Community and campus

The Surrey community

Our friendly community encourages a real sense of belonging. With over 140 nationalities all playing a role in campus life, you will discover a lively, dynamic atmosphere that enriches the student experience for all.

Surrey’s staff and students work hard to rise to the challenges of study and research, but once the work is done, it’s time to relax, socialise and make the most of leisure time. Ask any of our current students and they’ll tell you that being part of the Surrey campus community helps keep the work–life balance just right.

Almost all our classrooms, labs, research facilities and social venues are located on campus – and our Sports Park is only a short walk away – so you won’t waste any time switching from study to socialising.

If you want to imagine yourself on campus, take a look at our 360˚ virtual tour feature.

Your campus environment

This is a wonderful, safe environment in which to live and learn:

• Carefully tended gardens and leafy parkland
• Over 300 different types of tree and 1,000 species of flower
• Vibrant green playing fields
• Picturesque lakes
• Striking architecture and public art
• Just a stroll from both the centre of Guildford town and the beautiful green landscapes of the Surrey Hills

Imagine listening to music in the sun, studying in the shade of an exotic tree or enjoying a barbecue by the water with friends. Our pretty lake provides a quiet place away from work and study, whether you need a relaxing afternoon off or a quick break in the University grounds. It’s a great place to meet friends and colleagues or to find a quiet spot by yourself, and you will often see students, staff and visitors taking a stroll, reading a book or feeding the ducks and carp.

Societies and events

Student societies

Get involved with our student societies and you’ll have the opportunity to meet new people, try something different and maybe even start a lifelong passion.

There are over 70 active societies for you to get involved in, and the Students’ Union can also help you to set up a new society for any tastes not already covered.

Postgraduate society

The postgraduate society gives all taught and research students an inclusive social and academic community that supports members throughout their studies at the University of Surrey. Our services are driven by the interests and needs of our members, so you will influence the nature of the society’s activities and its development.

Alongside regular committee meetings that support academic activities and social events, there are several major events in the pipeline, starting with a welcome evening for all new and existing members. Contact the postgraduate society to find out more.

International Festival

iFestival (International Festival) is an annual two week Students’ Union event that is organised by our students to promote international culture and diversity.

The festival is a celebration of the different cultures found right here on campus, ranging from performances to food festivals, film screenings and much more.

iFestival is an amazing chance for all students to explore the diversity of one of the most multicultural universities in the country – and there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved.

Trips and activities

The Students’ Union organises an exciting programme of activities, events and experiences for you to try, many of them right here on campus in one of the Union’s own venues.

There is a wide variety of activities on offer, from creative workshops to trips abroad, so you’re almost certain to find an event that interests you. And because this is your Students’ Union, you can get involved and put an event on yourself.

What better way to enjoy your spare time, meet new people and add to the University’s vibrant social life?

Social life

Nightlife

Our Students’ Union is a great place to relax with a drink, chat over a coffee or grab a bite to eat. It’s also home to Rubix, the Students’ Union’s 1,600-capacity nightclub, with the finest sound and light facility of any Union club in the country. Individual music tastes are catered for, with several music societies which stage gigs from trance, dance and funk to indie, rock and metal.

Culture

Our calendar of arts events provides cultural pursuits for everyone, with cinema screenings, classical music concerts from top performers, art exhibitions in our own gallery and stage productions in the Ivy Theatre. There are also regular lectures, book groups and special events throughout the year.

Student media

There are lots of ways to make your voice heard right here on campus, whether you want to gain specific skills and experience for a career in the media or just get together with fellow students in a creative atmosphere.

The Stag

The Stag is the University’s own newspaper, written by students for students. Published every two weeks, it’s packed with campus news, national headlines, sports and societies round-ups, features, reviews and much more. The team always welcomes new writers, designers, editors, photographers and other creative people, and you don’t need any previous experience.

StagTV

StagTV is the University of Surrey’s own student-run news and entertainment television channel. Anyone with an enthusiasm for broadcast is welcome to get involved, either on camera or behind the scenes. Most of our team joined with no previous experience in broadcasting, but everyone learns along the way. We now have dedicated training days and workshops to pass on the tips and techniques you need to become a vital part of a StagTV story.

GU2

GU2 is the University’s student radio station. It broadcasts the best news, music and chat online and on the airwaves at 1350AM. On the mic or behind the scenes, everyone is essential to the successful running of the station, and everyone gets a lot out of it too.

Volunteering

Students’ Union volunteering schemes

Our students are passionate about volunteering, whether it’s getting together with the community to spruce up a local playground or taking on more ambitious fundraising projects for charity. Whatever your talents, and whatever time you can give, the Students’ Union will help you get involved with local, national and international volunteering opportunities. There are dedicated Union officers, and also two student-run societies: RAG and Do>More.

Sports volunteering

If you have a passion for sport and would like to put it to good use, the Sports Volunteering programme gives you the opportunity to help out at local sports events or to assist a local school with their sports activities. Like all our volunteering programmes, it’s an enjoyable way to meet new people in a productive environment.

Eating and drinking

Chancellors restaurant serves a variety of meals perfect for refuelling after a busy day.

Young’s Kitchen provides freshly cooked authentic Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine.

Heart + Soul is the hub of our Manor Park student village. Open for coffees, breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks, dinner and homemade cakes, the quirky environment makes it the perfect place to relax and socialise.

If it’s a hot drink and a chat you need, we have three branches of Starbucks and a coffee bar called Sorrento.

Hillside Restaurant and Lounge meets all your needs from breakfast to late lunch, with snacks and fresh food available.

Our campus even boasts its own restaurant, Lakeside, which is run by students on our prestigious Tourism and Hospitality programmes.

If you need to eat on the go, you can always pick up a snack on campus in the Appleseed Bookshop, Hillside, the Union Shop or Amigo supermarket.

When you’ve had a long day studying and fancy a break from the kitchen, you can even let our on-site pizza house deliver directly to your room.

Whether you’re into film or theatre, music or art, you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained without even having to leave campus.

Guildford

Living in Guildford

The University campus, the town and the surrounding area provide a safe and pleasant place to live.

A frequent bus service linking campus with the town centre runs late into the night, and the local area is cycle-friendly too. The campus and Courts of Residence are patrolled by our friendly Security team, whose on-site office is always open to visitors and staffed for phone calls.

Just ten minutes’ walk from campus, Guildford is an exciting mixture of historical, cultural and modern delights. Whilst it offers all the convenience of a modern town, you’ll also feel as safe and included as in any village.

Shopping and socialising

Guildford’s historic cobbled High Street, criss-crossed by lanes and alleyways, provides the perfect setting for a day’s shopping.

Venture away down one of the many side streets and you will discover exclusive boutiques, independent shops and cosy cafés. There are also three shopping centres, The Friary Centre, Tunsgate Square and White Lion Walk all of which are just off the main street.

If you’re a fan of live music, independent venues such as Backline and the Boileroom feature the best of local talent and have indie and alternative music nights several times a week.

We have a range of international restaurants, your favourite chains and trendy independent eateries, as well as English pubs, stylish bars and the traditional takeaways to round off a lively evening out.

The town boasts:

• Lively nightlife with over 70 pubs, bars, restaurants and cafés for all tastes and budgets
• Major regional theatre and performance venues such as the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
• Community arts, comedy, music and cabaret venues such as the Electric Theatre
• Some of the best shopping in the South East
• Parks and lido
• Art galleries
• G-Live concert venue

If you want to take in a sporting event, you’ll find top ice hockey, netball and basketball teams in the town, and there are relaxing walks and bike rides along the banks of the River Wey.

NUS extra card

The NUS extra card is a premium discount and membership card for all students. It incorporates the International Student Identity Card too, which means students can enjoy benefits at home and worldwide.

It’s packed with discounts, offers and competitions, allowing you to shop for less at all the best local and high street shops, as well as online stores.

GuilFest

Guildford is home to GuilFest, one of the most popular and fastest-growing independently run music festivals in the country. With over 100 bands performing at the festival and a huge variety of stalls, GuilFest is an experience not to be missed.

Surrey and South East England

Exploring further

London is only half an hour away by train, putting world-class shopping, culture, sport and nightlife right on your doorstep.

Great transport links from the railway station next door to campus put the historic ports and sea air of the South Coast within easy reach, or you can explore the Surrey Hills and its quaint villages by bicycle or car. Airports – including Heathrow and Gatwick – are close by when you really need to get away from it all or fly home for the holidays.

The region is rich in heritage, culture and great locations for a day out. Quick trips and places to visit
include:

• World-class sporting venues – Wimbledon (tennis),Twickenham (rugby union), Epsom and Ascot (horse
  racing), The Oval (cricket)
• The Tower of London, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle
• Kew Gardens
• Theme parks – Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures
• The remains of Guildford Castle, built by William the Conqueror shortly after 1066
• National Trust sites – afternoon tea at Box Hill or Polesden Lacey 
• The Lightbox (gallery and museum)

Sustainability

Our desire to create a sustainable future starts right here on campus. Thanks to significant investment, we now send less than 5 per cent of our waste to landfill, with the rest being recycled or reused for energy. Our carbon emissions are reducing, thanks to the use of low carbon technology, including new LED lighting, on-site power generation and our own solar-energy panels on the roof of the new Library & Learning Centre. We sustainably manage our own woodland near the campus, and source all the woodchip fuel for our biomass boiler at the Surrey Sports Park locally. We even send our food waste off to be turned into energy – in fact, we were one of the first universities in the UK to do so.

Our efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. The People & Planet Green League ranks universities according to their environmental policies and performance, and in 2012 Surrey improved the most, soaring up 67 places.

But it isn’t just about a greener campus. The University and the Students’ Union have agreed an environmental policy that includes a formal commitment to integrate environmental issues into all aspects of our teaching and research. So if a sustainable, renewable future means the world to you, this is the place to help make it happen.