Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Bath Spa is a creative-leaning university best known for art and design, writing, music, performance and teacher training. Most students are based at Newton Park, a parkland campus with a lake and a Georgian manor about 3.5 miles west of Bath city centre. Art and design is at Locksbrook, by the river, and city halls sit along the Lower Bristol Road.
The official headcount looks big, but it includes many students taught through partner colleges and in London, so the Bath campuses feel far smaller and friendlier. Bath itself is beautiful but pricey, and halls run from about £154 a week for a single room.
Known for
Bath Spa University is 31st out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 53.1, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | University of Portsmouth | 53.4 |
| 30 | York St John University | 53.4 |
| 31 | Bath Spa University | 53.1 |
| 32 | Liverpool John Moores University | 52.8 |
| 33 | University of the Arts London | 52.7 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
1st of 124 · Innovation Score 76.1
1st of 124 · Sustainability Score 86.3
9th of 124 · Safety Score 64.7
14th of 123 · Happiness Score 64.5
34th of 124 · Freshers Score 61.4
37th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 55.8
74th of 124 · Societies Score 47
78th of 124 · Employability Score 27.1
77th of 122 · Careers Score 28.6
93rd of 124 · Value Score 38.5
100th of 124 · Inclusion Score 42.1
108th of 124 · Balance Score 33.6
108th of 124 · Affordability Score 33.8
109th of 124 · Social Score 37.4
113th of 124 · Nightlife Score 30.7
Bath as a student city
Ranked 65th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 41.4.
Bath Spa University appears in 33 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Science | 1st | of 93 | 205 |
| Psychology | 2nd | of 108 | 216 |
| Fashion Design | 1st | of 49 | 153 |
| History | 2nd | of 76 | 181 |
| Marketing | 3rd | of 88 | 203 |
| Human Resource Management | 2nd | of 58 | 153 |
| Sociology | 3rd | of 86 | 207 |
| Business and Management | 4th | of 114 | 231 |
| Music | 2nd | of 56 | 151 |
| Media and Communication | 3rd | of 79 | 194 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science | 2nd | of 47 | 137 |
| Product Design | 2nd | of 43 | 125 |
| Journalism | 3rd | of 59 | 145 |
| Fine Art | 3rd | of 58 | 166 |
| Economics | 6th | of 85 | 169 |
| Criminology | 7th | of 94 | 204 |
| Teaching | 6th | of 79 | 177 |
| Biology | 4th | of 51 | 141 |
| Film Production | 7th | of 87 | 201 |
| English Language and Literature | 5th | of 54 | 133 |
| Accounting and Finance | 3rd | of 30 | 194 |
| Politics | 8th | of 78 | 157 |
| Performing Arts | 4th | of 37 | 113 |
| Philosophy | 6th | of 54 | 135 |
| International Relations | 8th | of 71 | 148 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 9th | of 60 | 137 |
| Geography | 10th | of 63 | 142 |
| Primary Education | 11th | of 59 | 145 |
| Graphic Design | 13th | of 68 | 152 |
| Photography | 9th | of 44 | 102 |
| Interior Design | 20th | of 36 | 62 |
| Creative Writing | 19th | of 34 | 69 |
| PPE | 26th | of 31 | 46 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Life centres on Newton Park, where the Students' Union runs the Barn bar, a gym, clubs and societies, and weekly events like band nights. The campus has its own theatre, the Michael Tippett Centre concert hall and the Commons building for study and cafes. Bath city centre is a bus ride away, with more than 150 places to eat and drink, plus galleries, pubs and the Georgian streets the city is famous for. Bristol is a short train ride away for bigger gigs and clubs.
University halls cost £87–£310 per week (2026/27; single rooms from £154; 39-week contracts for university-managed halls, 44 weeks for Unite and iQ halls) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Bath Spa calls 30 June its 'accommodation guarantee deadline': firm-choice applicants who apply by then are eligible for a guaranteed offer, and the guarantee only covers the first offer you're sent. Applications for 2027/28 open in February 2027 (date TBC) and close on 30 June 2027. Late, insurance and Clearing applicants can register interest for any remaining rooms from August. The university says it will try to house them, but isn't guaranteed.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Village | Newton Park campus | shared bathroom (also twin rooms and some en-suite) | £154/wk | The cheapest single rooms (£6,006 for 39 weeks) beside the campus lake. A handful of twin beds cost £87 a week, and en-suites are £186. |
| Bankside House | Central Bath (near Sion Hill) | en-suite shower, shared toilets | £184/wk | The smallest residence, with room for 43 students and city views. £7,176 for 39 weeks. |
| Charlton Court (Unite Students) | Lower Bristol Road | en-suite | £205.76/wk | 330 en-suite rooms near Locksbrook Campus, managed by Unite Students. 44-week contract (£9,053.44). Guarantor needed. |
| Twerton Mill (iQ) | Twerton / Lower Bristol Road | shared bathroom townhouse, en-suite and studios | £205/wk | Managed by iQ, with an on-site gym, near Chelsea Road. En-suites are £235 a week and studios are £310 (44 weeks). |
| Gardens | Newton Park campus | en-suite | £208/wk | The biggest site (546 en-suite rooms plus 15 studios at £249), close to the Students' Union. 39-week contract: £8,112. |
| Waterside Court (Unite Students) | Lower Bristol Road | en-suite | £210.17/wk | Over 300 en-suite rooms with easy bus and train links, managed by Unite Students. 44-week contract (£9,247.48). |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Bath's main student-house area, with terraced streets, shops and Oldfield Park station.
A popular student area with independent shops and cafes, handy for Newton Park and Locksbrook buses.
Cheaper by Bath standards, on the U4 and U5 bus routes to campus.
Top tip
Make Bath Spa your firm choice, then apply between February and 30 June. It isn't first come, first served, so you have the whole window to compare sites. You pick three preferences. If you're placed in Unite or iQ halls (Charlton Court, Waterside Court, Twerton Mill), you'll need a guarantor. Look at the contract length as well as the weekly price.
Bath is one of the pricier places to be a student outside London. University-managed halls for 2026/27 cost from £154 a week for a shared-bathroom single, and en-suites cost £184–£235. Bills, WiFi and contents insurance are included. The university gives UK first years in halls with lower household incomes an accommodation bursary of up to £1,000.
Getting around
Newton Park is outside the city, so most students rely on First Bus's university services. The U3 runs to Bath city centre every 10–15 minutes on weekdays, until roughly 3am Monday to Saturday. The U4 links Newton Park with Twerton and south Bath, and the U5 loops past Locksbrook, Twerton Mill and Waterside Court. Bring your student ID for discounted fares.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Bath Spa University is 31st out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 53.1. Its strongest results are for innovation (1st), sustainability (1st), safety (9th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, Bath Spa University places highest for Biomedical Science (1st of 93), Psychology (2nd of 108), Fashion Design (1st of 49), History (2nd of 76). Across our awards, it also stands out for innovation.
The main campus, Newton Park, is in parkland about 3.5 miles west of Bath city centre. Art and design is taught at Locksbrook Campus by the River Avon, and Sion Hill is in north Bath. There are also BSU London sites in Hackney and Canary Wharf.
Firm-choice applicants who apply by the 30 June deadline are eligible for a guaranteed first offer. Late, insurance and Clearing applicants can register interest from August, and the university will try to house them but can't promise a room.
Yes. University accommodation includes bills and WiFi, contents insurance, bike stores, laundry facilities and 24/7 security. All halls are self-catered.
By the U3 bus, which runs every 10–15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on Saturdays, until roughly 3am Monday to Saturday. Show your student ID for discounted fares. The U4 and U5 serve Twerton, Locksbrook and the Lower Bristol Road halls.
Only for the privately managed halls: Charlton Court and Waterside Court (Unite Students) and Twerton Mill (iQ). You don't need one where Bath Spa is your landlord (Gardens, Lakeside Village, Bankside House).
It's where the university's strengths lie. It grew partly out of the Bath School of Art (1852) and has specialist studios, workshops, TV studios, a theatre and a concert hall. It's also the South West's largest provider of teacher education.
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.
