Is Leicester a good place to live? Well it depends what you’re into, but overall it is a warm and welcoming city. The student life in Leicester is definitely not portrayed to be as thrilling as neighbouring cities like Nottingham. However, Leicester has a thriving community that invites all! As a student here, I think the city has a lot to offer and is well worth considering studying in.
6 reasons why I like living and studying in Leicester
There are lots of different reasons why people like their cities, but here are my top 6 for why Leicester makes a great place for students to live in.
1. Diversity and Inclusion
We can’t really begin a conversation about Leicester without discussing diversity. It’s regularly decorated with bright lights that represent the various festivals celebrated here annually. With 59.1% of its residents coming from ethnic minority groups, everyone is made to feel welcome, which is particularly important if you’re an international student! The city’s community is designed to help people coming from abroad to settle in ( where 41.% of the people living in Leicester were born outside of the UK). Dr Chris Zembe spoke on diversity in Leicester thriving because of,
“evolving local and political willingness to accept immigrants from outside the borders of Europe.” Also going on to say, “Leicester is a global city with mutual respect for our differences.”
As a student, knowing you’re in a city that is welcoming to all people of all background feels good, which is why diversity and inclusion are one of the reasons Leicester is a good place to live as a student.
2. Local sports
If you’re a sports fan, you’re in for a treat in Leicester City. After winning the Champions League in 2016, Leicester prides itself on our football team. Alongside football, there is also Leicester Tigers rugby which has a loyal group of supporters.
3. Work-life balance
In 2023, Leicester out-performed the rest of the East Midlands and the wider country on its work-life balance. Officially named the best place to live and work in the area, scoring higher than the national average in several areas. The growth in new businesses and access to public transport also contributed to Leicester being above the national average.
4. Leicester’s thriving local Arts Scene
Leicester and the Leicestershire areas are renowned for their arts scene. With a wide range of arts, culture, theatre, music, and street art the city is bustling with creativity. Artists and actors alike have so many opportunities to get involved in.
Bring the Paint street art festival is definitely worth exploring! Street artists do more than paint the town red, producing some of the finest creative pieces. Artists come to the city to create large-scale public artworks to celebrate graffiti culture.
Leicestershire is home to many museums. The main one being Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, which is home to a fossil which inspired David Attenborough (a local celebrity in the city.) Alongside a large collection of German Expressionist Art. This is also in hand with the University of Leicester’s Attenborough Arts Centre which celebrates local artists to push boundaries creatively.
5. Good range of theatres
Leicester is home to two phenomenal theatres. The Curve, a well renowned state of the art theatre, in the centre of the city. Housing many local productions as well as hosting touring productions.
You’ll find the Sue Townsend Theatre near the De Montfort University. A well respected venue in the city, if you’re a theatre go-er it is definitely worth a look!
To watch smaller productions, venues such as the Little Theatre and the revitalised HayMarket Theatre offer plenty of options. When it comes to Theatre in Leicester, you’re spoilt for choice!
6. Live music scene
Leading on from the theatre, Leicester’s bustling arts scene would not be complete without music. Hosted at De Montfort Hall as the largest performance venue, and served as a cultural beacon for the community in Leicester for many, many years.
So while there are lots of reasons Leicester is a good place to live for students, I think the pace of life and the variety of things to do are what makes it special for me. Of course, most prospective students also want to know about nightlife – so why not check out the best nightclubs in Leicester to get an idea of what that’s like and how it compares to other major cities.
I’m Leah Corbett, a 21 year old student from Leicester. I study English Literature with Creative Writing and am going into my final year. I enjoy writing creatively and have worked on various types of student-led publications.
