As a mature student, I was found the idea of university quite daunting, however, UCB was a very supportive environment to attend. I found the majority of the lecturers to be fantastic, going above and beyond to support all the students in any way they can. My year group was fairly small which allowed for a fair amount of one on one time with the lectures, which is a bonus that is not common at all universities. All assignments were explained well with clear learning outcomes outlined. My last semester at UCB was spring 2020 and lockdown was first put in place. The university was quite supportive and understanding as they moved to online learning and offered all students extensions on assignments to allow for disruption to their learning.

I found that my course especially had people from a range of backgrounds which meant that lots of different experiences were being discussed in lectures and seminars. My course had a wide range of students of all ages and from all over the world so was a very diverse university.

UCB is great for people who want a small university that offers a good study/life balance. If someone is looking for a university that has a big party atmosphere then this is not the university for that. There were only two halls at the university which meant the number of students in halls of residents was low. UCB could improve by offering a student union that hosts events as well as a large range of societies to suit a range of interests.