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Best Student Cities in the UK

28,112 Reviews by Students

Student reviews reveal the best and the worst cities and towns for students in the United Kingdom.

Not sure what the best student cities in the UK are? Then you’ve come to the right place!

Our list of best student cities and towns in the UK is the only live league table which is chosen 100% by students who are actually studying at each university.

It is constantly updated with new student reviews about the important areas of city life: cost of living, restaurants, nightlife, shopping options and public transport.

Because we only publish reviews from students using their university email account, you can guarantee all our reviews are from real students. You will hear directly from the experts which university cities in the UK top the chart for student experience.

Click on a location below to read all the independent student reviews and find out more about what each location can deliver.

You can help future students by reviewing your student location when you get there.

Review your town or city here!

Liverpool

The city of Liverpool is a blend of everything from scenic environment, bustling day and night life to affordability. It is a city with everything nic...

By member11207651 On 15th July 2026

Newcastle upon Tyne

Living in Newcastle upon Tyne has been an amazing experience. The city is friendly, vibrant, and full of character, with great nightlife, culture, and...

By member9182971 On 25th February 2026

Newcastle

Newcastle has anything anyone could possibly want. Locals are a good laugh, super friendly and helpful. On my first day i didn't know how to use the m...

By member4206555 On 8th July 2026

Sheffield

The location is absolutely amazing! The university is so central to everything such as the city center, shops, student union and accommodation. Everyt...

By SNA On 21st July 2026

Leeds

Leeds is one of the best student cities in the UK. It’s the largest city in Yorkshire and has a huge student population, which makes it very easy to f...

By member13206655 On 9th July 2026

Glasgow

Glasgow is a vibrant and welcoming city with a lot of character. As a student, I found it lively, diverse and easy to settle into. The city has great ...

By member10180198 On 28th May 2026

Cardiff

Nights out in Cardiff are great and, if you know where to go, cheap. Shopping is St David’s is some of the best shopping I’ve ever done, with a wide r...

By member10206251 On 7th July 2026

Manchester

I think Manchester has been a very good choice for me as an international student. Compared to London, the cost of living is more affordable, includin...

By member8200477 On 26th May 2026

Nottingham

Nottingham is an exceptional city for students, boasting a welcoming atmosphere, outstanding transport connections, and countless opportunities for ex...

By member10208139 On 20th July 2026

#10

Birmingham

Birmingham is a great city to live and study in as a student. It's well-connected, affordable compared to London, and has a genuinely diverse, vibrant...

By member13208443 On 21st July 2026

#11

Belfast

I love Belfast, ecen before I came before I came here for uni. Everything is so close together and my university (ulster) is right beside everything....

By member7168614 On 3rd December 2025

#12

Southampton

Southampton is a friendly and welcoming city with a good balance between student life and everyday living. The cost of living is generally more afford...

By member5207308 On 13th July 2026

#13

Bristol

Bristol is a vibrant and welcoming city with a great balance between urban life and green spaces. It has excellent public transport, plenty of cafés, ...

By member7209049 On 24th July 2026

#14

Dundee

When i came here, i was afraid of new things, new systems and networks. People here are great, nice and sympathetic. They let me know how things work ...

By member7206353 On 7th July 2026

#15

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a fantastic place to live, with great nightlife, plenty of shopping options, reliable public transport, and an affordable cost of living...

By member5197172 On 8th May 2026

#16

Lincoln

So reasonably priced no matter where you go, because the city is mainly built around catering to the students (in my opinion) it is so fairly priced, ...

By member7167980 On 27th November 2025

#17

Wolverhampton

Having been raised in Wolverhampton for over 20years, I can confidently say that there is a ton of great people, places and facilities up and around t...

By member11206492 On 8th July 2026

#18

Edinburgh

Edinburgh has been a wonderful city to live in as an international student. It offers the perfect balance of history, culture, green spaces, and moder...

By member5208854 On 23rd July 2026

#19

Preston

preston is a very student-friendly city centred around the university, with affordable living and most places within walking distance. It has nice fac...

By member13183353 On 26th February 2026

#20

Leicester

Leicester is a great city for students. Everything is within walking distance, including the universities, shops, restaurants and cafes. There’s alway...

By yooo On 12th July 2026

#21

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is a brilliant student city with a great balance of education, community, and lifestyle. It has everything a student needs, from excellent un...

By member8205266 On 30th June 2026

#22

Chester

Chester is situated in a great location and has a wide of variety of places to go and do. The town is extremely safe and affordable. The community is ...

By member7193392 On 21st April 2026

#23

Swansea

Perfect student accommodation. Good location for shops and near uni. Clean decent size rooms and social spaces. Staff are friendly and helpful. Good a...

By member4197096 On 8th May 2026

#24

Bath

Starting my BA in Business & Entrepreneurship at Bath Spa University has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. When I first moved to ...

By Deep On 17th April 2026

#25

Cheltenham

Really Great town. Is quite expensive but I think everything is expensive on a uni budget...

By member9161653 On 14th October 2025

#26

Bournemouth

Great town all year round. Lovely location with beautiful beaches. Town Centre is slightly run down but there is action taking place this year to look...

By member7179442 On 11th February 2026

#27

Royal Leamington Spa

Great access to all areas with stagecoach bus network, Close to university of warwick with great social third spaces like cafes, stores, clubs, etc...

By member13183868 On 1st March 2026

#28

York

I had a great experience staying here. The staff were friendly and helpful, the room was clean and comfortable, and the facilities were well maintaine...

By member4207988 On 18th July 2026

#29

Salford

Living near Salford has been a convenient and enjoyable experience. The area is quiet but well connected, with easy transport links to Manchester city...

By member7162213 On 21st February 2026

#30

Plymouth

Plymouth has been a good balance of pricing with everything you need around you. The Plymouth Hoe and the Barbican being perfect places to visit and m...

By member8207683 On 16th July 2026

#31

Uxbridge

Good transport links into London...

By member9187264 On 19th March 2026

#32

West London

It is great place to live at. We get all the Indian food that we crave in the beginning. Also the surrounding is quite familiar, so you don’t end up f...

By Shivani shah On 7th July 2026

#33

Brighton

Brighton is a fantastic student city with a vibrant atmosphere, excellent restaurants, plenty of shopping options, and great public transport links. T...

By member13201869 On 5th June 2026

#34

Canterbury

Canterbury is a great fit for student life.. Cost of living is reasonable compared to bigger UK cities, though it's still worth budgeting carefully as...

By member9208364 On 21st July 2026

#35

Durham

Durham University is prestigious and academically strong, with a beautiful historic campus and supportive community. It offers a great balance of trad...

By member5182179 On 20th February 2026

#36

Reading

Reading I'd say is average in terms of cost, not the best but not the worst! There are definitely places you can go for cheaper things, you just have ...

By zbigniew06 On 15th May 2026

#37

South West London

London, is big and lively. It has famous places, good transport, and many cultures. Sometimes crowded and expensive, but exciting and full of opportun...

By member4192538 On 17th April 2026

#38

Central London

The university doesn't just focus on theory; the course structures are highly practical and designed to get you job-ready. The business/careers fairs ...

By member8208421 On 21st July 2026

#39

Sunderland

The city is cool or suitable. Because the city is Sunderland, which is nearby the sea, so that there is cool when it comes summer....

By member9192486 On 17th April 2026

#40

Coventry

Living in Coventry has been a really lovely experience. It’s a friendly, diverse, and welcoming city with a great mix of history, culture, and modern ...

By member10179120 On 10th February 2026

#41

Norwich

Really good to go around here, never bored in norwich. The nightlife is great but the conditions aren’t great....

By member10182736 On 24th February 2026

#42

Northampton

Really good Accomodation. Gym is the best. WiFi is the best. Reception is the best Elle . I just love it. I want to stay here next year again or fore...

By Wole On 26th March 2026

#43

Hull

really good place to live near the ms...

By member6142904 On 8th July 2025

#44

Derby

Derby is a fairly quiet and practical city that’s well-suited to student life if you prefer a more relaxed environment. It has all the essentials—shop...

By member6194557 On 27th April 2026

#45

Guildford

In Guildford everything is quite close and convenient. There’s a nice shopping centre, a cinema, lots of food shops, clubs, etc. It’s a very peaceful ...

By ethannp9 On 5th August 2026

#46

North London

Campus is in Ealing and great connections with local community also, such as Ealing Music Therapy, to do voluntary work, as well as charity shops such...

By ferzana On 18th June 2026

#47

Huddersfield

Huddersfield is a friendly and affordable student town with a welcoming community. The cost of living is lower than in many other UK cities, and the t...

By member7208521 On 21st July 2026

#48

Ormskirk

Good town nice and quiet if you don't like the noise of a big city. Not really much to do around town but your a short train away from Liverpool city ...

By member9180563 On 15th February 2026

#49

High Wycombe

It’s a bit far away from home....

By member478953 On 20th February 2023

#50

Luton

Beautiful city, very quiet area living standard is very nice near to london city and also there is lots of our muslim community...

By Khawerrafik9 On 2nd November 2024

#51

Stirling

Stirling is a fantastic place to live, offering a perfect balance between city convenience and beautiful natural surroundings. Known for its rich hist...

By member4189233 On 30th March 2026

#52

Exeter

All public transport is well connected and most things are within walking distance. Some accommodation can be very expensive. There are so many nice p...

By member13193160 On 20th April 2026

#53

Lancaster

Option 1 — Warm & detailed: "Lancaster is an absolute hidden gem of a city! Despite being small, it has such a rich historical character that makes i...

By member9208881 On 23rd July 2026

#54

Loughborough

Well connected town, busses to Leicester and Nottingham are great. My favourite place to eat is Rolling Smoke and the breakfasts at Green Bowl are che...

By wintrfox On 24th April 2026

#55

East London

Studying in Stratford was a great experience. The excellent transport links made commuting easy, with quick connections across London via the Undergro...

By member4206633 On 8th July 2026

#56

Keele

Great place to study and explore....

By member10204661 On 24th June 2026

#57

Bradford

brilliant place to live in general...

By member5208392 On 21st July 2026

#58

Wrexham

Honestly it's great here, towns busy with lots of shops. Plenty to do in general. Nights out are really fun with a big three floor club 'Atik', as wel...

By member5168032 On 28th November 2025

#59

Worcester

Worcester is a great place to live, a balanced environment of city and suburbs....

By member12158574 On 29th September 2025

#60

South East London

I love living in London! SE is great in my opinion, live just next to Brixton so have access all the time to good Jamaican food, also good for a night...

By member5181232 On 17th February 2026

Bromley

Very sociable area with interconnected community...

By member5168275 On 1st December 2025

Swindon

Abingdon

A quiet town with everything you need. Everything within a walk away including a shopping area and a large Tesco superstore....

By member843862 On 21st November 2019

Devon

So good so great so amazing so good...

By williamashraf On 13th May 2026

Weston-Super-Mare

i like it with good shopping and people...

By member13207768 On 16th July 2026

Solihull

Easy to get to Coventry, Birmingham and the airport! Then there’s start city not far away too...

By member1250312 On 7th August 2020

Scunthorpe

so many things to do and plenty of things too do...

By member11136511 On 13th February 2025

Coleraine

good times have been had close to nightclubs and popular restaurants...

By member9163768 On 3rd June 2026

Timperley

Excellent place to live, so much to do....

By member9161630 On 14th October 2025

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames is a charming and vibrant town that offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and modern living. Located along the River Thames...

By member8205432 On 1st July 2026

Poole

There are buses whenever we want to hung out. It takes a time to get there if it’s far away but it’s affordable for students....

By member10206669 On 9th July 2026

Leeds

The town is charming, peaceful, and well-developed. It has friendly people, beautiful scenery, and a strong community. Public services are efficient, ...

By member10139727 On 25th February 2025

Rotherham

we are very close to sheffield and it’s a very close knit community...

By member12167902 On 27th November 2025

Hertfordshire

Great shopping and food and transport where I live but very high cost of living...

By member6125262 On 29th November 2024

Oban South and the Isles

Oban South and the Isles is a beautiful and peaceful place to live, with a reasonable cost of living and a strong sense of community. It has great pla...

By member11183518 On 27th February 2026

Stafford

Really good accommodation with great facilities...

By member13160744 On 27th November 2025

Milton Keynes

This is a great spot for a night out. You will find fantastic local restaurants here with great food. Enjoy a fun evening filled with delicious meals!...

By member10194024 On 24th April 2026

Bury

great and i love it so much thank yo...

By member5143787 On 25th March 2025

Gillingham

Yay bus comes to my uni and yeah great...

By member8193032 On 20th April 2026

Stoke Gifford

The best City You can go by bus to the centre in 15 minutes...

By member543125 On 4th November 2019

Warrington

It has a lot of good links to different cities...

By member9143627 On 25th March 2025

Gloucester

Central location, close to the city centre...

By member11138542 On 20th February 2025

Doncaster

I didn’t live in Leeds I stayed at home. Leeds is a lovely city but everything is quite spaced out and if you’re staying at trinity it is quite the tr...

By Amy070196 On 13th September 2019

Barnsley

Very cool, close to the university...

By member11193411 On 21st April 2026

Hagley

fantastic area everything is within a 10min walk...

By member5109327 On 22nd May 2024

Bognor Regis

In Bognor, they have a lot of charity shops as well as a savers, which can really help for those struggling with cost of living. As well as, it has go...

By member8160201 On 7th October 2025

Eastbourne

The town is welcoming, peaceful, and well connected, with good transport links, essential amenities, and a friendly community. It provides a safe and ...

By member8206839 On 9th July 2026

Chelmsford

I like the facilities and services here...

By member7199911 On 22nd May 2026

Peterborough

Very good city lots to do and see. Never can be bored...

By member11203662 On 17th June 2026

Hartlepool

Cheap, smaller Northern town. Transport and food/shopping options are good and close together. Because its a smaller town though the nightlife is pret...

By member7158453 On 27th September 2025

Burnley

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By member5126166 On 6th December 2024

Lampeter

Lampeter is a small, quiet village surrounded by countryside. There are a few cafes, pubs and restaurants but if you want more choice then Aberystwyt...

By member464617 On 5th December 2021

Watford

Great everything in my town is great...

By member11119839 On 15th October 2024

Yeovil

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By member7184109 On 2nd March 2026

Farnham

good public transport, awful nights out...

By member9178342 On 8th February 2026

Londonderry

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By member11179513 On 11th February 2026

Birkenhead

As the living crises go up this cannot be blames to a specific area. It is hard to keep up with everything but it is manageable....

By member12117009 On 1st October 2024

Carmarthen

A lot of people who are sharing connections ideas and opportunities as a...

By member665016 On 15th December 2021

Maidstone

Eating out in the local area is expensive however as it is close to a university they offer student discount which helps a lot. There are many local m...

By member1385517 On 30th April 2023

Oldham

I can easily afford everything...

By member4126897 On 12th December 2024

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