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Lancaster is a historic hilltop cathedral city with a thriving cultural landscape and a large university population. It boasts a vibrant creative scene and inexpensive housing, making it a great choice for students. Not only this, but the city provides superb access to miles of beautiful woodland and countryside, and the beach is less than four miles away. Our guide breaks down some of the key aspects of life in Lancaster, as we explain what you can expect from your student lifestyle, and some of the best things that you can discover here.
- Student activities in Lancaster
- Nightlife in Lancaster
- Student accommodation in Lancaster
- Transport in Lancaster
- Student costs in Lancaster
- What Lancaster is famous for
- Universities in Lancaster
Student activities in Lancaster
Lancaster has a busy cultural scene which, as a student in the city, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore. There are countless museums and galleries, many of which are free to enter or offer student discounted tickets, so soak up some of the local culture or get involved and contribute to it yourself. There are loads of student art shows, theatre groups, comedy open mic nights, and live music events where you can get out there and show the people what you can do.
The Lancaster University Students’ Union is a great place to start, and there’s a good chance you’ll find like-minded people with which to collaborate.
Read our list of the top 10 student activities to do in Lancaster.
Nightlife in Lancaster
Lancaster nightlife is ideally suited to students. All the best bars and clubs are generally clustered around the university campus and centre of town, which means you can easily go out on the town and travel everywhere on foot. There are many pubs, bars, and restaurants to discover, and nightclubs running student events during the week. Here are three of our top picks:
Graduate College Bar - You’ll definitely hear about this one, not least because it’s located inside the university’s graduate college. Lively and affordable, with friendly no-nonsense service, Grad Bar has some of the best real ales and whisky in town, and even serves mead! Thursdays are for live music, and they run a curry night on Fridays. Hard to beat.
Tipple - If you’re looking for a relaxed spot with both classic and seasonal cocktail menus, then look no further than Tipple. The venue is as tasteful and stylish as the drinks, and their bartenders are well versed in the art of mixology which means that you can even ask them to create a drink for you from scratch. Open from 5pm daily, Tipple is a great spot to pop in for a quick refresher or get a table and settle in for the evening.
Lancaster Comedy Club - The club hosts weekly stand-up comedy shows every Sunday at 8pm. There’s nothing as spontaneously funny as live audience comedy, so prepare to laugh your head off with some of the funniest comics in the business. The club is also home to a restaurant where you can enjoy the ambiance with a three-course meal before the show starts.
Student accommodation in Lancaster
After fees, accommodation is probably going to be your biggest single monthly expense, and you’ll have a few options for how to organise this. Most first-years opt to take a place in university-owned halls of residence housing. Halls of residence are safe, secure and very convenient since they are often located on or within a few minutes' walk of campus, not to mention they are very social! You’ll be living alongside hundreds of new students, peers and future friends.
You can rent a single self-catered room in a shared apartment for £130 - £190 per week depending on room size and bathroom facilities, a studio apartment will set you back £220 - £250 per week, and there are also catered room options for £240 per week. One advantage you’ll find is that all utilities bills, including internet, and contents insurance is covered within this rent amount.
If you’d prefer to rent locally, you’ll find affordably low house prices across town. A one-bedroom apartment in the centre costs an average of £690 per month, and a three-bedroom flat averages £990 per month, which works out at £330 per person per month if you choose to live with friends. Utilities bills run to around £60 per person per month, so be sure to factor this into your budget.
Transport in Lancaster
Lancaster is generally very walkable, and this is obviously a great way to get around and really get to know the city. Sometimes you’ve got to catch the bus though, and when you do, you can expect to pay £2.20 for a one-way ticket. This is fairly affordable for infrequent use, however if you think you’ll be taking the bus daily then it’s probably in your interest to pick up a monthly travel pass. They are available for just £55 per month, which works out at less than £2 per day for unlimited travel. Bargain!
Another way to quickly get around is to get on your bike. Lancaster has a few hills to watch out for, but it’s all great exercise and costs nothing once you’re set up with cycling equipment.
Student costs in Lancaster
It’s important to manage your spending while at uni, so let’s take a look at what you’ll need to include in your expenses.
Fees and accommodation are the two largest expenses, though fortunately your tuition fees will probably be covered by your nation’s student finance company. We covered what you can expect from accommodation in Lancaster above, so let’s take a look at other student expenses.
Grocery shopping is the next most important, to which UK students generally allocate a budget of around £44 per week. In Lancaster you’ll have plenty of low-cost outlets and local markets where you can find reasonably priced goods and stay within this budget.
Another very important thing to budget for is going out. Fortunately, a pint of beer will probably only set you back around £4.50, and a meal at an inexpensive restaurant comes to about £13. As well as your regular socialising budget, make sure to have money set aside to buy things like event tickets, new clothes, and course supplies.
Learn more about student costs in Lancaster.
What Lancaster is famous for
Standing proud atop the city’s tallest hill is the very ancient and very fascinating Lancaster Castle. This Grade 1 listed building sits on the site of three successive Roman forts, was built by the Normans, extended during the Middle Ages, and remains an icon of the city to this day. It has lived many lives and seen more than 1000 years of British history, from Roman garrisons to the Pendle Witch trials, it has been the site of many historical executions and was a working prison until 2011.
Today it’s a magnificent heritage attraction, welcoming visitors from all around the world. It’ll be part of your daily background view in Lancaster, so pay it a visit sometime and learn about its importance to the city and its people.
Universities in Lancaster
Lancaster University is the only university in the city. It’s a great place to study, and offers a broad range of undergraduate courses, with a population of around 10,000 students. It’s one of just a few British unis which uses a collegiate system, where each student belongs to a college for the duration of their degree, regardless of whether they live on campus. The university drives a lot of the creative and social scenes in the city, and there’s a lot to discover here. You can expect a friendly and welcoming vibe, and a decent programme of extra-curricular activities and entertainment.
If we’ve convinced you to apply to uni in Lancaster, start searching for courses now.
