division of the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings.
UWS is Scotland's leading university for widening access to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
UWS is also a sector leader in course articulation, and is committed to articulating over 1,200 students with advanced standing each year.
The university has the 4th highest level of student satisfaction in Scotland in the 2020 Complete University Guide
The university is ranked second in the United Kingdom for Education in the 2020 Complete University Guide.
== Student life ==
=== Student accommodation ===
The university has a number of halls of residence, ranging from modern en-suite/studio flats at Ayr Campus to furnished flats within Paisley. Students at Dumfries may apply for a place within the University of Glasgow managed accommodation at the Crichton. In September 2012, the new £13.2 million on-campus Paisley student residence opened situated next to the library.
=== Student associations ===
==== SAUWS ====
The Students' Association of the University of the West of Scotland is officially the recognised student organisation across the university. The organisation exists to campaign on students' issues, to improve learning and teaching at UWS, to offer advice and support to students, to organise events and activities, and to enable societies across all campuses.
The majority of the Student Groups and Societies are available to Scottish-based UWS campuses and are run by students for students. These include religious, political and social societies as well as course-based groups. There are also a collection of liberation groups and peer support groups, which exist to counter under-represented and oppressed sections of the student body.
SAUWS operates Union bars at their Paisley and Ayr locations, where they host various events and activities including quiz nights and karaoke.
In 2016 SAUWS won the NUS Scotland award "Higher Education Student Association of the Year". This was awarded due to the organisations work and campaigns such as Keep …
