Cardiff University | Prifysgol Caerdydd

Through agreements made by the College with eight British universities and one Irish university, a select group of Chicago students can study for the autumn term or, in some cases, for an academic year in Great Britain or the Republic of Ireland.

Cardiff University, established in 1883, is known for its incredibly strong research output, with 90% of its research rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. The University is also a member of the prestigious Russell Group of UK universities. With more than 30,000 students and over 7,500 international students, Cardiff is the 16th largest university in the UK in terms of student numbers. Cardiff, consistently named the most affordable of all the UK’s university cities, is located a 2-hour train ride from London in Wales. Its rich culture has a diverse range of influences from the Romans and Normans of antiquity to the industrial revolution and the coal industry – which transformed Cardiff from a small town into a thriving, international city. Cardiff University’s academic strengths are plentiful and spread out across disciplines, but some programs of note are Communication & Journalism, Physics & Astronomy, Computer Science, English Literature, and Urban Planning. Students may study at Cardiff for the Autumn Quarter or for the Academic Year.

Cardiff University offers – but does not guarantee – on-campus housing assuming a timely submission of the housing application. Most students are able to be accommodated by meeting housing application deadlines. Housing can be guaranteed for students studying at Cardiff for the Academic Year. Students are responsible for housing costs regardless of length of stay.

Students can choose to study for either the Fall Term or for the entire academic year. That decision must be made by the time your application is turned into Study Abroad.

Study abroad students remain registered as full-time students in the College. They receive full credit for their work. Course titles, units of credit, and grades are placed on the College transcript. Since the use of these credits in a specific degree program is variable, students should consult with their academic adviser and program chair to determine exactly how credits may be distributed toward degree progress. All students are required to read and follow the Direct Enrollment Credit Guide ahead of committing to a direct enrollment program in order to fully understand the process.

Direct Enrollment Requirements

• Students are required to carry a full-time course load of minimum equivalence to three Chicago credits per term. At some institutions, the number of courses that constitute a full-time course load may be different than at Chicago due to differences in academic calendar or course weighting, in which case students should follow local regulations and consult with Study Abroad about equivalencies.
• Students are prohibited from being concurrently enrolled in courses at Chicago while abroad.
• The rules for registering, add/drop, and withdrawal from a course abroad are subject to the policies of the host university and at their sole discretion. The host institution is under no obligation to provide exceptions to their course procedure rules during a term abroad.
• Students are expected to complete all assigned work and exams before leaving the study abroad site at the end of their term abroad.
• Students are required to remain at their host university for the full length of their program dates, from the start of orientation until the end of scheduled examinations. Should they depart from their program abroad before the completion of scheduled instruction and examinations, either by way of a formal withdraw from the program or a self-arranged early departure, there is no guarantee they will receive credit for their term abroad and/or their grades may be negatively impacted.
• Some selected universities abroad require participants to attend the program for a full academic year. If students apply and are admitted to one of these programs, they may not leave the program after the first term. Credits and grades will be awarded only to students who complete the full academic year. Any student who leaves a full-year program early continues to be liable for all costs associated with the program.

Participants in the British and Irish programs pay regular College tuition and a nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee. The tuition is paid in conformity with the home campus payment schedule, and a deposit toward the nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee is submitted when accepting a place in a program. Students pay accommodation costs while in Great Britain or Ireland, either directly to the host university or, if the student is not living in university housing, to a landlord. Precise figures for the British and Irish programs for the 2025-2026 year are listed below:

Autumn or Academic Year tuition: as set by the Bursar’s Office

Study abroad administrative fee: $675

Out-of-pocket expenses include:

• round-trip airfare to and from the program site
• passport/visa fees
• transportation on site
• accommodation
• meals
• course materials
• personal entertainment and travel
• communications (most students bring or buy a cell phone)
• health insurance and upfront payments for care
• other miscellaneous expenses

Study abroad students retain their financial aid eligibility. For more information about financial aid resources, please see our Tuition, Fees, and Funding section.

The British and Irish programs are open to University of Chicago undergraduate students only. Applications from outside the University are not accepted.

These programs are designed for undergraduates in good academic and disciplinary standing who are beyond their second year in the College upon arrival in the UK or Ireland. Because there is a limit on the number of students who can participate in the British and Irish programs, admission is highly competitive. Applicants should present a solid academic transcript as well as sound academic reasons for wishing to study in England, Scotland, or Ireland. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to be accepted at Cardiff University. Students are expected to have conscientiously pursued general education requirements, and to have begun coursework in their major subject by the end of their second year. It is especially desirable that their transcript, which will show coursework through autumn quarter of the application year, presents at least one course in their major. British/Irish university students are more specialized at the same point in their university careers, so prerequisites for our visiting students are often rigid.

Oxford and Trinity College Cambridge applicants complete individual applications. For all other universities, students are asked to rank up to five of the universities according to their preferences. If this initial application is approved, students then complete forms specific to the university to which they are applying. The College forwards this second application to the host university, which reserves the right of final decision.

Students wishing to apply to British/Irish programs must meet with Chris Fuglestad as a requirement of the application process. Students who do not arrange such a meeting before the close of the application cycle will not be considered.

To discuss the Cardiff University program and the possibility of participating, please contact Chris Fuglestad.