PRE-DEPARTURE GUIDE 2013/14 Swansea, United Kingdom
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International College Wales Swansea PRE-DEPARTURE GUIDE 2013/14 Swansea, United Kingdom University Programmes INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE WALES SWANSEA Pre-departure Guide 2013/14 1 FINDING A OVERVIEW PLACE TO LIVE in Swansea, United Kingdom Contents Swansea: the city by the sea ..................................................................... 2 Campus map ............................................................................................. 4 Swansea as a place to live ........................................................................ 5 Financial matters ....................................................................................... 6 Living in Swansea ...................................................................................... 7 Entry clearance and visa guide.................................................................. 8 Preparing to leave home ...........................................................................10 Arriving in the UK ......................................................................................11 Getting started at ICWS ...........................................................................12 Useful information .....................................................................................13 Important things to do ..............................................................................14 Travel checklist .........................................................................................15 Welcome Congratulations on your offer of a this guide — it contains a lot of important place at ICWS at Swansea University! information and guidance — and the better prepared you are, the easier We are delighted that you have chosen you will find it to settle into ICWS, your Swansea to pursue your further education. studies and life in Swansea. Of course, We are sure that you will have a fantastic we have a dedicated team of support time studying as part of the ICWS services staff to help you at every stage, community in this city by the sea. so if you need any assistance with This brief guide covers all aspects of anything please don’t hesitate to ask. what you should do to best prepare for We look forward to welcoming you to your studies and life here in Swansea. ICWS and Swansea very soon. Please do take the time to read through The ICWS Team 2 INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE WALES SWANSEA Pre-departure Guide 2013/14 Swansea: the city by the sea Swansea is a famous historical city and a popular tourist destination. It is one of Britain’s most vibrant and exciting cities and is truly multicultural, hosting Arabic, African, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean and Thai communities. Where is Swansea? would expect from a modern European city. Swansea London Situated between the coast in the south Its beautiful seaside location makes it a and the stunning green hills in the north, favoured destination for tourists. Swansea is the ideal location to see From the campus you can travel along the Swansea’s climate Britain’s beaches and countryside at their seafront to the modern marina and the city The climate in South Wales is temperate best. It is also a superb centre for shopping centre, or to the vibrant coastal village of and in the summer regularly reaches 20–25 and dining. Mumbles. Some of the best sporting degrees Celsius. This is ideal weather for facilities in Wales are just two or three Swansea is conveniently located near the beach, which is just across the road minutes away from the campus and most the M4 motorway, which links it directly from the campus. Winters are colder, with accommodation is within easy reach. with London and Heathrow Airport, just snow sometimes falling on the hills to Regular bus services run to Swansea a three-hour drive or train journey away. the north of the city. However, Swansea’s University Student Village and to popular It has excellent direct rail links to London seaside location usually protects the city student areas such as Uplands, the Marina, and other major UK cities. With Cardiff itself from the coldest British weather. International Airport just 45 minutes away, Brynmill and Mumbles. budget airlines make it quick and easy to Swansea is a very affordable city in which to visit other European countries. live and study. You will need to budget for a As Wales’ second largest city, Swansea minimum of £800 per month to cover your boasts the impressive infrastructure you living expenses while studying in the UK. 3 SWANSEA FAST FACTS Population 230,000 County Swansea Currency UK Sterling (£) Time zone UTC/GMT Electricity 230V Language English 4 INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE WALES SWANSEA Pre-departure Guide 2013/14 Campus map M A P 4 Swa nse a U nive r sity Ca m pus K e y Buildings 3 Hispanic Studies Visitors C ar Park (Pay and Display) 4 History 1 Finance Building 3 Italian 2 Singleton Abbey 21.2 Staff C ar Parks 14 Law 21 2.1 Singleton Abbey, Stable Block 8.3 Mathematics 21.3 3 Keir Hardie Building P Bus Stops 3 Media and Communication Studies 4 James Callaghan Building 12, 33 Medicine 5 LawLibrary Singleton Hospital 27 11.2 Physics 14 20 Taxis 6 Mosque 36 Bus, Cycle & 4 Politics and International Relations Pedestrian Access 7 Libraryand Information Centre 11.2 Psychology Public Telephones P 8.1 FaradayBuilding 11.2 Social Policy/ Work To Sports Village P (pedestrian access) 25 8.2 FaradayTower 11.2, 11.3 Sports Science 11.3 26 C atering Facilities 16 8.3 TalbotBuilding 4 War and Society 11.2 9 Wallace Building 33 Baby C hanging Facilities 9.4 Margam Building Services / Facilities P 19.2 19.1 11.1 G lyndwˆ r Building 2.1 Academic Registry 11.2 Vivian Tower 2 Admissions O ffice 15 13 22 11.3 Sports Science Motion Laboratory 2 Alumni O ffice 12 G rove Building 32 ArtG allery 13 G rove Building Extension 18 32 Bank 14 Richard Price Building 17, 18, 32 Bars 11.1 30 Singleton Park 15 AmyDillwyn Building P 23 32 Bookshop 12 16 Haldane Building 17, 18, 32 Cash Points 17 Fulton House 17 Catering O ffice P 18 Union House 9.4 17 7 Careers and Employability 19.2 EnergyCentre 2 Central Administration 24 Digital Technium 17 ChaplaincyCentre 9 31 Taliesin Annexe 17 Conference O ffice 24 P 32 Taliesin Arts Centre 30 Crèche / Nursery 32.1 EgyptCentre 31 23 Dental Surgery 33 Institute of Life Science 1 3.1 Disability/Special 34 Llˆyr Building Requirements O ffice 36 Institute of Life Science 2 / Centre for 34 13 DisabilityO ffice - Assessment 32 NanoHealth and Training Centre 40 Porters’ Traffic Control Lodge 17 Discovery- StudentVolunteering 32.1 32.1 EgyptCentre StudentResidences 18 Estates Department 3 8.2 3.1 19.1 Kilvey 1 Finance Department 20 Preseli 2 Human Resources 8.1 21 Cefn Bryn 2.1 International DevelopmentO ffice 21.2, 21.3 Rhossili 3.1 International Student 22 Penmaen AdvisoryService 23 Horton 5 LawLibrary P 4 25 O xwich 7 Libraryand Information Centre 7 5 26 Langland 2 Marketing 27 Caswell 3 Media Resources To 17 Health Centre and Sports Porters’ Traffic 2.1 Academic Areas 3.1 MoneyAdvice & SupportO ffice Mumbles Control Lodge 8.3 6 Mosque V 11.1 AdultContinuing Education illage 40 6 2 1 P 4 American Studies 22 O ccupational Health & /Gower 34 AquaCulture Emergency Centre P1 9, 9.4, 11.2 Biological Sciences 17 PostO ffice 16 Business 2.1 Postgraduate O ffice 11.2 Childhood Studies 17 Refectory 3 Classics, AncientHistory& Egyptology 8.2 DepartmentofResearchandInnovation 8.1, 8.2 Computer Science 22 ResidentialServices 17, 18 Shops Main Traffic 11.2 Criminology Entrance P Control 3 Cymraeg/Welsh 13 Staff DevelopmentUnit Barriers Abbey Meadow 14 Economics 23 StudentCounselling Service 8.1, 8.2 Engineering 3.1 StudentSupportServices 3 English 18 Students’ Union 3 French 32 Theatre (Taliesin) P 9 G eography 15 Transcription Centre 3 G erman 17 Travel Shop 11.1 Health Science 23 Wellbeing Services T p o u o CentrCeity P Swa nsea U niver sity Singleton Pa r k , Swa nsea , SA2 8PP r G o f n + 44 (0)1792 205678 info@ swa nsea .a c.uk www.swa nsea .a c.uk I e h T Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, the publishers cannot accept y Singleton Park b responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter in any way connected with, or arising out of the publication of this information. d e n Published by the Marketing Department, Swansea University. C opyright February 2012. g i s e D Key Buildings 12 Grove Building Student residences 1 Finance Building 13 Grove Building Extension 19.1 Kilvey 2 Singleton Abbey 14 Richard Price Building 20 Preseli 2.1 Singleton Abbey, Stable Block 15 Amy Dillwyn Building 21 Cefn Bryn 3 Keir Hardie Building 16 Haldane Building 21.2, 21.3 Rhossili 4 James Callaghan Building 17 Fulton House 22 Penmaen 5 Law Library 18 Union House 23 Horton 6 Mosque 19.2 Energy Centre 25 Oxwich 7 Library & Information Centre 24 Digital Technium 26 Langland 8.1 Faraday Building 31 Taliesin Annexe 27 Caswell 8.2 Faraday Tower 32 Taliesin Arts Centre 8.3 Talbot Building 32.1 Egypt Centre 9 Wallace Building 33 Institute of Life Science 1 ^ 9.4 Margam Building 34 Llyr Building 11.1 Glyndwr Building 36 Institute of Life Science 2/Centre 11.2 Vivian Tower for NanoHealth 11.3 Sports Science Motion Laboratory 40 Porters’ Traffic Control Lodge 5 OVERVIEW Swansea as a place to live Useful facilities in The Gower and coastline together in Swansea. However, if you want Swansea city centre Swansea’s beaches are famous for their to venture further out and explore places such as Gower or Cardiff (the capital of Swansea is a thriving city centre, with a large beauty, and it has over 32 miles of coast. Wales) the transport links are excellent. indoor shopping centre (‘The Quadrant’) Gower was named as an Area of Outstanding You can purchase tickets in advance or on along with many more streets, such as Oxford Natural Beauty, and on sunny days you can the day from the bus station and the train Street and High Street, lined with shops usually find students on one of the many station, and you can purchase a ‘day and cafes.