Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Keele is a true campus university: about 600 acres of woods, lakes and parkland on a hill just west of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent. Halls, lectures, the SU, shops and sports facilities are all on site, so most first years barely need to leave. With around 13,500 students, it's big enough for a decent social life but small enough to feel friendly.
The trade-off is location. Keele is fairly isolated, and nights out in town mean a bus or taxi. Halls are good value, though, starting at about £128 a week. If you want a calm, green, close-knit place to study, it's a strong pick.
Known for
Keele University is 19th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 55.8, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Newcastle University | 55.9 |
| 18 | University of Worcester | 55.9 |
| 19 | Keele University | 55.8 |
| 20 | Norwich University of the Arts | 55 |
| 21 | University of Leeds | 54.6 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
9th of 124 · Freshers Score 68.7
10th of 122 · Careers Score 43.3
11th of 124 · Affordability Score 70
16th of 124 · Employability Score 41.7
17th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 65.2
17th of 124 · Value Score 61.5
17th of 123 · Happiness Score 63.4
22nd of 124 · Innovation Score 65.2
24th of 124 · Balance Score 51.8
30th of 124 · Sustainability Score 59.4
46th of 124 · Societies Score 54.8
55th of 124 · Social Score 51.2
61st of 124 · Safety Score 43.5
71st of 124 · Inclusion Score 54.7
96th of 124 · Nightlife Score 38.7
Newcastle-under-Lyme as a student city
Ranked 38th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 50.9.
Keele University appears in 44 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 6th | of 67 | 170 |
| Medicine | 4th | of 30 | 88 |
| Statistics | 4th | of 27 | 82 |
| Midwifery | 8th | of 54 | 121 |
| Pharmacy | 7th | of 32 | 90 |
| Chemistry | 10th | of 44 | 112 |
| Sociology | 21st | of 86 | 159 |
| Forensic Science | 8th | of 31 | 91 |
| Film Production | 24th | of 87 | 166 |
| Biomedical Science | 26th | of 93 | 152 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Relations | 20th | of 71 | 131 |
| Politics | 22nd | of 78 | 138 |
| Cyber Security | 17th | of 58 | 127 |
| Pharmacology | 11th | of 37 | 78 |
| History | 23rd | of 76 | 135 |
| Nursing | 26th | of 85 | 151 |
| Biology | 16th | of 51 | 112 |
| Computer Science | 32nd | of 102 | 164 |
| Environmental Science | 15th | of 47 | 105 |
| Criminology | 30th | of 94 | 159 |
| Mathematics | 20th | of 61 | 118 |
| Media and Communication | 26th | of 79 | 149 |
| Supply Chain Management | 4th | of 12 | 42 |
| Geology | 7th | of 21 | 60 |
| Physics | 15th | of 45 | 103 |
| Philosophy | 18th | of 54 | 114 |
| Psychology | 37th | of 108 | 156 |
| Sports Science | 27th | of 78 | 136 |
| Marketing | 31st | of 88 | 148 |
| Law | 35th | of 97 | 145 |
| Teaching | 29th | of 79 | 140 |
| Occupational Therapy | 15th | of 40 | 101 |
| Geography | 24th | of 63 | 123 |
| Creative Writing | 13th | of 34 | 76 |
| Neuroscience | 10th | of 26 | 71 |
| Human Resource Management | 23rd | of 58 | 116 |
| Business and Management | 46th | of 114 | 159 |
| Biochemistry | 25th | of 60 | 109 |
| Data Science | 21st | of 50 | 101 |
| Software Engineering | 27th | of 58 | 105 |
| Economics | 44th | of 85 | 115 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 38th | of 66 | 78 |
| PPE | 20th | of 31 | 59 |
| Radiography | 21st | of 29 | 53 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Campus life revolves around Keele SU, which runs 100+ clubs and societies and its own venues and events. Because everyone lives on or near campus in first year, it's easy to get involved and meet people. The SU also runs a free Safety Bus every evening. For more variety, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley are short bus rides away, and Manchester and Birmingham are reachable by train from Stoke-on-Trent.
University halls cost £128.03–£231.98 per week (2026/27, bills included; most undergraduates take a 38-week contract) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Keele offers guaranteed accommodation to all September entry and international students who make Keele their firm choice and apply by the deadline. For September 2026 entry the deadline was 30 June 2026, later extended to 24 July. You must formally accept your Keele place first. Clearing students are guaranteed a place in university owned, managed or approved accommodation for their first year.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Hall (Standard Shared Halls) | On campus | shared bathroom and kitchen | £128.03/wk | The cheapest option, with only about 44 rooms: £4,865.14 for 38 weeks. |
| Horwood Hall | On campus | Standard Plus (wash basin, shared bathroom) or shared flat | £144.97/wk | Standard Plus rooms are £5,508.86 for 38 weeks; shared-flat rooms £158.97 a week. |
| Barnes Hall | On campus | Standard Plus, shared flat or superior en-suite | £144.97/wk | The largest mix of room types. Superior en-suites with a three-quarter or double bed cost £231.98 a week (£8,815.24 for 38 weeks). |
| Holly Cross | On campus | en-suite | £195.02/wk | En-suite rooms with a three-quarter bed: £7,410.76 for 38 weeks. |
| The Oaks | On campus | en-suite | £195.02/wk | Same en-suite price band as Holly Cross and Lindsay Court. |
| Lindsay Court | On campus | en-suite | £195.02/wk | En-suite block next to Lindsay Hall. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The nearest town, a few miles from campus, with shops, bars and a direct bus to Keele.
A small, quiet village close to campus. Handy if you want a short commute.
The main city centre for shopping and nightlife, further out but on the 25 bus route.
Top tip
Applications for September entry open in February and the main deadline is 30 June, so apply as soon as Keele is your firm choice. There's a £450 advance payment due by 31 August, and you get a 7-working-day cooling-off period after accepting a room. Many second years stay on campus or move to Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Keele is one of the cheaper places to study in England. Halls cost from £128 to £232 a week in 2026/27, with bills, wifi and insurance included, and every first year can live on campus. Your main extra costs are food and buses or taxis into town. The university doesn't publish an overall living-cost estimate that I could find.
Getting around
Everything on campus is walkable. Bus 25 links Keele with Newcastle-under-Lyme, Royal Stoke hospital, Stoke-on-Trent station and Hanley, and Potteries-area routes are subsidised for students. Stoke-on-Trent station is about 5 miles away (15–20 minutes by taxi), with trains to Manchester, Birmingham and London. The SU runs a free evening Safety Bus.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Keele University is 19th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 55.8. Its strongest results are for freshers experience (9th), career prospects (10th), affordability (11th).
Yes. Keele guarantees accommodation to September entry students who make it their firm choice and apply by the deadline (30 June for 2026 entry, later extended to 24 July). Clearing students are guaranteed a place in university owned, managed or approved accommodation.
Yes. All the university's halls (Barnes, Horwood, Lindsay, Holly Cross and The Oaks) are on the main campus, within walking distance of teaching buildings, the SU and shops.
No. Keele's halls are self-catered, with shared kitchens. Bills, wifi, contents insurance and cleaning of shared areas are included in the rent.
Take bus 25, which runs from outside Stoke-on-Trent station directly to campus. The station is about 5 miles away, roughly 15–20 minutes by taxi (about £10).
It's more of a campus social life. The SU runs events and venues on site, and Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley are a bus or short taxi ride away. Manchester is reachable by train from Stoke if you want a bigger night out.
HESA figures for 2023/24 put Keele at 13,525 students, including 9,900 undergraduates. The university itself says it has over 13,500 students.
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.
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