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The overall ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a 2026 Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs for short).
4.04.14.01113 Student reviews
Sort:Latest reviews18-24 years
Everyone is super friendly and helpful. The university is also very devoted to using green energy and reducing waste. I couldnt think of any ways to improve!
The university has brilliant facilities aswell as a great sports park!
18-24 years
First gen student
The university itself is very close to the city centre which means you don’t have to trek 40 minutes to the shop if you need something. It is also a lot more modern then some other universities. The uni of York is meant to be an elite russel group university but on the open day it seemed very run down. This university has managed to keep some of its old charm while ensuring that facilities are up to par with modern standards. On the downside, although this university has an easy to navigate website, it also has some issues with parts being outdated or links not working. When we had a plumbing issue in our accommodation the other week there was an option of two emergency numbers to contact. My housemate got in touch and left a voicemail and after no reply for over an hour and a half I rang the other number and got told the other is only for during the day. This was not dictated on the website. It is not the universities fault, but it is important to note that while the uni offered accommodation is extremely affordable, when you go into your second and third year it is very pricey. It is not the fault of the university, but it is important to note if you go here. My lecturers are all really friendly and easy to approach however I feel they should be more confrontational to people who sit and talk the entire time. It is annoyingly when you are going through a new topic and a big group talks in the back of the room. Lecture halls are designed to carry sound so even a little quiet natter can be heard. They will tell them to be quiet and threaten to kick them out but they never do. I understand that everyone is adults now and no longer school children, but I feel like they should be tougher on people actions when we have to pay over £9000 a year to be here. It may just be a little pet peeve however so take that with a pinch of salt.
I think there's a lot of positive and negative to studying at York St. John university. Starting with the limitations - I think the University suffers, through no fault of its own, by being a smaller university. It means that there's less funding, activities, engagement, and life as there might be at a larger institution. Many teachers and lecturers have divided attention between large amounts of students that can make communication difficult at times. However, I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else - YSJ is a friendly place, with a great Students' Union, fun sports and societies, in a beautiful city. My course is engaging and meaningful with challenging work that feels rewarding and valuable.
I enjoy that there are meals available for around £3 to buy in the canteen and that the library offers a kitchenette for me to eat there. The water fountains around campus are greatly appreciated. The SU has affordable drinks. I am really enjoying my course and the amount of freedom and support I have with my assignments. I'm not disabled but I saw some buildings don't have disabled access such as the art/design building. It's inconvenient to find affordable housing near the uni.
York st john is a great university centred right in the middle of the city, because it is small, there is a feel of community, and students aren’t just a number. The university doesn’t offer the best help for accommodation, as you can’t rreturn to university managed accommodation in second year and beyond.
it’s a beautiful campus and is close to a lot of stuff in the city. even though it’s a big tourist place, it’s not too busy. Campus has a lot of study places and the student union has a bar and a café which are great. The only bad thing I would say, is that the nightlife is a little bit quieter. There are some areas where it’s better. Overall it’s not as busy/social as Manchester, for example, when it comes to clubs. so it’s a little bit better. If you’re looking for a city uni, that’s not overcrowded
It is very central with great access to the city Center. The lectures are very welcoming and engaging and know you on a more personal level than you may get in other universities. The facilities are great and help create a more welcoming environment. It has links with great sports teams in the area and offers many different opportunities within the community. The only slight negative is that the sports facility is away from the main campus however it is only 15 minutes away so still very accessible to all students.
18-24 years
First gen student
I really enjoy the relaxed feel of the campus. I am a commuting student and also appreciate the affordable parking permits for several parking sights around York. I can sometimes find it hard to get appointments for support at university. I also think that if you are not going in to the support sessions with exact questions then they do not provide much support.
Great access to York city centre inbetween lessons. Campus is clean and lots of plants around - not too big so doesn't take long to learn your way around. Lots of spaces on campus for socialising and buying food and drinks - that aren't too expensive. The course (Primary Education) is very well structured with lots of time in lessons and time on placement although they can be very far away making the dayd feel long. Overall is a lovely uni and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.
The university library is a great place to study and the university is open till late, providing lots of empty rooms to study. the night life is good with lots of locations, however they all play the same music.
the only things i can think of for how ysj could be improved are adding water fountains on campus and being more on top of student finance. a few of my flatmates have had trouble getting their student loans and have needed help buying groceries.
Visually it's lovely and never too overcrowded, so it's easy to get around. The staff are also friendly and very helpful. Some departments that don't get as much attention/funding could do with improving though (e.g., the computer science department).
18-24 years
The Library is a great place to study with quite spaces in the higher levels so you have quite when studying which is very helpful. You can make friends easily due to the amount of clubs and societies on campus which are very welcoming. The lectures are there to help if you need and are very understanding of any problem you face. Cafe's could be open longer to accommodate late working students after a late lecture so they have access to quick food.
I think because it’s a smaller university you get to know your teachers and peers more than at a lot of the big universities. The classes feel more personal and the student support is really good. The uni is located right near the city centre which is also really useful.
18-24 years
The atmosphere of the university is incredible, it very quickly felt like home. The location is very ideal for accessing the city centre and supermarkets, and everything is within walking distance which is great for saving money on transport etc. The support is fantastic, with great staff members always looking out for us. It could be improved by session groups being smaller
The Students Union is quite small which can make it hard to get involved with events happening because of space. The staff are so friendly and helpful. My lecturers are all easy to talk to and to go to for support. They're all invested in our success and do what they can to help us do well.
Absolutely love it, great staff. Made lots of friends. Lots of support with essays and 1 to 1 tutorials for extra help
The university is really convenient for being near the city center, however this is let down by the lifestyle of York itself as the economy is too high for a lot of people, including myself. York St John should invest in helping those who need to commute. There is an increasing amount of commuting per year due to the living cost crisis and helping them also benefits the University with attendance, grades and community involvement.
4.4
York St John is a small university, so students have the benefit of lecturers always having time for one-on-one support and class sizes not being too intimidating. The size of the campus also makes it very easy to navigate, and you never have to rush to get between sessions. The SU is a great place to socialise and drinks are much more affordable than any other bar in York. The uni always has fun (and usually free) events on throughout the year. The only downfall is that the library is quite small in its collection compared to that of a bigger uni, so very specific texts might not be available. The inter-library loan service combats this nicely, though.
My course offers a lot of contact time with lecturers and all of my sessions are in-person, so I’m always able to ask questions and discuss topics that I might be struggling with. The sessions are a good length, as they never feel rushed but still leave me with plenty of time to study at home for my assignments. The course content is fascinating, and students on my course have a lot of control over module selection, so it is easily tailored to our specific interests. The lecturers are passionate about their areas of expertise and this shows in their lectures and seminars - it also makes learning so much more fun. My only qualm with the course has been work placement opportunities - one second year module required that we complete a two-week work placement relevant to the course, but we were not offered much in the way of support in finding a placement. They did offer some placements with organisations affiliated with the university, but there were limited places available.