved in the process and more.
Postgraduate
This Postgraduate category considers the overall experience of postgraduate students. Postgrad students tend to be more career-driven and show a noticeable passion for specific subjects. The category looks at whether universities offer dedicated studying spaces, accommodation and other facilities for postgrad students. Some of the factors frequently mentioned by reviewers include being intellectually challenged, preparedness for work and future career, and how much emphasis is placed on academia.
Small or Specialist
Small or specialist institutions range from those focusing on the arts through to medical, veterinary and technological sciences, and often cover both undergraduate and postgraduate study levels. These types of institutions often have excellent links to industry and are popular with students with a clear idea of the career they want to follow in the future. Student reviews consider their overall experience, with a focus on lecturers and teaching quality, and also include the students’ union experience, facilities and student life.
Student Life
The Student Life category focuses on the non-academic side of university experience – friendships, socialising, sports, extra-curricular activities and on- and off-campus entertainment. These are all the activities that will help you relax and have fun at uni, provide a positive sense of community and promote good mental health. Don’t discount this side of uni life when you’re making your university choices!
Student Support
Student support is about creating a positive environment to help you thrive during your time at university. Good quality student support can be vital aid for students who may need extra help or who are thinking about dropping out. This category includes support hubs where students can talk about financial or accommodation issues and get counselling services. It covers academic support and constructive feedback from lecturers. Student reviews in this category mention helpful tutors, reliable counselling services, wellbeing programmes, approachable staff and support for disabled students.
Students’ Union
Students’ unions are much more than the SU bar and nights out. Students’ unions represent all students on issues that are important to them, run regular events, find practical solutions and provide designated places for socialising. Some of the most successful students’ unions make a positive difference within the institution itself and with the local communities, through volunteering and other initiatives.
University of the Year
This category covers how students view their university overall, including the sense of community and of pride in an institution. Reviews often mention aspects such as how the university has helped students grow, has led to new friendships, and is the right fit on a personal and academic level.
See this year's full WUSCA rankings here. And of course, we have thousands of student reviews to help you make up your mind about university. Start browsing now.
Whatuni Student Choice Awards
The largest university awards in the UK voted for exclusively by students - find out which unis our student reviewers love!
