Overseas university spotlight: University of Chester (UK)
The University of Chester is located in one of my favorite UK cities.
Situated in northwest England and about a half hour on the train from Liverpool, Chester is steeped in history.
Its roots date back to Roman times, and you can basically stumble upon historical monuments walking five minutes in any direction.
Here are some of the highlights from my visit to campus in May 2023!
Chester
With its 2,000-year history, Chester attracts around 8 million tourists a year and has the most complete city walls.
One of the nicest things to do is go for a walk around the walls, which are built mostly out of red sandstone and extend about two miles in total, passing over four city gates.
Walking along the walls will also take you past Roodee, the world's oldest racecourse, which dates back to 1539!
You'll also go past the Military Museum, which is located in Chester Castle.
But perhaps Chester's most recognizable feature is the Rows, where the main shopping and dining is.
Chester is also home to a 1,000-year-old cathedral.
Its population is only 80,000, but on a Saturday afternoon, it didn't seem like a small city; it was absolutely bustling.
Until the weather turned, Grosvenor Park was full of children playing, people strolling and all ages riding the ferris wheel.
There is so much green space around.
Other landmarks include Britain's largest Roman amphitheatre and the cathedral ruins at St John's Church.
I was once again on the search for the best coffee and found it at the dog-friendly Bean & Cole.
Apart from walking the city walls, I loved going for a peaceful stroll along the River Dee in The Groves area.
It was a great spot for an ice cream cone lunch!
The pedestrian Queen's Park Suspension Bridge is a gorgeous part of the skyline.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Chester Zoo, which -- although I didn't get the chance -- is actually the most visited UK attraction outside London.
Not far north of the city and set on 128 acres, the zoo has more than 20,000 animals and 500 species with the goal to help prevent wildlife extinction.
University of Chester
Just outside of the city walls are the various sites of the University of Chester, whose original buildings from 1840 were the first in the country to be purpose-built for the professional training of teachers.
With 14,000 students split across a number of sites, the university is on the smaller side for a UK university.
There is a really nice display on the Exton Park campus that explains the overall history.
I was surprised to learn that about 100 years ago, it was actually affiliated with the University of Liverpool!
Education was the primary focus at the university until 1976, and nowadays, there are more than 350 other courses to choose from.
A few that are particularly popular are Bioveterinary Sciences, Zoology and Animal Science, and as you can expect, the university has close ties with the Chester Zoo.
It also has a graduate entry medical program.
Exton Park is the main campus, where you'll find the library, sports centre, accommodation, Students' Union, shops and student services.
There are plenty of sports fields, too.
I was quite surprised at how beautiful some of the buildings were; I expected something quite modern -- and if I'm honest -- unspectacular.
However, it was quite the opposite!
Most of the buildings are built out of brick.
The campus also had some of the best landscaping and most beautiful gardens I've seen!
There is plenty of student accommodation at Exton Park, and in the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice Awards, the university ranked in the top five in the UK for its halls (as voted on by students!).
Chester's Business School is located at the Queen's Park campus, which is just across the River Dee.
Here, students study Accounting and Finance, Management, and Marketing, Tourism and Destinations.
There is also a dedicated business library and a 'corporate' atmosphere, encouraging business networking and internships.
The site also has a historical aspect to it, as it was formerly the Western Command Army Headquarters, in which Winston Churchill held wartime meetings with international politicians.
Finally, right in the heart of Chester's legal quarter is where the Chester Law School is located (the Wheeler campus).
It's just a 20-minute walk to Exton Park, which is the case with basically any place in Chester.
Summary
Chester has long been the destination of weekend getaways for UK locals who live in larger cities, and it's no surprise why.
It's historical, it's charming, there is plenty of shopping and great places to eat, and it has a high quality of life with so many places to go for nice walks.
In fact, I spent three days there and would gladly come back for more!
The university also really surprised me; although I visited on a weekend and not many students were around, I found the buildings and gardens to be very aesthetically pleasing.
I also loved that Exton Park offers students a campus-based experience only 10 minutes on foot from the heart of Chester.
And for those interested in animal sciences, the university's links with the famous Chester Zoo make it an attractive option for sure.
Overall, the University of Chester is a great choice for someone looking to study in a quintessentially English city that's beautiful, manageable, walkable and affordable at a smaller university with excellent facilities.
