About University

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If you are thinking about university, you can be almost guaranteed that it'll be one of the best times of your life, where you'll not only further your education and career prospects, but will make life-long friends, develop personally and have loads... upon loads!... of fun.

What can I do at the Royal Agricultural College?

Despite the 'agricultural' tag in the name, the College has a multitude of subjects to offer (you can request a prospectus to get detailed information on the various courses available), and you may be surprised to find out just how much 'agriculture' actually encompasses. We cover a range of land-based study options, including real estate and property, land and estate agency, business (including international business) and business management, international equine courses, equine science and business, agriculture, animal management and food systems... so it's not just about wellies and fields!

And if that's not enough... within these courses you will find diverse units such as journalism, organic farming, heritage property, languages and entrepreneurship.

Where will I be staying?

Welcome to the closest you're ever going to be to staying at Hogwarts! As a first-year student, you'll have priority to on-campus accommodation. If you choose to be residential at the College you'll get your own bedroom, or if you prefer you can twin-share with a friend. Each room has a comfortable bed, a study desk, a wardrobe and either en-suite or shared bathroom facilities. You'll also have access to a laundrette, the College shop and postal services at the Porters' Lodge.

The Tithe barn houses a large flat-screen, pool tables and ping-pong or football table. All meals will be provided for you in 'the Great Hall' (more commonly known as the dining room, but let’s not diminish the Potter magic, shall we..!). There's also a chapel, basketball courts, squash courts, a fully-equipped gym, rugby and football pitches, an astro-turf pitch, tennis courts and modern computer labs with internet access. You'll also find a cafe in the Atrium to enjoy coffee and cake.

If you choose to live off-campus, there's plenty of house-shares in the town centre, which is only a 15 minute walk away. There's also a free shuttle bus service from various places in town to the College, which runs every morning, lunchtime and evening. The town centre also has a leisure centre with a swimming pool.

What's the social life like?

The Student Union motto is 'work hard, play hard' - so that's what you'll be doing. Our students certainly know how to have a good time and they'll be on-hand to make sure that your time with us is not only educational but exciting and fun. There's always a great range of activities to help you to get to know your fellow students, and you can expect many parties in the Tithe as well as five annual balls. When the sun shines, there's sizzling summer BBQs and plenty of sports games throughout the year. Check out the Student Union for a more in-depth look at the social calendar and what you can expect to get up to.

What's the University and local area like?

The RAC is a small campus university, situated in the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds. It is home to just under 1,000 students, who live on campus or in the vibrant town centre. We're situated between the major cities of Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham and Swindon, but the setting for the RAC is a beautiful rolling rural landscape of golden fields, country villas and breath-taking scenery - a perfect place to chill out; a perfect access to nights out, shopping and a plethora of activities; and the perfect location to experience your new student life.

Our many sports and social clubs, organised and run by students, only add to the variety of activities you can get involved in. And if that's not enough, the surrounding cities offer something for everyone; with great live music for all tastes, dancing, cultural heritage, sports and large shopping centres.

The RAC boasts individual student support (academic and personal) throughout your studies; a large alumni with business contacts all over the world; a plethora of international study opportunities; and excellent graduate progression into a huge variety of professional positions. You can also find out about our many grant and scholarship schemes, which will part or fully fund you through your university studies - some of which are especially laid aside for students from our non-traditional backgrounds.

Can I visit to see what it's really like?

Absolutely! There are many Open Days held throughout the year that you are quite welcome to attend, and we'd love to meet you. Open days are valuable as they allow you to discover the College campus, explore the courses available and speak to tutors and lecturers. You'll also hear about student finance, living at the College and student support.

We think that the best way to learn about real university life is from those who are living it, so our student ambassadors will be around to help you, answer questions and talk about their own experiences here at the College. They will be around all day, so there will be plenty of time for you to chat to them.

If you can't make an Open Day, don't worry! You can contact the Marketing department and we'll see if we can arrange for you to have an individual visit. Alternatively if you prefer to wait, we also invite every applicant for an interview, so there's time for you to explore the College and ask your questions then.

However, if you want a more in-depth experience of the College and have a bit of time, there are also a variety of ways you can visit for an extended period. You can check out our Land Based Careers two-day residential, our Uni Taster week, our Young City Farmers programme and the Schools and Colleges visits.

What if I still have questions?

We'd love to hear from you and our friendly staff are happy to answer questions. If you have a query, something you're worried about or just want to get or check information, please contact us via one of the following methods.