Portsmouth
372 Reviews by Students #29 out of 172 University locations
Portsmouth is a vibrant and diverse city. It is welcoming to all. This city has a great history and culture, in its unique way, Portsmouth to me is indeed a home away from home.
By member590650 On 1st September 2023
Study in Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a coastal city in the South of England, with the University of Portsmouth situated in the heart of the city.
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University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth is one of only four universities in the south-east that has been recognised with the highest Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework. 24,395 students are currently enrolled at the University of Portsmouth, which has a reputation for delivering innovative and internationally excellent research.
Study in Portsmouth? Review your location
Portsmouth Student Life
Portsmouth is a bustling city with the bonus of being right on the sea. It has everything a student needs to work, play and rest!
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Cost of Living
Accommodation costs
Student accommodation costs range from £99 - £303 per week; the average is £183 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Falmouth: £154/week, Bournemouth: £171/week, London: £287/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: £16.50
A pint of beer: £3.50
A regular takeout coffee: £2.77
1L of milk: £0.89
A loaf of white bread: £0.97
The cost of living is about 6% higher than in Birmingham, about the same as Manchester and about 17.7% lower than London.
(Source: Numbeo)
Nights Out
The main night clubs…
The main night clubs are all close together meaning the night life is great as you can hop around & go to wherever is best!
Always exciting…
The nights out in Portsmouth are always exciting and a laugh
Probably the best place…
Probably the best place in the world to pub crawl. Lacking on clubs if that’s your scene.
Nights out are student centered…
Nights out are student centered so cheap entry and cheap drinks.
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Public Transport
Everything is easy access…
Everything is easy access with the university bus.
Public transport services are great…
Public transport services are great especially they uni bus.
There are multiple train stations…
There are multiple train stations and loads of buses to get you around.
3 major train stations…
3 major train stations spread across the city, a free uni bus make transport very easy.
Eating Out
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The award-winning Need Street Food at The Merchant House serves mouth-watering street food. You can expect mega burgers, mac & cheese, gyros and more. On top of that, every order funds a shipment of life-saving food to children overseas.
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One of the most popular cafes is Hunter Gatherer, they serve quality coffee and incredible brunches which are 100% vegetarian and mostly vegan menu.
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Pie & Vinyl, is not a usual combination, but we’re not complaining! This cosy spot, is somewhere you can enjoy a delicious meal of hearty pie and mash along with a spot of record buying, they often have live music too.
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Shopping
The Southsea area, particularly Albert Road, is known for its quirky shop’s housing independent traders, boutiques, craft shops, and retro gear. Commercial Road is more of your standard ‘high street’ shopping area and has Cascades shopping centre. Finally, for those times when some serious retail therapy is needed, you have the Gunwharf Quays. This is a massive complex with over ninety designer outlets and big-name brands, all in one area, with sea views!
Cultural Guide
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Music
Portsmouth has a number of great live music venues the most iconic is The Wedgewood Rooms, open since 1992 is a small venue that has had big names such as Oasis, Kasabian and The Strokes grace its stage. Other popular venues which have larger capacity include Pyramids Centre and Portsmouth Guildhall.
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Museums
Portsmouth is known for its historic naval dockyard and there are many attractions to visit, such as stepping on to historic ships, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior, or viewing the impressive wreck of the famous Tudor ship, The Mary Rose.
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Theatres
There are 2 Victorian Grade-II listed theatres, The New Theatre Royal and Kings Theatre, that both hosts touring plays, musicals, comedies and bands. The newest theatre company in the city is the Groundlings Theatre that runs a varied programme for all, from pantos to Shakespeare!
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Galleries
The city is home to a selection of new and contemporary art as well as more traditional art. Here are a few galleries that should be on your list to check out: ArtSpace, Aspex Gallery, Southsea Gallery, Hotwalls Studios, Jack House Gallery and White Dog Gallery.
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Festivals
There are a multitude of festivals that take place throughout the year in Portsmouth. There’s Victorious Festival, a music festival that brings in renowned artists, Black History Month Film Season, Comic-Con, Hampshire Street Food Awards, Tattoo Fest, Victorian Christmas Festival and so much more!
Top 10 Portsmouth Accommodation
Read Portsmouth Reviews
Portsmouth itself...
Portsmouth itself is a fantastic place to live and study. With its rich history, vibrant cultural scene, and beautiful waterfront, there is always something exciting to explore. read more
I love this place...
I love this place and I want my kids to grow up here read more
Living in the hea...
Living in the heart of the City, close to everything, is the best read more
Cost of living ha...
Cost of living has increased over the years but it is a good and friendly city for students. read more
Easy to get aroun...
Easy to get around, plenty to do. read more
Shops close to ea...
Shops close to early and the food options are ok read more
Nice small city a...
Nice small city able to get around easy. read more
sometimes trains...
sometimes trains aren’t that regular/not direct to many places read more
Amazing location...
Amazing location with so much to do. read more
Getting anywhere...
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 points along the way, so you’re never too far from home. read more
It's a city mate....
It's a city mate. Beautiful seafront city, with great wind on occasion. read more
Really nice place...
Really nice place, the beach and arcade is nice read more
Great location wi...
Great location with many opportunities and actives to get involved in. read more
It’s fun and ther...
It’s fun and there’s lots to do read more
Havant is the loc...
Havant is the locality in Hampshire read more
Everything’s been...
Everything’s been going well for me here so far, and I’m close to everything I need. It’s been a fun experience! read more
Free student tran...
Free student transport. Wetherspoons for cheap pub trips. Could use a supermarket. read more
Cost of living se...
Cost of living seems good, with various shops close by that offer a range of prices, and lots of student discounts. Lots of places to eat out with good prices too. read more
Love all the acti...
Love all the activities and fun read more
You are in the he...
You are in the heart of the city close to multiple supermarkets and shops and restaurants read more
Yesssss I love it...
Yesssss I love it in here, Bulgaria is trash anywaysss read more
Nice night at the...
Nice night at the astoria, for the dirty disco and had a lot of fun read more
The house is dece...
The house is decent; the people are decent read more
its a really good...
its a really good city and good for transport read more
Good not much els...
Good not much else to say to be honest read more
Its a great place...
Its a great place to stay if you like serenity and comfort. Not crowded at all. read more
Portsmouth is a v...
Portsmouth is a vibrant and diverse city. It is welcoming to all. This city has a great history and culture, in its unique way, Portsmouth to me is indeed a home away from home. read more
Great place to ch...
Great place to chill and study there is a lovely beach where h can go and have quality time with you mates read more
It’s a small city...
It’s a small city so transportation isn’t too expensive because most places are walkable. read more
I love Portsmouth...
I love Portsmouth very much! Love being by the beach read more
Small and cozy ci...
Small and cozy city very friendly read more
is a small nice c...
is a small nice cute city but after a while if u dont have friends is boring bc u dont have a lot of optiojns to spend the time on ur own read more
Just a typical vi...
Just a typical village in the UK, with many students around. read more
Accommodation is...
Accommodation is central to amenities and transport links. read more
it is a tiny city...
it is a tiny city and more activities need to be arranged in the city to not get bored read more
not so many event...
not so many events at the city read more
friendly staff an...
friendly staff and good environment read more
Peaceful, accessi...
Peaceful, accessible transportation and safe read more
Really good shops...
Really good shops, good transport read more
Lots of concrete...
Lots of concrete and not many good driving roads read more
Portsmouth is an...
Portsmouth is an amazing place to live, you have the best of all worlds with the beach and city. read more
Lovely seaside ar...
Lovely seaside area to have a bbq in summer. Needs to improve activities for you adults. read more
Portsmouth is act...
Portsmouth is actually a good area for the people who are trying to start a new life and wants to have low-key profile because you won’t find bait people there (people who have loads of followers on Instagram) comparing to the midlands which is were you will find most of these people there portsmouth is like a mini version of the midlands so anything you can do in the mindlands you can do here. read more
The city and nigh...
The city and night life is pretty good I didn’t enjoy the clubs too much as they weren’t too great but going out to pubs is great the local drinks are worth the money and especially the food places. read more
Nice place, nice...
Nice place, nice clubs overall nice place but slightly dodgy read more
Nights out are fu...
Nights out are fun because im a fun guy! Aka a nug! read more
Nice city if you...
Nice city if you avoid the Commercial road where you can get robbed even during the day time. read more
I had a great tim...
I had a great time in Portsmouth, especially when it started to become sunny outside. Studying next to the seaside is a great experience and I recommend it to anyone looking to go there. read more
Great place to st...
Great place to study, lots of things to do, beach on the doorstep and fab transport links read more
Wish the clubs we...
Wish the clubs were cheaper, and more transport read more
Very good transpo...
Very good transport right outside of the building read more
Portsmouth is a v...
Portsmouth is a very student-friendly city and has a lot to offer them as opposed to the general public. There are rough areas and a lot of the city has unkept, deprived and abandoned streets which give an unfriendly atmosphere, especially at night. But the seafront and everything a student could need being close together in proximity means the comfort and convenience of student life is easy to get into even for foreign students. read more
I don’t go out at...
I don’t go out at night often, but I like to go out with friends and just wander. read more
Great city in gen...
Great city in general. A few nice places to go out with great student nights. read more
I don’t engage wi...
I don’t engage with the night life but Portsmouth in general has been amazing! read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is expensive. Eating out honestly why do places use no egg mayo it does not taste good. read more
I’m not very expe...
I’m not very experienced with going out clubbing and stuff like that… but I’ve just found as long as the people I go with are great, it’s pretty good… and any club here is better than where I’m from sooooooo not really much to base off of. Don’t eat out very often and just shop around and you should be fine, food like fish pie are good for cheap meals that you cook one day and eat for the next few. Just budget and eat smart and you’ll be fine as long as you don’t blow the budget in the first month. Shops are decent, shed loads of charity shops, not really any shops I can think of that I’d want. There’s a hot donut kart that’s up commercial road that sells 10 small donuts for pretty cheap. Good time. read more
Love how close ev...
Love how close everything is and how easy it is to go shopping or a night out read more
I love Portsmouth...
I love Portsmouth it’s a lovely sea town and there’s always something to do read more
It is a small, co...
It is a small, cozy and a comfortable city to be a student. Easy to walk everywhere. Good to focus on studies. However there are not enough career and social opportunities. Making it a bad place to build a life. read more
Small town with l...
Small town with limited activities to do read more
Gunwharf quays an...
Gunwharf quays and several high streets, stunning beaches read more
Portsmouth has be...
Portsmouth has been a good place to live in! There a lots of shops around the city with plenty of places to eat out or go grab coffee with friends. read more
Lovely area for t...
Lovely area for the university read more
I love that every...
I love that everything is within walking distance. Good amount of restaurants and pubs to choose from. read more
Portsmouth is a g...
Portsmouth is a great place for a student to live read more
Having the sea ma...
Having the sea makes the city so much better, wish it was sand though! read more
Portsmouth is a w...
Portsmouth is a wacky town but that's why we love it! read more
Portsmouth feels...
Portsmouth feels like home now, the uni population is what makes this town so great. read more
I come from an ar...
I come from an area where the public transport is really cheap so to me £4.50 for a day rider is a bit to expensive read more
Well it is a bit...
Well it is a bit pricey every where but the placements of the city and being by the water, having the uni in the middle, it is all so convenient read more
Loads of social s...
Loads of social spaces to meet new people read more
Portsmouth has gr...
Portsmouth has great transport, it has really good locations for train stations read more
Pretty good, some...
Pretty good, some really bad council house areas tho. read more
A great place to...
A great place to live in, especially for students. Great student life. read more
Night life is gre...
Night life is great, good selections of restaurants and leisure activities. read more
everywhere is acc...
everywhere is accessible and there are a few spots to try and eat at. Decent uni experience. read more
Good city with go...
Good city with good takeaways and nice sights. read more
Nice place to liv...
Nice place to live and chilled read more
Small city, so ea...
Small city, so easy to get around with public transport. Beach is really nice, gawnwarf really good for shopping and eating out. read more
Great night life...
Great night life and overall feels safe to walk about at night, if needed read more
Great city, my fa...
Great city, my favourite after London. read more
Portsmouth isn’t...
Portsmouth isn’t the nicest place but it’s got character. read more
It’s a chill plac...
It’s a chill place with some good vibes read more
Portsmouth is exp...
Portsmouth is expensive to live in read more
Portsmouth is a g...
Portsmouth is a great little town. read more
Portsmouth has qu...
Portsmouth has quite a lot of interesting things to do,so I find my self find new things that interest me read more
Great stuff canno...
Great stuff cannot complain. This accommodation is the best read more
Fair amount of go...
Fair amount of good places for a night out however the uni bus needs a better timetable / route for students needing to go to the Institute of Marine Sciences read more
Lovely place to l...
Lovely place to live but will have to sell my kidney for a bus fair. Lots of amazing infrastructure for it but I miss my London type fairs. Don’t see why it couldn’t be something for the council to discuss and implement as would see busses used alot more read more
The transport is...
The transport is so reliable and fast, cost of living is expensive and shopping using discounts sometimes it’s cheaper. read more
Fun city. Alot to...
Fun city. Alot to explore. Good weather read more
Best very best ve...
Best very best very very best. read more
Nice place to liv...
Nice place to live. Very student friendly. read more
I love how close...
I love how close everything is in Portsmouth, I love the restaurants around and I love how close it is to the beach. read more
It’s Portsmouth....
It’s Portsmouth. Decent nights out read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is unreal at the moment read more
Enjoyed it can wa...
Enjoyed it can walk pretty much everywhere round the city. read more
a chill and nice...
a chill and nice place to live read more
Everything you ne...
Everything you need is within walking distance which is great. There is a good range of shops in gunwharf and in and around the cascades shopping centre. There are a couple of nightclubs if that's your kind of thing (I can't comment on quality as I'm not a party person). Prices of things are pretty good considering it's a city. read more
very expensive ci...
very expensive city suprisingly, you can budget and make it work at the expense of ur social life though. Regular trains and busses though read more
good transport li...
good transport links and shopping facilities read more
Love the old feel...
Love the old feel of Portsmouth. Though doesn't always feel the safest read more
Overall nice plac...
Overall nice place with good shopping centres and places to go out read more
Great place to st...
Great place to study decent student area read more
It's a great envi...
It's a great environment to live in read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living is high but affordable read more
Originally my hom...
Originally my hometown, the city has a lot to offer, lots of history and exciting things to do read more
Free uni bus duri...
Free uni bus during term times, lots and lots of pubs, strong night life. Two large places to shop, plenty of restaurants and fast food, like any other city the cost of living is ridiculous but it is what it is read more
Nice place with n...
Nice place with nice areas, pleasant to be and not expensive to live. read more
Portsmouth is a g...
Portsmouth is a great city lots of night life and things to do. read more
Good range of sho...
Good range of shops and transport. large variety of food places. read more
Portsmouth is a b...
Portsmouth is a beautiful city with gorgeous architecture around every corner. The area is so convenient with shops, entertainment, clubs, and academic buildings everywhere that are easy to locate. I particularly love how everything is within walking distance. read more
Portsmouth is ver...
Portsmouth is very accessible so everything is easy to do and is very reasonable for prices read more
The is like 3 clu...
The is like 3 clubs that are average at best read more
It’s a nice city...
It’s a nice city and nice to be somewhere new read more
small place to li...
small place to live, but most things are accessible in a short walking distance read more
Haven’t used the...
Haven’t used the buses yet the night still looking for the best club read more
Nice area, very s...
Nice area, very student oriented 😁 read more
Nice city, Nice p...
Nice city, Nice people, love the sea and it's walking distance almost everywhere read more
The biggest shock...
The biggest shock for me moving to another place was the fact that there aren’t any bins for food composting unlike back home in Surrey read more
Amazing area and...
Amazing area and so convenient read more
There is lots to...
There is lots to do arround Portsmouth read more
Very little publi...
Very little publix transport and shops read more
Good there is lot...
Good there is lots to do and lots to eat read more
it's very conveni...
it's very convenient with the train services and bike lanes, a walkable and nice city :> read more
Cool place to liv...
Cool place to live I guess lol read more
All the shops are...
All the shops are close and affordable and there are many shopping places to go when needed read more
It is a wonderful...
It is a wonderful city that has a lot to do read more
Very good city wi...
Very good city with a lot of attractions and placed to go and see read more
Portsmouth is a l...
Portsmouth is a lovely place to live, right by the sea and lots of amenities nearby read more
A great city to g...
A great city to go out in with a variety of places to go to. read more
The reception are...
The reception are very helpful read more
Portsmouth has gu...
Portsmouth has gunwharf quays which is a good place for food, shopping and entertainment. read more
Haven't really ha...
Haven't really had a chance to experience much of the city yet read more
the best night cl...
the best night clubs and wetherspoon read more
Portsmouth has a...
Portsmouth has a variety of shops and restaurants read more
Great location, g...
Great location, great uni, good facilities. read more
60% student popul...
60% student population so decent town and atmosphere but only during the term time read more
Love the location...
Love the location and city is gorgeous read more
Plenty of shoppin...
Plenty of shopping and resteraunts/pubs/clubs to go visit. No need to spend long looking for places to get what you need read more
Everything is clo...
Everything is close and there is everything I could want/need read more
Love the Astoria...
Love the Astoria and it is great read more
Really good. Nigh...
Really good. Nightlife is so fun read more
Great city with e...
Great city with everything so close to each other and a great night out read more
student buses cou...
student buses could be better but nice otherwise read more
great restaurants...
great restaurants and clubs that keep the party going all night long read more
A very nice place...
A very nice place to live for students read more
portsmouth is ver...
portsmouth is very nice near beach love it so far read more
Portsmouth is a r...
Portsmouth is a really nice place to live! I love it read more
It was a simple p...
It was a simple place to live after the first 2 or 3 years kinda gets boring but there are other cities close to it so wasn’t all bad overall pretty cool place to study read more
Nice seaside town...
Nice seaside town but the bus doesn’t really pass. read more
The city is big a...
The city is big and has a variety of places to go read more
Restaurants and s...
Restaurants and shops close too early read more
Shops nearby, lot...
Shops nearby, lots of restaurants and takeaways read more
It was a experien...
It was a experience i will want to explore it more read more
Nice, quiet city...
Nice, quiet city which is walkable for most of its places read more
Wonderful city lo...
Wonderful city lots to do to keep you busy and entertained read more
Good location and...
Good location and cheap spots for outgoing out read more
Closed the sea an...
Closed the sea and walk around the town for relaxing read more
You can find ever...
You can find everything you want here. Although it is not very busy, it is still very convenient. read more
Yehegvevebejebebe...
Yehegvevebejebebebeneneenebhbbv read more
Yeah overall 2 st...
Yeah overall 2 stars…………………………… read more
Not the best city...
Not the best city but cheap and has a beach. read more
Expensive but whe...
Expensive but where in the South isn't but I have truly come to love the city and wish to live here when possible read more
Portsmouth is an...
Portsmouth is an incredible city with lots of opportunities and things to do around the city for whatever preferences people have read more
Housing and accom...
Housing and accommodation is cheap but if you saw the kinds of houses here you’d think they’d be a lot more expensive, loads of places to eat and drink out you’ll never run out of options read more
Quiet town with l...
Quiet town with lots of activities read more
Too small too sma...
Too small too small rude kid around north end area read more
Decent night life...
Decent night life, haven't really needed to use transport as everything is very close read more
Uni buses hardly...
Uni buses hardly exist meaning travel to sports facilities is very difficult. Shopping is incredible with the high street and Gunwharf offering any amenities you could possibly need read more
Loads to do and l...
Loads to do and loads of transport so easy to get places read more
It's pretty decen...
It's pretty decent, you can get some decent stuff at gunwharf read more
Not the best city...
Not the best city, but the coast is nice read more
A very lovely cit...
A very lovely city for uni students read more
Portsmouth offers...
Portsmouth offers a lot of facilities in terms of food and shopping however transport links such as trains are not great with many trains to Portsmouth and Southsea being stopped early whilst being in the train leaving you to organise other ways back. However, in staying in Portsmouth itself it’s not hard to find something your after within a few steps. read more
Nice city but qui...
Nice city but quite busy in cascades shopping center at the weekends, thete are some great market stools too that pop up in certain days of the week. Haven't really explored night life. read more
Portsmouth has ev...
Portsmouth has everything you could need. Plenty of supermarkets, shops, restaurants and clubs read more
Absolutely love P...
Absolutely love Portsmouth, personally it had everything I needed, from the high street to Gunwharf read more
Great town overal...
Great town overall but i cannot rate the eating out aspect accurately. read more
Easy to get aroun...
Easy to get around fun stuff to do read more
The place was a m...
The place was a mixture. It was somewhat beautiful, with some old buildings, like Guildhall. There was a sense of community there as there would sometimes be protests, food markets, movie viewings on a big screen, etc. However, it was also actually dangerous. Some people I knew were harassed/ attacked by locals. Outside of this main area, there are other places to hang out, and eat/ drink, that seemed both cosy and relaxed, and very trendy and quaint. Plus there's the actual sea, and some historical areas to check out. There are also some festivals, funfairs, theatres, and cinemas. It's possible though, that it starts to get a little boring after a while. It's not exactly London which is spralling with something different in every direction, but that's a given. I would say a good spot, esp. for youngsters flying the nest/ setting out into the world on their own. read more
I live at home so...
I live at home so I’m not too worried about the transportation links and local amenities. read more
Portsmouth as a w...
Portsmouth as a whole really isn’t that bad of a city. There is a good public transport system however I doubt you will need to use it as everything is in one place. There’s only a few nightclubs however there’s quiet a few pubs that are very good. There’s a big outlet mall and a smaller mall which is a normal shopping street. Everything is well connected and easy to get too. Plus the beach is very pretty read more
I love Portsmouth...
I love Portsmouth and enjoy the beach often read more
Beautiful city wi...
Beautiful city with the beach and gunwharf quays as top destinations read more
night out and the...
night out and the local town is always a laugh, not too expensive considering it’s by the coast aswell read more
I’ve loved Portsm...
I’ve loved Portsmouth city and the public transport is great read more
Close station (so...
Close station (southsea) around 6-7 mins away read more
Amazing area very...
Amazing area very Rich and amazing nights out with amazing restaurants read more
Portsmouth is big...
Portsmouth is big enough to not get bored, but small enough to go everywhere on foot or by bike. Overall very cost effective city to study. read more
Portsmouth It’s...
Portsmouth It’s not bad there’s not really much to do but the good thing is that it’s not that far from London and other interesting cities read more
Pretty Decent if...
Pretty Decent if I do say so myself read more
Decent city all c...
Decent city all compact and easy to get to stuff read more
Beautiful city fu...
Beautiful city full of history. Portsmouth offers a platter of activities… you’ll never get bored! read more
I left London to...
I left London to study at a new place and I am glad I picked Portsmouth. I love the atmosphere of Southsea and the artisan feel of the Palmerston and Albert road areas. Coming from a city, Portsmouth is lively enough that I don't find it slow, but options to relax in nature are there, especially around the common and seafront. I love the history of the city, and I love the communities and interest groups that I'm hoping to join more of. read more
It is a good expe...
It is a good experience. Great night out but not very diverse. read more
Excellent in publ...
Excellent in public transport. Great shopping options. Not great for eating out. read more
Public transport...
Public transport links are handy for students and the students buss routes is helpful for getting around for no extra cost but incredibly busy. Since moving to a different city I've realised the shopping and night life in Portsmouth predominantly only supports the drinking party student life. Which is great if your into that sort of thing, but if you want something other than night clubs or drinking then its highly lacking in variety. I've now moved away and live in one of the UK's most expensive cities to live in "on record", but I was still paying more on rent in Portsmouth for less which speaks volumes about the poor cost of living. Eating out was also very limited or costly, thus eating in is something you find you'll be doing almost always. read more
Lots of things ab...
Lots of things about, quite expensive but great for having fun. Spoons always has cheap drinks ;) read more
Portsmouth is a v...
Portsmouth is a very affordable city with much to do for students. Everything is close by and a walking distance away. There’s place to eat, go for nights out and the beach and common is great in the summer. The shopping isn’t that great as the shops are quite dated, but everything else is great for a student city. read more
Really good and l...
Really good and lots to do for a whole range of budgets and always top quality read more
I love Portsmouth...
I love Portsmouth, you can walk every where, you can eat out in gunwharf the town is beautiful especially the sea, I love the vibe and everything read more
great rail links...
great rail links to london, gatwick and various other cities, plenty of places to shop including gunwharf and cascades. great variety of takeaway and restaurants for a treat nightb read more
Love the area, ma...
Love the area, many places to eat and people are always out having fun read more
Plenty to see and...
Plenty to see and do in Portsmouth, there is a lot to discover especially around the lesser known areas read more
Living in portsmo...
Living in portsmouth is pretty good read more
Portsmouth isn’t...
Portsmouth isn’t the most welcome of cities to students. read more
Not expensive to...
Not expensive to live. Cheap Lots of stuff to do read more
I dont do much tb...
I dont do much tbh. so this is kind of just my opinion read more
Just a very lovel...
Just a very lovely little place that is easy to live in. The sea is healing to all of your troubles in life. read more
Portsmouth is qui...
Portsmouth is quite an expensive place to live. However, the variety at Gunwarf Quays is ideal for days/nights out for shopping, eating and drinking. read more
Good City. Lots o...
Good City. Lots of pubs/bars/clubs locally. beach only a 5 min walk read more
Don’t like the pr...
Don’t like the price of public transport. read more
Sea-side city! Lo...
Sea-side city! Lovely beach, good vibes! read more
Portsmouth has a...
Portsmouth has a wide variety of shops, restaurants and nightlife available to everyone. Most places are generally within walking distance, and there are generally enough shops to suit everybody’s needs. read more
Portsmouth is a l...
Portsmouth is a lovely place, with loads of places to go visit including the beach, the HMS dockyard, the lighthouse further down Southsea beach. It’s an amazing place with everything close by it makes shopping really easy as well as going out with friends to the pubs and on nights out. read more
Portsmouth is suc...
Portsmouth is such a nice city and has a great variety from the seafront and piers to city life. I've enjoyed my time in Portsmouth so far and feel as if there's so much to do when with covid which is a plus. I've not needed to use public transport as you really can walk everywhere, however I hear it's cheap and reliable. It is a bit pricey to live in Portsmouth as I currently pay £1200 a month (bills included) for a studio apartment. read more
Nights out doesn'...
Nights out doesn't apply to me so left as 3 star (I don't go out drinking at all). The Uni is in the town centre with nearly all campuses and halls being within walking distance so public transport not needed (there is a free university bus). read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living here is pretty good if you can cook by yourself since if you choose to go outside to eat outside it is far more costly. I don't do nights out so I can't rate this but there doesn't seem to be much public disruption considering that as a factor I think Portsmouth is a great place to stay. Shopping is very convenient as everything is in walking distance. Portsmouth is great since you don't have to take a public transport to get to places. You can just walk to get to your desired destination. read more
Great place. Ever...
Great place. Everything is in walking distance. There is so much to see and do. The transport links are fantastic and summers down the beachfront can not be beat. read more
Very packed and p...
Very packed and populated area but everyone is friendly read more
just don’t look a...
just don’t look at the crackheads read more
Most powerful cit...
Most powerful city near shoutsea with waterport everybudy bset time spent free time. read more
Gun Wharf is fab...
Gun Wharf is fab amazing outlets of the best shops. Also loads of little odd shops on Albert road etc Southsea is the best place to live. read more
Overall, great c...
Overall, great city to live in! :) read more
Portsmouth is an...
Portsmouth is an affordable city and students go clubbing on Purple Wednesday's - a time when student's get into venues for less. Uber Eats let's you order deliveries 24/7 and is very convenient. Otherwise, there'll likely be a Tesco Express within walking distance of your accommodation. There's even a uni bus that goes around southsea and is useful if you live further away from campus in private accommodation. It's free for all students; you'll need to show the bus driver your student ID first though. read more
An affordable cit...
An affordable city to reside in as a student, cheap student nights and lots of activities to do when not studying. A small city too so everywhere is within walking distance. read more
It was really nic...
It was really nice the town is compact, everything is near everything, it is near the seaside. you can find everything in the city. everything is at max 15 min distance. It has malls and restaurants. read more
Pretty good, just...
Pretty good, just stay out of Sommerstown read more
Portsmouth is qui...
Portsmouth is quite small and so the city centre is about 20 minutes away from the beach. There are loads of parks and A LOT of places to eat, as well as an insane amount of pubs and clubs to go to. Houses are general university prices, however they are cheaper than other cities such as Oxford and Bristol. It’s also only a 45 minute train journey away from London and a 40 minute train journey from Southampton so is easy access to other areas. Also the train from Southsea to Harbour or Fratton is a lifesaver as it allows easy access to other areas of the city. read more
Really good night...
Really good night life and shopping by the sea. read more
Such a compact ci...
Such a compact city, didnt even need to use local buses as it was possible to walk everywhere! Great prices for the south too and some amazing restaurants and cafes about. I still visit often even though i have graduated read more
The university, i...
The university, its halls and the other student housing in the area is placed perfectly in the centre of the city! Never too far from restaurants, bars and clubs, with Gunwharf Quays within walking distance too! read more
It’s very afforda...
It’s very affordable to live in Portsmouth read more
Even though the c...
Even though the cost if living isn't hugely cheap, in Portsmouth most of the town caters for students so whether it's a night out or a bite to eat there's always somewhere affordable. The nightlife is amazing and you feel like you are there in a bubble with students. read more
Perfect for anyth...
Perfect for anything you need to do, beach, town, shopping retail outlets, countryside a 20 mins train away read more
I use uber everyw...
I use uber everywhere which is fairly cheap too read more
Lots of affordabl...
Lots of affordable housing in Southsea/ Fratton area. Some great nightclubs (most notably The Astoria). City is very compact and flat so everywhere is accessible by bike/ walking. read more
Everything is so...
Everything is so close it is easy to walk everywhere read more
All in all great...
All in all great area to live in. read more
Free university b...
Free university bus, Gunwharf and Commercial road are both good shopping areas, with Gunwharf offering lots of restaurants and a costume shop on Commercial road to buy things for the social nights out. read more
Expensive to get...
Expensive to get around but there are enough shops to keep you entertained and it’s very good value living so long as you hunt around for the best deal read more
Portsmouth has ev...
Portsmouth has everything you need! I hope to continue living down here. Everything is cheap and there are lots of places to go read more
Best University...
Best University Best Faculty Very Friendly and Helpful Environment One of the finest city. read more
The town is great...
The town is great as it has a lot of nice independent delis and cafes around southsea and Gunwharf Quays has most of what you’d want out of a shopping centre however some parts of Portsmouth are dodgy (Fratton and upwards) so be careful. The buses are a little over priced but the university supplies the students with a free bus that goes around southeast and fratton read more
Enjoyable city an...
Enjoyable city and beautiful sea front read more
Absolutely awful...
Absolutely awful do not go here. Nothing about this was good read more
Couldn’t have cho...
Couldn’t have chosen a better city to go to uni read more
Portsmouth is a l...
Portsmouth is a lovely little city. The beach is always pleasant wvwn though its not sandy. The island is rich with history and great for photography. The social scene is amazing: loads of places to hang out, drink, shop and public transport is decent! + the uni bus takes you around most of the island for free. read more
Portsmouth is gre...
Portsmouth is great like London but cheaper read more
Portsmouth is the...
Portsmouth is the best city I’ve ever lived in. Free uni bus, can walk everywhere otherwise, cheapest Uber’s, cheapest and most fun nights out in the south, cheap house rent, banging places to eat and drink - just don’t bother the crackheads read more
Amazing city with...
Amazing city with hestorical landmarks all around the city read more
Cheap student liv...
Cheap student living. Different areas in Portsmouth for different vibes. Truly unique city. Small enough to walk everywhere but different and diverse enough to make it feel massive. read more
Great city, would...
Great city, wouldn't mind moving there post uni. read more
I drive so public...
I drive so public transport wasn’t an issue for me. The night life is really good read more
Not one bad thing...
Not one bad thing I can say about Portsmouth read more
Cost of living in...
Cost of living in Portsmouth is unreasonably high for the city and location however is a decent city other than that read more
Pretty much every...
Pretty much everything is available. All required shops are 10 mins walk from the center of the city. read more
Lovely city, mix...
Lovely city, mix of shops and beaches. Very few concert venues and not many concerts if you're into alternative music (Enter Shikari does come to Portsmouth sometimes though). Buses are expensive but it's easy to walk because the land is mostly flat read more
Some great shoppi...
Some great shopping and dining places all around especially gunwharf quays. Good bus and train links and great night life we love a purple Wednesday read more
I wasn't sure at...
I wasn't sure at first but Southsea is amazing. read more
Very affordable c...
Very affordable city with amazing views to the beach and relaxing environments. read more
Safe place, if yo...
Safe place, if you know where not to go at night. Cheap ubers and local taxies. Very easy to navigate. Can walk absolutely anywhere. Great night life! Freshers events are amazing. There’s a free uni bus. So many beautiful places to go. The place has rich history. If you stay a bit after submissions you can enjoy the beach like you’re on holiday! read more
Portsmouth is a r...
Portsmouth is a really beautiful city and the nights out are the best read more
everything is in...
everything is in walking distance read more
I dont find much...
I dont find much to complain about, I feel like it is a nice place however there can be times where it feels like there isn't much to do. read more
great place for a...
great place for a student aas everything iss reasonably priced and in close proximity. read more
Everything is eas...
Everything is easy access with the university bus. Housing is a bit pricey but there is lots to do in such a vibrant city read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is quite expensive especially halls like Catherine house who are so over priced. However moving into a house after first year proved to be much more cost effective. Plenty of places to eat out. The night life is really good, a couple different clubs to choose from. Loads of different shops from high street to designer. Public transport services are great especially they uni bus. read more
Complete range Yo...
Complete range You have an outlet, with super fancy shops, and a town center with the cheaper basic shops. A vue cinema (the cheapest of cinemas) Pleanty of clubs and bars Lots of connecting busses Some places are a little bit pricy, but nothing extortionate. But also, cheap places too. Clubs have good discounted nights and are very busy Pleant of things to do that arent drinking too Beach near by, cinema, swimmimg pools, rock garden, bowling, many resturants, game bars, pub quizzes, shopping and so much. Worth a look on groupon, lots of cheap day out things here that a lot of people dont realise is here. Keep and eye out for events, like christmas market and vintage kilo sales. A lot of students miss these and its a shame. read more
The free uni bus...
The free uni bus only goes one way round and it doesn’t run at night read more
Shops are super c...
Shops are super close, either clothing or food everyone can choose, huge variety, a lot of great clubs in here read more
There’s numerous...
There’s numerous clubs for different tastes of night out. There’s multiple high streets and no shortage of restaurants and eateries. The famous Gunwharf Quays is a fantastic outlet. read more
Great city, most...
Great city, most sunny days in UK per statistics read more
- good clubs all...
- good clubs all near the university - good shopping close by ( Gunwharf keys) read more
Gnwharfquays and...
Gnwharfquays and cascades shopping center are go for shopping but the rest is not good in general or it's bad value for money read more
Portsmouth is qui...
Portsmouth is quite an underrated city and I really enjoyed living there. You’ve got all the big supermarkets to choose from and most accommodation for students is right on campus. I do not really care about nights out, but the times that I did go everywhere was extremely crowded, which will definitely want to make you want to stay at home if like me you do not like to be smushed in a crowd of sweaty strangers... read more
A lot of criminal...
A lot of criminality and homeless people, apart from that, quite cheap. read more
The safety should...
The safety should be improved in the night read more
I cannot rate it...
I cannot rate it enough, I loved it. read more
The city is cater...
The city is catered for students so there’s always deals about! Gunwharf is more on the expensive side but they do student discount evenings which is so good. read more
Great nights out...
Great nights out with loads of places to go. Gunwharf is a plus with lots of fab bars and variety of restaurants read more
The prices are re...
The prices are reasonable and everything you could ever need is nearby read more
There are multipl...
There are multiple train stations and loads of buses to get you around. The main night clubs are all close together meaning the night life is great as you can hop around & go to wherever is best! Portsmouth has some great shopping experiences with Gunwharf Quays located a 15-20 min walk from university accommodation and the town centre 5 minutes in the other direction. read more
Portsmouth is a r...
Portsmouth is a really small but busy city. There is plenty to do, and good nights out available in lots of places. read more
Portsmouth is gre...
Portsmouth is great for a night out and is extremely cheap in regards to rent - I found that living by the sea was a massive positive too! read more
Depends who you a...
Depends who you are. If you are a relatively smart with what you buy you'll survive read more
A lot of fun as t...
A lot of fun as the nightlife is always very alive, though the recent increase of reported crime in Portsmouth does leave a lot of people on edge read more
Portsmouth has re...
Portsmouth has really good public transportation and shops. read more
Great night life....
Great night life. Great takeaways. read more
Good facilities I...
Good facilities I feel a big supermarket closer to the guildhall would be much better read more
Uni gives free bu...
Uni gives free buses so can get around if just outside main area, shopping you have gun wharf or main town but about 25 min walk between read more
Loads of transpor...
Loads of transport links. Prices for eating out are good. Food prices in shops are high read more
Very good locatio...
Very good location by the sea and all near supermarket shops restaurand pubs and clubs read more
Not much public t...
Not much public transport but no need as you have two large shopping complexes every single shop you will ever want or need, and every restaurant and fast food you’ll need, and supermarkets and everything you could possibly want read more
Everything is rea...
Everything is really accessible. There are so many options for going out. It’s all very student friendly, even Gunwharf. read more
Something for eve...
Something for everyone, no matter your interests read more
Bit of a dive in...
Bit of a dive in places but gunwharf is nice read more
Nice place to liv...
Nice place to live, bit crowded, locals are a bit scary, don't eat at ken's chicken, do eat at alis kabab up by pryzum read more
Great city to stu...
Great city to study in. Everythhing is close by! read more
Always plenty to...
Always plenty to do and easy to travel and navigate around the city. Friendly locals and shopkeepers on every doorstep and always help in the community if you need it. read more
Average, actual t...
Average, actual town is horrid thpugh read more
The city is amazi...
The city is amazing and it has a lot of things to do read more
Go to Gunwharf Qu...
Go to Gunwharf Quays and shop in the greatest outlet at the ocean. The nights out in Portsmouth are always exciting and a laugh read more
Easy to get aroun...
Easy to get around and cheap food read more
A small city, gre...
A small city, great transport links. Probably the best place in the world to pub crawl. Lacking on clubs if that’s your scene. read more
Free uni bus, dec...
Free uni bus, decent place for students read more
Great student cit...
Great student city! Students everywhere andlot of things tailored to students. Makes it great. Nigths out are crowded but you make friends quite easily. read more
A great city if y...
A great city if you're looking for nights out and a social vibe, but not great for arts or culture read more
Very good shoppin...
Very good shopping in here and the cost of living is not high at all read more
Uni has a free bu...
Uni has a free bus from Mo-Fr which is great otherwise everything is a walking distance. The coastal part of city, Southsea is beautiful full of shops, pubs, restaurants. I love that Portsmouth is full of independent shops. read more
I wouldn't eat ou...
I wouldn't eat out too often unless you have some money coming in as you should try and cook to gain some experience but there are lots of nice places to eat out if you have the money! - I hate clubbing and prefer pubs hence why nights out is only one star for me personally but public transport and everything else is great. read more
This city meet al...
This city meet all of the criteria. It is designed for students and not only. Accommodation is cheap, there are two shopping centres, lots of place to eat and party. Ubers, taxis, trains and buses available. read more
Not a wide range...
Not a wide range of things to do, think that’s why everyone went out all the time. Town centre could be improved read more
Cost of living ia...
Cost of living ia good compared to elsewhere read more
There is a lot of...
There is a lot of stuff but it’s spread out read more
Lovely area with...
Lovely area with plenty of things to explore, nightlife is great and there is a wide variety of eating facilities read more
It’s an beautiful...
It’s an beautiful city with amazing landscapes read more
Free uni bus and...
Free uni bus and also Gunwharf shopping centre what more could you ask for read more
Uni buss makes tr...
Uni buss makes traversing the city very easy and free. read more
Decent city - def...
Decent city - definitely has areas to improve but from a student point of view it has everything I need. We have a free university bus but it only goes one way in a loop and is often cramped. read more
Plenty of researc...
Plenty of research required for local amenities read more
Nights out are st...
Nights out are student centered so cheap entry and cheap drinks. Eating out is typical places but they all do student discounts. read more
The town has grea...
The town has great shops and restaurants and everyone has had plenty of brilliant night out! read more
Affordable way of...
Affordable way of living, lots of students about, decent shops and great for student nights out:) read more
university bus wa...
university bus was great, lots of shopping and great nights out read more
Lovely area which...
Lovely area which caters for every need read more
The city works we...
The city works well for students with everything you could want/need, even if you just want to get home. read more
Plenty of places...
Plenty of places to go and plenty of places to eat, plus Gunwarf at your disposal! Many food shops and supermarkets to shop at spread over many areas making them very accessible. I mostly used the uni bus, but there are plenty of public buses running on a good time scale and there are 3 train stations (fratton, Portsmouth and Southsea, Portsmouth harbour). Shopping is great- Gunwarf, commercial street and Southsea mall read more
3 major train sta...
3 major train stations spread across the city, a free uni bus make transport very easy. Outlet centre is perfect for student shopping sprees. read more
Plenty of afforda...
Plenty of affordable student houses, loads of restaurants and fun things to do, numerous shops, both independent and chain. Plenty of great nights out and good public transport. read more
Loads of pubs and...
Loads of pubs and clubs, gunwharf for outlet shopping and restaurants and free uni bus! read more
Pubs everywhere....
Pubs everywhere. Good nights out. And every shop needed read more