Student accommodation in Plymouth

Sarah Parker
Authored by Sarah Parker
Posted: Monday, October 21, 2019 - 07:41

Why study in Plymouth?

Nicknamed as Britain's Ocean City, Plymouth not only rich in history, culture but is also packed to the brim with things to do and explore. Located on the southern coast of Devon, the beautiful waterfront city of Plymouth is home to over 263,100 individuals and is also considered to be the 30th-most populous built-up area in the United Kingdom.

Boasting stunning seafront locations, Plymouth is a great place for students looking to study in a unique location. And with home to not one, but two excellent universities that cater to almost every course you could think of, the academics of the city is also well-regarded off in the UK.

Student Life in Plymouth:

Crowned as the Best and Safest Place to Live in the UK by The Guardian, the city offers a plethora of world-class attractions, charming restaurants, museums, galleries, music venues and good-vibe cafés to explore. There is a range of after-dark city-centre nightclubs and bars that offer hip-hop, dance and the 80s groovy music along with some knock-down drinks deals that are perfect for the students. The history-rich Barbican district is home to some of the city's oldest building and also offers some of the most relaxed cafes and restaurants along the water's edge. Students can also head out to one of the city's many beaches or enjoy kayaking on Plymouth's clear waters. Students can also work part-time, do internships or volunteering. The student internship board also provides many paid project-based internships with local companies.

Where to study in Plymouth?

Plymouth is a vibrant and fascinating city which is home to thousands of students and two of the world-recognised universities.

1. University of Plymouth:

Catering over 23,000 students, the University of Plymouth is one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom. Located in the town of Plymouth, England, the University of Plymouth is a public university which was founded as the Plymouth School of Navigation in the year 1862. The University was originally a Polytechnic Institute which was renamed as the Polytechnic South West in the year 1989. Subsequently in the year 1992, the institution was granted its university status as well as the right to award degrees and was renamed as the University of Plymouth.

Two times winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, and ranked 65th among the 200 institutions in the World Young University Rankings, the University of Plymouth offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Computer Science, Marine Technology, Psychology, Civil Engineering, Geography, and Arts.

Apart from being the first University to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark, Plymouth University is also the first modern University to launch its own medical and dental school. Some of the notable alumni of the Plymouth university include BBC wildlife presenter- Monty Halls, a computer scientist at IBM- Mandy Chessell, Indonesian businessman and politician Jaka Singgih, meteorologist Clare Nasir and historian Philip Payton.

2. Plymouth Marjon University

Established in the year 1841, Plymouth Marjon University popularly referred to as Marjon was formed from the merger between the St Mark's College in Chelsea and St John's College in Battersea. Later on in the year 1973, the College of St John and St Mark moved to Plymouth and was granted with its university status in the year 2013.

Since the foundation of the University, it's focusing on overall academic excellence and student satisfaction, which has resulted in a strong reputation of the University. Currently catering around 3,000 students, the University houses two faculties- Faculty of Sport, Health & Wellbeing and Faculty of Education, Enterprise & Culture; which offers over 70 taught programmes of study. The particularly well-known subjects taught at the University include teaching, social sciences, sport, health and well-being, performing arts and business.

Student Accommodation Plymouth:

Thousands of students fly down to Plymouth to study each year, thanks to the city's top-class universities and reputation for the excellent education system. And with so much student population to cater the student housing market has also boomed. Hence, the students have a vast range of Plymouth student accommodation options to choose from.

But before closing in on any accommodation, research deeply, keeping the location, facilities, distance, payment pattern in mind and make sure that the student accommodation meets all your requirements.

1. Shared Apartments:

As the name suggests, these are rented apartments which are shared between students. The apartments generally come with a private bedroom, shared kitchen, and bathroom.

●  Cost: £154 - £168 per week.

● Amenities: Depending on the provider, area of your apartment and location, the amenities can differ. But most of the time, you get a shared kitchen and laundry room.

● Pros: Students are placed close to the city's hot spots and also have an excellent option to socialise with other students.

● Cons: Students need to do everything on their own, which can become a bit annoying with their daily university life.

2. Studio Apartments:

Studio apartment, also known as studio flat, is a self-contained small apartment room which comes with a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen.

● Cost: £166 - £253 per week.

● What it has to offer: A fully-furnished bedroom apartment with a well-equipped private kitchen and bathroom. And sometimes, the property also comes with an attached balcony.

● Pros: Students can enjoy the freedom of staying alone, and also they provide a space to perform all your household tasks easily all in one place. 

● Cons: Top range studio apartments are relatively more expensive.

3. Student Halls.

● Cost: £90 - £250 per week

● What it has to offer?: The whole building is packed with University students. Also, you might come across a few students from your hometown and make more friends in such an environment. There is also adequate space for each student to go on with their daily tasks without disturbing others.

● Pros: Students can forget about the bills, and it is a lot easier to make friends

● Con: You can't choose your roommates and distraction comes by easily.

Best places to stay in Plymouth:

Plymouth is an amazing place to stay for students. Students will never fall short of accommodation options. However, there are a few well-loved neighbourhoods in town which are particularly notable among the students staying in Plymouth which are:

● Lipson: Located in East Plymouth, the Lipson is a residential neighbourhood with plenty of entertainment options including pubs, bars, clothing stores and markets. Also, there are plenty of bus service which operates between the area and the universities.

● Mutley: Mutley is further neighbourhood from the university, however it can be easily reached by bus. Also, the area houses Mutley Plain- one of the biggest entertainment providers with number of fast food chains, pubs and cafes to eat and chill at.

● Greenbank: Located at close proximity from both the university, as well as the city centre, Greenbank has turned out to be Plymouth’s students’ favourite area. The biggest shopping mall Drake Circus is also located at an easy distance from the area.

These areas are ideal if you wish to stay close to the University of Plymouth and Plymouth Marjon University as they either house these Universities, else they are very close to them.

No matter whatever you choose, the city of Plymouth will never disappoint you!