Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Town / City Centre Universities - where?

141 replies

ClumpingKate · 02/10/2019 00:05

So I know Oxford and Cambridge, many London unis and Manchester are all city based universities with their buildings on public streets in the centre of town. Anywhere else that largely matches this description?
Failing that, am looking for campuses that are located in the central area, say less than a mile (30 mins walk) from the centre of town.

Where have I missed?

OP posts:
BackforGood · 02/10/2019 00:21

Cardiff is like that - with buildings scattered about amid non- University buildings.
So is Liverpool, and John Moores (in Liverpool)

York is right on the edge of the City, but it's a small City and esily walkable into the City from the campus.

Birmingham is possibly just walkable into the City Centre in 30mins (from the lecture theatres etc, is easily walkable from much of the accommodation which is on the City Centre side of the campus) It is a beautiful Campus within the City, but outside of the centre of the City (has it's own train station on campus though, just 2 stops into the City centre, or a plethora of buses that come about every 3mins in busy periods).

Why ?

MarchingFrogs · 02/10/2019 00:47

Leeds?
Leeds Beckett City campus?
De Montfort?
Canterbury Christ Church?
NUA?
Newcastle?, Northumbria?
Durham?
Coventry?

30 minutes' walk is 2 miles, rather than one, assuming a reasonable level of fitness?.

Bouledeneige · 02/10/2019 00:50

Newcastle is a city university - I was really impressed. Its got old and new and its a vibrant city much loved by students.

My DD is at Manchester and loves it.

Ginfordinner · 02/10/2019 00:51

Newcastle. DD has just started there. The course appealed and so did the fact that it is central and everywhere is within walking distance.

RavenLG · 02/10/2019 00:54

Newcastle and Northumbria university has campus building close to the city.
Durham
De Montfort university in Leicester. Uni of Leicester isn’t as central but still very close and it’s a better uni
Nottingham & Trent

Bouledeneige · 02/10/2019 00:57

I went to Nottingham and I would call it a campus university. Its a bus ride or a very long walk from the city centre. Nottingham Trent is in the centre and its not as buzzy as some of the other cities mentioned here. Is Leeds?

AtiaoftheJulii · 02/10/2019 01:10

Bristol.

I think Sheffield and Glasgow are too, thinking of my kids' choices.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/10/2019 01:10

In 6 years an Birmingham university it never occurred to me to try to walk into the city centre - why would you with a travel card and the train! GrinVery easy access indeed, best of both worlds.

Why though, and what are your other criteria - subject etc? It may also be worth noting that in many cases, rented accommodation after the first year in halls may be much more dispersed.

I suppose you could add UCLAN to the list.

AtiaoftheJulii · 02/10/2019 01:12

Reading is a campus uni about 15 minutes (if that) walk to the town centre.

MadisonAvenue · 02/10/2019 01:18

Wolverhampton
Birmingham City University is in the centre and is close to Aston University.
Staffordshire University is in Stoke on Trent, near to the main railway station.

Original poster
ClumpingKate · 02/10/2019 07:50

Thank you - this is really helpful. DD is a city girl through and through and really does not like the idea of being out in the sticks. I am running out of ideas!

OP posts:
LIZS · 02/10/2019 07:52

Edinburgh, Sheffield, most London colleges

chemenger · 02/10/2019 07:56

Edinburgh (arts and humanities only, science and engineering further out, medicine and vet far out of town). Glasgow and Strathclyde (Strathclyde especially). Manchester.

stucknoue · 02/10/2019 07:57

Many are, Leicester 10 mins from shops, Birmingham is on the local train line, Nottingham is on the tram, just from ones I've been to recently, there's only a few not in cities

stucknoue · 02/10/2019 07:59

Avoid Loughborough, keele, Sussex but really most are in decent sized cities.

Ginfordinner · 02/10/2019 08:02

Avoid Warwick as well. DD hated it and said it felt isolated.

albird · 02/10/2019 08:02

Exeter - campus is 10 mins from city centre. Most 2nd year student housing is also close to the city centre and the campus. Its a bit hilly though!

Mamia15 · 02/10/2019 08:03

Cardiff. Its right in the city.

Nottingham and Birmingham are not that close to the city centre. I would say the same for Leeds and possibly Sheffield. Trams/buses are what students usually use.

chemenger · 02/10/2019 08:04

Loughborough is in the town but the town is uninspiring.

fourquenelles · 02/10/2019 08:07

READING also has the no. 21 bus which runs from the campus to the town centre 24/7. It is in a beautiful setting too.

randomsabreuse · 02/10/2019 08:08

I'd say Birmingham is pretty close - 5 minutes from the campus train station, walkable to broad street supermarket/ clubs from accommodation. Liverpool definitely- also Manchester I think.

Crawley65 · 02/10/2019 08:12

Sheffield
Bristol

LoveGrowsWhere · 02/10/2019 08:16

Leeds is definitely a city university & in a vibrant city. Half a mile to the Headrow.

SaskiaRembrandt · 02/10/2019 08:16

Sheffield - both universities are in the city centre.

SaskiaRembrandt · 02/10/2019 08:19

Saying that, Hallam does also have a (really lovely) campus out of the centre, but it's only a 10 minute walk away.