Trying to figure out where to live in Leicester? Well, the city has a range of student halls to suit pretty much everyone! Whether you’re after a social experience, or just a quiet place to get your head down – whatever you’re looking for, Leicester’s range of accommodation has got you covered. Here are the best picks for both of the universities in Leicester along with the best of private halls. 

University of Leicester

UOL has two types of university-managed accommodation, the City and the Village. It also has a sizeable accommodation – Opal Court – which is around a 5 minute walk from main campus that is half owned by the uni and half owned privately. 

The City accommodation consists of purpose-built blocks which are a ten minute walk from campus. There are two accommodation sites in the City: Nixon Court and Freeman’s Common.

The Village accommodation is around a 20 minute bus/car ride from main campus, and is nestled away in a leafy-green suburb of Leicester. These halls were the original ones for the university, where all of the old scholars lived. As such, the accommodation is mostly Edwardian style built before WW1. Each villa or lodge is unique and every room is different, with features like wood-panelled walls and secret gardens. 

Opal Court is huge and also a 5 minute walk to the main campus, but to be honest does not have the best reputation and is also, in my opinion, too expensive for what you get. Typically third year+ students tend to live here, so I would also not recommend it for freshers who want to stay where the fun is!

Though the Village is very beautiful and historic, these halls are not as convenient as City accommodation due to the distance. There is the uni shuttle bus that is free, but it’s not totally reliable. My recommendation for the best halls for UOL would be Freeman’s in the City. 

Freeman’s Common 

Honestly, out of all of the accommodation in Leicester itself, this one might be the best. 

Freeman’s is actually infamous throughout Midlands universities for its aesthetics. Most  Freeman’s blocks are high rise, with a very sleek, modern design that offers lovely views of the city if you’re high up enough and like that sort of thing. 

They offer an expansive range of options, from your standard single bedrooms at the cheapest for £165 a week and the most expensive being a whole one bedroom flat for £273 a week. Definitely on the more pricey side, but from someone who lived in Nixon, I think it’s worth it for the upgrade if you can afford it. 

It is also certainly the most convenient, being only a 5 minute walk from the main campus. Something to note here though is that there are many different Freeman’s blocks. One is at the bottom of Nixon Court, so it’s a little further of a walk. One is at the top, and the rest are all spread outside of the Sir Bob Burgess lecture theatre. Overall, definitely the most convenient for being close to campus if you are a late riser like me and need a short walk to uni!

As a Freeman’s resident, you’d also have access to the study rooms in every block, which are nice, ambient spaces to study with friends or just solo. Right on your doorstep is the reception where you can pick up parcels conveniently, and the Freeman’s Bar and Kitchen with additional study space, pool tables, arcade machines, table tennis tables, Sky Sports and a cinema room. Pretty much everything you could want!

De Montfort University 

Private accommodation is very popular among DMU students because the uni doesn’t offer as many DMU-managed halls as UOL does. But your options for DMU-managed halls are: Bede Hall and New Wharf Hall. 

Bede Hall is probably the most popular for first years and is a 7 minute walk to the main campus. It only offers shared bathroom flats. 

New Wharf Hall was refurbished recently, so it offers modern flats with good kitchen facilities. It is only a 3 minute walk from the main campus, and also only offers shared bathroom flats. 

The best of the two is Bede Hall, though it’s close, as the only feature that gives it a leg up over New Wharf is that it’s slightly cheaper. 

Bede Hall

In terms of aesthetics, Bede Hall is simple but functional – designed for student living rather than luxury. Rooms are somewhat spacious, and many overlook either the campus area or surrounding green areas. While it’s not like Freeman’s in its aesthetics, it’s definitely the place for the social side of things. 

The rooms are all shared bathrooms of around 7-10 students. If you’re looking for a little more privacy with an en-suite, DMU halls aren’t for you – I’d recommend going private. 

Its location is its biggest advantage – all within 10 minutes of it are the DMU campus and the city centre. Nearby amenities also a maximum of a 10 minute walk include a Lidl, a Dominoes, a big Tesco just to name a few. 

If these aren’t enough for you, the city centre is also within easy walking distance where you can probably get anything you’d want. There you can also find the best transport links in the city with the bus station, coach station and the train station all being in nearby proximity to each other. What more could you want, especially at £95 a week!

Private Halls 

As with any uni city, Leicester has a lot of privately managed accommodation for students spread out across the city. So much that I could definitely not list them all out! So I’ll pick my personal best for each university. Obviously, while I say that they’re the best for each university, anyone from either university can live in any private halls.

University of Leicester 

Because UOL offers so much of its own accommodation, there are not a lot of private halls nearby the main campus. The main ones closest are the half private Opal Court, Student Roost and Study Inn Reynard House. 

As previously mentioned, I personally would not recommend Opal Court.

From personal experience, I would also not recommend Student Roost for a range of reasons, which can be summarised into the fact that what you get is just not worth what you pay. 

From what I’ve heard, Study Inn seems to be the best pick for private halls near UOL. 

Study Inn 

Study Inn Reynard House was actually voted number 3 best student accommodation in Leicester in 2025. It offers a range of en-suite and studio options, as well as study rooms, spa facilities, entertainment outlets and a gym. 

Its location offers a sort of halfway point between UOL and the city centre – so if living near the heart of the city is important to you as a UOL student, this is the one to pick. The main campus is around a 20 minute walk away, whereas the city centre is around a 10 minute walk away.

From £178 per week, I think for all the facilities you get, this is a great price in terms of value. If you don’t mind being a little further from the main campus, this is the best pick for private halls in Leicester as a UOL student.  

De Montfort University 

Private accommodation is very popular amongst DMU students, as such, the options are unlistable! All I can say is, even if my best pick isn’t for you, there’s definitely something out there that will be. 

As the campus is located in the city centre, most of Leicester’s private accommodation is also located in the city centre, so are great for anyone wanting more of a city feel.

iQ Grosvenor House 

This accommodation was actually voted number 1 for best student accommodation in Leicester. 

Just a 2 minute walk away from DMU’s main campus, Grosvenor House offers a range of modern en-suites and studios from £139 a week. Great value as it also features access to a wide range of social areas, including a lounge with TV and games and a study space. 

It is also just a 7 minute walk from the city centre, with Castle Park and the River Soar being nearby. Perfect for if you want a mix of city living and greenery. 

Picking accommodation that suits you can be tricky. It helps if a city has a wide range of options to pick from, like Leicester. 

When researching your accommodation choices, try to keep in mind some parameters and non-negotiables – like having an en-suite bathroom. Some accommodations, like the ones mentioned above, don’t offer en-suites, so just make sure you read carefully too!

If my best picks for student halls in Leicester aren’t for you, remember that there’s so much more out there. Student accommodation, whether managed by your university or privately, will never be perfect. 

I remember crying on move-in day in first year because I hated my accommodation so much, but three months later I settled in and learned to love it so much that I didn’t even bother opening the move-out forms they sent around to first years.

Student accommodation can be hard to navigate, but as long as you remember your non-negotiables, and that you’ll most likely end up missing it rather than disliking it, you’ll be just fine!