Established in 1872, Aberystwyth was the first university institution in Wales, and today it has over 7,500 students. The University has established a strong academic record for research and teaching work, for example the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise found that over three quarters of its departments were conducting research of national or international importance. The University has links with other academic institutions across the world and has a well-established series of exchange programmes with universities in the USA.

Aberystwyth offers students a range of academic, social and cultural facilities within a compact and convenient setting – the town’s greatest width from one extreme edge to the other is only about one and a half miles. This means that there are no additional daily travelling costs for students, making Aberystwyth an economic place to study. A big plus for students coming to the University is the beach, which is a perfect place to relax in summer while the stormy weather at other times of the year makes the sea ideal for surfing and sailboarding.

What's on offer
Within Aberystwyth University there are plenty of subjects to choose from. Aberystwyth is most well known for its courses in accounting, biological sciences, English, international politics, geography and earth sciences, history and Welsh history, law, theatre, film and television studies. New courses for 2007-08 include computer graphics vision and games, mobile and wearable computing, criminology, psychology, open source computing, and a new Welsh medium BA Hanes a’r Cyfryngau.

The University’s main library houses over one million titles, and situated next to the Penglais Campus is the National Library of Wales. It is one of the five copyright libraries in the UK, and so receives a copy of every book published in Britain. It holds over six million books, periodicals, magazines and maps.

The University has over 800 up-to-date computers available to students and most can be used on a 24-hour open-access basis, and the University’s network provides speedy use of the internet. Other facilities include a gallery, art studios, scientific laboratories, and materials to support practical work in theatre, film and television studies. The language laboratory allows students the opportunity for the intensive practice of linguistic skills, to help students learn a variety of languages including English, French, German, Spanish and Welsh, among others.

Students from Aberystwyth, regardless of their subject, have the opportunity to spend a year in employment and the University is continually strengthening links with employers to find out more about the opportunities available to graduates. The Careers Service also offers a 'Job Link' scheme, which helps students locate part-time work to help fund their studies.