Bath Student Guide
The city of Bath is located in the county of Somerset in southwest England.
Top Things to Do
Students in Bath should check out the Roman Baths, from where the city takes its name. The Baths were built by the Romans around 2,000 years ago and are fuelled by the only mineral hot springs in England. Visitors are provided with a fascinating insight into life during Roman times. The baths are very popular with tourists, so plan your visit accordingly, avoiding weekends where possible.
Nightlife
The city has a large student population of over 21,000, making it a popular place for a night out. There are a number of nightclubs scattered around the city centre- Club XL can be found on Walcot Street and is popular with students on Mondays and Thursdays.
It is spread over two floors and plays mainstream dance anthems, 80’s, 90’s and R&B. Second Bridge is a favourite with students and boasts two rooms of music, a cocktail bar and VIP area with table service. Second Bridge offers a wide range of cocktails, look out for ‘My Name Is Earl’, a delicious fruity cocktail comprised of gin and lots of fresh berries!
Bath is home to a number of live music venues. Moles can be found on George Street and hosts a wide range of bands and artists. Moles provides a platform for lots of up-and-coming bands, tickets for these events are cheap but often sell out fast, so keep an eye on their website so as not to miss out!
Students wishing to sit back and relax while listening to live jazz should check out the White Hart on Widcombe Parade. The venue also serves good food and it is a great choice for a chilled out evening.
Best Places to Study in Bath?
Bath is home to two universities: University of Bath and Bath Spa University.
University of Bath is the largest of the universities and provides places of study to over 14,000 students. The university is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of MBA’s, and The European University Association.
University of Bath is based around a campus on Claverton Down, 2km from the city centre. The campus is compact and it is easy to walk from one end to the other. The eastern part of the campus contains the Sports Training Village. The campus contains many halls of residences for students, most of which are on the northern perimeter of the University grounds.
The University of Bath enjoys an excellent reputation, particularly in the fields relating to humanities, education, engineering and design, health, management, science and social sciences. The Complete University Guide has placed Bath University as 10th in the national league tables.
Bath Spa University is home to a student population of around 7,000 and is split over three campuses. The Newton Park Campus is located near the village of Newton St Loe, to the west of the city centre. Newton Park is the largest of the university’s three campuses and the majority of the university’s student’s study here.
The campus is set in well-maintained land and features a lake, nature reserve, woodland and farmland. Facilities at the campus include a Students Union, gymnasium, shops and IT facilities. Newton Park is also home to the majority of the student’s halls of residence, the halls are designed with large communal kitchens to encourage social interactions.
Sion Hill is the second campus of the university and is home to the Bath School of Art and Design. Culverhay is the third and smallest university site and can be found in the Southdown area of the city.
The site provides Postgraduate Certificates in Education as well as facilities for students studying history, music, English and geography. The Complete University Guide has placed Bath Spa University 85th in the national league tables.
Should I Study in Bath?
A student’s honest opinion:
“Bath was the best time of my life and I really want to go back and live in the city!
Even though my first impression of Bath was that it was a bit touristy, it’s understandable as it is such a cosy and likeable city. The centre has really pretty buildings and has a certain atmosphere that you don’t find in other places.
Everyone complains about the nightlife, but I think there’s something to cater for everyone’s taste, and it’s easy to make your own fun as everyone is so friendly.
The only real downside about Bath is the parking- be prepared to fork out a lot of get a fine.
I can only go on about how great Bath is, but it’s something you should go and experience for yourself!” Jo, 24