University Of Surrey | Courses, Student Life and More Uncovered

Nestled in the heart of Guildford, the University of Surrey is a prestigious university with lots of raving reviews from many students. Thanks to the internet, student forums and lots of research, we’re here to give you a full roundup on everything you could *possibly* ever want to know about the uni itself. 

Our aim is to uncover everything you need to make an informed decision as to whether the University of Surrey is right for you. From rankings, courses and campuses, to an in depth guide into your new social life, the students union and party places. We promise we’ve not missed a single bit of detail. 

1. Background Info

The University of Surrey is a UK leading university which provides a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research. They’ve invested thousands into regenerating their campuses in order to aid their successful students and celebrate their uniqueness. 

In 2020-2021, over 16,000 domestic and international students attended Surrey uni and these numbers are only projected to grow over the next few years. 33% of this number are international students which helps demonstrate both the diversity of our student body and the international reputation the University enjoys.

They focus their efforts on being a sustainable university and do this across all their operations, teaching and research. Members of the uni are given opportunities to take part in activities, local green space projects and community days.

2. Rankings and Awards

Rankings and awards are extremely important for any university, as they strive to climb the leaderboards and gain the trust of prospective students. It’s not just a quick scan and rank, the process is thorough and experts will take in lots of factors which contribute to the university experience. 

Despite this, it’s not the be all and end all of whether you should choose a specific uni or not. Go with what you believe is the perfect suit for you, and maybe take in reviews from students who’ve lived there. What did they think? Did they have a good time? Make friends for life? It really depends on what you want to prioritise – don’t follow the crowd!

Here’s just a quick summary of some of the rankings and awards they’ve received recently…

The Times

• UK Ranking 2022 – 32nd
• World Ranking 2022 – 246th 
• University Of The Year For Graduate Employment 2022
• World Law Degrees – 58th
• World Business and Economics Degrees – 61st

The Complete University Guide

• UK Rankings 2022 – 35th

The Guardian 

• UK Rankings 2022 – 57th

Student Crowd

• UK Student Rankings 2022 – 75th (3.84/5)

3. Courses

Uni of Surrey has a plethora of courses for you to choose from, which are aimed at boosting your personal and professional success. Like most UK universities, the University of Surrey offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses on offer

After having delved into the rankings and awards above, it’s clear this university is eager for students to excel and get the most out of their studies. When it comes to course rankings, we’ve been able to get the most up to date data on courses for potential Uni of Surrey students. 

Read below and see if you can spot any you’re interested in!

Key subject rankings by UK league table

The Complete University Guide 2022

Position	Subject
1st	Paramedic Science
4th	Food Science
5th	Nursing
5th	Drama, Dance and Cinematic
6th	Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies
6th	Sociology
7th	Communication and Media Studies
9th	German
9th	Veterinary Medicine

The Guardian University Guide 2022

Position	Subject
7th	Veterinary science
8th	Modern languages and linguistics
9th	Criminology

 

All of these positions have been ranked again for 2022, giving you the most up to date data you will need to make an informed decision. 

However, if you feel like you could do with developing your skills further before stepping foot into an undergraduate course, there’s options of completing a Foundation year which will fully prepare you for university life. This is beneficial for those who…

• Didn’t receive the required grades for a specific course
• Starting university a while after some time away from education
• You’re looking for more support whilst transitioning into university

Again, there’s a range of courses to choose from and you can check the full list out here!

4. Campuses

Home to two brilliant campuses, Surrey uni offers so much for students in terms of campus grounds and state-of-the-art facilities. Wherever your lectures are placed, you’re within walking distance to both campuses and the town centre is just a stroll away!

Stag Hill campus is the main university campus, which is situated right next to the Guildford mainline train station and within a short walk of the town centre. Here you can find everything from the Guildford School of Acting and Surrey Business School. The landscape itself is majestic and it’s even home to several award-winning buildings. Lots of renovation investment has been spent on making this campus unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, and most Surrey uni alumni will reciprocate this. 

Manor Park campus is nestled in a beautiful location and is the home of Surrey Sports Park, the new Ivy Arts Centre and the School of Veterinary Medicine. Similarly to Stag Hill, Manor Park’s beautiful campus has a collection of breath-taking buildings which add heaps to students’ experience. The Surrey Sports Park however is undoubtedly one of Europe’s leading sporting venues, offering a full range of high-quality facilities, classes and sports clubs.

Aside from education facilities, these campuses (especially the main Stag Hill campus) are home to brilliant social spaces, restaurants, cafes and bars for you to relax and unwind after a busy day of uni. There’s lots of opportunities for you to meet new friends outside of your course. 

5. Notable Alumni From Surrey University

Okay so we’ve come across some pretty impressive alumni from the University of Surrey, and we want to know what you think too…

Jeremy Kyle

Firstly, who even KNEW that Jeremy Kyle spent his uni years in the South-East of England? Because we sure didn’t! You might know him for his talk show -The Jeremy Kyle Show – which aired on ITV. Unfortunately, it was scrapped back in 2019 and life has not been the same since. We will never forget waking up on a Saturday morning and watching Jezza in bed with a cuppa – we miss you!!!

John Lennox

John Carson Lennox is a mathematician, bioethicist, Christian apologist, and author. He has written many books on religion and ethics and has had numerous public debates with well known atheists. 

Rebecca Romero

Rebecca Jayne Romero, MBE is an English sportswoman, a former World Champion and Olympic Games silver medallist at rowing, and a former World champion and an Olympic champion track cyclist.

Susan Blackmoore

Susan Jane Blackmore (born 29 July 1951) is a British writer, lecturer, sceptic, broadcaster, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth. Her fields of research include memetics,

6. Student Life

Aside from all things courses and education, student life is just as important if you’re looking for a rounded experience. It’s all well and good getting a degree in a field you’re interested in, but prepare not to last for more than a couple of months if your social life is nonexistent. 

Every student’s uni life is different, some will thrive from drinking, partying and heading out to bars and clubs, whilst others will much prefer quiz/games nights, cafe trips and study sessions. 

Location

Guildford is steeped in history and is a brilliant town for you to spend your uni years. As far as transport is concerned, every shop, restaurant and bar is within walking distance, saving you extra P’s to be spent elsewhere. It does also help that the town is extremely picturesque, making your daily stroll that little bit more inviting!

There’s a wealth of places to explore whilst living here, you’re bound to find something for everyone to enjoy. Visit Guildford Castle and roam the stunning gardens that lie here, or head to Loseley Park and uncover the fine Elizabethan manor house which was built in the 1560s. Watts Arts and Crafts gallery is a brilliant day out, featuring work dedicated to the Victorian-era painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts. 

To get your hearts racing, why not compete against your pals at Delta Force Paintball? It’s a guaranteed laugh with your pals and a great way to unleash some stress from uni life. Similarly, Airhop Trampoline Park is another activity to keep you fit and healthy – what more could you want?

Eating

Lucky for you, Surrey is blessed with a stream of cafes, restaurants and bars with food to die for (not to be dramatic). From insta worthy backgrounds to fine dining, you’re fully spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out. Check out a few of our blogs for all things Curry, Pubs, Italian Restaurants and Takeaways in Guildford. 

Nightlife

As you find in many smaller towns, the nightlife is buzzing in Guildford. It is a bit of a hidden gem, with plenty of fantastic pubs to go on a student pub crawl, but also some brilliant nightclubs in town too – including some of the big chain bars and clubs where you can dance the night away to some classic cheesy music or the biggest dance tunes. One of the most popular places for students at the University of Surrey is the Students’ Union nightclub, known as Rubix. But, if you’re looking for a more relaxed setting, why not head to Rogues? A quaint pub with charm and style. In terms of bars and clubs, Casino is a brilliant night out that you’re guaranteed to fall in love with. Hosting various themed nights and student nights, prepare to find yourself accidentally falling in here every week. 

7. Surrey Student Union

Having a grounded students union is important for any UK university, as they’re there to look after your welfare and wellbeing whilst studying throughout your degree. Their main aim is to be the students’ voice, for all sorts of topics relating to uni, accommodation and more. 

Surrey students union is led by some brilliant individuals, who’re elected every year by the students. They’re focused on providing an experience which is unlike any other, and are available for academic advice, volunteering and events. One of the main things they focus on is providing societies for members to get involved in. 

Societies play a huge role in students’ lives. They’re a fantastic way of meeting friends with similar interests, keeping up hobbies and developing skills you might need further in the future. Surrey has a wealth of societies to choose from and we’ve listed a few of them below. Why don’t you check out the full list here?

• Cheerleading 
• Formula One 
• Languages
• Men’s Futsal
• Salsa 
• String Orchestra
• Yoga

8. Student Accommodation

Guilden Village is our luxury student accommodation in Guildford that is perfect for the modern student. Furnished with ample storage space, comfortable beds and modern study areas, you have everything you could need all in one space. We’ve implemented super fast Wi-Fi throughout to aid your studies and even dedicated private rooms for you to take your laptop and revise. 

We understand that student living deserves to have both the luxury of a private room, but also decked out with on-site spaces for relaxation and social events. Lucky for you, Guilden Village is the proud home of a cinema room, games room, on-site gym, study spaces and a rooftop setting to sunbathe in the summer months. 

We regularly hold social events for students to get involved in, giving you opportunities to make new friends and get involved within our community. Thanks to our on-site management team, you’re in the safest and friendliest hands who’re there to look after you and your wellbeing. They’re a chatty bunch, so if you ever get to see them make sure to say hi!

Is the University of Surrey Good? Summary. 

University of Surrey is a brilliant uni and a great choice if you’re looking for somewhere which has a campus and is in great connection to Guildford town centre. It’s just a short train journey away from London, giving you the best of both worlds in terms of location. They rank exceptionally well on leaderboards and student reviews positively recommend life here! If you’re looking for a community feel that represents students well, this might just be the place for you.

If you’re interested in studying at the University of Surrey, why not take another look at our student accommodation in Guildford? Our customer service advisors are just one call away if you’re looking for more info on the property and lifestyle at the University of Surrey. We know you’re going to love it, so make sure to check it out today!