Hi there, I'm Luna.
I'm a bit like an AI, except instead of making pictures of people with 16 fingers, I can help you find the perfect course and uni.
Would you like some help in your search?
Centrally located, Nottingham is ideal for students who don’t want to be too far away from anything in the UK. The city itself offers plenty for students, from nightlife and live music to culture and history, so there are loads of reasons to study here. If you’re looking to escape the north-south divide (yes it’s very real at uni!), then picking a city in the Midlands is an ideal way to compromise. If Nottingham’s on your radar, then you need to know what’s on offer, what you can get involved in, how you can get around and what it all costs. Whatever questions you’ve got on your mind, we’ve done our best to answer the most common queries here in our student guide to the city.
- Student activities in Nottingham
- Nightlife in Nottingham
- Student accommodation in Nottingham
- Transport in Nottingham
- Student costs in Nottingham
- What Nottingham is famous for
- Universities in Nottingham
Student activities in Nottingham
Nottingham is packed with history to explore, from the Caves under the city to museums such as the National Justice Museum. There’s also, of course, the legend of Robin Hood, so you’ll find a lot around the city relating to the legendary outlaw.
If you’re more interested in sports, then you’ll be pleased to know that the city has two football grounds (home to Nottingham Forest FC and Notts County), as well as a cricket stadium which hosts national and international matches.
You’re also close to lots of parks and outdoor attractions including Sherwood Forest, Creswell Crags and Wollaton Park, so there are plenty of places to go for a weekend walk or a summer picnic.
Read our list of the top 10 things to do for students in Nottingham.
Nightlife in Nottingham
Nottingham is a popular area for student nightlife, with students from different cities in the East Midlands often travelling to Nottingham for a night out. The city has a lot of music venues, from the Motorpoint Arena to smaller venues such as Rock City.
If you’re after bars or pubs, then some popular student places include The Walrus, Calluna and Pepper Rocks. There’s also the self-proclaimed ‘oldest inn in England’, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem.
Luckily for you, there are also a lot of clubs in Nottingham, so no need to worry about where you can go to dance the night away. Some of the popular Nottingham clubs include Rescue Rooms (which is also a music venue), Stealth and Popworld.
Student accommodation in Nottingham
If you opt to live in student halls in Nottingham, you can expect to pay between £99 and £245 a week depending on the hall you choose and the uni you’re studying at. Self-catered rooms and shared bathroom rooms are cheaper than catered or ensuite accommodation, though if you live in one of the University of Nottingham’s catered halls, you’ll be spending less on groceries, so you’ll want to consider what the best option for you is. All the halls at Nottingham Trent University are self-catered, so you won’t have the option to have your meals provided if you opt to study here.
If uni halls aren’t for you, there are lots of opportunities to rent privately in and around the city. Rooms in a shared house tend to start at around £440 per month. If you want to live on your own, you could be paying around £900 a month to rent a studio flat or one-bed flat. If you opt to rent privately, you’ll have to bear in mind that you’ll probably have to budget for your utilities as well as your rent, whereas typically in halls these are included in your rent prices. Utility bills in a shared house are likely to be around £80 per month, but it depends on the number of people you’re sharing with.
Transport in Nottingham
While you can get around the city centre on foot or by bike if you wish, there are plenty of local transport options linking the city centre with the suburbs and surrounding neighbourhood. As well as the local buses, you’ll find local train serves and even local trams. If you find that you’re using the public transport network regularly in Nottingham, you might be able to save money by purchasing a monthly pass, which costs around £57 for students.
As well as local transport, Nottingham is well-connected to other UK cities via train. You can get one-way tickets to cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and London for under £20. Prices are usually lower if you buy in advance and if you travel off-peak. To save even more, you can purchase a 16-25 Rail Card, which costs £30 for a year and entitles you to 1/3 off your train tickets, so it easily pays for itself after a couple of journeys!
Student costs in Nottingham
Living in Nottingham, you’ll have expenses on top of your rent and tuition. Your essential expenses in a typical month might look something like this:
- £44 a week on groceries and hygiene products (less if you’re in catered halls)
- £25 on laundry a month if you need to use a launderette
- £15-£20 on course materials such as textbooks
You’ll also want to save some money for socialising. Typical costs are around:
- £4 for a pint
- £14 per person for a meal in an inexpensive restaurant
You can often find student deals around the city to make eating out and drinking a little bit cheaper. How much you spend on your essential expenses and socialising will depend on your lifestyle, so make sure you take this into account when you’re budgeting.
Read our detailed breakdown of the cost of living in Nottingham for students.
What Nottingham is famous for
Nottingham is most famous for being the home of the Robin Hood legend. As the story goes, outlaw Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men stole from the rich to give to the poor, causing conflict with the Sheriff of Nottingham. The legend says that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest, where you can visit today to learn more about the history, and whether there’s any truth in the story.
Universities in Nottingham
There are two unis in Nottingham, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University. According to the Complete University Guide’s 2025 league tables, the University of Nottingham ranked 30th in the UK overall, while Nottingham Trent University ranked 45th. This puts both unis firmly in the top half of UK universities overall.
As well as their strong rankings, you’ll have plenty of choice of courses. Each uni offers hundreds of undergraduate courses, with subjects from a broad range of departments. Whether you’re looking to study literature, biology or psychology, you’ll be able to find courses to suit your interests in Nottingham.
If you’re still left with questions about Nottingham after checking out all of our city guides, then why not go to an open day at one of the unis in Nottingham?
If you’ve decided Nottingham is for you, then it’s time to start searching for courses in Nottingham.
