Belfast
125 Reviews by Students #11 out of 81 University locations
Belfast is a very student oriented city! It’s a great place for students looking for the city experience in a less overwhelming form
By Member2527 On 10th November 2019
Study in Belfast
Queen’s University and the Belfast Campus of Ulster University, have great locations. They are close to the waterfront and right on top of all the main attractions that Northern Ireland’s Capital has on offer.
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Queen's University Belfast (QUB)
Queen’s University is the ninth oldest UK university, founded in 1845 and is a prestigious Russell Group university. They offer approximately 300 degree programmes spread across three faculty groupings which are Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering and Physical Sciences and Medicine, Health and Life Sciences.
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Ulster University
Ulster University has four campuses spread across Northern Ireland, the Belfast Campus is situated in the cultural and artistic centre of the city known as the Cathedral Quarter. Traditionally associated with arts nowadays the campus spans a range of subjects such as architecture, hospitality, event management, photography and digital animation.
Study in Belfast? Review your location
Belfast Student Life
It’s good craic! If there’s something you’ll have to get used to is the Northern Irish lingo. Belfast is a welcoming capital city, that is easy to get around and so much to offer students. You’ll have no problem settling in and making it feel like home.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs range from £75 - £235 per week; the average is £136 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Liverpool: £150/week, Lancaster: £158/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: £12
A pint of beer: £4.50
A regular takeout coffee: £2.68
1L of milk: £0.84
A loaf of white bread: £1
Prices (for cost of living only) are about 7% lower than equivalent costs in Liverpool, about 8% lower than Lancaster and 32% lower than London!
(Source: Numbeo)
Nights Out
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Live Music Venues
Belfast’s live music scene is truly fantastic, whether you want to see up-and-coming acts or traditional Irish bands make sure Limelight, Black Box, Oh Yeah! and Voodoo are on your radar. The larger venues for well-known acts are SSE Arena, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall.
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Nightclubs
If you are into clubbing until the early hours you’ll feel right at home in Belfast. There’s clubbing institution Thompson’s and, in the Cathedral Quarter, the sophisticated Ollie’s. And for some of the best parties around, head to the unofficial gay quarter for Kremlin, Boombox and Maverick.
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Bars
Late night bars are a thing in Belfast, unlike most of the UK pubs in Northern Ireland can serve up until 1 am, ideal for pre-club or if you fancy a fun night but not a late one! Head to Babel for rooftop bar with panoramic views or Filthy McNasty’s who have a student night on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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Public Transport
You’ll find it easy and simple to get everywhere by foot, with the central campus being no more than a 15-min walk to most places you need to go. It’s also easy to get around by bike thanks to the Belfast Bike public bike scheme rental. You can pick up a bike at one docking station and leave it at another. Belfast is well connected by rail, road, air and ferry to give plenty of options to get in and out of the city.
Eating Out
Big offer of vegan food…
Like the big offer of vegan food
Restaurants are also dirt cheap…
Restaurants are also dirt cheap. Me and my boyfriend have gone out on date nights and spent £25
Food quality is very high…
Food quality is very high due to Northern Ireland being an agriculture-driven economy.
Belfast is all round…
Belfast is all round a great place to be a student , there are plenty of cheap supermarkets , great nightclubs , restaurants and shopping centres!
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Shopping
Two key places to know about are the Victoria Square Shopping Centre, which includes over 50 shops, restaurants and a cinema, and St George’s Market. This historic market is over 150 years old but is still a major part of city life and a great place to track down some bargains.
Top 5 Pubs
Affectionately known as ‘The Bot’ they are famous for their ‘Bot Wednesdays’ which is known as one of the best student nights out in the week. It’s one of the city’s top spots for great food, quality drinks, live music and a lively atmosphere!
The Crown is an iconic 200-year-old pub and the most famous in Belfast. Imagine carved mahogany booths, etched-glass, Victorian tiles and a fantastic selection of everything from cask ales to premium gins.
Down a cobbled alleyway, in the historic Half Bap area is the Duke of York. It’s a traditional pub that’s full of character with a great atmosphere. The walls are covered in Belfast memorabilia including hundreds of old photos.
Housed in an old Whisky warehouse, they describe themselves as an authentic Irish pub with a modern twist. They boast a large beer garden, a cosy fire inside and entertainment 7 nights a week… oh and make sure you try their chicken.
If you like pizza and alcohol then you’ll love the Parlour. Based in the Student Quarter, they put on different themed nights for students such as quiz nights and live music nights, it will be sure to become a firm favourite!
Top 10 Belfast Accommodation
Great Patrick Street
I have enjoyed living in Great Patrick Street throughout all years of my studies. I'm sad it's coming to an end. GPS was my home for 3 years and I can...
Swanston House
There’s not really anything they can improve upon. All the staff are so lovely, and run events for us. In particular Ellie and Lauren. The night staff...
123 York Street
Been living in 123 York Street for the first semester and have enjoyed every minute of it. Staff are great and very friendly and everything is clean. ...
Little Patrick Street
The reception is nice!! The rooms are Bright and spacious, the kitchen is well furnished, the public area is big and tidy, and the stuff disinfect com...
John Bell House
I had a great stay in John Bell house. I love my room and the location is perfect. Never too noisy or busy in the building. The staff are always kind ...
LIV Student Belfast
When moving from England, I had to choose student accomodation. The uni accomodation at Queen's messed me around, so I enquired at Liv. Without 4 hour...
Elms BT9
Locationally its very posh. But a bit far from city center. If you enjoy quiet living but want it just far enough to be close to most ameneties, BT9 i...
Dalriada Student Village
Living just a stones throw away from Campus made life so much better for going to Class. Even last year, when I stayed here for my third year in a row...
Read Belfast Reviews
Belfast is a nice...
Belfast is a nice city! I like it. read more
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Belfast is a good...
Belfast is a good choice for students to study, food, nightlife and living standards in accommodation is great read more
Belfast is a bril...
Belfast is a brilliant city to live in, but still sits far behind other cities in the uk and Ireland. read more
Belfast is a good...
Belfast is a good cheap city to live in. People are.super.friendly here. Learn to be adaptable to your surroundings and you'll be fine read more
Best city in Nort...
Best city in Northern Ireland however it’s a tallest dwarf situation read more
Bit more expensiv...
Bit more expensive than where I lived before but that just comes with living in a bigger city. Lots of great pubs and restaurants. Shopping possibilities are good but nothing really special. Public transport is a lot cheaper than where I am from but the busses are a bit unreliable. Happened before that the bus just didn't show up at all. Which there were more trains going inland too, but they do go almost everywhere along the coast which is great. read more
Transport isn’t g...
Transport isn’t great but usually you’d get to where you need without a problem read more
A lovely city, wi...
A lovely city, with great places to eat out read more
Easy to get aroun...
Easy to get around and loads to do read more
like belfast lots...
like belfast lots, public transport not amazing but cheap n vibrant city read more
Not a bad place f...
Not a bad place for uni, although definitely better student cities in the UK. Don't rely on public transport as Translink are awful read more
Everytjing closes...
Everytjing closes so early, u hate to see it read more
Belfast is a nice...
Belfast is a nice place, with some nice sights read more
Brilliant city wi...
Brilliant city with loads to do. read more
Easy access to tr...
Easy access to transport to get anywhere, good nights out and shops accessible read more
Nice city with lo...
Nice city with lots to do for an affordable price read more
Belfast is a smal...
Belfast is a small city but it has what you need and some good social events. Most of my favourites are the small restaurant businesses and the gay clubs like Libretine to go to. read more
Transport is amaz...
Transport is amazing in Belfast, the buses, trains, gliders can get you anywhere! There’s so many shops and restaurants as well as tourist places too! It’s a great city for university life and the people are dead on read more
Belfast has every...
Belfast has everything you need with great transport links. read more
I haven't used mu...
I haven't used much of the public transport so I have stayed very neutral with that. Plenty of bars but very little of anything else to do at night if drinking is not for you, shopping pretty average it does vary as shops come and go but the main ones have stayed read more
Good city to live...
Good city to live in, has a great night life, drinks can be expensive at places but overall great place to live read more
I've been living...
I've been living in Belfast for university for almost 4 months now and I can definitely say that I love it. There is so much more to do than where in from. Socialising has been great and there are many great places to eat out. I haven't had a lot of trouble in the city yet. read more
A nice city. A co...
A nice city. A combination of nature, old nostalgia, and modernity all in one place. People are mostly very welcoming and friendly. read more
There is not much...
There is not much to complain about as I have enjoyed myself in belfast read more
It is a lovely pl...
It is a lovely place to walk around and night life is especially fun read more
buses never turn...
buses never turn up or are always late and you can only pay in cash, trying to get a taxi is a nightmare. Nights out are okay but not much variety read more
I personally am u...
I personally am used to a small town, so the transition to a big city took some acclimatising. Everything seems much more grandiose and there is a lot more options here. A heads up for anyone English coming over, no chippies seem to do saveloys and no kebab shops have lamb shish kebabs. Just to prepare you for the shock. read more
Nights out are gr...
Nights out are great here. However transport can be poor sometimes particularly with the uni link bus which can be a disaster at being on time. Hence miss lectures etc. Apart from that it’s ok read more
Belfast has an am...
Belfast has an amazing night life, there are so many bars and clubs which have such a good vibe to them and where you can meet new people read more
love belfast, so...
love belfast, so much to do for students read more
Belfast is lovely...
Belfast is lovely and is just a good night out, however walking is probably the most efficient way to get around if you aren’t driving read more
Such a vibrant ci...
Such a vibrant city and everything in close proximity read more
Belfast is a grea...
Belfast is a great city except for some of the public transport. I have had to start walking to university as my busses never seem to arrive! read more
Rent is cheap, gr...
Rent is cheap, groceries can be expensive, eating out definitely isn’t cheap, nor is shopping, and currently the nightlife isn’t the best, but that’s partially due to COVID. Too many student nights and not enough alternative nights. read more
Loved living in B...
Loved living in Belfast, great atmosphere and nightlife. read more
Belfast is a welc...
Belfast is a welcoming city, with loads of facilities to keep you entertained. The food and night life is great, making spending your free time with friends much better. read more
A great place to...
A great place to live as a student with lots going on read more
Belfast is a grea...
Belfast is a great place to live for students read more
Belfast is great...
Belfast is great to live in. Everything is nearby and easy to access. Nightlife is exceptionally great with a wide variety of pubs and clubs. There is something for everyone. A bit expensive to live near the city centre but living with a few friends it's definitely manageable read more
City is good coul...
City is good could do with better weather but food is easy and night and shopping is good read more
Love the city but...
Love the city but quite small so there isn’t too many vegan options read more
Lived in belfast...
Lived in belfast all my life. It is a very good city to live in if you want to go shopping, go on nights out and to even live read more
Okay okay I just...
Okay okay I just got the phone call and I have no problem at it so I’ll be home by then I will let you know thank it for the time I read more
Belfast is pretty...
Belfast is pretty good enjoy living here read more
Belfast be like w...
Belfast be like woaaaaaaaaaaaaaah read more
I'm extremely imp...
I'm extremely impressed by Belfast - I love it here. The transport is good, things are cheap, and there's plenty of shops. read more
The majority of s...
The majority of shops close very early in belfast read more
Great night life...
Great night life and everything is close read more
Great city centre...
Great city centre with a range of things to do and see. Transport can be unreliable and traffic can be an issue read more
Not extortionate...
Not extortionate to live in, amazing eateries, however night life is hindered by early closing times, lack of variety and number of clubs. Shopping is decent, however Castle Court is quite run down and high street has many vacant spaces. Public transport is completely unreliable, lack of night buses which are essential for night time workers, lack of bus routes that stretch from one end of the city to the other, all public transport stops at 11pm and oftentimes rude staff read more
Public transport...
Public transport can be confusing at first. The accommodations are in a perfect spot, only a 15 min walk to the center, and a 20 min walk to the bus/train station. Everyhting is in a good spot. read more
Travel expenses a...
Travel expenses and Accommodation expenses are High. read more
Belfast is great,...
Belfast is great, a small city but has everything you need read more
Very lively city...
Very lively city and is a big change to my normal surroundings but I've somewhat familiarised myself with it now. read more
Amazing shopping...
Amazing shopping opportunties and many clubs and bars to have a great night out. read more
Great Nightlife a...
Great Nightlife and shopping opportunities. Everything is close together do you don't have to stay too far read more
Transport is alwa...
Transport is always available, great place for a night out! read more
Good city area is...
Good city area is a good place to live In read more
Loved the size an...
Loved the size and the vibe of Belfast. read more
I’m glad my campu...
I’m glad my campus and my apartment located near the city centre of Belfast, really convenient to go everywhere. read more
Nice city easy to...
Nice city easy to travel and a good developed transportation system read more
living in Belfast...
living in Belfast is good and the cost of living is kinda cheap read more
Belfast is a beau...
Belfast is a beautiful town with a lot of history and nice places to visit. read more
Good city and aff...
Good city and affordable for students and young professionals read more
Great city for an...
Great city for an affordable university experience, incredibly inclusive and a range of beauty across the country. read more
Very welcoming ci...
Very welcoming city, lots of things to do and see read more
Belfast is a fun...
Belfast is a fun place to live, there are lots of great restaurants and bars to eat out in as well as loads of shops to go shopping in read more
Calm and nice cit...
Calm and nice city. Excellent life quality. Every one is friendly. Access to everything is easy read more
There wasn’t much...
There wasn’t much to do until lockdown eased but there are many places in the city and loads of job opportunities read more
Fantasy city! Exp...
Fantasy city! Expensive bars and restaurants though read more
What can I say Be...
What can I say Belfast is insane !!! I love every second of it !!! It’s honestly one of the best places to eat out and to have fun and great for especially the student life , loads of bars and everything!! read more
Great place for c...
Great place for coffee and shopping. Some decent restaurants and bars also read more
Usually a nice pl...
Usually a nice place to live in. Especially city centre. read more
Extremely friendl...
Extremely friendly people with a range of different activities to get involved in. Very exuberant night life which results in some powerful night outs. read more
Good city. Nice p...
Good city. Nice people. Haven’t tried public transport. Shopping options are good read more
Really homely and...
Really homely and nice place. Better than English top metropolitan cities as a inttovert person. More people you would connect with and less people who are just a crowd to you! read more
Great town and fr...
Great town and friendly people. read more
I have had the be...
I have had the best time living in Belfast! After I dropped stranmillis and started Biology at queens my mental health improved and life became enjoyable! read more
Belfast is amazin...
Belfast is amazing i am so glad i decided to come read more
It has everything...
It has everything you could need in a city. read more
Again location do...
Again location does not matter for Open University read more
There's plenty of...
There's plenty of good places to stay and things to do! The buses can be a bit confusing though read more
Horrific, Great...
Horrific, Great place to be afraid read more
Actually was Derr...
Actually was Derry city at Magee campus read more
A great town with...
A great town with lots of art events. A very easy place to familiarize yourself with. Public transportation is good. Shopping is also good. read more
Belfast is a grea...
Belfast is a great city. Thats easy to navigate and fun to live in read more
Belfast is quite...
Belfast is quite expensive however you can find some wonderful deals, you just have to look! read more
Great place to li...
Great place to live and everything’s accessible read more
Eating is very ex...
Eating is very expensive for students but good nightlife and loads of attractions. Buses regularly and trains. Good shopping centres and always new shops opening read more
You are in the ce...
You are in the centre of everywhere and everything and it is easy to walk to anywhere. read more
It's good for wha...
It's good for what it is. Compared to other UK cities, it has its advantages and disadvantages. read more
Good shopping, de...
Good shopping, decent night's out but the bars are waay better and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. read more
Like the big offe...
Like the big offer of vegan food read more
Poor bus connecti...
Poor bus connections and poor timetabling read more
It’s decent yeah,...
It’s decent yeah, not too shabby aha read more
Belfast is cheape...
Belfast is cheaper than most other UK cities, and has a good nightlife. Transport out of the city, run by Translink, is unreliable and low quality read more
Coming from Engla...
Coming from England, a train return ticket to the nearest town over is £18. Here, you can go across the entirety of Northern Ireland with a return for £4! Renting is super cheap too. A 3 bedroom house with a garden costs around £500 a month, which split between three people is pennies! Pubs are really popular here, with people turning up with their own instruments to play music and everyone coming over for a chat. You can't go on a night out here without making a bunch of new friends. There are some really amazing nightclubs too, all of them so different to one another that you have to go to them all to find out what one is your style. Victoria Square is the main shopping centre, although there are multiple. It's extremely pretty with a large selection of shops. It is also only a couple minutes walk away from the Titanic quarter which is an absolutely gorgeous place of the city. Restaurants are also dirt cheap. Me and my boyfriend have gone out on date nights and spent £25 read more
Great city, with...
Great city, with Lots of things to do read more
Local spar beside...
Local spar beside me has good deals and bus runs every 15 minutes or so to city centre read more
If you are planni...
If you are planning to live here and away from home be prepared to be broke all the time read more
Belfast is a very...
Belfast is a very student oriented city! It’s a great place for students looking for the city experience in a less overwhelming form read more
Overall experienc...
Overall experience in Belfast was good. read more
Belfast cost of l...
Belfast cost of living is living and public transports runs to most places. read more
belfast is great...
belfast is great wee place to live with something for everyone read more
There's a lot to...
There's a lot to do and it's great for a night out ( provided there's student nights on). read more
Great nights out,...
Great nights out, love the live music, but expensive public transport. read more
Great public tran...
Great public transport compared to the rest of N.Ireland. Great shopping centres such as Victoria square and castle court. Great place for a cheap night out read more
Have to say Love...
Have to say Love Belfast even though it’s barely a city read more
Cheap and safe. B...
Cheap and safe. Belfast gets a bad reputation for what happened 40-50 years ago but the reality is its now one of the safest places in the UK due to incredibly well-trained police and security. Public transport can be hit or miss, so expect to arrive 5-10 minutes later than the bus service tells you to. Food quality is very high due to Northern Ireland being an agriculture-driven economy. read more
Belfast is all fo...
Belfast is all found a great place to be a student , there are plenty of cheap supermarkets , great nightclubs , restaurants and shopping centres! Public transport is cheap and easy to use. read more
Belfast is only a...
Belfast is only a wee place, you can walk it in a day which makes it a good university city. On top of that the people are the friendliest you could hope to meet and it's cheap to live. It's also better than England, being Ireland. read more