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Ciaran Connolly
Ciaran Connolly
I was a student at the University of Winchester from 2016 to 2019, and I know that when I was trying to pick a university, I researched arguably too much. Trying to choose the place you will be for the next 3 or 4 years of your life is tough, so this article will hopefully give you some insight into the life and culture of being a student at the University of Winchester. I have split it into 5 different considerations, which are:
The University
How old is the University of Winchester?
The University of Winchester opened its doors in 1840 as the Winchester Diocesan Training School and has provided high-quality education ever since.
The Ethos of the University of Winchester
The Church of England started the University of Winchester and still maintains its Christian roots today. However, the university is eager to explore ways in which religion can be observed in a way that is inclusive and not anti-intellectual. You don’t have to be a Christian to study at Winchester, as they accept students of all faiths and none.
The University became a Stonewall Diversity Champion in 2010 and is the annual meeting point for Winchester’s Pride Parade. The Pride Parade in Winchester is also the parade for all of Hampshire. Their hashtag is #pridehantswide if you want to find out more.
Winchester University is also very aware of the Environment and aims to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The dorms have recycling programmes and initiatives where you can win prizes for your flat if you recycle correctly, as well as chewing gum recycling bins around the campus. The chewing gum is recycled by GumDrop and turned into reusable coffee cups. The student union cafes have a 25p charge (affectionately called the latte levy) on drinks, which you can avoid by bringing reusable cups. The university had a drive to give out cups from GumDrop with the university logo, which is perfect for preventing the latte levy. They also give out reusable cups for a deposit if you forget yours.
Hedgehog-Friendly Campus—The University also received a gold award for being a hedgehog-friendly campus in 2021/2022. Their work raising awareness on hedgehog conservation issues and efforts to make the campus traversable by hedgehogs have paid off. If you want to hear more about their efforts, check out their Twitter.
What Courses Does Winchester Offer?
Winchester offers various courses, detailed in the course catalogue on its website, where you can find information on all three years of the course and any accreditations. Some courses at Winchester offer you things you can’t get at most universities or, in some cases, anywhere else. Here are a few examples of that:
History at Winchester
Studying history in England’s medieval capital is a great way to shape your knowledge of history, especially if you are a medievalist or early modernist. Winchester’s history course is not just about Winchester or England, as its staff of lecturers and professors have varied specialisms, which will be offered in modules. Winchester’s History programme has a student satisfaction rate of 90%.
Some examples of history modules at Winchester include:
- Ancient Greek Drinking Culture
- The Middle Ages in Computer Games
- Imperial Japan
- The Post-War Teenager
Law at Winchester
Winchester’s LLB Hons Law course is unique in its practical application of knowledge during your studies. Later in your course, you will work with charities and organisations as a lawyer. Still, valuable skills will be built from year one with seminars in mooting. Mooting is the ability to present an argument in court to defeat an opponent.
Primary Education at Winchester
Winchester was first established in 1840 as a school for training teachers. This tradition continues today as Winchester is South England’s top university for primary education training. They have fantastic facilities, including an entire library filled with learning aids and books for primary education students. The university has links with over 450 schools, allowing students to develop great experiences during their degree.
What is the low acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at the University of Winchester is 40-50%, making it moderately difficult to get in.
What is the gender split at the University of Winchester?
Due to the popularity of their Primary Education course, a female-dominated course, the University of Winchester has a massive gap in male and female attendance, with only 35% of students being male on average.
Is the University of Winchester a Good University?
It is hard to describe what makes a good university, is it the academic rankings?, the community?, the acclaim associated with the name on your CV?
The University of Winchester is not a Russell Group university, meaning the Russell Group does not accredit them. This may sound like an automatic negative on the university if you are unaware of what it means to be a Russell Group university. RG-accredited universities have met specific research and academic excellence standards but must keep producing research to maintain that title. This focus on research over teaching may impact tutors’ focus on you, the student. This isn’t to say that Russell Group universities are not excellent; it’s just that focusing on research in an academic institution isn’t best for everyone.
Despite not being a Russell Group university, Winchester is very well-ranked academically and was ranked among the top 100 universities in the world in 2019.
Open Days at the University of Winchester
The University of Winchester has a yearly schedule of open days designed to give you a feel for life in Winchester and provide you with all the information you might need. Take a tour of the campus, course-specific facilities, and accommodation options.
Winchester’s student blog has an entire post about making the most out of your open day.
Graduation
Please do not pick your university based on how beautiful and ceremonial your graduation will be; there are far more critical things to consider. However, if you did, Winchester would be a great choice. Graduations for students of Winchester take place in the stunning Winchester Cathedral, making for fantastic scenery and acoustics for the ceremony. Robes in Winchester for undergrads are black with purple stripes, just in case you want to colour-coordinate early.
Following the graduation ceremony, graduates exit through the cathedral’s ceremonial doors, an honour reserved for university graduates.
Alumni Benefits
If you choose the University of Winchester and secure your degree, you join the hallowed (imaginary) halls of the Winton Club. Alumni of Winchester gain invitations to special events, use of the library for life (just in case you haven’t had enough of it yet), and discounts on West End theatre performances in London.
The City
The city of Winchester is a bustling one with various activities to keep you busy, including pubs and restaurants such as The Stable sourdough pizza and cider, as well as museums and other heritage sites. The City centre of Winchester is a short walk from campus (10 minutes from the main campus to the Westgate at the top of the high street).
Is Winchester safe?
Winchester is known as one of the safest places to live in the country and has meagre crime rates.
Is Winchester expensive?
Winchester’s cost of living is expensive, second only to London in the south of England due to its desirability. However, living a comfortable life in Winchester while studying there is possible with student finance provision. Accommodation at the University is around £84-219 per week, which can be paid on a schedule with your finance payments (every three months). Moving out into private student accomodation in Winchester costs on average £163 per week. Studies on the cost of renting in Winchester may be scary, but a recent study showed that students spend £10,000 less a year than Winchester residents.
What Nightlife is there in Winchester?
Most nightlife in Winchester occurs in the award-winning student union venue, The Vault. Winchester has only one nightclub in the city centre, a three-story venue called Vodka. Beyond this, bars such as O’Neill’s, Pitcher and Piano, and Alfies also host late-night music and dancing, some as late as 3 a.m.
Some students take the train to Southampton for a more lively club scene, but arranging transport back can be difficult as trains stop at 1:30 a.m. Winchester does have nightlife, but if a bustling club scene is crucial to you, Winchester is not the university for you.
Culture & Heritage in Winchester
Winchester has historic buildings, from the oldest bar in England (opened in 1002) to the iconic Winchester Cathedral. Take a walk down the Anglo-Saxon high street and experience Winchester’s bustling market, which is open four days a week. Or visit one of the many museums or heritage sites, such as the ruins of the bishop’s palace.
Transport Links
Winchester is very well connected by train or bus. If you want to experience the bigger city life for the day, trains can take you to Southampton or Basingstoke in 10-15 minutes and to London in 40 minutes to an hour. These links to London also mean that as a student in Winchester, you can plan day trips for West End shows, concerts, or other cultural events.
The Campus
Accommodation/Dorms
The University of Winchester guarantees each first-year student accommodation on campus, which is excellent for your peace of mind and allows you to choose between their varied dorm offerings.
Café’s & Shops
On campus, Winchester has two student union shops, one at West Downs and one on the bottom floor of the student union building (The King Alfred Centre). These shops give you discounts and offers arranged by NUS (The National Union of Students) and sell everything from frozen pizzas to university hoodies. They also sell meal deals for those long study sessions in the library.
If you are looking for a quirky place to study and grab something to eat, Cyber Italia is an internet cafe on campus that serves fresh pizza and great coffee.
Chapel on Campus
One of the unique features of the University of Winchester’s campus is the chapel in the middle of the main terrace. This is one of seven sacred spaces on campus for worship and reflection, including a Muslim prayer room.
Gym
The campus has a state-of-the-art gym on the ground floor of the Burma Road accommodation block.
Laundry Services
As a student, you will have to learn how to do laundry. There are three laundrettes on campus, which run on paid Circuit Laundry machines. You pay a small fee to wash and dry your clothes, and at some point, you will probably pay £2 to wash your clothes and then realise once the machine locks, you forgot to put detergent in; this is normal. There are guides on how to use the machines online, and if you download the University of Winchester app, you can check for machine availability and tell when your washing is ready to come out of the machine from the comfort of your room.
Libraries
The University of Winchester has two libraries, the Martial Rose Library on the main campus and the West Downs Learning Centre on the West Downs campus (just up the hill). Both libraries are open 24/7, excluding holidays, and can be accessed with your student card outside of staffed hours.
You can book computers and study rooms or find one free when you arrive. With the new West Downs centre now open, many places exist to sit and study.
The Student Union
The student union is here for you throughout your studies and ensures you have everything you need as a student, from friendly socials to legal advice. Winchester’s student union is housed in one of the most significant buildings on the main campus, The King Alfred Centre (mostly referred to as the SU building). This four-story building has much to offer regarding study space, food, and entertainment.
Fourth Floor:
- The Reception, where you can ask for help if you need it.
- The P&G Wells Bookshop is where you can pick up a book from Winchester professors or other helpful textbooks.
- The Learning Cafe, a study space filled with comfy chairs and computers and a cafe serving hot and cold drinks, is open 24/7 for studying.
Third Floor:
- The Food Hall, where you can grab food or participate in a pub quiz for £1 per person every Tuesday night. (Prizes comprise some money paid, so bring your friends).
- The Student Advice Centre- where you can chat with members of the SU team about important issues (or lost property from nights out or sleepy morning lectures).
Second Floor
- The Terrace Bar—grab a coffee or a pint, especially at their end-of-term event, where drinks are discounted to prevent wastage over the break.
- The Gourmet Burger Bar – Grab a bite to eat and relax with friends.
Ground Floor
- Every student ends up in the Student Union Shop between lectures, where they can grab a meal deal or buy a university hat.
- The Vault is the best night-out venue in Winchester and has received many awards. Hosting a wide range of activities for students every week, like BOP (a fancy dress pop music night) and yearly events such as the Christmas Ball and Leavers Ball for third-year students.
The Atmosphere
Beyond its excellent staff and facilities, one of the best things about Winchester is the atmosphere around the city itself. Winchester is a small city full of character, history, and culture. You can walk anywhere you need to, and there are plenty of pubs, restaurants, shops, and museums to visit. Despite being classed as a city, Winchester has a village feel, and due to its small size, you get to know people by seeing them around very quickly.
Big University vs. Small University
Winchester is a small city, and the University of Winchester is small. In the academic year 2021/2022, the University of Winchester had 8,142 students in attendance. A large majority (89%) of these were full-time students. In comparison, the University of Glasgow had 26,635 students in attendance for the 2021/22 academic year.
Fewer students allow a more individual approach to teaching and a more personal relationship with lecturers. This may be a problem if you don’t like a lecturer, but you can always choose different modules next term.
You won’t be another student number on an attendance sheet, as lecturers and students have the opportunity to get to know each other and work together. Seminars on topics covered in lectures are split into small groups, allowing for depth of discussion and the sharing of ideas. Lecturers have fewer students to teach and, therefore, have time to answer questions and give advice in one-to-one meetings as required.
Winchester also assigns you to a personal tutor from your department who will help you if you need further guidance or have any personal issues that need to be reported to the faculty.
Why the University of Winchester?
I chose Winchester because of my experiences visiting the city and the campus. Its village culture and beautiful facilities were the perfect setting for my degree. If you like the idea of living in a big city or love the idea of clubbing, then maybe Winchester isn’t for you. However, you should consider the University of Winchester because of its talented and passionate staff, beautiful surroundings, and exciting curriculum.
