Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Leeds Beckett is a big, friendly university with two very different campuses. City Campus is right in Leeds city centre, while Headingley Campus is a leafy 100-acre parkland site in Beckett Park, about three miles out and home to the Carnegie School of Sport. Leeds is one of the UK's biggest student cities, so you get loads of nightlife, gigs and food.
Don't confuse it with the University of Leeds, which is next door to City Campus. Halls cost about £143–£251 a week, with bills included, and the guarantee is generous. If you study at Headingley but live in a city-centre hall, budget for buses: it's about 27–37 minutes each way.
Known for
Leeds Beckett University is 77th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 45.8, below 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 75 | Kingston University | 46.1 |
| 76 | De Montfort University | 46 |
| 77 | Leeds Beckett University | 45.8 |
| 78 | University of South Wales | 45.6 |
| 79 | King's College London | 45.4 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
38th of 124 · Inclusion Score 68.2
41st of 124 · Societies Score 57.2
45th of 124 · Social Score 53.2
48th of 124 · Nightlife Score 52.8
63rd of 124 · Sustainability Score 52.4
74th of 124 · Safety Score 39.8
77th of 124 · Affordability Score 52.3
78th of 124 · Innovation Score 51.2
78th of 124 · Balance Score 38.8
93rd of 124 · Freshers Score 46.9
94th of 122 · Careers Score 24.2
96th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 42.5
97th of 124 · Employability Score 23.2
97th of 123 · Happiness Score 38.1
99th of 124 · Value Score 36.3
Leeds as a student city
Ranked 25th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 55.1.
Leeds Beckett University appears in 44 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineering | 5th | of 58 | 149 |
| Fine Art | 7th | of 58 | 148 |
| Physiotherapy | 9th | of 49 | 124 |
| Biomedical Science | 20th | of 93 | 159 |
| Media and Communication | 19th | of 79 | 157 |
| Psychology | 28th | of 108 | 170 |
| Human Resource Management | 16th | of 58 | 126 |
| History | 21st | of 76 | 137 |
| Sports Science | 22nd | of 78 | 142 |
| Marketing | 25th | of 88 | 157 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 16th | of 55 | 115 |
| Surveying | 7th | of 24 | 75 |
| English Language and Literature | 16th | of 54 | 113 |
| Electrical Engineering | 20th | of 67 | 129 |
| Law | 30th | of 97 | 151 |
| Cyber Security | 18th | of 58 | 126 |
| Sociology | 27th | of 86 | 152 |
| International Relations | 23rd | of 71 | 128 |
| Business and Management | 38th | of 114 | 172 |
| Teaching | 27th | of 79 | 142 |
| Robotics | 11th | of 32 | 93 |
| Fashion Design | 17th | of 49 | 113 |
| Civil Engineering | 21st | of 58 | 113 |
| Nursing | 33rd | of 85 | 137 |
| Primary Education | 23rd | of 59 | 124 |
| Product Design | 17th | of 43 | 98 |
| Data Science | 20th | of 50 | 102 |
| Computer Science | 41st | of 102 | 152 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 21st | of 52 | 109 |
| Environmental Science | 19th | of 47 | 99 |
| Criminology | 39th | of 94 | 145 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 30th | of 66 | 88 |
| Politics | 36th | of 78 | 118 |
| Economics | 40th | of 85 | 120 |
| Geography | 30th | of 63 | 115 |
| Real Estate | 11th | of 22 | 62 |
| Graphic Design | 34th | of 68 | 114 |
| Journalism | 30th | of 59 | 95 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 31st | of 60 | 95 |
| Quantity Surveying | 19th | of 35 | 75 |
| Social Work | 37th | of 67 | 121 |
| Creative Writing | 19th | of 34 | 69 |
| Occupational Therapy | 23rd | of 40 | 86 |
| Performing Arts | 24th | of 37 | 67 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Leeds Beckett Students' Union runs societies, sports clubs and events across both campuses. Sport is a big part of life, with facilities at Headingley Campus including a gym and swimming pool. Halls have a Residence Life team running events and socials. Leeds is a huge student city: the city centre's bars and clubs are on City Campus's doorstep, and Headingley and Hyde Park are packed with student pubs, cafés and shared houses.
University halls cost £143–£251 per week (2026/27, mostly 44-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Leeds Beckett says it guarantees student accommodation in the city. To book, you'll need Leeds Beckett as your firm choice (if applying through UCAS). Room booking usually opens in spring, and you'll get a welcome email with your user ID within 48 hours of accepting your offer or of booking opening.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iQ Leeds (Hepworth Lodge) | North of the city centre (Cross Chancellor Street, LS6) | en-suite | £143/wk | The cheapest option: bronze en-suites at £6,292 for the year. About 19 minutes' walk from City Campus. |
| Mill Street | East side of the city centre (LS9) | shared bathroom and en-suite | £159/wk | Standard rooms cost £159 a week (£6,996) and en-suites £179. About 22 minutes' walk from City Campus, near the Playhouse and BBC Leeds. |
| Arena Village | City centre (Jacob Street, LS2) | en-suite, studios and 1–2-bed flats | £185/wk | Seven minutes' walk from City Campus, with lots of room grades from £185 (silver en-suite, £8,140 for 44 weeks) up to £251 for a one-bed flat. |
| Marsden House | Burley Road, near Hyde Park (LS3) | en-suite and studios | £185/wk | One of the liveliest halls, with over 900 students. 13 minutes' walk to the city centre, with a free on-site gym. Studios cost £245. |
| Carnegie Village | Headingley Campus (LS6) | townhouse rooms (shared bathroom), en-suite and studios | £186.50/wk | Right on the Headingley Campus, near the sports facilities. Townhouse standard rooms cost £186.50 a week (£8,392.50), en-suites £201.50 and studios £245. City Campus is a 27-minute bus ride. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The classic Leeds student area, with pubs, cafés and the 'Otley Run'. Handy for Headingley Campus.
Dense rows of student terraces between the city centre and Headingley. Lively, sometimes noisy.
Next to Hyde Park and often a little cheaper, with an easy walk into town.
Flats and private halls close to City Campus. Convenient, but usually pricier.
Top tip
Make Leeds Beckett your firm choice, then watch for the welcome email with your user ID (within 48 hours of accepting, or of booking opening, usually in spring). Book quickly when booking opens, as the cheapest rooms go first. Choose a hall near the campus you'll actually study at: Carnegie Village for Headingley courses, Arena Village or Marsden House for City Campus.
Leeds is mid-priced for a big student city. Leeds Beckett halls cost £143–£251 a week for 2026/27, mostly on 44-week contracts with bills included, so roughly £6,300–£11,000 for the year. The university suggests budgeting about £30–£40 a week for food. If you study at Headingley but live in town, add bus fares.
Getting around
City Campus is in the city centre, so most city halls are a 7–22 minute walk away. Headingley Campus is about 2.8 miles from City Campus: around 27 minutes by bus or 14 minutes by bike. Leeds station is an easy walk from Mill Street and the city-centre halls.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Leeds Beckett University is 77th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 45.8. Its strongest results are for inclusion (38th), student societies (41st).
No. They're separate universities. The University of Leeds is right next to Leeds Beckett's City Campus, but Leeds Beckett has its own halls, Students' Union and second campus at Headingley.
Leeds Beckett says it guarantees student accommodation in the city. You'll need to make it your firm choice and book when room booking opens, usually in spring.
For 2026/27, rooms range from £143 a week (iQ Leeds) to £251 a week (a one-bed flat at Arena Village), mostly on 44-week contracts with bills included. Most en-suites cost £180–£210 a week.
Carnegie Village is right on Headingley Campus, so you can walk to lectures and the sports facilities. City-centre halls such as Arena Village and Mill Street are 27–37 minutes from Headingley by bus.
About 2.8 miles. The university's journey planner gives around 27 minutes by bus, 14 minutes by bike or 54 minutes on foot.
Yes. Rent includes bills and internet. You'll still need to budget for food (the university suggests £30–£40 a week), your phone, travel and nights out.
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.
