Town / City Centre Universities - where?

[ClumpingKate]

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?

Be wary with Durham - it's only some bits of the university that are city centre and more and more of it's creeping up the hill where the science site and newer colleges are (or Hild Bede right out in the other direction). I did my first degree at Durham and found it very insular - you tended to hang around the college bars and very much only ventured out into the wider world for the wonders of Klute (seriously - just don't... I went there sober once - still traumatised)

Newcastle's very much part of the city centre.

Likewise with Nottingham Trent - if it's a Clifton campus course that's nowhere near central.

DMU IS very near the city centre - I walk slowly (old and decrepit) and can be in Highcross from the campus within about 10 minutes max. Think Uni of Leicester is a bit more out on a limb but I've never made it over that side of the city.

Nottingham isn't really city central but the tram connections are so good it may as well be really (lovely campus - just wish they'd done my flipping course)

Oh and avoid Durham unless you like walking up hills. 20 years on and I still bear a grudge - although I did drop two clothes sizes in my first term there from all the fucking hills so it has some advantages.

Sheffield is also ridiculously hilly - 'built on 7 hills like Rome', it's all uphill from the city centre to the uni. I had cracking legs when I was there !

Bristol is very hilly as well

Clifton isn’t hilly at Bristol. 2nd year onwards students live here (mostly) and it’s a flat walk to the university.

I thought OP wanted the best universities for her DD given that she has decent predicted grades. Hence my comment about Huddersfield and I will add Wolverhampton to that. Ditto Oxford, Durham, Cambridge and possibly Bristol. She won’t have high enough grades.

So look at the other big cities and see which she likes and have offers that are either slightly aspirational or hang on for her grades.

I totally recognise that London DC are used to a different life. Both DDs have many London based friends and both live there now. They do not have to experience anywhere else if they don’t want to. Plenty of London DC do go to university in London as they can live at home. It’s quite normal to do that. The benefits of London are world class! Or so the rest of the world thinks.

Of the London based DC we know without stellar grades, but good grades, they have gone to Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Nottingham for big cities - check grades required for course. Oxford Brooks is really popular as it’s easy to get home and has all the benefits of a world class university city. Again check grades required. Should be lower.

Sheffield and Liverpool were not great favourites. Not sure why.

Another vote for Newcastle.

DS loves it and we have fallen in love with the city.

Fantastic place to be a student!!

Leeds uni is in a great location, about 10 minutes walk into the city. It has an open day today - bit late if you have far to travel

Sheffield for sure. A few depts are spread over the city but the majority are close to the city and the public transport is great.

Uni of Brighton - yes depending on course. The art dept is close to the sea front. The business school is quite a bit further out. (Don't get confused with Uni of Sussex which is well out of town.)

Glasgow and Edinburgh are both ancients! I believe Glasgow is older than Edinburgh.

mouthy, that is very interesting what you say about Birmingham. Lots of students form my school have been to Birmingham for history and English recently. The English course looks really interesting. Is this not a good place for them then?

Oxford Brookes is nice but it isn't a city university. It's a campus some way out of the centre. it is also lower in league tables than NTU and its accommodation is eye wateringly expensive!! Nice campus , though and lovely city.

@ClumpingKate As this thread shows, there's a lot of choice outside London. And with AAB predicted, then many of the suggestions are good and possible.

But there'll be huge differences in recommendations, depending on the discipline and degree subject your DD wants to study.

Glasgow and Edinburgh are both ancients! I believe Glasgow is older than Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is a relatively new ancient university, founded in 1583, Glasgow was 1451.

Lots of students form my school have been to Birmingham for history and English recently. The English course looks really interesting. Is this not a good place for them then?

It's an excellent English course, and really world-leading in corpus linguistics. My comment was really about the focus of the senior management and overall resource allocation - which is probably more an issue for staff and postgrads.

But ... it has an excellent library, and special collections, and it's an exciting city for undergrads to live in - lots going on.

And I could live in the Barber gallery!

Ah, OK, I see. I wonder if one can find a uni, or a sixth form where this is not the case, tbh...

Bristol is like that - Bristol Uni is in the centre, UWE is out on the edge though.

Leeds, Bradford

De Montfort Uni (DMU) is a campus uni in Leicester. It's a short walk to the main shopping centre with cinema, restaurants, etc.

Portsmouth - I don't think this has been mentioned yet. Halls of residence are in city centre too.

Although for engineering, outside of London I'd also be advising Durham

Er... why? Durham just does General Engineering and seems not the best rated for that. Out of London, there's loads of great options - Cambridge, Manchester. Sheffield, Bristol, Southampton for starters.

It is very easy to get to Brighton from Sussex uni. 24 hour buses, train ride a few stops. You can live in Brighton 2nd and 3rd years and get the bus to campus or cycle. It's a nice cycle ride in less than 30 mins.

I wouldn't call Birmingham's Campus "in the sticks", it is in a pretty vibrant area (Selly Oak) just outside the city centre. I'm assuming OP that your DD doesn't live on Oxford Street?

Any Big city University should be fine - except places like Royal Holloway that aren't in the City really. Oxford and Cambridge are much more small City and if she really needs "big city" could be more of a jump than somewhere like Birmingham.
However University is a time to try new things and maybe move a little out of her comfort zone.

Birmingham actually has more than one university, the University of Birmingham is on the outskirts of the city centre but Birmingham City University is based around the city centre and Aston is also pretty central.
There's also Newman but that's a little further out in Bartley Green.

Sorry I know both Aston and Birmingham City - but neither are "campus" universities, so I would have thought talking about Birmingham's Campus obviously referred to Birmingham University. I just found the idea of suggesting rejecting Birmingham (University) as it is in the "sticks" as a bit ridiculous. In fact the reason I choose to go there in the dark ages was that it was a city University but with a campus. And actually had a great time doing even more city things than I ever did in London, and even found bits of the City landscape to help when I got homesick.

LMFAO at the description of the UofB being in the sticks! Clearly someone who’s never been there. It’s the only university in the country with its own railway station which is 2 stops from New Street.