Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Bangor is a small university in a small city, squeezed between the mountains of Eryri and the Menai Strait. If you love the outdoors, it's hard to beat: hills, beaches and Anglesey are all on the doorstep. Most first years live in one of two student villages, Ffriddoedd or St Mary's, both within walking distance of the main buildings. Gym membership and the Campus Life events programme come with your room.
The flip side is that Bangor is quiet. Nightlife is limited, and it's a long journey to most big cities. It's also one of the most Welsh-speaking university towns, with dedicated Welsh-language halls and a Welsh students' union.
Known for
Bangor University is 58th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 49.1, above the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 56 | University of Birmingham | 49.7 |
| 57 | University of Buckingham | 49.5 |
| 58 | Bangor University | 49.1 |
| 59 | University of Essex | 48.8 |
| 60 | University for the Creative Arts | 48.7 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
4th of 124 · Affordability Score 74.6
12th of 124 · Safety Score 63.7
14th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 66.8
16th of 124 · Innovation Score 66.3
20th of 124 · Sustainability Score 65.2
23rd of 123 · Happiness Score 59.9
27th of 124 · Freshers Score 62.8
42nd of 124 · Value Score 52.9
56th of 124 · Inclusion Score 61.8
91st of 124 · Balance Score 37.2
98th of 124 · Societies Score 41.5
106th of 122 · Careers Score 21.2
109th of 124 · Employability Score 20.6
117th of 124 · Nightlife Score 27.1
119th of 124 · Social Score 31.1
Bangor as a student city
Ranked 41st of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 50.6.
Bangor University appears in 40 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Management | 1st | of 114 | 242 |
| Film Production | 1st | of 87 | 218 |
| Law | 2nd | of 97 | 202 |
| Product Design | 1st | of 43 | 134 |
| Economics | 2nd | of 85 | 191 |
| Biomedical Science | 3rd | of 93 | 197 |
| Engineering (General) | 1st | of 30 | 111 |
| Midwifery | 2nd | of 54 | 137 |
| Psychology | 4th | of 108 | 214 |
| Human Resource Management | 3rd | of 58 | 149 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology | 5th | of 94 | 211 |
| Linguistics | 2nd | of 27 | 89 |
| Sports Science | 6th | of 78 | 176 |
| Marketing | 7th | of 88 | 192 |
| Data Science | 4th | of 50 | 126 |
| Journalism | 5th | of 59 | 139 |
| Computer Science | 9th | of 102 | 203 |
| Teaching | 7th | of 79 | 176 |
| Politics | 7th | of 78 | 159 |
| Philosophy | 5th | of 54 | 136 |
| Media and Communication | 8th | of 79 | 177 |
| Radiography | 3rd | of 29 | 89 |
| Music | 6th | of 56 | 137 |
| History | 9th | of 76 | 160 |
| Sociology | 11th | of 86 | 179 |
| English Language and Literature | 7th | of 54 | 130 |
| Geography | 9th | of 63 | 143 |
| Creative Writing | 5th | of 34 | 89 |
| Primary Education | 9th | of 59 | 147 |
| Biology | 9th | of 51 | 128 |
| Nursing | 15th | of 85 | 165 |
| Archaeology | 5th | of 28 | 93 |
| Pharmacy | 6th | of 32 | 96 |
| Environmental Science | 9th | of 47 | 119 |
| Zoology | 8th | of 37 | 106 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 16th | of 66 | 109 |
| Accounting and Finance | 8th | of 30 | 179 |
| Marine Biology | 5th | of 17 | 55 |
| Biotechnology | 3rd | of 10 | 43 |
| Pharmacology | 14th | of 37 | 71 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Undeb Bangor, the Students' Union, supports clubs, societies and volunteering, gives free, impartial advice, and works alongside UMCB, the Welsh students' union. Living in halls gets you Campus Life membership, with film nights, quizzes, trips and outdoor activities, plus free use of the Canolfan Brailsford sports centre. Off campus, Eryri, Anglesey and the North Wales coast are right there for walking, climbing and watersports.
University halls cost £110–£265 per week (prices shown for September 2027 entry; 42-week contracts for undergraduates) (2027/28 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Bangor guarantees a room to new undergraduates who: apply for a full-time course starting in September, are based at the Bangor campus, choose Bangor as their firm choice (international applicants applying directly need an offer letter, conditional or unconditional), and apply for halls by 31 July. No upfront deposit or payment is needed to reserve a room.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary's Village (budget single) | St Mary's Village, 0.7 miles from Main Arts | shared bathroom (shared by 4) | £110/wk | The cheapest rooms. Large budget singles from £117 a week. |
| Ffriddoedd Village (Classic en-suite) | Ffriddoedd Village, 0.6 miles from Main Arts | en-suite | £130/wk | Kitchen shared by 7–8. Listed as very limited for September 2027. It cost £125 a week in 2026/27 (£5,232.14 for 42 weeks). |
| John Morris-Jones (JMJ) | Ffriddoedd Village | en-suite (Welsh speakers and learners only) | £137/wk | 134 en-suite rooms in a Welsh-language community for Welsh-speaking and Welsh-learning undergraduates. |
| Ffriddoedd Village (Modern en-suite) | Ffriddoedd Village | en-suite | £175/wk | Newer en-suites in flats of 6–8. Large modern en-suites from £188 a week. Ffriddoedd has around 1,500 rooms in total. |
| St Mary's Village (en-suite) | St Mary's Village | en-suite (3/4 bed) | £175/wk | Premium, premium plus and deluxe en-suites from £190 to £210 a week. |
| St Mary's Village (studios) | St Mary's Village | studio with kitchenette (double bed) | £225/wk | Studios from £225, up to £265 for a deluxe studio. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The classic student area near Main Arts and the Ffriddoedd Village, with lots of shared houses and a few pubs.
Near the waterfront and the High Street. Handy for town, a short walk to campus.
Across the strait, quieter and close to the Ocean Sciences campus.
Top tip
Make Bangor your firm choice and apply for halls by 31 July to secure your guarantee. You don't pay a deposit to reserve a room. Popular room types (like Classic en-suites at Ffriddoedd) sell out, so apply early. If you're a Welsh speaker or learner, ask for John Morris-Jones. Undergraduates can pay in three termly instalments that line up with student loan payments.
Bangor is one of the cheaper places to study in the UK. Halls cost from £110 a week for September 2027 entry, and en-suites start around £130. Bills, Wi-Fi, insurance, gym and Campus Life membership are all included, and there's no deposit. The university doesn't publish a full annual living cost estimate, but points students to StudentPad for private rent data.
Getting around
Both student villages are within walking distance (about 0.6–0.7 miles) of Main Arts and the main university buildings, so most students walk everywhere. Ocean sciences is across the Menai Strait at Menai Bridge. Bangor has a mainline railway station on the North Wales coast line, with direct trains along the coast.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Bangor University is 58th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 49.1. Its strongest results are for affordability (4th), safety (12th), student wellbeing (14th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, Bangor University places highest for Business and Management (1st of 114), Film Production (1st of 87), Law (2nd of 97), Product Design (1st of 43). Across our awards, it also stands out for affordability.
Yes. New full-time undergraduates starting in September at the Bangor campus are guaranteed a room if Bangor is their firm choice and they apply for halls by 31 July.
For September 2027 entry, rooms start at £110 a week (budget singles at St Mary's), with en-suites from about £130 and studios from £225. Undergraduate contracts run for 42 weeks, and bills, Wi-Fi, gym membership and Campus Life are included.
Yes. John Morris-Jones Hall in the Ffriddoedd Village has 134 en-suite rooms for Welsh-speaking and Welsh-learning undergraduates.
No. Bangor says you can reserve your room with no upfront deposit or payment. You can pay later in full or in instalments, including three termly payments timed with student loans.
Ffriddoedd Village is about 0.6 miles and St Mary's Village about 0.7 miles from the Main Arts building, so both are walkable.
Very. It's between Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Menai Strait, with Anglesey across the water, so hiking, climbing and watersports are all close by.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
