The Best Cities in the World for Students

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There’s over 100 universities in the UK, and thousands across the world, so choosing the right place to study can be both a challenging and daunting decision. How do you know which university will suit you best?

That’s where online job search engine AppJobs can help. They have analysed cities across the world, ranking them according to key factors that are important to students and have created the ultimate index for those who are still deciding which city to study in.

AppJobs looked at rent prices, the number of universities in each city, the number of part-time jobs on offer, the number of concerts and shows for entertainment, and of course, the average cost of a pint.

They took the overall scores from each factor and according to the results, the top 10 best cities in the world to be a student are:

Prague, Czech Republic
Moscow, Russia
Berlin, Germany
Beijing, China
Montreal, Canada
Taipei, Taiwan
Manchester, United Kingdom
Tokyo, Japan
Vienna, Austria,
Seoul, South Korea

Of the top 10, five cities are in Europe, with the other five taking you further afield to complete your studies. China’s capital, Beijing, is Asia’s leading city to be a student, with good rental prices, a low cost per pint at £3.33 and a decent amount of nightlife options.

Interestingly, a further three Asian cities make up the top 10, whilst North America holds just one entry, in Montreal, Canada. Montreal is the top North American city overall with one of the lowest monthly rental prices at £607.11, whereas New York and Boston feature a lot lower down the list with two of the highest costs for rent out of all the cities analysed.

If you are looking to stay closer to home, then Manchester - one of the liveliest cities in the UK could be the choice for you. With nearly 100,000 students studying across four different universities, Manchester is a top destination to study and have a good social life on a budget.

Edinburgh also features as a popular city, with reasonable rental prices and lots of part-time jobs available, beating London which has high cost per monthly rent, and one of the highest costs per pint of the cities analysed.

However, if you are looking for a lively nightlife, London boasts an impressive 413 concerts and shows, whilst the Big Apple takes this even further with 446 (just be prepared to pay the price with your rent and drinks!)

Are you heading off to university this year? Take a look at the interactive graphic here revealing the best city to be a student in, and filter by the factors most important to you so you can find the perfect place to study.

We spoke to Iwona Polog, Head of Growth from AppJobs, who said of the results:

"Attending university can be a life-changing experience and it is important to choose the right location. University challenges students not only academically, but is also the first time many have lived independently and potentially moved to a new city.

Before making a decision as to what university you’d like to attend, it’s worthwhile to make a list of what is most important to you to have as part of your university experience. From there, you can narrow down your options."

Great advice indeed!

NEXT:

- Search for your perfect UK uni now.

- Need more inspiration? Check out our city guides.