Welcome to Cardiff Students' Union

Welcome
to Cardiff
Students’
Union!

Welcome!
We hope you are enjoying your visit
and finding out all the things you need
to know to help make your decision
about which University to study at. We
are proud to say that we have been
rated the number 1 Students’ Union in
Wales and number 2 in the UK!
Cardiff University Students’ Union
provides an array of services, facilities
and opportunities for all our members
and guests. It’s really important to us
that you get all the information you
need during your visit so please feel
free to explore all levels of the Students’
Union. If you have any questions please
don’t hesitate to ask a member of staff
wearing a red or pink lanyard or visit
the Welcome Centre on the 2nd floor.
To help you understand what services
and facilities are available on each
level, here is a quick guide;
Ground Floor
During the summer of 2016, the entire
ground floor was redeveloped! Existing
outlets have remained, but we also
have lots of new shops and services
that have opened in that space,
including our very own Love Cardiff
clothing shop and Cardiff Student
Letting.
First Floor
Y Stiwdio
This venue was renovated in 2016
and now has a full-mirrored wall and
sprung flooring. It’s always fully booked
by our dance societies and our martial
arts groups, and is a great space for
student events.
The Great Hall
Anything and everything happens
in the Great Hall! Freshers’ fairs,
lectures, awards ceremonies, exams,
blood donations and, of course, live
music. Over the past year we’ve had
Kasabian, Fontaines D.C, Becky Hill,
Kano and Loyle Carner!

Second Floor
Y Plas
This amazing space was
re-developed in 2014. It is the home
of our two weekly club nights, regular
dance events, live music and is a great
place to study in the daytime.
Food Court
Here we have a coffee shop and more
space to relax and study.
The Taf
The Taf is our very own Students’ Union
pub offering a range of great pub
food, cheap drinks, a weekly quiz, bar
exchange (where the prices fluctuate)
and a Sunday carvery for just £7.49!

Third Floor
The Lounge
An alcohol-free area with a lovely
balcony and view of the main building.
This space is open 24/7 and also
houses meeting room space and our
multi-faith prayer room. There is plenty
of seating and desk space so it’s a
great place for studying and group
work.
Student Advice
Our Student Advice service provides
advice and information, advocacy,
representation and support through
a free, confidential, impartial and
independent service to Cardiff
University students. They provide
support for a wide range of issues,
including academic, housing, health
and wellbeing, and employment.
Student Voice
The heart of student representation.
This team support students’ academic
interests by recruiting Student
Academic Representatives who
volunteer to represent your views to the
University. They also look after student
democracy by running our annual
elections, and organising Student
Senate, the policy making body of the
Students’ Union.
Sabbatical Officers
The best thing about the Students’
Union is: it is led by students, for
students! Sabbatical Officers are
voted into their positions annually
and hold their position as a full-time
paid job for one year. The team is
led by the Students’ Union President
who oversees the VP Societies and
Volunteering, VP Sport, VP Eduction,
VP Welfare, VP Postgraduate Students
and VP Heath Park.
Societies
Getting involved in activities is the
best way to make friends during your
time at University. We have over 200
student-run societies with over 8,000
members! These include coursebased,
dance and performance,
cultural, political, charity groups and
many more. Harry Potter, Baking,
Gaming, Skydiving, Tea… there really is
something for everyone!
Give it a Go

Third Floor Continued
Our Give it a Go programme is your
opportunity to try something new during
your time at Cardiff University without
any commitment. You can try a society
or club taster session, bubble football,
speed dating, day trips, European
weekend breaks and lots more!
Athletic Union
On top of 200 societies, we have
more than 60 sport clubs. You can
play competitively - as a part of the
British University Championships - or
casually. We also compete in the Welsh
Varsity, the second largest student
sporting event in the UK, an amazing
tournament of sport against Swansea
University ending in a rugby game at
the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, or
the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.
Jobshop
A free service available to all students,
through which you can find part time
work to make money alongside your
studies!
Student Media
There’s also a chance to gain
journalism experience with our student
newspaper, magazine, radio station
and TV station.
Cardiff Volunteering
This dedicated team provide
opportunities to volunteer in the
community, a fantastic way to gain
experience. Projects include working
at youth clubs, helping the homeless,
befriending schemes, education
projects, mental health schemes and
many more. They also hold an annual
‘Jailbreak’ event where teams of
students raise money to see how far
they can get from Cardiff and back in
52 hours with no money! One year the
winning group got all the way to Austria!
Skills Development Service
Here you will find a wide range of
courses including presentation skills,
sign language, first aid, leadership
diploma and much more! It’s a great
way to improve your employability
after University.

If you have any questions please don’t
hesitate to visit the team at the Welcome
Centre on the 2nd floor of the Students’ Union.
Or, you can contact the team at
StudentsUnion@Cardiff.ac.uk or visit
cardiffstudents.com.
We hope to welcome you back to the
Students’ Union as a member in the future!