Student cities in United Kingdom

There are 18 cities in United Kingdom with at least two universities in our index, 57 universities between them. Here is how they compare on the six things that decide how a year actually feels.

Every student city in United Kingdom

Sheffield8.5/10

Liverpool8.0/10

Nottingham8.0/10

Aberdeen7.8/10

Leicester7.7/10

Birmingham7.5/10

Canterbury7.5/10

Manchester7.5/10

Cardiff7.3/10

Coventry7.3/10

Glasgow7.3/10

Cambridge7.2/10

Edinburgh7.2/10

Leeds7.2/10

Brighton7.0/10

London7.0/10

Bristol6.8/10

Oxford6.2/10

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best student city in United Kingdom?

Sheffield scores 8.5/10 across the six City Life Index measures, the highest in United Kingdom. The table above shows how close the others are.

Last updated 2026-09-15.