As someone who studied at the University of Hertfordshire for 5 years and lived in Hatfield for 6 years, it’s turned out to be the second longest place I’ve lived. In this blog, I’d like to introduce you to this small town, the home of the Queen’s Award-winning University of Hertfordshire, known as the ‘cradle of entrepreneurs and engineers’.
Arriving Hatfield
At the beginning of 2017, I boarded a flight to Heathrow with two 29″ suitcases.
When I landed, I switched to the UK mobile phone card I had prepared and reported to my family in time. Looking at the crowds of people in the terminal, I realised that I had to rely on myself for the rest of my life.
Heathrow Airport is about 50 kilometres away from the university. As I was new to the city and had heavy luggage, I chose to book a pick-up car provided by the school. It was already 8 p.m. when I landed, and it was getting dark. Luckily, I met my driver after leaving the airport, and we chatted and laughed along the way, finally arriving at the College Lane Student accommodation before 10 p.m.
Student Accommodation
Before coming to Hatfield, I already had some study abroad experience about choosing accommodation. In my first year in a new place, I always prefer to live in student flats because I don’t have to pay extra taxes, utility bills, internet bills, etc., and I can focus on my studies.
College Lane, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, England AL10 9AB
From £147/week
- Bike Storage
- Lounge
- 24/7 Security
- Laundry Room
- Gym
- Wi-Fi
- College Lane Campus: 10 minutes walk
- de Havilland Campus: 10 minutes by bus, 25 minutes walk
- The Galleria: 7 minutes by bus, 20 minutes walk
- Hatfield Train Station: 20 minutes by bus, 34 minutes walk
My first semester was at the College Lane campus, so I chose the on-campus student accommodation in Hatfield on the south campus. The student housing here consists of multiple courts, and the school will assign you to a court based on the type of room you choose. The buildings and facilities on the campus are within a 10-minute walk from the flats, and if you are attending classes at the North Campus, you can also take the free shuttle bus to the other campus in just 10 minutes.
Study in the University of Hertfordshire
The University of Hertfordshire was founded in 1952. It quickly became one of the leading universities in UK higher education due to its continuous innovation and pioneering role in higher education. After more than 60 years of rapid growth, it has become a comprehensive national university with more than 100 programmes ranging from bachelor’s and master’s degrees to doctoral programmes.
The University of Hertfordshire has two campuses: the South Campus on College Lane and the North Campus on de Havilland. The South Campus, being a new campus, has a better living environment than the North Campus. Before you start your course, you must go to the library to enrol and get a student ID card, which you can use to sign in class and enter the library. You can also get a UK bank card from Santander bank on campus, which is very convenient.
The South Campus has many buildings and covers a large area, making it easy to get lost initially. Fortunately, the school has a unique app ‘Herts Mobile’ to check specific classrooms and directions to avoid late classes.
The main location of my usual classes is at the Business School on the South Campus, where the college has a very tight schedule. Each week, each course combines a small classroom session(workout) and a large step class (lecture).
Group work is a standard format at the University of Hertfordshire. Language skills can be significantly improved in the process, and chances are the group members are all from different countries. Understanding how people think in different cultures and trying to reach a common understanding with them has been a valuable experience for me.
Live In Hatfield
Despite having the prestigious University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield is a small town of 9.5 square kilometres. The only shopping mall is The Galleria, located between the two campuses.
But don’t worry, the town still has all the necessary infrastructure. de Havilland Campus has a small commercial area just a 5-minute walk to the east, where you’ll find an Aldi supermarket, a KFC restaurant, and the 648 Nagoya Asian supermarket. I lived in the neighbourhood for 1 year before my undergraduate degree, and it was very convenient as there were many restaurants downstairs.
The Galleria has two floors and over 20 shops across the road from here, including the famous TK Maxx and Waterstones bookstore. On the mall’s north side is the Odeon Cinema, for a while I used to come to the cinema with my friends every month, with a £15 monthly card you can see as many movies as you like.
Hatfield’s town centre is 15 minutes away from the campus by bus, and there is a large ASDA supermarket where I usually come to buy supplies. Iceland Supermarket is also my favourite shop; most of the food here is frozen, but the quality is good, and the price is low. Occasionally, when I don’t want to cook, the food here can be heated in the oven to satisfy my tummy.
Transportation
Hatfield is a small town and has little in the way of entertainment. However, it is well served by public transport and can be reached by train in 4 minutes north to Welwyn Garden City and by car in 14 minutes west to St Albans, both of which have large shopping centres with entertainment facilities.
Best of all, Hatfield is a 30-minute train ride from King’s Cross station in the centre of London. If you want to watch football, you can get off at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s home stadium, and if you’re going to do some shopping, you can take a 9-minute ride on the underground to Oxford Street, where you’ll find all the world’s designer shops. To be honest, the proximity to London is Hatfield’s most significant advantage.
Although I have left the UK, I still reminisce about my time in Hatfield. It’s a quiet, peaceful town that helps you escape society’s hustle and immerse yourself in an academic environment. I hope this blog will help you understand more about Hatfield, and I wish you all the best for your academic career.
If you are interested in Hatfield or other study sories, please read the following blog.
