Royal Agricultural University

• Location: Cirencester, England,
• Founded in: 1845,
• Number of students: about 1100,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: mixed.

Royal Agricultural University (RAU) is a public university, which is the first English-language educational institution in the world in its industry. RAU teaches bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in areas such as agriculture, business, cultural heritage, environment, and related programs.

From 1845 to 2013, the educational institution operated as an agricultural college, then received the status of a university and the current name. At its founding, the RAU received a royal charter, and since then, members of the royal family have been its patrons. For more than 175 years of its existence, the university has earned the trust of the local and international community, received many awards and prizes, and continues to this day high-quality educational activities.

Despite the demand among applicants from different countries, RAU is a relatively small institution, where about 1100 international students study annually.  While maintaining a small student community, teachers have the opportunity to know each of their students, pay them high-quality individual attention and help them at all stages of the educational and career processes. Administrative staff provide comprehensive support to foreign and local students, providing solutions to almost any problem of student life.

The versatile development of students is an important aspect that the university focuses on. Offering extensive opportunities to gain additional skills, RAU provides students with internships, development in sports, creative, social areas.

The university offers dozens of higher education programs in several subject areas:

• Agriculture,
• Business, Entrepreneurship,
• Cultural heritage,
• Environment,
• Horse breeding, animal science,
• Land, real estate.

RAU manages several research centers, two farms, an equestrian club and a number of specialized organizations.

The university's professors are the authors of the National Food Strategy and the Nutrient Management Strategy, which are considered two key agricultural initiatives to support the achievement of net-zero carbon emissions.

Located on campus, Farm491 is the leading incubator and accelerator of agricultural technology in the UK: it has directly supported more than 200 startups in agricultural technology, agri-food sector, helping to create 119 new jobs in companies, attract about 33 million pounds of investment.

To date, research has focused on the following areas:

• Sustainability, regeneration, biodiversity in agriculture,
• Health, welfare of livestock,
• Food policy, quality, safety,
• The science of horses,
• Rural Economy,
• Cultural heritage.

Run as a social enterprise and produces award-winning wine, RAU vineyard provides students with the opportunity to gain professional experience in all aspects, from supply chain management and new product development to sales and marketing. The vineyard is a pioneer in sustainability without compromising on quality: flat wine bottles and recyclable sparkling wine cans have been invented for the products.

Students can choose the most suitable accommodation option for them by staying in one of the residences on campus or by requesting the contacts of verified landlords outside the campus. RAU-run residences offer a variety of room types with self-catering or dining plans.

• Bledisloe Court,

The building has 59 single bedrooms in six three-storey houses: each with 9-10 rooms with a sink, shared toilet and shower. There is no common room in Bledisloe, however, students can visit the student lounge and the Tithe Barn bar for socializing, relaxing.

• Coad Court,

Coad Court is centrally located on campus and is divided into 11 homes offering large, bright single bedrooms either with en-suite bathrooms or access to shared toilets and showers. Rooms on the ground floor are available with facilities for people with disabilities. There are no common areas for relaxation at Coad Court.

• Vic Hughes Hall 1&2,

Vic Hughes Hall 1 & 2 are two block-type buildings located on campus and offering 26 spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, shared living rooms on the ground floors.

• West Lodge,

This self-catering on-campus unit features 58 single en-suite bedrooms divided into two halls, with the added comfort of underfloor heating. On each floor there is a spacious common living room, a fully equipped kitchen. Facilities for people with disabilities are available.

• Woodlands Lodge 1-3.

Woodlands Lodge 1 has six en-suite rooms with a newly equipped kitchen on the ground floor, seven half-board rooms on the top floor with access to a shared living room. Woodlands Lodge 2 offers spacious en-suite bedrooms on two floors, with a shared living room and a basic kitchenette. Woodlands Lodge 3 has small en-suite bedrooms located close to the main learning units.

Meal plans are the university's currency, which is stored on the student's identification card: with its help, students can purchase a certain number of meals in the cafeterias and the RAU restaurant, accumulate points to receive discounts. The university's main restaurant is located on the east side of the campus, with a menu containing a wide variety of healthy and hearty dishes and changes with the seasons. Qualified kitchen staff often bring variety to the menu, taking into account significant dates and supporting students with special nutritional needs. RAU takes ingredient selection very seriously, favoring local producers who use responsible practices to minimize waste, packaging, and environmental impact.

The first week of the academic year is one of the most important events at RAU: to help first-year students get used to their new environment, the university organizes a UV party, mixology classes, film screenings, excursions around the city, and many other events. The week ends with a freshman festival, which was attended by more than 500 people in 2023.

In addition to the major events led by the Student Council, there are regular social nights throughout the week, quizzes, karaoke or excursions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the main parties are held on Wednesdays and Fridays. Regular activities throughout the year are also as follows:

• Christmas Ball,
• RAG (Raising & Giving) Week, dedicated to raising money for charity,
• The May Ball is the biggest ball of the year with live bands and top DJs, an amusement park, and parties from dusk to dawn.

During their time at RAU, students can join a wide range of clubs and societies, from choir to board games. The RAU Student Union is always welcoming new ideas for social activities, so if a student does not find a suitable community for themselves, they can always start their own club. Some of the popular communities are:

• Agricultural Society,
• Caledonian Society,
• Christian Union,
• Nature Conservation Club,
• Society of Craftsmen,
• Croquet Club,
• Equestrian Club,
• Soccer
• Golf Club,
• Hockey
• Lacrosse
• Land and real estate,
• Mountaineering Club,
• Netball
• Polo Club.

The university is enthusiastic about sporting activities that range from archery to running and rowing. The sports day takes place on Wednesday, when many teams compete with other universities. Training takes place throughout the week and is organized by individual teams.

Off campus, students can expect a wide variety of entertainment, cultural events, attractions: badminton and horse racing competitions in Cheltenham are held next to RAU, rugby clubs in Gloucester and Bath train, shops and cinemas are open.

• RAU was ranked in the top ten at the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards in the Small or Specialist category, ranked second in the Southwest Small or Specialist category,
• In 2023, the university received a special award for supporting the coverage of living expenses provided to students,
• Faculty members work closely with business leaders and employers to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to start their careers,
• Every year, more than 100 students spend part of their course gaining a practical understanding of the world of work, expanding employability skills and networking through internships in various sectors,
• No8 in the Sunday Times 2024 ranking for the quality of student experience,
• Silver status in the latest TEF rankings, which indicates the high quality of teaching, curricula,
• The university is ranked among the top six business schools in Europe for the study of agricultural sciences,
• More than half of the research conducted by RAU has been rated as "world-leading and international in quality" by the Research Excellence Framework,
• Individual attention to each student by highly qualified educational staff,
• An extensive network of partners at home and abroad, thanks to which students can participate in internships,
• A multinational student community with representatives from more than 46 countries,
• A variety of opportunities for extracurricular development.

The campus is within walking distance of the town of Cirencester, a thriving cultural hub surrounded by the beautiful Cotswold countryside. With an abundance of restaurants, unique boutiques, and popular nightclubs, it's easy to see why so many students don't want to leave even after graduation! City activities are also nearby: Bath, Bristol, Oxford and Cheltenham are less than an hour's drive from the university, and London can be reached in about 90 minutes by direct train.

The infrastructure of the educational area meets modern industry standards, providing students with the best specialized facilities, technological lecture halls and laboratories, many acres of open space for project work, as well as:

• Equestrian Center

The stables are located in eight barns, designed to provide good working conditions - they are bright and airy, with safe storage rooms for ammunition. There are 58 paddocks, an indoor floodlight arena with a Martin Collins surface, an all-weather circular exercise track, and a horse track.

• Sports Center

Located in the heart of the campus, RAU Gym offers a safe, friendly and personal training environment. The building has several floors with cardio, weight training equipment and free weight areas.

• Library

The Library Building provides students with round-the-clock access to thousands of e-books and journals, hundreds of print publications, market research databases, and university archives. The halls have printing equipment, PCs, self-study areas and high-speed WiFi.

• Chapel of St. George the Great Martyr

It is located opposite the entrance to the main restaurant: it is an ecumenical Christian chapel open to students for worship, reflection and meditation on a daily basis.

• Theater Hall

The hall, which can accommodate up to 230 guests, has a spacious stage and a full range of audiovisual equipment.

• Several cafeterias, dining rooms, the main campus restaurant.

The university operates two farms near the campus:

• Coates Manor Farm contains arable land, pastures,
• Fossehill Farm has stables for polo and hunting, appropriate training facilities.

The academic calendar includes several important dates:

• Fall semester: September-December,
• Christmas holidays: December-January for three weeks,
• Spring Semester: January-May,
• Easter holidays: April for three weeks.

Exam weeks are held in January and May. Rest is provided on weekends, seasonal holidays and days of national, international holidays. Classes are held on weekdays: from Monday to Friday, followed by activities in communities, sports sections, events.

The tuition fee covers the student's academic expenses, including educational course, registration, and examination fees. Approximate list of additional costs includes:

• Registration fee, deposit,
• Accommodation, meals,
• Educational materials,
• Some extracurricular activities,
• Additional personal lessons and educational opportunities,
• Individual support not included in the curriculum,
• External exams,
• Personal expenses.

The admission process includes several stages, most of which are available online. Candidates wishing to obtain a RAU diploma need to:

• Fill out the registration form, provide the required documents,
• Pay the application fee,
• Pass an interview, possible entrance tests,
• Receive an official invitation to enroll,
• Make deposits to book a place in the program/ in the residence,
• Arrive on campus to attend orientation events, start classes.

Admissions staff provide support in obtaining all necessary documents, including visa and health insurance.

RAU graduates leave the university prepared for a successful career in their chosen field, whether leading innovation and industrial change, developing future land use policies, or setting up their own business. According to the graduate survey, 15 months after graduation, the results are following:

• 89% found a job and/or continued their studies,
• 72% already had a highly qualified job.

International students joining the 17,000-strong global alumni network are following in the footsteps of prominent entrepreneurs, politicians, writers, and Olympic athletes. RAU is the leading provider of land surveyors in the country – 165 former apprentices hold director-level positions in large national, international companies.

International applicants wishing to pursue a higher education degree at RAU must meet the following criteria:

• Personal documents, including a valid passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit to study in England,
• Academic certificates from the previous place of study: certificate of completion of secondary education, certificate of the preparatory course, bachelor's or master's diploma, depending on the level of the program the candidate is applying to. In addition, it is necessary to provide report card, official transcripts,
• IELTS language exam results (from 6.0) or equivalent recognized by the university.

The large RAU scholarship fund provides undergraduate and postgraduate students with the opportunity to reduce the amount of expenses for study and extracurricular life. Scholarships are awarded on behalf of the university itself or its specialized faculties, partner organizations to those students who have high academic performance and an active student position: participate in sports sections, volunteer movement, creative teams. Scholarships cover part of the cost of tuition or accommodation, are assigned for one academic year and can be extended if excellent results are maintained.

The financial support provided by the institution is intended for students who find themselves in a difficult life situation. Good grades are required to get it.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision