Bath Spa University

Bath Spa University is a progressive and future-focused institution, which works hard to be a leader in sustainable development and practices. Its semi-rural Newton Park location offers students a closer connection with the countryside and natural landscapes than most UK universities, and the recent major developments in campus infrastructure have been carried out in accordance with rigorous environmental considerations.

The university has recently been named as the seventeenth most environmentally friendly university in the UK in the People & Planet University League 2023/24, in recognition of its sustainability credentials.

People & Planet is the largest student environmental campaigning network in the country, and surveys more than 150 universities across 14 key areas, including waste and recycling, sustainable food, energy sources, water reduction, and staff and student engagement.

The university retained its impressive 100 percent record for environmental auditing and management systems and was also assessed at 100 percent in the staff and HR category. Bath Spa is dedicated to improving its performance in all 14 key areas, and is implementing a new Sustainability Policy in an effort to be one of the first UK universities to achieve net zero.

Bath Spa University has an enduring reputation for teaching quality, and is an established centre of excellence for both undergraduate and postgraduate education. Renowned for delivering a top-tier student experience to a diverse student body from the UK and over 80 other countries worldwide, Bath Spa's commitment to creativity, culture, and enterprise has garnered widespread acclaim.

The university has a medium-sized structure, fostering a tight-knit community of approximately 8,000 students who benefit from small average class sizes of just 16 students, as well as a highly personalised learning experience with frequent opportunities for feedback. Bath Spa is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant and inclusive learning atmosphere that sets the university apart from its peers.

Bath Spa University has a strong research basis, and is dedicated to advancing knowledge and shaping future leaders and innovators. The university reached a significant milestone in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), achieving its best-ever results, with a remarkable 60 percent increase in submitted work being rated as 'world-leading', and an impressive 130 percent increase in research impact since the last assessment in 2014.

With more than 8,000 students making up Bath Spa's diverse community of learners, it is absolutely necessary to provide a platform of support services to ensure the academic success and personal well-being of each individual student.

Bath Spa has invested extensively in its student services, and runs a dedicated network of support departments which can be contacted either online or at their campus offices.

From accommodation to wellbeing, there is a broad range of support resources, including staff specifically dedicated to supporting international students, such as the English Language Unit, an international student experience team, and an international student information desk. Students are encouraged to make use of them while studying to ensure that their needs are supported, no matter how small the issue.

The Student Hub is often the first point of call. It is a drop-in space located behind the Refectory at the Newton Park campus, where students can go if they are ever lost or need information and advice. The Student Hub is staffed by a friendly and experienced team of advisors, who can offer a range of general and targeted support services, as well as being able to refer students to more specialised help wherever necessary.

Fortunately for Bath Spa University students, the city of Bath has been named the safest city in the whole of south west England, and the second safest overall in England and Wales. According to new independent research, it has the lowest crime rate in the whole of the South West. This means that students can feel confident while travelling around the city, between classes, accommodation, and nights out.

Additionally, Bath Spa University's Newton Park campus is a self-contained site, serviced by an on-site security team. This makes it an extremely secure student environment, with a close-knit community that looks out for each other. The university runs a free shuttle bus service between the campus and Bath city centre, meaning students can readily move between campuses and into the city in a reliable, free, and safe manner.

This is great news for Bath Spa students, who will find a good balance of freedom and security, within a supportive and inclusive community.

Bath Spa University provides a superb range of academic and recreational facilities across its three sites around Bath. Each fully modernised campus is furnished with cutting-edge subject specific equipment and resources, ensuring students have all the tools needed to achieve their highest potential.

Bath Spa's Newton Park campus is the largest of the three, located near the village of Newton St Loe, about three miles west of Bath. The campus is set within picturesque grounds, designed by English landscape architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown. It is home to a variety of historic and modern buildings in a number of architectural styles, including the Grade I listed Main House, the remains of 14th-century castle, walled gardens and several ornamental lakes.

The site has had significant renovation and improvements within the last 15 years, and is Bath Spa's only campus to contain on-site student accommodation. The Newton Park campus is home to the university's students' union facilities, hosting a cafe, bar, and gym and runs a timetable of student events and activities throughout the academic year. Bath Spa's Sion Hill and Locksbrook campuses also have a strong students' union presence, and offer a suite of subject-specific facilities and recreational spaces. Overall, the university offers accommodation for around 2,200 students in several locations around the Bath area.

The university also provides high quality sports facilities including rugby and football pitches, a netball court and changing facilities inside the historic walled garden. The garden also has recreational facilities, with games tables, outdoor seating, BBQ's and a small pond for students to enjoy.

Bath Spa provides an extensive platform of financial services and funding opportunities to support its student membership. There is a range of Bath Spa University scholarships, bursaries and awards which are granted for a wide variety of criteria, helping students to fund their higher education and complete their studies in confidence.

Students can access information online, or via the university's financial services office, there they may speak with a trained advisor who will help to register for the relevant award schemes. There is funding available for undergraduate, postgraduate, and PGCE students, as well as a wide range of options designed specifically for international students.

International scholarships include:

• The Hall Commonwealth Scholarship
• International Recruitment Office Scholarship
• Latin-America Scholarship in Creativity and Culture
• Regional Office Scholarships for China, India, Africa, and Asia Pacific
• Royal Commonwealth Society Bath and District Scholarship
• USA Transfer Scholarship

Current students are also able to contact the financial services office for advice and assistance in applying for external funding schemes.