Program Overview
Located on the stunning Welsh coast, Swansea University offers the urban stimulation of a large Welsh city in addition to peaceful beaches and charming countryside. The university is small and intimate, and students live with Welsh, English, and fellow international students. The university is known for strong programs in engineering, math, and computer science, but students also choose from a variety of humanities and social science courses. Available Fall, Spring, and Academic Year terms.
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Program Specific Information
Academic Environment
Onsite Support
Accommodation
Application Process
Resources and Contact Information
Program Dates
General Study Abroad Information
Academic Environment
What is an Exchange Program?
An exchange program is a direct agreement between the University of Illinois and a foreign university. Exchange programs offer you the best of all worlds: an affordable way to spend a semester or an academic year abroad, and the chance to continue taking courses that can fulfill graduation requirements. As a participant in an exchange program, you enjoy the benefits of direct enrollment at your host university. You will take classes with local students, live in student housing, and have access to all the sports facilities and clubs of your host university. These programs are designed to immerse you in the student life and academic system of another country.
Where you will study
Swansea University has the perfect environment in which to live and study. The parkland campus has a spectacular seafront location within easy reach of a vibrant city. With a long history of academic success and a modern approach to study, Swansea could be the right choice for you.
The sheer variety of courses taught at Swansea means that there are many different approaches to teaching; one-on-one tutorial support, stimulating lectures and hands on practical sessions in their state-of-the-art facilities. The main library covers most subject areas, with two additional libraries filling in the gaps. All together, the library system is home to 700,000 books and periodicals along with 1000 study spaces. Computer facilities are provided in clusters around campus, with several open 24 hours.
Student Life
The Students' Union provides a vast array of entertainment, catering to all tastes. In addition to operating the two major bars on campus, they also operate the Nursery, the Travel Agents which offer discounted travel prices and organize trips around Europe and the UK, two shops and a café.
They also run around 70 diverse student societies, which provide social, educational and supportive activities throughout the year. The sports center offers two sports halls, a swimming pool, squash courts, a fitness center, a weight room and a climbing wall. There are two sets of playing fields for outdoor sports and activities. There are artistic clubs such as dance, drama and art, cultural societies such as the Chinese, Malaysian and African Societies and much more.
Swansea nightlife is excellent with a huge choice of clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes to choose from, as well as a major cinema complex and bowling centre. To learn more about student life in Swansea, click here.
Class size
The class sizes will vary with courses taught mixing lectures, seminars, tutorials, labs and fieldwork. Large lectures are accompanied by smaller discussions, which range from 15-30 students per classroom.
Language
All classes (called “modules” in the UK) in this program will be taught in English.
Courses
Students can earn up to 36 hours of credit for the academic year and 12-18 hours of credit per semester.
For a full listing of courses, click here.
For a listing of courses offered that already have Illinois equivalencies, please click here.
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Onsite Support
International Student Office
Swansea University has its own international student office to assist with local issues (class scheduling, housing, etc.) and to occasionally plan social events. Find out more about Swansea University’s international student office by here.
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Accommodation
All international students are guaranteed a place in the University's residences, which offer free networking, a telephone and internet connection point. Accommodation is provided in five catered halls, all with large common rooms and laundry facilities. There are a few double rooms available, but the majority of students stay in a single room and share bathroom facilities. There are also two self-catered sites where 4, 6 or 7 students each have a single room with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. These are about two and a half miles from the campus, and are known as the Student Village.
Swansea University's accommodation is the 3rd cheapest in the UK. In fact, life in Swansea costs a great deal less than other cities in the UK!
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- Minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Completed 2 university semesters at the time of application
Dates and Deadlines
All requirements must be completed by the Illinois Abroad Office deadlines: online materials are due by 11:59 PM on the deadline date.
*See official deadlines at the bottom of this page.
How to Apply
Please click the “Apply Now” button (found at the top-right and bottom of this page) to apply. Upon completion of all application components, the "Submit Application" button will allow you to submit your application for review. When you click "Submit Application," you will be charged a non-refundable $100 Study Abroad Systems Fee to your Illinois student account.
This program has a two-step application process:
Step 1.) The Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange Application which includes:
- 1 letter of recommendation - done electronically (must be an Illinois academic advisor, TA or professor)
- Personal essay questions
- Official transcript
- Online questionnaires
Only application materials for Step 1 must be turned in by the corresponding term’s deadlines as listed above.
Step 2.) The Host University Application (TO BE COMPLETED AFTER YOU ARE NOMINATED BY AN ADVISOR IN STEP 1):
- If you are nominated by the Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange based on your application in Step 1, you will then submit a host-university application to Swansea University. Your study abroad advisor will provide you with additional information, and supplemental application instructions will follow.
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Resources and Contact Information
Walk-In Advising Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00 am - 4:45 pm
Illinois Abroad Advising & Resource Center (112 International Studies Building)
First Steps Info Sessions:
Click here for the dates and times of the First Steps Info Sessions.
Program Contact Info
Shirice Harris
iage@illinois.edu
112 International Studies Building
910 South Fifth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-333-6322
Reception hours: 9:00 am - 4:45 pm
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Program Dates
Please review the program dates table below:
