Royal Holloway - RHUL
speciality: History

Studying at Royal Holloway has been an incredible experience so far. The campus truly is as magical as everyone makes it out to be, every time I walk around I am amazed by my beautiful surroundings – even after two years of studying there! The sabbatical officers are great and ensure that every aspect of university life – education, well-being, societies and sports and the Student Union, are run smoothly and with great care and attention to detail. I study History and the professors are lovely, extremely helpful and you can tell that they truly want you to succeed. What particularly stands out to me is the diverse range of modules, meaning that you can study pretty much any area of history that you desire. The careers department are also great and open your mind to a whole host of career options that you may not have previously considered otherwise. The university is small and is not in a large city. However, I don’t believe that this is a downside, as it gives the university a true, community feel, and everything you could need is readily available on campus – shops, cafes, clubs, pubs. It is also close to London, a 30-minute train ride away, and very close to towns such as Staines and Windsor if you want more of a city vibe. Accommodation is guaranteed to all first years who make Royal Holloway their firm choice, and it is all on campus or a two-minute walk away, meaning it is ideal for making friends and allowing students to easily get involved with all aspects of university life. While it may not have the urban buzz of a central London institution, Royal Holloway offers something just as valuable – a supportive, inclusive, and beautiful environment in which students can thrive both academically and personally. I’ve truly loved my experience here so far, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a university with heart, heritage, and a strong academic foundation.

Royal Holloway is a great university for those who value a work/life balance, as being a campus university all of your friends are nearby and there’s an equal walk to the library as there is to the Student Union club from your accommodation. There are several societies to join and many social spaces on campus, so there are plenty of opportunities to make friends on campus.

I studied Ancient History in the Classics department which had one of the lowest turnouts with only around thirty people in my year, and this had its advantages and disadvantages.

The best part about having a small course was that it was easier to get to know my course-mates which brought us together into a close-knit group. Also, our professors could connect with us on a more personal level and we were able to receive very detailed and personalised feedback as well as access their office hours without any issue. The quality of teaching was great and my professors were more than happy to provide extra support if needed.

However, being a part of a small department also meant that a few modules were cancelled due to low sign-ups, so many people couldn’t study the modules they wanted to take. Some of the course content may be quite repetitive due to this, as you may end up having to take a similar module as one you have already studied in order to fill up your necessary credits.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Royal Holloway and I would recommend it to anyone.

Being a student at Royal Holloway University of London is something I would recommend to anyone. These past two years of my life have seen some of the most exciting and brilliant times I have ever experienced. The courses available to students of the humanities department range far and wide, from the fall of the Roman Empire to terrorism in the modern day, there really is something for everyone. The professors at Royal Holloway are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful- always wanting the best for their students, which is clear in the in-depth marking and guidelines. Overall, I could not recommend my university anymore- I have been incredibly impressed with every aspect of university life, including the nightlife and friends I have made along the way.

I so far have thoroughly enjoyed my program; it’s been engaging, fun and at times challenging. The teachers are incredibly easy to talk to and ask for advice which is oftentimes incredibly helpful. The only real criticism I would have regarding my program is the sheer volume of text one has to consume, but that’s to be expected given it’s an intense degree as well as the cost of living given it’s a London university. I do believe the nightlife at the university could be improved although it’s still a lot of fun if you meet the right people! I’d definitely recommend it to others as it’s a fantastic university with great lecturers but if you’re looking for busy nightlife, it’s not ideal. The school has numerous students from across the globe and seems very inclusive. I’m cautiously optimistic about my career prospects as I haven’t finished my degree (yet) but I believe things will work out well. My experience with Royal Holloway is of a great university in terms of academic studies, however, a poor nightlife. That being said, as a student, it is of course possible to create your own nightlife in many ways although it’s not as fun at times.

I overall had a great learning experience when studying at RHUL. I found the lecturers to all be very passionate about their subjects which could, in turn, be seen through how innovatively they delivered their lectures. As well as this, personal tutors and course convenors were always happy to answer any queries or provide additional support whether that be academic or not. My only grievance would be that at times, the department which I worked under could be slightly unorganised, however, never to the detriment of their students. I therefore thoroughly enjoyed my time studying there overall!

The teaching quality this uni has provided has been incredible. The close relationships I have formed with tutors as a result of small classes has massively helped with my degree. The tutors always have had time for me and made sure I felt confident in my ability for learning.
The amount of content covered as well has surpassed expectations and I feel I have learnt about a wide range of things that I would be able to take into different workplaces.

I am loving studying at Royal Holloway. I am just about to start my second year and my experience so far is outstanding. The sense of community- due to it being a campus university- put me at ease straight away and the new facilities such as the new library are amazing! It is lovely studying just 30 minutes away from the centre of London as you can spend the day there and then escape from the hustle and bustle to a beautiful campus known for its historical Founders Building. Due to the size of the university, the students can easily work closely with lecturers and this makes learning a lot easier. With the choice of hundreds of societies, the social platform is perfect for building relationships with students and academically the choice to spend time at other London universities due to intercollegiate courses allows you to broaden your university experience around the city. Overall my experience has been fabulous and cannot wait to start my second year.