Derby - Location Reviews - StudentCrowd

Intu is great for shopping with nearly every type of shop you could need. The uni provides free bus transport which is nice. Wide variety of restaurants which is nice. Nightlife is mixed.

By member966216 on 10th February 2022

Study in Derby

The University of Derby is situated in the East Midlands city of Derby. The main campus is near the suburbs of the town, right next to the huge and popular Markeaton Park.

University of Derby

The University of Derby strives to provide students with industry-relevant and expert teaching. The university’s teaching has been recognised with a gold award from the Teaching Excellence Framework. They have invested millions into industry-standard facilities that include a sports centre, forensic house, custody suite, courtroom and two NHS-standard hospital wards.

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Study in Derby? Review your location

Derby Student Life

Derby is a city but not a massive one so it’s easy to keep yourself fed and entertained without ever feeling overwhelmed by the place. It offers the perfect mix so you can enjoy everything a city has to offer whilst being able to escape to the countryside at the drop of a hat.

Cost of Living

Accommodation

Student accommodation costs in Derby range from £76 - £180 per week; the average is £136/week.

Compare the average elsewhere: Birmingham: £173/week, Nottingham: £166/week, Lincoln: £146/week.

(prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) over the last 12 months, as listed on StudentCrowd)

The average price for:

A cheap meal at a restaurant: £13.50
A pint of beer: £3.50
A regular takeout coffee: £2.49
1L of milk: £0.85
A loaf of white bread: £1.06

The cost of living is about the same as equivalent costs in Nottingham and Lincoln and about 5% higher than Birmingham.

(Source: Numbeo)

Nights Out

As with all student towns, the nightlife is generally good, with favourite venues being Mosh, a three-floor nightclub, Popworld and Moo Moo. For a more sophisticated night out, there’s the Derby Theatre and the smaller Guildhall Theatre for music, shows, talks and comedy. There’s also a handful of independent venues and two major cinemas a short taxi ride from the campus. The Derby QUAD is a community arts centre with a cinema attached. They show movies, art exhibitions and put on a bunch of events and extra workshops over a range of topics and they offer student discounts. Keep an eye on their calendar.

Public Transport

As well as being an easy city to get around by foot, as a student, you will benefit from a free Unibus that shuttles between the campuses as well as the town centre and train station. Derby is also well connected to the rest of the country with a great rail and road network.

Eating Out

Shopping

The Cathedral Quarter is where you’ll find all the little boutique shops and quirky cafes. St Peters is the classic high street area, a favourite spot for buskers and performers, as well as the Eagle Market. Finally, there’s Intu, a huge indoor shopping complex. There are over two hundred shops in there so there’s a fairly good chance they have what you’re looking for! If you’re all shopped out, Intu also has a cinema, bowling alley, mini-golf and, at Christmas, its famous ice bar, Glacier.

Days Out

Peak District

Outdoor adventurers will be pleased to know that you’re only half an hour from the edge of the Peaks, with their huge range of activities. You can keep it as low tech as a gentle walk, or gear up for some climbing or canoeing, whatever takes your fancy.

Stately homes

Nearby manors like Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall have been used in a number of movies, giving you the chance to go and immerse yourself in your favourite films all over again.

Alton Towers

You’re only 40 minutes away from Britain’s most popular theme park!

Wildpark

Adrenaline junkies should definitely pay a visit to Wildpark. There are so many activities to get stuck into: there’s paintballing, quad biking, laser tag, crossbow shooting, archery and pistol shooting. All this just a 25-minute bus ride away!

Top 10 Derby Accommodation

4.36 /5

(45 reviews)

The Croft 4.36 /5

absolutely amazing staff and the events that they do are great, amazing managers, very comforting and can always go to them when we need help with iss...

4.32 /5

(32 reviews)

Roman House 4.32 /5

THE BEST accommodation in Derby! The staff are very friendly and cater to any requests you may have. The communal areas such as the courtyard, study r...

4.11 /5

(45 reviews)

St Christopher's Court 4.11 /5

Nice place to live, good area and close to uni and the city, friendly staff and any issues are picked up fast and sorted...

4.05 /5

(34 reviews)

Nunnery Court 4.05 /5

The RA's are great, really helpful and can have a laugh with them, same with Sara. The courtyard is great for socialising...

3.89 /5

(50 reviews)

Peak Court 3.89 /5

In my first year, I really liked it at peak court. The staff are really friendly and welcoming. If there is a problem, they try to resolve it as quick...

3.73 /5

(56 reviews)

Princess Alice Court 3.73 /5

Amazing place to stay...

3.09 /5

(24 reviews)

Northgate House 3.09 /5

As a general overview to the year, the building started out with a variety of teething problems which is only natural for the building being brand new...

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member786716

24th May 2023