SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

Process

After acceptance to study abroad as an exchange student to Swansea University through Illinois, you will need to submit a Swansea University (host university) application as well. The University of Illinois (home university) will nominate you for Swansea University. Once you’ve been nominated, you may receive an e-mail with a link to your application form.

You may also visit here to complete the Swansea University application.

When you submit your online application form you will receive an automated email acknowledgement. Then you will be emailed confirmation when your application has been processed, and again to confirm acceptance to study at Swansea University with full information on the next steps of the process. These emails will be followed by information packages that will be mailed directly to the University of Illinois Study Abroad Coordinator who will distribute them to you.

Requirements

You will need to be in good academic standing at the University of Illinois (your home university) to be able to study at Swansea University. Non-EU International students are required to have proficiency in the English language. A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 is required, with a minimum of 5.5 required in each part of the test.

You will confirm your final course selection once you have arrived and are enrolled at Swansea University.

Program Dates

• • Spring Semester 2021: January 25, 2021-April 6, 2021

  • Fall Semester 2021: tba

  • Academic Year 2021-22: September 20, 2021-June 3, 2022

ARRIVAL

• Arrival information, including where to go for your airport pick-up on the scheduled day, and about the orientation schedule, will come from Swansea University. Therefore, do not book your airline tickets until first verifying the expected arrival and departure dates with Swansea University.

• Airport Pick Up Service - Meet and Greet

• Arrive stress free with the University's Airport Pick Up Service! Swansea University offers an airport pick up service, for a small cost from Heathrow Airport to all new International and EU Students; this is to make sure that your first journey to Swansea is as smooth as possible. This service is available for September arrivals ONLY (Fall and full year). This service is NOT available for January arrivals (Spring).

Tentative Spring 2021 Arrival Dates:

• • Spring semester students are expected to arrive for orientation on Friday, January 22, 2021. You will be emailed details of the orientation before your arrival.

  • If you are taking part in the Swansea University Pre-Sessional Programme you should arrange to arrive over the weekend January 9th/10th ready for the start of the course on Monday, January 11, 2021.

  • If booking accommodation through Swansea's Residential Services Team please email them at accommodation@swansea.ac.uk to confirm when you can enter your housing.

VISA AND IMMIGRATION

Please follow information provided in the Visa and Immigration Guide. Non-EU/international students going to Swansea University for 6 months or under may require a Short Term Student visa. The Go Global Team (Swansea Study Abroad) will give you a Short Term Student visa support letter that you have to carry inside your passport when arriving in the United Kingdom. This letter will be sent to you as part of your acceptance package. They will also provide students with detailed information on how to proceed with their visa applications. Please follow all instructions and adhere to deadlines to ensure entry into the United Kingdom.

AIRPORTS

• • Cardiff International. Once you arrive at Cardiff International Airport take the shuttle bus, Service 905, to Rhoose Cardiff Railway Station. From here you can then catch one of the hourly trains to Cardiff Central Station or Bridgend. From either Cardiff Central or Bridgend Stations take a train to Swansea (1 hour).

  • Bristol International. Once you arrive at Bristol International take the Bristol International Flyer Express Coach to Bristol Temple Meads station. From Bristol Temple Meads take a train to Swansea (2.5 hours).

  • London Gatwick and London Heathrow. The National Express coach company runs buses directly from both Heathrow and Gatwick airports to Swansea. This is the cheapest and easiest way to travel. Transfer times are approximately 4 hours (Heathrow) and 5.5 hours (Gatwick).

TRAIN AND BUS STATIONS FOR CAMPUSES

If you are arriving at Swansea Bus Station or Train Station we suggest you take a taxi to the University. There are taxi ranks outside both the bus station and the train station. If you wish to utilize public transport, Swansea operates a FTR-Metro bus service - No. 4 that departs from the train station and central bus station and it stops outside Fulton House (Singleton Campus). Bus No.8 operated by First Cymru departs from the central bus station to both campuses. Find out more here.

Directions to Hendrefoilan Student Village

• • From Swansea Bus Station, we advise you to take a taxi to the Student Village. You can also catch Bus No.8 which departs from the main bus station and will take you to Hendrefoilan Student Village.

  • If you are arriving at a different airport to the above and would like information about travelling to Swansea, please contact our team on: studyabroad@swansea.ac.uk

Process

Once you are accepted to Swansea University as an Exchange student, you will receive an email from the Go Global Team (Swansea Study Abroad) that has a link to Residential Services and your Swansea University student number that you need in order to apply for housing. Although Swansea does not guarantee housing for Visiting and Exchange students, you are still able to apply.

On Campus Housing

• When selecting housing, please review the expectations and moving in guide.

• Full Year Students: To stand the best chance of securing accommodation for the full academic year, you should apply before June 30th.

Off Campus Housing

• Housing is available in both University residences on campus as well as in University managed apartments (flats) and houses off campus. If you prefer to live off campus, you have the option to apply for private sector accommodation. For assistance with finding private sector accommodation, please visit the SAS Housing website.

• Please view these additional resources, when considering off campus housing:

  • • Off Campus Student Housing

    • Parent Guide

Course Selection

Courses at Swansea University are taught on two campuses. Please keep this in mind when deciding your course schedule and mode of transportation. Students must factor travel time into their decision when choosing courses as they will need time to travel between the sites.

When selecting courses, students must pay attention to the method of assessment. Some are assessed by essay, others by examinations. The examination/assessment period usually occurs after the last week of the teaching portion of the semester.

Fall Semester Students: Some courses have examinations in January and students are required to be present in Swansea for these. Some modules require the submission of coursework. It is the responsibility of students to check the method of assessment before selecting their courses. Students not planning to be in Swansea for the assessment period need to select courses assessed by coursework and class tests rather than by examination in January.

Spring Semester Students : All examinations take place in May/June. Students are required to be present at all set examinations and should NOT arrange return flights home until their final examination timetable/schedule is confirmed by the Examination Office at Swansea University. These schedules are published in mid-December for January examinations and in early April for May/June examinations.

Course Registration

You must register for courses once you are accepted into Swansea University. When registering for courses, please refer to the Swansea University guide and work with your academic advisor at the University of Illinois to ensure credit transfer. You may register for courses here. Once you have physically arrived at Swansea and enrolled, you will confirm your final course selection.

Transcripts

Transcripts will be sent to Illinois automatically after the end of the program. However, the time for receipt and processing can take a few months. Be patient, and you can track to see when your transcript is received by the Office of the Registrar by when the digital copy is uploaded into your My Study Abroad documents.

Cross Campus Study

Students who choose to study classes within the College of Engineering; School of Management; Computer Science & Mathematics will be studying at the Bay Campus. Students choosing to take these courses along with courses from other academic departments will have to travel between the Bay & Singleton Park campuses. Classes start on the hour at both campuses and students will need to understand that it is not possible to attend a 10am lecture on the Singleton Park Campus followed by an 11 am lecture on the Bay Campus as travel time will need to be allowed for.

Subjects offered on Singleton Park Campus:

• • Arts & Humanities – American Studies; Classics, Ancient History, Egyptology; Education; English Language & Applied Linguistics; English Literature & Creative Writing; History & Medieval Studies; Media, Communication & Public Relations; Modern Languages, Translation & Interpreting; Politics & International Relations; War & Society; Welsh

  • Human & Health Sciences – Public Health & Social Policy (excluding Social Work and Inter-professional Studies); Psychology

  • Medical School – Biochemistry; Genetics

  • Science – Biosciences; Chemistry; Geography; Physics

  • Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law – Criminology; Law

Take a look at the Singleton Park Campus map

Subjects offered on Bay Campus:

• • Engineering – (including the School of Sport & Exercise Science); Aerospace; Chemical; Civil; Electronic & Electrical; Materials Science; Mechanical

  • School of Management - Accounting & Finance; Business Management; Economics; Marketing

  • Science - Computer Science; Mathematics

Take a look at the Bay Campus map

Pre Semester Cultural Program

At Swansea, an optional pre-sessional program is offered (at extra cost) to help students understand the history and culture of Swansea in preparation for studying there. It is taught over a two-week period before the semester begins and provides an introduction to major themes and events that have shaped social, cultural and political development of the UK since the end of World War Two using British literature films, music and popular culture to illustrate it. This popular program includes excursions around the local area: Swansea and the Gower Peninsula, St Fagans National History Museum, Big Pit National Coal Museum, Cardiff, and the World Heritage City of Bath.

Events

• • University open days provides an excellent way to meet the staff and fellow students in your major.

  • Information fairs include information on student services and support, students’ union, employability, sports and music.

  • Campus tours are available and you can also take sports and accommodation tours. There is also a Swansea University mobile app through Apple that can inform you of events, excursions, organizations and even help you plan your course schedule.

Below are some additional resources to get involved within the campus and community.

• • Swansea Lonely Planet Guide

  • Campus Life

  • Student Support

  • Pre Sessional Program

  • Swansea Youtube Channel

  • University Open Days

  • Virtual Tour