University of South Wales

About the University of South Wales

• One university across three locations in South Wales, combining city life, coast and countryside. USW emphasizes industry links, employability and practice-based learning. The university also works with partner colleges and has subsidiaries such as the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Why choose USW (for international students)

• Strong employer links and placement opportunities across many subjects — great for employability and work-based learning.

• Practical, industry-informed courses (from Cyber Security to Creative Industries) aimed at job readiness.

• Flexible study modes (full-time, part-time, and distance learning on many programmes) which help international students who need different study patterns.

• Competitive tuition and a set of automatic scholarships for self-funding international applicants (applied automatically when you apply).

Latest ranking highlights

• USW achieved its highest-ever placing in the Guardian University Guide 2025, rising to 51st out of 122 and placing USW third in Wales — a recent, notable improvement.

• USW also appears in Times Higher Education world rankings pages (see THE profile for up-to-date indicators).

Campus locations & what they specialise in

• Cardiff campus — creative and business subjects (Games & Design, Fashion, Film, Business/Creative Industries).

• Newport campus (City Campus) — professional degrees (Education, Business, Cyber Security, Nursing/Health areas) and home to facilities like the National Cyber Security Academy.

• Pontypridd campus (Treforest/Glyntaff/Sport Park) — engineering, computing, sciences, health, sport and larger campus facilities (sports centre, student union).

Types of courses & modes of learning

• Study levels: Undergraduate (Bachelors), Postgraduate (Masters, research degrees), Foundation/Access courses, and short professional courses.

• Modes: Onsite (campus-based), part-time, and distance learning / online options for many postgraduate and professional programmes. USW advertises flexible modes to accommodate working or remote students.

Number of programmes offered

• USW lists over 200 courses (UCAS lists ~207 full-time courses) across subject areas — covering everything from Accounting and Allied Health to Animation, Cyber Security and Nursing. Use the course search to find specific programme details.

Highlights & strengths

• Strong practical and vocational focus (placement opportunities, industry-designed modules).

• Notable improvement in national league tables (Guardian ranking milestone in 2024/25).

• National Cyber Security Academy presence and investment in modern city campus facilities (Newport).

• Support for international students: dedicated international pages (entry requirements, country contacts, fee guidance) and regular intakes — useful if you miss September entry.

Latest updates (as of the sources I checked)

• Guardian University Guide 2025: USW reached its highest ever position (51st out of 122). (News posted 9 Sept 2024 on USW site).

• Sanctuary Scholarship (Postgraduate) 2025/2026 announced — supports two postgraduate applicants with tuition fees waived and assistance for course-related costs.

• International fees and intake notes updated for September 2025 and February 2026 — check the international fees page for the latest numeric fee figures relevant to your programme.

Practical next steps & application tips (for international students)

1. Search your course page on USW’s courses portal to confirm exact entry requirements, fees, and any professional accreditations. (Course pages are authoritative for course content.)

2. Check the international pages for country-specific entry requirements and application contacts — they list January/February intakes for many programmes if you miss September.

3. Scholarships: apply as normal — USW will automatically consider you for their international scholarships once your application is submitted. Confirm any scholarship in your offer letter.

4. Visa & living: use the international pages + UK government visa guidance (not linked here) to plan finances and timelines — tuition fees, living costs and scholarship offers affect your visa application.

Scholarship

1) International Office Scholarships

• Who: Self-funding international fee-paying students (full-time UG and PG). Sponsored students are not eligible.

• Value: Undergraduate (including top-ups): up to £1,500 per year. Postgraduate: up to £2,000 per year. These awards are applied each year of study while conditions are met.

• How awarded: Automatic consideration when your application is received; confirmation appears in your offer letter. You must pay the deposit (as stated on your offer) by the deadline to secure the scholarship.

2) Chancellor’s International Development Scholarship (£2,500)

• Who: Students from a long list of eligible countries/regions (large lists covering many African, Latin American, South Asian, South-East Asian, Central Asian, Caribbean countries plus Lebanon/Bahrain/Norway/Albania). (USW lists the full eligible country list.)

• Value: £2,500 per year (applies to both undergraduate and postgraduate courses where eligible). This replaces the standard UG/PG scholarships for those regions.

• Intakes: The page states applicability for specific intakes (e.g., February 2025, September 2025 and February 2026 intakes on the page) — always check the country page or offer for exact intake applicability.

3) Early CAS Scholarship (£500 extra)

• Who: Students who are CAS-ready in CAS Shield by the stated cut-offs (e.g., by 31 May for Sept 2025 intake, or 31 Oct for Jan/Feb 2026 intake — check the exact deadline for the intake you’re applying for).

• Value: £500 on top of an existing USW scholarship (applied each year). Exclusions apply (e.g., some MBA/PhD/MRes/DBA and pathway/pre-sessional providers).

4) Progression Fee Discount (for USW graduates)

• Who: Self-funding USW international undergraduates progressing to a Masters (specific conditions apply).

• Value: Progression Fee Discount of £6,000 (conditions: must have completed at least one academic year on campus, and progress onto the specified intake e.g., Jan/Feb 2026 in the copy). Check the progression page for up-to-date eligibility.

5) Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship (targeted support)

• Who: Intended for people seeking asylum, those with Limited Leave to Remain as a result of an asylum application, or their qualifying dependants — specific eligibility and documentary evidence required. You must have an offer for a full-time, on-campus postgraduate degree.

• Value: Full tuition fee waiver for the duration of the postgraduate programme (for two successful applicants) plus a package of course-related support (laptop help, travel, book vouchers, food voucher, graduation award, etc.).

• How to apply: This is a separate application after you accept an offer — USW will email the link. There are firm application deadlines (the page gives example dates for 2025) and panel assessment.

6) External/larger national scholarships you can apply for (Chevening, Commonwealth, Global Wales, etc.)

• Chevening (UK Government): USW accepts Chevening Scholars; there are sometimes partnership awards (e.g., Chevening/USW). Chevening applications are made via the Chevening programme (external).

• Commonwealth Scholarships: USW accepts Commonwealth Scholars and the CSC site gives the full details (these are competitive national awards that can include fees, living costs and travel).

• Global Wales Postgraduate Scholarships and partner programmes: Wales-wide scholarships (Global Wales/British Council partnerships, Global Wales flagship scholarships) have been offered to international students to study a one-year master’s in Wales — amounts historically have been up to several thousand pounds (and sometimes up to £10k in scheme descriptions), and eligibility/priority countries vary year to year. These are administered centrally or by the partner and individual universities (watch for May/June application windows in past years). Always check Global Wales / Universities Wales / Study in Wales pages and the USW Global Wales info for current calls.

Key eligibility rules & exceptions (must-know)

• Scholarships apply to self-funding international fee-paying students. If you are government-sponsored or company-sponsored, those particular USW scholarships generally do not apply.

• Scholarships do not apply to English language courses or placement years. Some research/PhD/MBA/DBA courses are excluded from particular discounts (read the relevant scholarship wording).

• Deposit/payment requirement: you must normally pay the minimum deposit stipulated in your offer by the date on your Acceptance Form to secure your scholarship.

• CAS readiness matters for the Early CAS bonus — be aware of the timing/cut-offs.

Practical application checklist (what to do now)

1. Apply for your course at USW as early as possible (scholarship consideration is automatic on admission).

2. Read the offer letter carefully for which scholarship has been applied and deposit & CAS instructions. Paying the deposit on time secures the scholarship.

3. If you’re from an eligible country for the Chancellor’s award, check the country list on USW’s Chancellor page to confirm eligibility.

4. If you are an asylum seeker or have limited leave to remain and meet the Sanctuary criteria, prepare the required evidence and watch for the USW Sanctuary Scholarship email link after you accept an offer.

5. If you’re aiming for Global Wales / Chevening / Commonwealth, start their separate application processes early (their deadlines are external to USW and sometimes have annual windows).