Set in the heart of Surrey, Guildford has loads to offer potential students, from world-class educational opportunities to a gorgeous town to easy travel into London.
Updated: 10 Mar 2025
Home to the University of Surrey, Guildford has plenty to offer its prospective and existing students. The picturesque town benefits from its proximity to London as well as the friendly local community, which has plenty of activities and events for students to enjoy. Our list of reasons to study here is perfect for any student who’s considering applying to university here. Let us tell you why Guildford is such an outstanding uni town.
The University of Surrey is regarded as one of the best in the country, having just been ranked 12th in the UK by the Complete University Guide’s 2025 league tables. It’s known for its high-quality research, with much of its research being classified as internationally excellent or world-leading.
The town itself is surrounded by picturesque countryside, so it’s not far to go if you want to escape the bustle of the city and reconnect with nature. Nearby, you’ll find the Surrey Hills, which is classified as an Area of Outstanding Beauty, and offers plenty of hiking and walking opportunities should you fancy a day in some stunning natural landscapes.
Guildford dates back to the Saxon age, so there’s a wide range of history to explore. Even just walking around the town centre, you’ll find lots of beautiful and historic architecture, from the cathedral to the shops on the high street!
You’ll find a few small museums and art galleries in Guildford, which are perfect for learning more about the local history and seeing some art from local creators. As well as these, you’ll find theatres where you can get immersed in a wide range of different live performances. The town also holds regular festivals and events, so there’s no excuse not to get involved in the arts and culture scene.
With trains to London taking just half an hour (that is, if you get the fastest train), it’s super easy to travel up to London for the day or for a weekend escape. If you’re a fan of bigger cities but aren’t sure if you’re ready to live in one, then Guildford offers the perfect compromise.
Thanks in part to its proximity to London, you’ll have loads of opportunities when it comes to employment, particularly once you graduate. Guildford is a popular commuter town, meaning many people live here and travel into London for work. Again, this is the best of both worlds, as you can make the most of the extensive London job market while benefitting from a quieter neighbourhood and lower rent.
Guildford is often considered one of the safest places to live in the UK, ranking as the 28th safest major town or city in the UK based on the most recent figures. While, of course, you always have to be sensible and keep an eye out for anything suspicious, living in an area with lower crime will hopefully mean you settle in faster and feel safer.
Source: crimerate.co.uk
It’s not just London, there are plenty of other places you can easily access from Guildford! As it’s close to Heathrow Airport, international travel is even a breeze thanks to the huge variety of destinations you can fly to from Heathrow. Thinking a bit closer to home, you’ll find direct trains to UK destinations including Reading, Portsmouth and Woking.
Thanks in part to all the festivals and events we mentioned further up, the locals are extremely friendly and helpful, and there’s a strong sense of community around the town. As the town is fairly compact, you’ll probably start to recognise a fair few faces during your studies here, which will only make it feel more like home!
You’ll find plenty of parks and green spaces around the town centre, offering the ideal place to relax with a picnic, or to get some fresh air while you study. Losely Park is huge, and just a short walk outside of the town centre. Within walking distance of the town you’ll also find parks including Stoke Park and Rosamund Community Garden.
Thanks to the large student population in Guildford, there’s plenty of nightlife going on, from clubs to pubs and bars. There’s also plenty of live entertainment you can enjoy in the evenings if that’s more your speed, and you’ll find live music, comedy and theatre to keep you occupied.
As we just mentioned, there’s a lot of students in Guildford – over 10,000 in fact. Given the size of the town, that’s a lot of students. Thanks to this, you’ll find loads of student discounts and deals, as well as events catering to students around the town. You’ll also have loads of opportunities to make friends with your fellow students. What’s not to like?
If you’re a big fan of British films and TV, there are a few famous faces you’re probably familiar with who actually grew up in Guildford. Celia Imrie, Simon Bird and Lily Collins all grew up in the area and attended local schools. While there’s no guarantee they’ll be making a visit back to their hometown during your studies, you’ll definitely be walking the same streets they did, and probably going into some of the same shops and restaurants, which is pretty cool.
Local venue G Live hosts a range of different live music events, so it’s a must-see if you’re a music fan at uni here. You’ll find other small venues around as well, including the Boileroom Music and Cultural Arts Space, and thanks to Guildford being so close to London, you can always pop into London, where you’ll find every genre of live music you can think of being performed on an almost nightly basis.
If you’re into literature and books, then you’ll probably be excited to know that Lewis Carroll wrote ‘Through the Looking Glass’ in Guildford, and he’s also buried in the town. The town has also supposedly inspired many other authors, from Aldous Huxley to Agatha Christie, the latter having lived a nearby Shere.
You might be wondering why we’ve been referring to Guildford as a town and not city throughout this article. After all, it has a cathedral, which is usually associated with city status. Unusually, Guildford has a cathedral, but does not have city status, which makes it pretty unique.
This is going back a little bit, but several members of the royal family have stayed in Guildford Castle. The castle was likely built shortly after 1066, and several of England’s monarchs stayed there or were strongly associated with developing the castle, including King Stephen, King Henry II and King Henry III. By 1379, however, much of it had fallen into disrepair, and it was sold by the royal family in 1611.
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So, if you’re thinking Guildford might be the right fit for you, start searching for courses now.
Or, check out our guide to studying in Guildford.