Newcastle University has received first place for Overall Student Experience in a survey by University Compare, a UK wide university comparison website.
Around 10,000 current students and recent graduates from 425 institutions were asked about four key areas of university life: institute and course, accommodation, employment prospects, and social life.
Newcastle topped the poll with an average of 4.36 out of 5 stars. Nottingham Trent came second place, while Loughborough came third, with Leeds and Dundee in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Newcastle was also voted first place for Student Social Experience with a rating of 4.76. This study took into account the variety of social opportunities available for students, including societies, sports, and nightlife.
Despite coming out top overall, Newcastle came in 11th place for accommodation, 12th for future employment prospects, and 22nd for institute and course quality.
Owen O’Neill, CEO and founder of University Compare, urged prospective students to do their research when choosing a city and university. “There are highly rated universities in every part of the UK. In fact, today’s students are blessed with great options wherever they go. While this means there is plenty of choice, it also means it is more critical than ever that students do their homework, and make the right choice for them.”
O’Neill encouraged students to consider not just the academic aspects of university but also the social, cultural and geographical factors, all of which “have a telling influence on a student’s ability to settle-in, perform well in the classroom and ultimately enjoy their experience.”
Students’ written responses celebrated both the academic and social aspects of their experience at Newcastle University. Second year English student Olivia Mavers described her experience as “Everything I ever dreamed it would be. I have the freedom to study areas I am interested in, so my academic journey is never dull. I also have great balance in terms of social life – my friends are my world. At Newcastle, I can feel myself growing as a person, and I feel like I couldn’t have chosen a better university to help me do so.”
Many students praised the varied nature of student life. Third year Dentistry student Halima Koleoso described university life as “Filled with ups and downs, making friends, taking part in social activities, and balancing all that with studying dentistry and managing patients. It’s a crazy world but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
