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Best Student Cities in the UK

25,164 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!

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle is a dynamic, character-filled city perfect for students, professionals, and explorers. Whether you’re drawn by its rich heritage, vibrant c...

By member5151994 On 21st June 2025

Liverpool

10/10 nights out, many different places to choose from to eat, drink and more. Shopping is relatively affordable (not really) but there’s many places ...

By member7137021 On 14th February 2025

Leeds

Leeds as a Student City – Affordable, Accessible, and Delicious Leeds is an amazing city for students, offering a balance of affordability, conveni...

By member12128599 On 25th December 2024

Sheffield

I enjoy the verity of restaurants and bars that Sheffield offers and the green spaces/ parks available. The cost of living is one of the lowest in the...

By member4150059 On 31st May 2025

Cardiff

Student life is really nice especially for a freshie and someone new. The welsh people are really nice to meet and talk to and the capital of Wales ha...

By Ahsan Basharat On 15th January 2025

Belfast

Belfast is very cozy,friendly and chill atmosphere here peoples are very good here. I love Belfast and the life over here....

By member4109681 On 27th May 2024

Glasgow

The only city I have been ever fell in love other than my hometown is Glasgow... It is one of largest city is Scotland and have an amazing social life...

By madihasalam On 26th September 2024

Birmingham

Birmingham is my home town, so I'm a little biased, but I think its a great city with a lovely mix of 'big city' with lots of people, facilities, shop...

By member4146083 On 18th April 2025

Nottingham

Nottingham is an incredible city for students, offering the perfect balance of vibrant nightlife, cultural hotspots, and green spaces. With an eclecti...

By member6143269 On 22nd March 2025

#10

Newcastle

Newcastle is a vibrant and welcoming city with a perfect mix of historic charm and modern energy. The city centre is lively, offering great shopping, ...

By member5151392 On 21st June 2025

#11

Hull

really good place to live near the ms...

By member6142904 On 8th July 2025

#12

Norwich

Transport is amazing here to train station and buses...

By member13104811 On 20th March 2024

#13

Manchester

The cost of living is reasonable, with affordable public transport and diverse dining options. Eating out offers good value, and travel is convenient,...

By member11154767 On 14th August 2025

#14

Edinburgh

What truly sets Prestige Mayfield Residence apart is its vibrant and welcoming community. I had the pleasure of meeting students from diverse backgrou...

By member11106086 On 4th April 2024

#15

Portsmouth

Getting anywhere is super easy in Portsmouth. It really elevates living here to a new level. Also, the trains go directly to London and most major poi...

By member897259 On 16th January 2024

#16

Southampton

Really good public transport helps you get anywhere, enough clubs to keep you occupied, but not so much in the way of other leisure....

By member5146696 On 24th April 2025

#17

Lincoln

Lincoln is a nice, small city. The city centre is only a 5 minute walk away from campus. It has a good blend of history (up near the cathedral and cas...

By member12145016 On 6th April 2025

#18

Royal Leamington Spa

Love the services and the accommodation...

By member1258760 On 25th May 2021

#19

Aberdeen

The city is beautiful, the air is fresh. There are convenient transportation, suitable climate, and easy to go anywhere....

By member1091044 On 9th October 2023

#20

Bristol

Bristol is such a vibrant, diverse city filled with passionate people. I’ve heard Bristol referred to as the “France of England” because people are no...

By member10118435 On 9th October 2024

#21

York

The perfect city. The collegiate system is perfect and the university has the perfect balance of work and party. Every shop you could ever want is her...

By member496705 On 30th December 2023

#22

South West London

Create stuff about this town. Great transportation system of buses and trains. Halal restaurants are nearby. Grocery stores for students is at walking...

By member11107483 On 26th April 2024

#23

Chester

Bus station is 5 minute walk into town and train station is 10 minute walk into town. Plenty of shops and restaurants. Even a few hidden bars around. ...

By member10153150 On 15th July 2025

#24

Bournemouth

Night's out in Bournemouth are the bets i've ever had! Cameo is such a unique nightclub consisting of 5 rooms covering everyones music tastes....

By member9109126 On 20th May 2024

#25

Plymouth

Close to both Dartmoor and Cornwall, both easy as pie to get to. Walkable city, great sea views and amazing people! Shout out the Plymouth sound natio...

By member10144860 On 4th April 2025

#26

Preston

Great town - no hustle bustle really chill lots of good places to visit and a really great place to live in...

By member7119937 On 16th October 2024

#27

Dundee

The night life here is on another level. There is loads of pubs and local restaurants to go for your favorite meals. Getting there is no issue as th...

By member893833 On 27th October 2023

#28

Leicester

The city gives an urban vibe with lesser cost of living. Its has the city centre where you can shop for or get anything you need. The social life is s...

By member7140832 On 1st March 2025

#29

Guildford

I think Guildford is a great place to live, the night life is incredible, it is busy, the shopping centre is very big with many things to do and keep ...

By member698298 On 26th January 2024

#30

Derby

You don't really need to use public transport. The great thing about Derby is that it is a small city. You can reach from one end to the other in abou...

By member10125273 On 29th November 2024

#31

Swansea

Good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good ...

By member13142235 On 29th March 2025

#32

Ormskirk

Lovely place to live as a student and I am considering sticking around...

By member1396790 On 15th February 2025

#33

Reading

Really well connected city, can get to London within 30 minutes. Good for nights out, 2 big shopping centres. Housing is very expensive...

By member13120606 On 17th October 2024

#34

Central London

I recently lost my access card and approached the front desk for a replacement. The staff was incredibly helpful and efficient, making the process qui...

By member9106506 On 14th April 2024

#35

Exeter

The room is big, with good lighting, and the kitchen is quick and easy. Well ventilated and quiet surrounding. The community is good and every activit...

By member13105560 On 26th March 2024

#36

Bath

I use the bus every day pretty much, to get to and from my campus as I live privately, and I love it. Everyone is very chill and friendly, the bus dri...

By member13148524 On 15th May 2025

#37

Uxbridge

Great little town, plenty to do and at reasonable prices :))...

By member1061527 On 2nd August 2021

#38

Cheltenham

it is quite a big city so it seems to be a great choice to live in. I would compare the cost of living to the standard....

By member1384604 On 20th April 2023

#39

London

London is a vibrant, multicultural metropolis that blends rich history with cutting-edge modernity, making it one of the most iconic and dynamic citie...

By diwakar10 On 30th April 2025

#40

Coventry

I have a very good experience here. And I’ve also met good people here, the staff, the neighbors are all very nice....

By member8106157 On 5th April 2024

#41

Bradford

Bradford is a culturally rich city known for its historical landmarks and vibrant arts scene. The city offers diverse dining options, beautiful parks,...

By member13112488 On 15th July 2024

#42

Brighton

The public transportation is very reliable, almost always coming every five minutes or so. The city is gorgeous and the citizens are helpful....

By member1191710 On 29th September 2023

#43

Salford

The cost of living in Salford, like any other city, can vary depending on what you spend and location of where you are either accommodation or shared ...

By member1394000 On 27th October 2023

#44

Lancaster

Has everything a students needs here at Lancaster except for bigger shops, may have to travel to Manchester for selfridges...

By member9107473 On 25th April 2024

#45

Oxford

"Oxford University is an epitome of academic excellence and intellectual rigor. From its distinguished faculty to its state-of-the-art facilities, Oxf...

By member7106395 On 11th April 2024

#46

Loughborough

Living in Loughborough has been a delight! Whether it's hitting the shops for high-street brands or unique finds, there's something for everyone. Plus...

By member13110797 On 11th June 2024

#47

Wolverhampton

Amazing city, not crowded like most cities are, most takeaways and cafes are in walking distance, same as the train, bus and metro station...

By member463014 On 20th October 2021

#48

High Wycombe

It’s a bit far away from home....

By member478953 On 20th February 2023

#49

Sunderland

Sunderland is growing as smart city it is developing many things. such as transporting, industrial revolution, and other facilities such as big major ...

By member6142655 On 17th March 2025

#50

Durham

An expensive uni town, but somewhat expected given the ratio of private to state school education. Going out options are plentiful and lots of shoppin...

By member1192051 On 8th October 2023

#51

South East London

South East London offers a vibrant blend of cultures, rich history, and diverse neighborhoods. The green spaces, trendy cafes, and cultural hubs creat...

By member492799 On 17th October 2023

#52

Worcester

Worcester is a great location, with lots of amenities and bars and shops to get everything you could need and have the best social life...

By member858479 On 22nd May 2021

#53

Canterbury

Canterbury is a nice city with plenty of choice for food and shopping. As I am on meal plan, my cost of living is currently quite economical and affor...

By member11146478 On 22nd April 2025

#54

Cambridge

Very good room!there is very different and nice food nearly...

By Kiki On 13th September 2025

#55

West London

Got to know about new culture and knowledge about when started living in london. Cost of living is a bit high might be difficult to manage according t...

By member497287 On 16th January 2024

#56

Stirling

A place mix with culture and history. This is best for adventure lovers and a beautiful environment to stay in....

By Sakshi On 13th December 2022

#57

Falmouth

The perfect student friendly town....

By member594323 On 31st October 2023

#58

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

#59

Huddersfield

F f ff f f f f ff f f f f f f f f f f ff. ff...

By member997493 On 17th January 2024

#60

Colchester

really fun and fantastic experience would highly recommend okayyyy...

By member10111265 On 13th June 2024

#61

Newport

A fun night out with friends in the weekends is one thing I will never forget when leaving this place....

By member8100993 On 18th February 2024

#62

Winchester

Cost of living: Winchester can be an expensive place to live, but considering this, food, petrol, rent etc. is to be expected for the south. There is ...

By member5121314 On 21st October 2024

#63

Bolton

I live in bolton but come to Manchester for all the amazing facilities...

By member593437 On 25th October 2023

#64

East London

There are plenty of student discounts available, but the biggest expense has to be transport. Oyster cards and rail cards offer some discounts but the...

By member794102 On 27th October 2023

#65

North London

Good experience but the area isn’t safe. However, station court is pretty much safe....

By member10111108 On 12th June 2024

#66

Ipswich

Ipswich is my home town and although it is not the best for young individuals it is a nice town to live in...

By member1085195 On 27th April 2023

#67

Bangor

i love being here because of the location...

By member13105543 On 25th March 2024

#68

St Andrews

Extremely expensive. The only Tesco located in Market Street is away more expensive than other Tesco I’ve ever been to....

By member5101883 On 23rd February 2024

#69

Keele

Bit further out from the town but buses run every 15mins and it’s not too far of a walk. There is pretty much everything you need on campus already to...

By member4109885 On 29th May 2024

#70

Stoke-on-Trent

Such a cheap place to live and it has easy access to other places so boom, perfect. Oatcake cafes are in abundance here so if you enjoy those then yo...

By member10108441 On 10th May 2024

Weston-Super-Mare

good brilliant great excellent...

By member12139722 On 25th February 2025

Bury

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

By member5143787 On 25th March 2025

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

Swindon

Scunthorpe

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

By member11136511 On 13th February 2025

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

Greenwich

The city is so beautiful and I love moving around and the locals are very amazing...

By member6144695 On 2nd April 2025

Burnley

Nenenennenenens evened Jane jenen...

By member5126166 On 6th December 2024

Yeovil

Since you are living at home you can go out as often or as little as you like. You can attend face to face tutorials or not as suits you. Early on sum...

By member649752 On 7th July 2020

Warrington

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

By member9143627 On 25th March 2025

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

Hertfordshire

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

By member6125262 On 29th November 2024

Buckingham

The cost of living in this community is relatively fair. As a student, I refer to cook my meals so that I don’t spend a lot eating out; however eat ou...

By Oluwayomi On 18th October 2024

Inverness

Inverness is a great place to live....

By member858578 On 23rd May 2021

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston has shopping center which can meet daily needs...

By member5107341 On 24th April 2024

Stoke Gifford

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

By member543125 On 4th November 2019

Watford

Great everything in my town is great...

By member11119839 On 15th October 2024

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

Hagley

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

By member5109327 On 22nd May 2024

Gloucester

Central location, close to the city centre...

By member11138542 On 20th February 2025

Gillingham

Thank you for everything. I am glad....

By member459926 On 10th June 2021

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

Penryn

I was dismissed from studying due to discrimination of a disability they took my write s to study the tutors are poor and I received no response and a...

By member639461 On 18th June 2019

Dagenham

Transportation in london is quite more expensive than expected ....

By Prabin On 21st March 2025

Bedford

Nothing much just my rating that’s...

By member6112983 On 31st July 2024

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

Chichester

Chichester City Centre has majority of the shops that you want in the high street, With also restaurants and pubs in the city centre its very ideal....

By member673142 On 8th November 2022

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

Milton Keynes

It's distance learning...

By member1349794 On 7th July 2020

Romford

i would say you cant really have a nice night out because there's a lack of places and even if there are its filled with people who are bound to cause...

By member4122114 On 26th October 2024

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