Swansea University
Prifysgol Abertawe
A two-campus Welsh university on Swansea Bay, with a beachfront engineering campus and a parkland one.
- Students
- 18,650
- International
- 25%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 15.9:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- £19,150
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1920
About Swansea
Swansea University opened in 1920 as University College, Swansea, with King George V laying its foundation stone and 89 students, eight of them women, in the first intake. Its founders built it around the needs of the region's heavy industry, and in the 1960s Professor Olek Zienkiewicz developed the finite element method here, a technique that, in the university's words, revolutionised the design and engineering of manufactured products.
Today Swansea runs two campuses on the coast of Swansea Bay. Singleton Park Campus, set around the 18th-century Singleton Abbey, is the original campus and home to the School of Law. The beachfront Bay Campus, opened in 2015, is home to engineering, the School of Management and the Computational Foundry for computer science and mathematics. Teaching is organised into three faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicine, Health and Life Science; and Science and Engineering. Swansea also welcomes applications in Welsh and supports Welsh-medium study.
Swansea is a good fit for students who want a research university with a seaside setting and relatively flexible entry. It guarantees a conditional offer to every UK applicant taking the right qualifications for most courses, gives automatic cash scholarships for AAA or AAB grades, and publishes typical offer ranges, such as AAB-CCC for Law, rather than a single grade.
Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn
“Technical skill is bereft without culture” — university motto
Why students choose Swansea
UK applicants studying the required qualifications are guaranteed a conditional offer for most courses, with flexibility on results day for those who make Swansea their firm choice.
UK students who achieve AAA at A-level automatically receive a £3,000 Excellence Scholarship, or £2,000 for AAB.
Engineering and computer science are taught on the beachfront Bay Campus, including the Computational Foundry opened in 2018.
First-year undergraduates are guaranteed university accommodation if they apply by 19 August.
Admissions
2027 entry
Selectivity
Swansea does not publish an offer rate. It guarantees a conditional offer to all Home (UK) applicants who are studying the qualifications required for their course, except professional courses where normal selection applies; offers may be to the chosen course, a foundation year or an alternative course.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels | Typical offer ranges for 2027 entry, e.g. AAB-CCC (Law LLB), ABB-BBC including Maths (Computer Science BSc), ABB-BCC including Maths (Aerospace Engineering BEng), AAA-AAB (Aerospace Engineering MEng) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | e.g. 32 points for Law, and 32 points with 5 in Higher Level (or 6 in Standard Level) Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches for Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering |
| English language | IELTS 6 IELTS 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each component for courses such as Computer Science; requirements vary by course, so check the course page. |
Deadlines
- UCAS (Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time
Only relevant if you also apply to Oxford, Cambridge or courses in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science.
- UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding In ~3 months13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
Equal consideration deadline for Swansea's undergraduate courses.
- UCAS last date before Clearing Non-binding In ~9 months30 June 2027, 18:00 UK time
Applications received by this date are sent to universities if courses still have places; after it, applications go into Clearing.
UCAS dates for 2027 entry. International applicants can also apply directly to Swansea. Apply for accommodation by 19 August to be guaranteed a first-year room.
How to apply
UK students apply through UCAS; Swansea sets offers using prior achievement, personal statement, predicted grades, reference and subject mix. International students can apply directly to the university online or through UCAS.
What admissions looks for
- Studying the qualifications and subjects your course requires, such as A-level Maths for Computer Science and Engineering.
- Prior achievement and predicted grades within the course's published typical offer range.
- A personal statement and reference that support your choice of course and subject mix.
- For professional courses (such as nursing and health courses), the normal selection procedures, as they are excluded from guaranteed offers.
Tips for applying to Swansea
- 1 If your predicted grades are below the range, Swansea may offer you a foundation year or an alternative course instead of rejecting you, so check what kind of offer you receive.
- 2 Making Swansea your firm choice gives you flexibility on achieved grades, and the university asks you to contact it if you are worried about meeting your offer.
- 3 Aim for AAA or AAB: UK students with those grades get a £3,000 or £2,000 scholarship automatically.
- 4 International applicants from eligible countries get the Thrive Bursary (£4,000 off first-year fees) automatically, and can apply separately for International Excellence Scholarships of up to £5,000.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in GBP
UK students are automatically awarded Excellence Scholarships (£3,000 over three years for AAA) or Merit Scholarships (£2,000 for AAB), and Welsh-medium students can apply for extra scholarships. International students from eligible countries get the Thrive Bursary automatically (£4,000 off year 1 and £2,000 in later years), with larger bursaries for Nepal and Sri Lanka and competitive International Excellence Scholarships of up to £5,000.
- £3,000 over three years
- Excellence Scholarship (UK, AAA)
- £2,000 over three years
- Merit Scholarship (UK, AAB)
- £4,000 off year 1, then £2,000 a year
- Thrive Bursary (international, eligible countries)
- Up to £5,000 in year 1
- International Excellence Scholarship
Academics
Aerospace Engineering (BEng/MEng)
Taught on the Bay Campus with year-in-industry and year-abroad options; typical offer ABB-BCC (BEng) or AAA-AAB (MEng) including Maths.
Computer Science (BSc/MSci)
Based in the Computational Foundry on the Bay Campus; typical offer ABB-BBC with Maths.
Law (LLB)
Typical offer AAB-CCC, with variants such as Law in Practice and Maritime Law.
Management and Accounting and Finance
Taught by the School of Management, which sits on the beachfront Bay Campus alongside engineering.
Applied Medical Sciences and Biochemistry
Taught by Swansea University Medical School, linked to its Institute of Life Science.
Research
- Professor Olek Zienkiewicz developed the finite element method at Swansea in the 1960s.
- 86% of Swansea's research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021.
- The Institute of Life Science, opened in 2007, commercialises research from Swansea University Medical School.
- The Computational Foundry (2018) houses computer science and mathematics on the Bay Campus.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- The College, Swansea University (international pathways)
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, Swansea's best indicator scores are for sustainability (134th) and international research network (244th); its employer reputation is ranked 303rd.
Student life
Swansea students split their time between the leafy Singleton Park Campus, next to Singleton Park and a short walk from the Swansea Bay Sports Park and the 50-metre Wales National Pool, and the Bay Campus beside Jersey Marine beach, which has its own Great Hall, library and student housing. Every first-year undergraduate who applies by 19 August is guaranteed a room, with halls rents averaging £185 a week. The biggest date in the sporting calendar is the Welsh Varsity against Cardiff University, which includes the Welsh Boat Race and a rugby match.
- Welsh Varsity against Cardiff, the largest student sports event in Wales.
- Two coastal campuses: Singleton Park and the beachfront Bay Campus.
- Applications and study through the medium of Welsh are welcomed, with dedicated scholarships.
- Taliesin Arts Centre on Singleton campus, opened in 1984.
Housing. All first-year undergraduates who apply by the 19 August deadline are guaranteed university accommodation; rooms cost £130 to £258 a week.
Location
Swansea is a coastal city in south-west Wales, and both campuses sit on the shore of Swansea Bay. Singleton Park Campus lies west of the city centre next to parkland, and the Bay Campus is east of the city beside the beach. Living costs are moderate: the university estimates about £122 a week for a room in a shared private house, and students under 22 can get discounted bus travel.
Nearest airport: Cardiff Airport (CWL)
Notable alumni
- LE Lyn EvansPhysicist and project leader of CERN's Large Hadron Collider
- EG Edward George BowenPhysicist and radar pioneer
- RE Richey EdwardsLyricist and guitarist of Manic Street Preachers
- NW Nicky WireBassist and lyricist of Manic Street Preachers
- OS Olga Sánchez CorderoFormer Justice of Mexico's Supreme Court and Secretary of the Interior; received judicial training at University College of Swansea
- IN Isatou Njie-SaidyFormer Vice President of The Gambia; MSc in Social and Economic Development from Swansea (1988)
- AC Alan CoxLinux kernel developer
- JM Jason MohammadBBC television and radio presenter
Frequently asked questions
Does Swansea University guarantee offers?
Yes, for UK (Home) applicants who are studying the qualifications required for their course. It does not apply to professional courses, and the offer may be for a foundation year or alternative course if your predicted grades are well below the range.
What grades do you need for Swansea?
Swansea publishes typical offer ranges, for example AAB-CCC for Law, ABB-BBC with Maths for Computer Science and ABB-BCC with Maths for Aerospace Engineering (BEng).
How much are Swansea's fees for international students?
For September 2027 entry, year 1 fees include £19,150 for Law, £22,650 for Computer Science and £26,400 for Aerospace Engineering. Many international students also get an automatic bursary.
What are tuition fees for UK students at Swansea?
£9,790 a year for 2026/27, under the Welsh fee cap. Course pages show the same figure for 2027, but the university says any future Welsh Government increases will apply.
Is accommodation guaranteed at Swansea?
Yes, all first-year undergraduates who apply by 19 August are guaranteed university accommodation.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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