A proud city of culture, an accent famous the world over… Newcastle is known for many things – especially its great student life. But what makes it such a great place to study?
1. A student city…
With two leading universities, Newcastle is attracting serious student investment.
Newcastle’s 50,000 students provide the lifeblood to this great city, filling the countless cafes, restaurants and nightlife options. In fact, with a city population of 300,000, one in six people in Newcastle are students!
11,000 new student rooms were built between 2008 and 2015, with thousands more on the way, meaning much of the accommodation is brand new. The city also has great libraries, sporting and student entertainment facilities.
2. …with a strong identity
Newcastle has as strong a local identity as you’ll find. Proud ‘Geordies’ – the name given to local people from Newcastle, have made sure Newcastle is a city full of character, surprises, culture and community.
Supporting the football team, Newcastle United is like the local religion and it’s hard not to get swept away in the emotion of a typically rollercoaster Newcastle United season! Away from sport, there’s a thriving music scene, cool markets, independent clothes stores and some incredible museums and galleries – including the Baltic, a huge converted flour mill which held the Turner Prize in 2012.
3. Outstanding transport
Compared to bigger UK cities like Leeds, getting around Newcastle is simple. There’s an extensive bus network connecting the town centre with the surrounding areas, but the star of Newcastle is its Metro.
Originally funded by the EU, the beloved ‘Metty’ connects the city with the Coast, the Airport and goes all the way to Sunderland. Buses and metros run past midnight to give access to the city’s famous night-time economy – or maybe to help out those students studying late into the night!
4. Great housing options
Many students live around the city centre, meaning a walk to and from the city’s central campuses is easy. Lovely, leafy Jesmond is full of students, as are Heaton and Sandyford Road.
Rent is cheap with a whole, decent one-bed flat easily available for around £400 per month. Living in a flatshare with other students could see your rent drop as low as £50 per week.
5. A truly beautiful city
The city centre is one of the most charming Victorian boom-towns in the UK, with countless Grade I or II Listed neo-classic buildings. The city is known for its stunning collection of bridges spanning the exciting, vibrant Quayside area.
Moving east along the River Tyne, you’ll find trendy Ouseburn, with its dozen cool music venues, design studios and vintage shops. On the coast are some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK, with the golden sands of Tynemouth and South Shields guarding each side of the mouth of the Tyne.
Now you know how good life is in Newcastle, it’s time to see how to study there.
Explore our International Foundation Programmes.
The pathway programmes detailed on this website are run in partnership with QA Higher Education - a UK higher education provider. All of our pathway programmes are validated by the University and taught by QA Higher Education and University staff.
