Ipswich
135 Reviews by Students #64 out of 80 University locations
The town of Ipswich is somewhere where I really feel at home. In addition, the university accommodations are really close to the center of town which means you don't need to use much public transport; you can just walk
By member443695 On 16th November 2019
Study in Ipswich
Ipswich is Suffolk’s largest town and it’s where you will find the University of Suffolk.
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University of Suffolk
The University of Suffolk is one of the UK’s newest universities, established in 2007. There are four academic schools: the School of Engineering, Arts, Science and Technology, School of Health and Sports Sciences, School of Social Sciences and Humanities and Suffolk Business School.
Study in Ipswich? Review your location
Ipswich Student Life
The university campus is based very near the centre of Ipswich, occupying a great spot overlooking the marina. This also puts you right next to the Waterfront area, which is one of the main hubs for leisure and entertainment activity in the town.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs in Ipswich range from £108 - £173 per week; the average is £133 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Norwich: £150/week, Luton: £132/week, Colchester: £144/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
A pint of beer: £3.90
A regular takeout coffee: £2.84
1L of milk: £1.12
A loaf of white bread: £1.13
Prices are about 6% lower than equivalent costs in Norwich, about 7% lower than Luton and about 4% lower than Colchester.
(Source: Numbeo)
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Nights Out
There’s a good variety of pubs, bars and clubs to suit different tastes in Ipswich. Popular pubs include The Fat Cat Free Mouse, a traditional ale pub with a great beer garden and Isaacs on the Quay for a top waterside location and live music.
Public Transport
There is a bus service that goes between the train station, university and then around the town. It takes a longer route between the houses so unless you have masses of gear you can make the walk in 20-mins. Ipswich is compact and anywhere you might want to visit is accessible by public transport. It’s pretty flat so a bike is another mode of transport to get about.
Eating Out
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Cult Cafe is located on the waterfront and is a popular spot for students as its right next to the university. Pick up a delicious coffee for your caffeine fix or sit down for some delicious breakfast or lunch. They also put on great live music performances.
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It’s always good to know where you can get a tasty burger from and Love Thy Burger is it. They use local suppliers to create fresh and affordable American style fast food. They do amazing meal deals and as a student, you get 10% off!
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Another local place that really caters for students is The Forge Kitchen, if you are a UOS student you get 20% off! Their food is mouth-watering so don’t miss out on their weekend brunches or famous Sunday roasts.
Shopping
Around St Nicholas Street you’ll find independent artsy shops and boutiques. For more mainstream shopping there’s Tower Ramparts and the Buttermarket which are the two big shopping centres. They exit onto the area around Tavern Street and Westgate Street where you’ll find most of the high street shopping.
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The Great Outdoors
Living in Ipswich means that rural East Anglia and its famous beaches are at your disposal! The best places within a nice student-friendly distance from Ipswich are at Southwold and Walberswick, only an hour away.
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Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Rendlesham Forest is just 30-minutes from Ipswich and is a great place to get some fresh air. You can also do the UFO trail and discover more about the famous 1980 UFO sighting!
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From Ipswich the River Orwell flows down to the North Sea. Along the river you can do walks where there are plenty of traditional English pubs to stop off at. You can also head out for a spot of sailing or take a river cruise for a fun day out.
Top 10 Ipswich Accommodation
Read Ipswich Reviews
Reasonable place...
Reasonable place to live, has anything a person needs if you don't plan on going out too much. read more
Ipswich is my hom...
Ipswich is my home town and although it is not the best for young individuals it is a nice town to live in read more
I am a local and...
I am a local and lived here for many years. There are many things to do in Ipswich. There are many places where you can find a bargain. Lots of places eat and dine out. The night scene is especially fun as a majority of the bars and clubs are with in 5 minutes walk of each other and a 15min walk from campus. read more
Perfect as a comm...
Perfect as a commuter town to places like London and Cambridge, lots of nice restaurants and places to spend your money. read more
Lovely location o...
Lovely location on the water front, a couple of pubs and bars for night life but not many would be nice to have somewhere else to go for a night out read more
Sweet and simple...
Sweet and simple town that is a cheap place to live. read more
Ipswich is a grea...
Ipswich is a great town for food, with independent coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. read more
Not much to do, v...
Not much to do, very run down town centre! read more
The town is very...
The town is very supportive of students and their needs. read more
Probably not very...
Probably not very exciting for young students. As a mature student who likes to stay at home with my dog, Ipswich provides what I need (nice walks, shopping necessities, cafes, regular train to Norwich, Colchester, and London. read more
Ipswich has good...
Ipswich has good restaurants and bars, night life is reasonable. Cost of living is lower than most places. read more
I do not live in...
I do not live in the area so cannot really comment. However, from the time I do spend here studying, it seems a very lovely area! read more
I have lived in I...
I have lived in Ipswich for 10 years and there is so much to do. Very up and coming with lots of improvements to the marine area. read more
Quite a safe town...
Quite a safe town with great waterfront. Good train service to Colchester and London read more
Has areas for mos...
Has areas for most people, can be expensive read more
Not the most scen...
Not the most scenic town within east anglia, however has everything necessary to live and study. As well as possibilities for nights out and things to do during the day. read more
Unfortunately, Ip...
Unfortunately, Ipswich town is slowly dying. Many great shops closed down. read more
University is cen...
University is central to the town. Has great transport links and amenities near by. Lacks nightlife. read more
There are lots of...
There are lots of things to do, including a new axe-throwing place! There's a good range of shops in town and within walking distance of the university. The train station has lots of connecting services, so you can travel to Norwich/London etc easily. read more
It is a small qui...
It is a small quiet town, ideal for those looking for a peaceful place to study. read more
Ipswich is a nice...
Ipswich is a nice area. It is quite quiet and has lots of nice parks to take longs walks and site see. read more
Lots of little sh...
Lots of little shops and places to eat. read more
Lots of places to...
Lots of places to eat, nice waterfront area to sit for a coffee and relax. read more
Town centre shopp...
Town centre shopping and cost of living is a national problem no matter which town or city you study in. read more
Ipswich is a live...
Ipswich is a lively town with the town located walking distance from the university. The university is located on the picturesque waterfront which provides tranquil views whilst studying. read more
I mean there is a...
I mean there is a Primark, that is always a good sign. A lot of food places do student discount which is always helpful. A couple of fellow students use public transport and it appears to be efficient. read more
Ipswich waterfron...
Ipswich waterfront is nice with restaurants read more
Don't go out much...
Don't go out much at night as recent events have caused worry as a women going out at night. There are lack of shops in town to encourage people to shop in store. read more
A small town, but...
A small town, but quaint. Night life is definitely there, just as expected not to the same degree as a city. read more
Ipswich is an alr...
Ipswich is an alright town; there’s 2 train stations and buses run quite regularly. The night life isn’t the best but as expected. The waterfront is beautiful especially during the summer and there’s lots of parks which have beautiful scenery. read more
There’s no shop i...
There’s no shop in town absolutely rubbish and everything is so expensive read more
Ipswich town cent...
Ipswich town centre has fallen behind neighbouring cities like Norwich and Colchester. It still offers a decent shopping experience but there are many empty shops on the high street. A good range of restuarants and cinemas. The rail line provides good access to London and neighbouring towns/cities. read more
Small town, not m...
Small town, not much shops on high Street and poor public transport. read more
There’s lots of s...
There’s lots of shops closed down and there are not lots of supermarkets within a walking distance. read more
I like Ipswich, b...
I like Ipswich, but it suffer from the same issues taht any town in the sourth does, those being cost of living, lack of ambition and poor policing of clubs read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is what it is, not really worse than anywhere else. Takeaways can be hit and miss, there’s a wide selection of pubs/bars etc for nights out always had a laugh, average shopping same as anywhere, I drive but on occasions that I have used public transport have been fine. read more
Nice small town n...
Nice small town not too many high street shops but has your big brands, there isn’t too much night life in the form of clubs but there are lots of bars and pubs and a few turn into a more club like environment in the evening. read more
There could be mo...
There could be more to do in ipswich. A lot of things have shut down so there isn’t a lot of places for students to go anymore read more
A very small town...
A very small town and coming from Nottingham it definitely was different, but it’s so easy to travel around and I love living near the town! The waterfront is also gorgeous! read more
Not the safest pl...
Not the safest place for a night out. Also not the best place for eating out or shopping. read more
There is only one...
There is only one ‘club’ in Ipswich which is more of a bar so that’s the only downfall to the nights out in Ipswich as eveone goes there. The club that was open was shut down last year and there was no replacement. There’s plenty of food place in town and surrounding areas. It’s a busy area so there’s trains and buses within a 20 min walk from the city centre. As with everywhere right now the cost of living has gone up, I’ve not noticed a significant difference compared to anywhere else but it is more expensive to shop even in places like aldi and Lidl. read more
Ipswich is a good...
Ipswich is a good town. Not a lot to do but all the basics you need. Not got a good nightlife at all read more
Ipswich is a love...
Ipswich is a lovely quiet town, However the locals do not really like the presence of the university which means alot of the activities that were catered towards students are no gone like nightclubs and the bars that are open usually have a 21 and over policy for letting people in. read more
Town needs a pump...
Town needs a pump of money since the pandemic as many places has closed down. However, safe night out campaigns recently have been great. read more
On the times I ha...
On the times I have needed to use the above I’ve never had a problem read more
Ipswich has chang...
Ipswich has changed a lot in the recent years. Loads of shops have closed and crime has gotten worse. The cost of living crisis we are experiencing is making it worse while everyone is stressing. Job opportunities are quite good and still having nice spots for walking or riding your bike. Hoping it will improve but all together, thankful for what we have. read more
Ipswich is OK, I...
Ipswich is OK, I don't always feel safe in the town but good places to eat read more
Ipswich has decre...
Ipswich has decreased its life style through these three years read more
As a student visi...
As a student visiting Ipswich I find that everything is good value to money and doesn’t change from the smaller surrounding towns read more
Terrible city - D...
Terrible city - Do not recommend read more
Ipswich town does...
Ipswich town doesn’t have many shops as a lot of them have closed down. It’s got some lovely restaurants “ read more
It's not my favou...
It's not my favourite place but it feels like its gotten better developed over recent years read more
Ipswich town like...
Ipswich town like many as got a bit run down in places, a lot of shops bars have closed especially since COVID, however the waterfront were the University is appears to be thriving more were there are good restaurants and bars. read more
The town needs im...
The town needs improvements but does offer some decent bars on the waterfront by the uni read more
Would not suggest...
Would not suggest the university if you are looking for nightlife as there is only really one or two places to go but they are still a lot of fun. Public transport is amazing with several buses a stone throw from the university and accomadation and a train station not too far also. read more
Ipswich is an oka...
Ipswich is an okay area to live in. read more
There are lots of...
There are lots of shops and restaurants near by, however a large proportion of the food places aren’t completely student friendly (e.g. expensive or don’t offer student discount). There are also limited places for a night out. On the whole I have what I need in Ipswich. read more
Ipswich is a nice...
Ipswich is a nice environment, affordable and friendly with low reports of anti-social behaviour. Quite receptive to diverse individuals. read more
Good town vibes a...
Good town vibes and overall nice atmosphere read more
i dont live in ip...
i dont live in ipswich it wont let me put Chelmsford read more
The Waterfront ar...
The Waterfront area is really nice but the rest of Ipswich isn't great unfortunately. read more
Ipswich is one of...
Ipswich is one of the best friendly town to live read more
No complaints, ni...
No complaints, nice place, close to everything read more
Good variety of s...
Good variety of shops within short distance of University read more
Suffolk is ok, bu...
Suffolk is ok, but there is not a whole lot to do here if you're looking for the typical student lifestyle. Again, since I attended the Uni here during covid, everything shut and I didn't entirely get the 'typical' experience so take my reviews with a pinch of salt. read more
We have many plac...
We have many places to eat at but shopping wise we don’t have as much of a selection as we used to. read more
Lots of shop opti...
Lots of shop options and public transport but the night life for students could be improved read more
Nightlife is meh...
Nightlife is meh and shopping is meh but lots of pubs and restaurants and the prices of food aren’t too bad and petrol prices are reasonable also. Lots of Buses and 1 main train station which can get to and from London easily and there lots of other little stations across Suffolk. read more
Good town with re...
Good town with relatively low crime rates, lots of independent shops, as well as some bigger ones, and several retail parks on the outskirts. Town centre supermarkets. Public transport could be better, but isn't too bad. Plenty of pubs, but only a few clubs. read more
Things to do but...
Things to do but definitely not the most lively town. Lovely by the waterfront however. read more
Trains do not run...
Trains do not run throughout the night which does not coincide with the night life offered in Ipswich. Have to travel further from university campus to get a varied places for eating out, but there nonetheless read more
Overall a nice pl...
Overall a nice place to be. Although if you are looking for somewhere with amazing nightlife, this may not be the best option. read more
Ipswich is OK for...
Ipswich is OK for eating out and drinking venues. The transport is easy to get around town. Shopping is not great it could be better ,there few high street shops. read more
Ipswich has littl...
Ipswich has little night life, however it is close to colchester and Norwich which has more, they’re both train journeys away if you don’t want to go out in Ipswich read more
Ipswich has a les...
Ipswich has a less than ideal vibe about it to what it did have in my younger years , a lot of this is to do with economy and lack of community left in the town . read more
Ipswich is a pret...
Ipswich is a pretty boring town, not really much to do socially or anything. The town is okay but just the basic shops and food places. Its nothing special. read more
Not the greatest...
Not the greatest student experience - suitable for people who enjoy a peaceful life - not much opportunities for socialising and other activities read more
Ipswich is a good...
Ipswich is a good town, plenty of more rural locations within easy reach read more
Close to the town...
Close to the town of Ipswich and within easy walking distance to buses and trains read more
i enjoy being a s...
i enjoy being a student in ipswich as there are many places to go and socialise, (pubs, bars, etc.) and it is a lovely place in suffolk with great outdoors area's just outside of the town. Great lace for a local uni as I dont like the idea of a big city campus read more
Not the best and...
Not the best and not the worst town to live in read more
Overall I m happy...
Overall I m happy with Ipswich, as living costs are everywhere really. read more
Generally a good...
Generally a good place to live with reasonable good public transport links. read more
Everything in Ips...
Everything in Ipswich is quick and easy to get to if you drive or have a bike/similar means of transport otherwise walking everywhere can be long to do and the public transport only comes every so often read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living in this town is relatively low, but finding housing as a first-time visitor can be difficult. I suppose this is a problem that affects more than just Ipswich. Beside that, Ipswich is a good place to stay. read more
Not the best for...
Not the best for night life as only good club got shut down. There are a couple of good bars. The port outside of uni is beautiful really nice to walk down, lots of places to eat out in the town centre. read more
Lovely waterfront...
Lovely waterfront area. Good restaurants. read more
As a small town i...
As a small town it is very quiet and not many things to do. And the shops are expensive for student life read more
Great rail connec...
Great rail connections, with Ipswich station a 15-20 minute walk from campus. Ipswich town centre is also not far away, including a range of high street shops, high end and more affordable restaurants. The bars and nightlife are great. Personally I have had great experience when it comes to safety,which I understand can be a worry for young people and women, the bars and clubs I have attended always had friendly security working who make you feel safe and secure in the environment. read more
Great area to stu...
Great area to study in- very small town and is well-kept. read more
the cost of livin...
the cost of living is getting out of hand, the town itself is not the best as many shops are either too spread out or isolated on certain parts of town, not everything is located near the town centre and it seems that there are too many shops shutting down. public transport is awful dealing with the one way system is a nightmare at rush hour. read more
Multiple incident...
Multiple incidents happened since being here, hard to rent places read more
There is a wide r...
There is a wide range of food and retail outlets, however, expense can be an issue as with everywhere right now. Public transport is regular and affordable. read more
There are a wide...
There are a wide variety of things to do in town and many places to eat - public transport is often reliable too. read more
Ipswich is a fun...
Ipswich is a fun town in Suffolk with a lovely Marina and many exciting things to do. read more
Ipswich has good...
Ipswich has good facilities and is an easy town to navigate. read more
It is what it is,...
It is what it is, Ipswich ticks the boxes but never manages to wow. read more
Good place needs...
Good place needs more nights out read more
It’s a nice small...
It’s a nice small town with a lot of independent shops read more
Ipswich has a ver...
Ipswich has a very multicultural community and lots of greenery for walks and days out. Costs of living generally are increasing everywhere but Ipswich currently is not as expensive as other towns or cities. Plenty of places to eat at - with a mix of British, Turkish, Brazilian cuisine - and shops to visit. Not so much a part life or places for a night out, which I know affects some individuals. But overall a pretty good place to live. read more
easy to get aroun...
easy to get around, good places to eat in town, has everything you need, close to other towns too read more
Very convenient a...
Very convenient as a student as it’s so close to town, however I do with the supermarkets like Aldi, Tesco, Lidle were closer to town as I don’t drive. read more
Great and cheap p...
Great and cheap place - however absolutely no night life read more
Nice range of sho...
Nice range of shops in town, everything is close together read more
Nice town with be...
Nice town with beautiful scenery at the marina. It is safe and has a nice variety of shops in the town. read more
It is affordable...
It is affordable for a uni student read more
I like Ipswich as...
I like Ipswich as it offers a mix of scenery, it gives you a wide range of experiences such as a walk in the park, waterfront views and town centre. read more
Ipswich is a nice...
Ipswich is a nice place to live and has some nice scenery. I would recommend to others read more
It’s alright, goo...
It’s alright, good train link, nice parks and a decent variety of shops read more
Ipswich is very n...
Ipswich is very nice place for long walks, such as the marina where you get a very nice view of the yachts. read more
Nice and quiet to...
Nice and quiet town, definitely many opportunities for discovering heritage, eating out and shopping. Prices are average. Transport could be better arranged as it's very confusing, especially buses. A few times have happened that a driver wasn't aware of his own bus stops that I found in the schedule. read more
Quiet town with n...
Quiet town with not a lot to do but if you're with the right people every day is great read more
small town so not...
small town so not much to do there are like a few places to go out read more
As a student livi...
As a student living alone i find it as a safe place read more
Ipswich is a love...
Ipswich is a lovely town however for students there isn’t a lot of night out opportunities read more
Expensive place t...
Expensive place to live, have to budge to live read more
Great town, bit q...
Great town, bit quiet, but definitely makes a nice change I suppose, people are friendly and the Marina is lovely read more
Lived here for a...
Lived here for a while and always nice read more
Not ventured much...
Not ventured much but seams nice place read more
It will do if you...
It will do if you’re on a budget read more
Idea little town...
Idea little town with everything you need! Just shame has no Ikea read more
House prices are...
House prices are very cheap, so are the price of food and commodities. The nightlife is not great, not terrible, and there is an okay range of places to eat. Public transport is very cheap. read more
only one club but...
only one club but the town is good for shopping read more
Small city everyt...
Small city everything is close to access read more
The town of Ipswi...
The town of Ipswich is somewhere where I really feel at home. In addition, the university accommodations are really close to the center of town which means you don't need to use much public transport; you can just walk read more
If you know where...
If you know where to buy stuff from you can live very cheap read more
cute little town...
cute little town beautiful waterfront less shops, lots of empty/shut down shops train station and buses as reliable as can be expected. everything close together. could have more night life read more
Need more clubs a...
Need more clubs and bars for students. Need more shops and variety. Far too expensive for students to live here. read more
it's a quiet city...
it's a quiet city, nice people, awesome parks read more
Don't use public...
Don't use public transport so I can't say neither good or bad things about it read more
Shops reasonable...
Shops reasonable distance from Halls read more
Empty nights out...
Empty nights out and closest supermarkets not really accessible by foot. read more
Lots of restauran...
Lots of restaurants and cocktail bars. Only one main nightclub which is pants read more
Could do with bet...
Could do with better clubs but transport is great and so is shopping read more