Check upcoming open days and book your place arrow
Research and Prep

Student guide to Eastern England

Thinking about studying at a university in Eastern England but want to know what it could be like? We've got an entire guide for exactly that!

Sam Smith
by Sam Smith
Last Updated:
05 Jan 2024

There are 10 universities in Eastern England, including some of the oldest and newest in the country. It is a green and pleasant land, stretching from the outskirts of London all the way to the mouth of the River Thames and up the North Sea coast. It features a range of small-medium sized cities and university towns, each with a character very much its own, located within ready access of the capital.  

Eastern England has a lot to experience as a student, with superb regional arts, music, culture, top-flight sports teams and easily accessible natural landscapes. You might be wondering about what to expect from studying here, how best to get around, where to stay or how much things might cost. Our guide has the answers, so read on. We’ve got it covered. 

CONTENTS

Student activities in Eastern England 


Regardless of where you choose to study, you won’t be short of things to do as a student in Eastern England. Each university location provides a landscape of local and regional culture, with many opportunities to visit art galleries, theatre performances and live music events. Often these are organised directly through your university, and there will be many more in the surrounding community, so keep an eye out for what’s coming up. Each town has a mixture of classic English pubs, contemporary bars and late-night clubs. 

The landscape of Eastern England is wide, relatively flat and easily navigable with a long coastline which reaches from Southend-on-Sea all the way up to north Norfolk. There are many traditional regional foods to sample, including plenty of cheese varieties, Cromer crab, Essex rock oysters and Newmarket sausages. 

The region is home to historic British painters such as John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough and Lucien Freud, and you can visit museums and galleries showcasing their work, as well as their preserved former homes. 

A proud sporting region, you can see top-flight football and cricket teams compete, often for student-discounted tickets. Newmarket is arguably the centre of the horse racing world, and there are regular race days organised throughout the year which make a great day out. 

See what else there is to do in Eastern England in our handy guide

Nightlife in Eastern England 


Eastern England offers a range of evening events and activities, and much of it can easily be experienced on a student-friendly budget.  

Norwich is a surprisingly hip uni town and is becoming increasingly recognised as a low-key alternative for those who want big-city living without big-city hustle and bustle. The city is well known for its live music scene, which permeates the town’s pubs and bars in addition to its many dedicated performance venues. 

Cambridge is a student-oriented city, and supports one of the most developed comedy scenes found anywhere in the country. It is a major draw for touring performers and student tickets are readily available. 

Unis at the southern border of the region such as the University of Essex, the University of Hertfordshire and the University of Bedfordshire are just a short journey into Central London, where an unbelievable variety of pubs, bars, and late-night clubs await. 

Student accommodation in Eastern England 


Eastern England’s ten major universities each offer convenient student accommodation in halls of residence buildings located within a short distance of campus. These are great for first-year students due to their relatively low cost, social atmosphere and perks such as the availability of term-time contracts, inclusive utilities bills and range of room types.  Rent in halls of residence generally ranges between £110 and £180 per week.  

Rooms are exclusively self-catered across all Eastern England’s universities except for the University of Cambridge which is unusual for two reasons. Firstly, students are offered a place in halls of residence for the duration of their course, whether it be three or four years. Secondly, Cambridge provides both self-catered and catered living conditions simultaneously. Basic kitchen facilities are available in all residences, and all colleges provide daily canteen dining facilities where you can buy cafeteria food, as well as formal three-course dinners. Prices are kept accessible to student budgets, and the university encourages communal dining. 

If you’d prefer to rent locally in Eastern England, then prices will vary from place to place. Bedford is the most affordable location, with a one-bedroom studio apartment costing an average of £650 per month, and a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre costing just £1,000. That’s comfortably less than £400 per person per month! Similarly, sharing a flat in either Colchester or Norwich city centre will cost you less than £500 per person per month, so it’s easy to see why many students are looking east to study affordably.  

Student costs in Eastern England 


Aside from tuition fees and accommodation, food will make up a decent portion of your weekly budget. From the section of uni towns surveyed in Eastern England, Colchester has the most student-friendly grocery rates in the region. Each location has a variety of supermarkets, smaller independent outlets and local street markets, so it’s worth shopping around and finding out what suits you best. 

The average weekly grocery budget for UK students is around £25, and you can make this go a long way by buying in bulk or finding deals in the various supermarkets available. Another tip is to get a loyalty card to your favourite supermarket, which allows you to accrue points and access special discounts. 

Eating out doesn’t need to break the bank either. In most uni towns in Eastern England, a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant starts at around £50, and a pint of beer is about £5. Colchester has the cheapest average pint, at only £3.67. 

Find out more about the cost of living in Eastern England as a student

What Eastern England is known for 


Eastern England is a wide low-lying landscape characterised by waterways. There are many rivers, lakes, canals and wetlands, and the most well-known of these is the Norfolk Broads, which includes over 125 miles of easily navigable waterways in a beautiful countryside environment.  

Universities in Eastern England 


There are ten major universities in Eastern England. 

If you’re considering applying to any of these Eastern English institutions, then it can be really helpful to attend an open day and visit the university campus. You’ll see for yourself where you’ll be living and studying, and can take the opportunity to talk with current students to get the low-down on university life. 

Similar articles