Roehampton University

What's it like as a place to live? A fantastic community experience, with great access to all London amenities.

How's the student accommodation? Ranging from brand new accommodation blocks, spacious and secure, all the way to 1940s old-style communal buildings. Ensuite and communal showers, data cabling in every campus room and bills are included.

What's the student population like? A very strong sense of community, thanks to the collegiate system, varied ethnic and religious backgrounds as well as wide-spanning age range. A majority of students are from the south of England and London. The student population is 77 per cent female.

How do students and locals get on? The University has outlined increased activity with the wider community as one of it goals. To that end there are a number of events and activities whereby the gates of the University are flung open, including Brain Awareness Week, The Big Dance, Open Square Gardens and the recent Roehampton Festival.

What's it like as a place to study? Roehampton has a vast and varied range of courses, from anthropology to human rights to computing through to creative writing. Facilities include a purpose-built dance studio with sprung floor, surround sound and floor-to-ceilings mirrors; and state-of-the art biomechanics laboratories.

What are the teaching staff like? Staff who are engaged in active research are also active members of the teaching staff, so that students benefit directly from their latest work. Published authors and leading researchers in their respective fields are among the University's teaching staff, who are engaging and genuinely interested in student development and learning. Dame Jacqueline Wilson (author of the very popular Tracey Beaker series), and Professor Allan Hobson (who discovered and defined rapid eye movements, and the Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis of dreaming providing a brain-based explanation of the nature of dreams) have both recently been appointed Professorial Fellows of the University.

What are student societies like? The SU provides a wide range of societies, from the Deviant Society to the Japanese Culture Society. It's easy to establish a society as well - all you need are guaranteed 5 members and you can start your own! They aren't as socially renowned as our sports teams, but still highlight the diversity of our student body and how easy it is to liaise with other societies.

What's a typical night out? Fez Club on a Wednesday, Bands Nights, Acoustic Nights, The Clapham Grand and our very own cheese-fest, The Bop, every Friday with fancy-dress themes. Entry to most varies from free to a maximum of £5, with the exception of Fresher's Week events, the Christmas Bash and Summer Ball.
How can you get home safely? Free transport is provided to and from the external events; all others are within the campus grounds.

Is it an expensive place to live? There are grants, bursaries, a range of scholarships and financial support available for students who need it. But being in London, prices are higher than other parts of the country. A large section of resident students have a part-time job to supplement their loan, which just about covers accommodation.

Average price of a pint? On Campus £1.70, off Campus £2.90.

And the price of a takeaway? Local Pizza deals mean a large pizza can be bought for about £6, while most others will be between £10 and £15.

What's the part-time work situation? Jobs in the local area are available pretty much all the time; usually not much above the minimum wage, although lots of students work for casual catering companies which sometimes pay more. There is also plenty of part time work available on campus. The University has a jobs board for local companies to advertise for part-time positions, and an active careers service that aims to help students for the big bad world once they have graduated.

What's the best feature about the place? The layout. It's perfectly located outside the chaos of London city centre but easily accessible at the same time - only 20 minutes from the heart of London. The campus is beautiful, with historic building, gardens and lakes that can be used for study or for leisure, and well maintained and the colleges create four fantastic and diverse communities.

And the worst? Cost of living. London is expensive and amenities such as the on-site book shop aren't the cheapest.

And to sum it all up?  A village community in the most exciting city in the world

Ashley Ward (English athletics international); Toby Anstis, Alice Beers (presenters); Dan Kitson (comedian).  

Contact SU on 020 8392 3221 or visit www.roehamptonstudent.com.