When I tell people that I go to university in Huddersfield, I am always met with a look of confusion. People have no idea where it is. Unless you live in a neighboring town or city Huddersfield is not a place many people have heard of. So after I say ‘it’s a town in Yorkshire’ I am then often asked what it is like there.
Why did I choose Huddersfield?
When looking at universities in year 12 and 13, I wasn’t really sure where I would end up. Did I want to live by the coast? Was living in a big city something I wanted? How far away from home did I want to go?
In the time I spent looking through universities for my course, Huddersfield University was one that came up, so I decided to go and visit. What stood out to me was how this town had the perfect balance between having things to do but not having the fast paced busy atmosphere of a city. Having been to the open day and then gone on to visit the university again for a taster day I could really see myself studying here.
Cost of living
The practicalities of the cost of living in Huddersfield was something that greatly impacted my decision. Huddersfield, in my opinion, has remained quite student friendly cost of living wise. Overall, I have found Huddersfield to be a good place to live on a budget.
Getting around Huddersfield
One thing you soon realise about living in Huddersfield is that everything you need is less than a 20 minute walk away, which means I rarely need to get a taxi or bus in order to get to where I want.
The train station and bus station are both around 20 minutes away from me. The local shops and supermarkets are about a 10-15 minutes walk away and the main campus is so close I can see it from my accommodation window. The list of what is within that 20 minute radius is endless, which is great for a student budget as you get to save on travel costs, whilst getting some daily exercise in too!
Accommodation and living in the city
Now, this is all well and good going on about how you can save money, but what about what you actually spend week by week? Is the University of Huddersfield an affordable place to study on a student budget? My simple answer to that is, yes.
Student accommodation is probably one of the costlier aspects of student life. Not only is it costly but most universities can only guarantee accommodation for 1st years, after that students have to find private accommodation, which can definitely bring its own challenges and stress.
Luckily, as a student in Huddersfield, this is not the case. Private accommodation is available at affordable rates, and once you have booked that place to live you are able to keep rebooking the same room or move to another flat with little worries about what will be left. There is plenty of accommodation going around! So after you make that first decision of where to live before your first year, accommodation worries soon diminish!
What to get up to when visiting
Huddersfield is a small town, so I would be lying if I said it wasn’t limited in what it has to offer. However, whilst options can be limited, you will not find yourself bored!
With a number of independent cafes waiting for you to try out as your new study spot with friends, and surrounded by countryside that is perfect for a walk, there are some easy ways to fill your time!
My personal favourite is The Light, Huddersfield’s new entertainment centre. This place has so much to offer, to name a few: axe throwing, crazy golf and even a cinema. It also has an arcade that is a perfect way to spend time with friends whilst waiting for your activity to be set up. There is so much it has to offer, you could definitely spend a day here with friends or family. All of this, and more, is available at affordable prices and only a 5 minute walk from campus!
Student societies in Huddersfield
As a student I would say one of the best things you can do when you start university is to join a society. During my time at Huddersfield University I have joined quite a few societies and it has been one of my best decisions I made!
The university has lots of different societies you can join, these societies from being course specific, such as the speech and language therapy society, to being focused on a hobby or interest, such as the debate society and the astrology and spirituality society. There are also societies for religious and cultural groups, including the first love society and Egyptian society. Last but not least, the University of Huddersfield and lots of sports societies available for you to join, some popular sport societies include, dance, football, rugby and cheerleading.
So with all these options of society groups, you are definitely likely to find one that suits you. I can not recommend it enough, being a part of a society has been one of the best ways for me to meet new people and make amazing friends. It has given me the opportunity to learn new things and find a hobby I love.
If you are looking at the University of Huddersfield, and you are wondering if your student life here will be as good as you want it to be. I hope you can see that this ever growing town has so much to offer you. Here, you can make meaningful friendships that will last a lifetime, attained societies that help you create memorable moments and explore the outdoors on some great walks! Huddersfield is perfect for students wanting that uni experience without the hustle and bustle of big city life.
Hi my name is Lucy and i currently study speech and language therapy at the University of Huddersfield. In my spare time I love to stay active by going on walks in the surrounding countryside or going to the gym. I also love to learn new things in my free time and I am currently learning Spanish and how to play chess.
