If you are planning to study in the UK and wondering where to make your new home, the South West has much to offer. The Georgian spa town of Bath, the glorious countryside of Somerset, and industrial Swindon with its wealth of employment opportunities are also situated in the South West of England.

As well as some of the most beautiful towns and countryside in the UK, the South Wet has a wide choice of universities and colleges, from traditional universities such as Bristol and Exeter, to university colleges like Cheltenham & Gloucester, all with an international reputation for top quality courses.

People who come to study and work in the South West enjoy a good quality of life. The magnificent countryside offers plenty of opportunities for good walking, off-road cycling, horse riding and golf. For anyone with sporting interests, Gloucestershire is internationally famous for Rugby and Cricket, Cheltenham Racecourse is home to the Gold Cup and the National Hunt Festival, and Bath is also famous for Rugby.

The historic Roman city of Gloucester, the elegance of regency Cheltenham, the dramatic woodlands of the Forest of Dean and the mellow beauty of centuries-old Cotswold villages make Gloucestershire a wonderful place to live and study. Less than an hour away is the city of Bristol, a historic port and stylish centre of commerce, where shopping and a varied nightlife go hand in hand with elegant architecture and a choice of two universities.

International companies, like Eagle Star, Honda, Nestle, Ensleigh, Kraft, DuPont and Orange all have large bases in the South West, and colleges and universities work closely with industry in research projects and student work placements. If you come to this area to study, you will benefit from these close relationships with local industry. One of the advantages of living in the South West is our close proximity to London. Excellent road and rail links between London and Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Swindon mean that in less than two hours, you can travel to the capital and enjoy the sights, the shows, and the shopping. The City of Oxford is also within easy reach. All the universities and higher education colleges in the South West offer a particularly warm welcome to overseas students. Each institution has its own international support centre with staff who are there to help you with accommodation, visas, finance, and anything you need to know as a new UK student.

As well as making sure you are given every opportunity to live on campus during your first year studying in the South West, you will also be supported in making friends with other new students by taking part in organised social activities, including trips to places of interest, such as London and Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford upon Avon. You will not be alone if you come to study in this part of the UK - students from well over 100 countries have already chosen the South West as their base, and have been come to love their new community.

Japanese student Yuki Tsubokura, who is studying at Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Higher Education, says: "I have lived in other parts of the UK, but I particularly like the traditional College buildings on my campus and the countryside around the South West. I find the staff at my College very friendly, and there are lots of young and exciting people studying here."

Author
Joanna Wynn
Cheltenham & Gloucester
College of Higher Education