While academic progression and career prospects are the mian reasons to choose a university, the social scene a city offers is just as significant to a lot of us.
After all, what’s a university experience without a bit of misbehaviour while enjoying the nightlife of your new city? The UK boasts spme electrifying nightlife hotspots, so students here are spoilt for choice.
This guide gives you a run down of the top 5 university cities renowned for their thriving social scene, whether that be pubs, clubs, cocktail bars, festivals or anything else.
If you are a bit of a party animal and one of these universities offers a course that takes your fancy, you’ll have the time of your life.
Liverpool
When it comes to nightlife, Liverpool is a force to be reckoned with. Famous for music since the 1950s and 1960s, it’s still a city bursting with places to head out and dance the night away.
At the epicentre of this lies the Guild, the student’s union of the University of Liverpool. This iconic establishment serves as a hub for weekly athletic and social gatherings, live music events, and the quintessential Friday night rendezvous spot after lectures.
What sets the Guild apart is its inclusive nature, welcoming students from all corners of the city to revel in its reasonably priced drinks and infectious energy. Of course, there is much more on offer in the city itself like Ink Bar, Modo, and Jaloux, but this is a good place to start.
Liverpool’s student nightlife offers a plethora of events every night, with most venues forgoing entry fees.
For those seeking a more intimate pre-game experience before hitting the clubs, Faculty beckons with its inexpensive drinks, jukebox tunes, and comfortably worn furniture – the perfect setting for an authentic student night out.
Leeds
Leeds is a veritable nightlife mecca, so good that people travel in to shop during the day and party into the night.
The University of Leeds has its own iconic student club, Fruity, which has earned a reputation as the city’s longest-running student party every Friday, famed for its infectious blend of fun and cheesy music.
If midweek debauchery is your calling, the Mixtape Project at the Hifi Club awaits on Tuesdays, serving up affordable £3 Red Stripes and £2.50 tequilas amidst an eclectic mix of tunes ranging from Kendrick Lamar to All Saints. For those devoted to a specific genre, like drum and bass, Sticky Feet is the Wednesday hotspot, with drinks starting at a mere £2.50.
Beyond the raucous party venues, Leeds offers plenty of different nightlife options, from sipping on delectable yet somewhat pricey cocktails in atmospheric bars to indulging in side-splitting comedy clubs or catching a live show at one of the city’s renowned music venues, such as the popular Domino. And, of course, no Leeds university experience would be complete without embarking on the infamous Otley Run pub crawl.
Manchester
Manchester boasts some of the liveliest after-dark entertainment in the UK, making it a hit among its student population.
The city boasts a plethora of affordable bars, themed club nights, and live performance spaces to dive into. Especially noteworthy are the student-centric club events, which offer great value, as the city’s prices elsewhere are inching worryingly close to those found in London.
Several popular nights include Playground on Tuesdays, Cargo on Wednesdays, and Lola Lo on Thursdays. The venue YES on Oxford Road frequently hosts events tailored to the student crowd. Additionally, Manchester’s autumn and winter seasons are highlighted by the renowned Warehouse Project happenings.
Unlike the typical underdeveloped and dull student districts, the University of Manchester is also attractive for its Fallowfield locality, an area often celebrated as the best neighbourhood for students across the UK. Fallowfield bustles with community spirit and, despite being a thirty-minute journey from the city centre, boasts a vibrant party scene of its own.
Establishments such as the Friendship Inn, The Ram, The Great Central, Beer Studio, Revolution, Font, and Koh Tao are just a few places to grab a drink. Moreover, The Squirrel offers pints for just £1.90 for students with a stretched budget.
Newcastle
When it comes to universities with top-notch nightlife, no list would be complete without mentioning Newcastle. Affordable, lively, and filled with spirit, both Newcastle University and Northumbria University host inviting bars – Luther’s at Newcastle and Habita at Northumbria, respectively.
The appeal of Newcastle’s nightlife lies in its sheer variety – something is happening every evening, and it’s budget-friendly. On Mondays, Kandi Island beckons with entry and shots at just £1, offering four distinct rooms to explore. Waikiki Tuesdays, slightly pricier at £5 entry, transports you to a tropical escape, complete with an expansive venue boasting four bars.
Come Wednesdays, you can choose between a throwback experience at Decades or immerse yourself in the house and techno vibes at Dirtz at Pedru. When the semester ends and budgets tighten, students flock to Skint Thursdays for £1 drinks.
If it’s universities with a wealth of nightlife options you’re after, these two deliver. Quayside offers lively bars and restaurants with picturesque views outside the party scene. Like all major UK cities, more upscale cocktail lounges, comedy clubs, and jazz bars are available, though they come at a steeper price.
Brighton
Brighton is known for drawing an eclectic, artistic, and freedom-embracing student crowd, owing to its reputation as an unconventionally spirited city. Consequently, Brighton is a hotbed for exceptional student nightlife. There’s a diverse selection of venues, whether you prefer the upscale atmosphere of Stokes Croft by the harborside or the rustic charm of the cobblestone paths leading to Clifton.
The city boasts unique and appealing student bars like Hobgoblin, Worlds End, and Twisted Lemon. Hobgoblin stands out for its budget-friendly offerings, boasting deals like £2 drinks with a student card, 99p tequila shots on Tequila Tuesdays, and complimentary Coronas during Lemon Wednesdays. The Haunt is another popular spot among students, and while it can be expensive on weekends, it remains fairly budget-friendly on Mondays.
The local music scene in Brighton is vibrant and thriving. For instance, Patterns hosts Donuts every Tuesday, featuring resident DJs and well-priced beverages, while Concorde 2 is famed as one of the city’s premier venues for live music.
Being the sole university from the south on this list, the cost of living, including drink prices, tends to be steeper than what you’d find in other student cities. Despite the more expensive drinks, the dynamic nightlife is undoubtedly a highlight.
Don’t Enrol Based on Nightlife Alone!
Choosing a university is a significant decision, and a vibrant social scene is just one factor to consider. And I hate to break it to you, it’s not the most important.
Academia and career prospects should always take precedence. However, for many students, a thrilling nightlife scene adds an invaluable dimension to the overall university experience.
This guide has explored five of the UK’s top university cities renowned for their exciting after-dark activities. We’ve considered affordability and variety to help you find the perfect fit. Remember, even if your chosen university isn’t on this list, there will still be opportunities to have fun and explore the city’s nightlife, so don’t rule others out.
Research thoroughly, prioritize your needs, and decide where to go based on the course you want to do and the affordability of living in that part of the world. Nightlife should only factor in decision making after these two elements.
