Student guide to Bath

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Located in South West England, Bath is known for its stunning architecture and fascinating history. It’s also home to two universities, the University of Bath and Bath Spa University, meaning you have plenty of choice when it comes to your degree program if you choose to study here. There’s plenty to keep you busy while you’re not studying as well, from exploring the city’s past to the student-friendly nightlife on offer. If your interest is piqued, then our student guide to Bath is just what you need. Read on to learn about student activities, the nightlife, local transport and how much you can expect to pay if you choose to study in Bath.

Student activities in Bath
Nightlife in Bath
Student accommodation in Bath
Transport in Bath
Student costs in Bath
What Bath is famous for
Universities in Bath

Student activities in Bath

There’s a lot going on in Bath, so when you’re not studying you won’t be short of things to do. When you first move, you could check out one of the free walking tours of the city to help you get your bearings – and what could be more student-friendly than a free activity?

Throughout the year, there’s plenty to keep you busy as well. A visit to the Thermae Bath Spa is a must, as is a visit to the Roman Baths. You can also pay a visit to Bath City Farm, which is another free attraction the city has to offer.

Come Christmas, the Christmas market is the perfect place to find unique gifts for your family and friends. As well as handmade gifts, you’ll find plenty of food and drink stalls, and of course the whole place is lit up like a Christmas tree.

Read our list of the top 10 things to do for students in Bath.

Nightlife in Bath

When it comes to nightlife, there’s plenty to keep you busy in Bath. One of the most popular venues is Moles, which offers live music as well as regular club nights. Some other popular places to check out include Bath’s ‘best cocktail bar’ Sub 13, Komedia and Labyrinth.

If you’re looking for a cozy pub rather than the bars and clubs, then you could check out The King of Wessex (ahh… Spoons) or the Canon for a night out on a budget. If you’re willing to splash out a little, the Bath Brew House is a nice location, and The Cork offers classic British pub vibes.

Student accommodation in Bath

If you choose to live in uni-owned halls, you’ll have a variety of options in Bath. At the University of Bath, self-catered accommodation prices start at £78 per week for a shared room and go up to £250 a week for studio rooms.

Several of the halls include weekly ‘Eat and Drink credit’ in their rental prices. This works in a similar way to catered accommodation, as you can spend the credit on meals at outlets on campus. Accommodation with Eat and Drink credit starts at £125 per week (one meal per day is included in this cost) and goes up to £248 a week. Rooms with Eat and Drink credit provide enough credit for one or two meals per day depending on the accommodation.

At Bath Spa University, all rooms are self-catered. Options with shared bathrooms start from £77 per week for a shared room and goes up to £134-£144 per week for a single room. Ensuite rooms start from £164 per week and go up to £186 per week, while studios cost £222 per week.

If uni-owned halls of residence aren’t for you, then you may want to look at private halls of residence, which are usually a similar price point to uni halls and offer many of the same amenities. They may, however, be further from campus.

If you don’t want to be in halls at all, then you can look at privately renting. Typically, this would be a room in a shared student house, for which you could expect to pay around £800 per month. Cheaper rent can be found if you choose to live further outside the city.

Transport in Bath

You can get a week’s bus pass for £17.50 in Bath, or a day pass for just £2.50. Most of the city is walkable, so you’ll likely find that you don’t often need to use the local transport unless you live further out of the city.

Travelling further afield, you can get a ticket to London from £10.50 each way, or just £8.70 each way to Bristol. To save more on rail travel, you could purchase a 16-25 Rail Card for £30 a year, which saves you 1/3 on rail travel.

Student costs in Bath

As well as budgeting for your rent, some common student expenses in Bath are:

£200 a month for groceries and hygiene products
£40 a month for laundry if not included in your accommodation
£65 for utilities if not included in your rent

You’ll also need to save some of your budget for socialising. Typical costs associated with socialising include:

£5 for a pint
£5-£10 entry to a club
£13.50 for a meal for one in an inexpensive restaurant

Read our detailed breakdown of the cost of living in Bath for students.

What Bath is famous for

As its name suggests, Bath is famous for being the site of an incredibly well-preserved Roman Bath House. The Roman Baths here were once a great religious site. Today, they offer a great opportunity to learn more about Roman Britain thanks to the museum built around the site and the sheer volume of artifacts on display.

Bath is also known for being the home of author Jane Austen for several years of her life. Austen lived in the city from 1801 to 1806, and the city is now home to the Jane Austen Centre where you can learn more about her life and works.

Universities in Bath

There are two unis on offer here, both with unique appeal and a wide range of subjects on offer.

The University of Bath ranked within the top 10 universities in the UK according to the Complete University Guide’s 2023 league tables and is a member of the famous Russell Group.

Meanwhile, Bath Spa University is proud to offer its students access to specialist workshops and purpose-built facilities such as labs and TV studios. Bath Spa students benefit from these industry-standard facilities, which leave students ready to enter the professional world.

If you’ve got more questions about what it’s like studying in Bath after reading all our guides, then why not attend an open day at one of Bath’s unis? If you’re sure that Bath is for you, then start searching for courses in Bath now.

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