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Choosing where to study

Universities in Sheffield

Which universities are in Sheffield? Discover location, transport and facility information for each uni.

Sheffield Town Centre

CONTENTS

  1. Why study in Sheffield?

  2. About Sheffield

  3. University of Sheffield

  4. Sheffield Hallam University

  5. Living in Sheffield

  6. Entry requirements

  7. Transport links

  8. Getting around Sheffield

  9. Things to do in Sheffield

Why study in Sheffield?

Sheffield is England's fifth largest city, located in the north of England. Over 60,000 students live in Sheffield, making it a true student city. The large student population helps local businesses thrive and, as a result, many of these businesses are tailored to students' needs. With many different theatres, cafes, art and music venues, there’s plenty to explore. There’s also lots of parks, public gardens and countryside as 60% of Sheffield is made up of green spaces.

About Sheffield

Nestled in Yorkshire, Sheffield blends a mix of industrial architecture, modern spaces and natural landscapes. With a strong industrial past, the city has since positioned itself as a cultural hub.

A third of Sheffield lies within the Peak District National Park. This, along with the city's Purple Flag status showing that it has a safe night-time economy, contributes to Sheffield being a popular student destination.

University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield teaches over 30,000 students from 150 different countries. It offers highly-rated courses in Architecture, Communications and Media Studies, and Nursing, making it a popular choice with students and teaching staff from all over the world.

Location

The University of Sheffield is not a campus university; instead its buildings are clustered around the south-west of the city centre. Here you can find a mile-long stretch where nearly all buildings belong to the university.  Most of the university's accommodation is clustered further west, putting you within easy reach of Endcliffe Park which stretches out to meet the Peak District National Park. The range of accommodation includes apartments and shared houses, with room options including en suite, shared facilities and deluxe.

Facilities

The University of Sheffield Students’ Union has been named best in the country, an accolade it's maintained for six years running. Students can access 350 clubs and societies, and facilities that include a bar, cafe and restaurant. There’s also a fitness centre with gym, fitness classes and indoor swimming pool with sauna and steam rooms. The library service is considered one of the UK’s leading research libraries, with specialist librarians for every main subject area.

See the University of Sheffield profile page for an interactive map and more information. 

Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam has over 30,000 students, 2,000 academic staff and hundreds of courses to choose from. The central campus is an award-winning building, which cost £50 million to perfect.

Location

Sheffield Hallam University is based mainly on two sites; the City Campus is in the city centre near Sheffield railway station, while the Collegiate Campus is about two miles away in the Broomhall area off Ecclesall Road in south-west Sheffield.

The City Campus is a modern environment just minutes from Sheffield's main bus and rail stations and the city's commercial centre. The Collegiate Campus is set among lawns and trees in one of Sheffield’s leafiest and thriving suburbs. Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union runs its own free shuttle bus service throughout term time for all students with a SHU student card.

Facilities

There are over 40 sports clubs, with social sports sessions offered each week in everything from football to Zumba, and over 100 student-run societies from rock music to scuba diving.

The university also has state-of-the-art technology to help students develop work-ready skills. From a PlayStation teaching lab to a flight simulator for engineering students to test aircraft designs, and a 3D virtual radiotherapy room where healthcare students practise treating cancer patients.

See Sheffield Hallam University profile page for an interactive map and more information. 

Living in Sheffield

Both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam guarantee accommodation for first-year students that accept an offer of study. You’ll have a choice of student halls when you apply, with most offering different rooms for different budgets. Perks of halls include 24/7 support, on-site security, communal spaces to socialise in, and may include access to facilities such as gyms.

From second year onwards you’ll be living in private accommodation. Start looking for accommodation during the latter half of your first year to ensure you have more choice. University of Sheffield students often live in Crookes, Crookesmoor, or Broomhill, while Sheffield Hallam students live in Shallow or Broomhill too.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements vary from uni to uni and course to course – the best way to check what you need to get into your preferred course at each university is to use our course chooser and see what each course’s entry requirements are.

Transport links

Average train journey times from Sheffield

Bristol 2 hours 45 minutes
Cardiff 3 hours 30 minutes
London 2 hours 15 minutes
Manchester 1 hour
Nottingham 1 hour
Oxford 2 hours 40 minutes
Southampton 4 hours

Getting around Sheffield

Sheffield is at the centre of the UK railway network, and an extensive public transport network covers the city centre, suburbs and beyond into South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and the Peak District.

The city's public transport system will efficiently take you between your campus, accommodation and other parts of the city. Make use of each service’s student discounts to ensure you’re saving when you travel.

Bus

Sheffield’s bus network will take you throughout the city and outer areas, with cheap student tickets. However discounted rates are even better if you are aged 18–21 and buy a discount card such as Zoom Beyond or Travel Master.

Tram

University of Sheffield students can use the tram to get straight to campus, as the uni has its own tram stop on Upper Hanover Street. Discounts are available on fares with the Zoom Beyond pass.

Train

The train network will take you around Sheffield’s suburbs, around the South Yorkshire region and to other parts of the UK. Regular train services run between Sheffield and London St. Pancras (at a journey time of just over two hours), Birmingham (one hour 15 minutes), with Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham all roughly an hour away, so it’s worth getting a student railcard.

Cycle

Cycling’s an ideal way to keep fit and see the Sheffield area, with the council having implemented cycling lanes around the city. However, cycling isn’t as common for students in Sheffield as it is in other student cities. Sheffield has many hills, so you’ll usually use public transport to get to and from campus.

Walk

Walking is your chance to get some fresh air and familiarise yourself with Sheffield. Do note that if you’re travelling far, Sheffield is hilly, so you may prefer public transport.

Other

City Taxis run in Sheffield, and students can use the Safe Taxi Scheme to get home safely after a night out. Uber can also be used in Sheffield.

Things to do in Sheffield

Sheffield’s rich street food and drink scene, plus its emphasis on creativity and a love of sport, leave very few students bored. If you want to get away from it all, explore the green spaces around the city or wander west into the Peak District National Park.

Food and drink

London Road is known for its international food, while Devonshire Quarter, Antiques Quarter and Sharrow Valle all have diverse street food, cafe and bar options. Cutlery Works and Peddler Market are also popular spots to meet up at with friends – and do check out the food at Moor Market.

Arts and culture

Sheffield's arts community is prominent. Art can be found at Site Gallery, Millennium Gallery or Graves Gallery, and you can park up for a good film at either Odeon, Showroom or The Light Cinema. Street art can be spotted around street corners, particularly on Kelham Island, while Weston Park Museum and Kelham Island Museum are options for a rainy day.

Events

Sheffield’s a music city, so head to Leadmill, City Hall, Hope Works or Yellow Arch Studios for the latest gigs and concerts. Festivals throughout the year include DocFest, Tramlines and Festival of the Mind, and you can head down to Lyceum, Crucible or Theatre Deli for live theatre. The city’s main sport is football, with Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday competing in England's top divisions.

Outdoors

Grab a coffee and head through the Botanical Gardens or the Winter Garden if you’re after a stroll close to the city. But while living in Sheffield, take advantage of being by the Peak District. It’s easy to reach via a bus from the city, and you’ll discover hikers, runners and cyclists are there daily.

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