Why I chose to study at the RAU

I always wanted to go to University but never really knew what I wanted to study.

Toby Greenhalgh - 1st Year, BSc (Hons) Applied Farm Management

I had been working on farms throughout the last few years and found myself running a dairy herd in New Zealand. Visa options were dwindling for me, therefore, I spoke to universities in New Zealand, and decided it was best to return to the UK and study for a degree to further my career.

I looked at many different universities throughout the UK where you can study agriculture, and I found that the RAU was the best one for me, especially as it is very local and I could study farm management there, which is what I want to go into.

I knew going to university at an older age would be different and I wasn’t sure how the other students were going to treat me. However, I settled in right away and found out that there were many other students of a mature age too.

I joined the RAU football team to be more social and the team made me feel very welcome and accepted anyone from all different areas of life.

The university is a great place to live, study and work, with many resources such as the library and a free gym. There are also many great resources in Cirencester which is only a short distance from the University, such as a leisure centre, high street shops and many walks to enjoy with friends.