Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Northumbria is a large modern university right in the centre of Newcastle. City Campus sits beside the city's main shopping streets, and almost all the partner halls are within a 3 to 11-minute walk of City Campus East, in Shieldfield and the Ouseburn. Some courses are based at Coach Lane, about 4 km out.
Newcastle is one of the UK's best-value student cities, with a famously friendly, lively night-time scene. Halls start at about £121 a week. The flip side is that almost all halls are run by private partners, so check the operator, contract length and payment terms before you book.
Known for
Northumbria University is 27th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 53.7, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 53.9 |
| 26 | University of Glasgow | 53.9 |
| 27 | Northumbria University | 53.7 |
| 28 | University of Liverpool | 53.4 |
| 29 | University of Portsmouth | 53.4 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
3rd of 124 · Societies Score 71.7
9th of 124 · Social Score 71.1
13th of 124 · Nightlife Score 70.9
13th of 124 · Sustainability Score 67.6
32nd of 124 · Innovation Score 61.9
33rd of 124 · Balance Score 49
40th of 124 · Safety Score 49.3
42nd of 123 · Happiness Score 51.1
62nd of 124 · Affordability Score 54.9
65th of 124 · Value Score 44.7
66th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 50.6
73rd of 124 · Inclusion Score 53.9
81st of 124 · Freshers Score 51.7
83rd of 124 · Employability Score 26.2
86th of 122 · Careers Score 26.5
Newcastle upon Tyne as a student city
Ranked 4th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 64.3.
Northumbria University appears in 53 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science | 1st | of 50 | 144 |
| Environmental Science | 1st | of 47 | 140 |
| Electrical Engineering | 2nd | of 67 | 163 |
| Law | 3rd | of 97 | 198 |
| Aerospace Engineering 2026 table | 1st | of 30 | 242 |
| Cyber Security | 2nd | of 58 | 167 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 3rd | of 77 | 196 |
| Computer Science | 4th | of 102 | 218 |
| Fashion Design | 2nd | of 49 | 142 |
| International Relations | 3rd | of 71 | 159 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Northumbria Students' Union is based at 2 Sandyford Road on City Campus and runs societies, gigs, an advice centre, a food pantry and the Greenhouse coffee shop. Newcastle is the main attraction: the Bigg Market, Quayside and Ouseburn are all walkable from campus and halls. At weekends, the Metro takes you to the coast at Tynemouth and Whitley Bay.
University halls cost £121.05–£238.92 per week (2026/27, 43–44-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Northumbria guarantees accommodation in university-owned or university-commissioned residences for new full-time undergraduates (home and international) starting in September who have accepted a full-time taught course offer. You apply through the Northumbria Student Portal, sign a tenancy and pay a £250 advance rent. Only full-year, single-occupancy bookings are covered, preferences aren't guaranteed and you get one room offer. There's no fixed deadline, but the university advises booking early.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson House | Shieldfield | en-suite (Bronze to Platinum Plus) | £121.05/wk | The cheapest option (£5,205.15 for 43 weeks). Run by iQ; some flats refurbished for September 2026. About 8 minutes' walk to City Campus East. |
| Glenamara House | Shieldfield | en-suite | £126/wk | Run by Student Living by Sodexo; Northumbria students only. About 5 minutes' walk to City Campus East (£5,418 for 43 weeks). |
| Trinity Square | Gateshead | en-suite and studio | £169.05/wk | Across the river in Gateshead, run by Sodexo. Studios £224 a week. |
| Winn | Ouseburn Valley | en-suite and studio | £171.01/wk | Run by Sodexo, 8 minutes' walk to City Campus East. Studios from £203 a week. |
| Camden Court | Shieldfield | en-suite and studio | £179.20/wk | The closest to campus (3 minutes' walk). Run by Unite. Studios are the priciest rooms at £238.92 a week. |
| Portland Green | Shieldfield | en-suite | £184/wk | Student village run by Abodus, 9 minutes' walk to City Campus East, 44-week contract. |
| The Bridge | Ouseburn | en-suite | £194/wk | Run by Abodus, 8 minutes' walk to City Campus East, 44-week contract. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The classic second-year area: rows of terraced Tyneside flats, cafés and a short Metro or bus ride to campus.
Right next to City Campus. Handy for lectures and busy with students.
Where most first-year halls are, a few minutes' walk from campus.
Leafy and popular, with lots of bars on Osborne Road, but usually pricier.
Top tip
Book early through the Northumbria Student Portal once you've accepted your offer. You'll pay a £250 advance rent, refunded (minus £50) if you don't meet your offer. Six residences (Glenamara, New Bridge, Winn, Trinity Square, Camden Court and Stephenson House) are Northumbria-only, and for 2026/27 only Sodexo halls let you pay in instalments matched to your loan.
Newcastle is one of the cheaper big student cities. Northumbria's partner halls cost from about £121 to £239 a week in 2026/27 on 43–44-week contracts, with most standard en-suites around £170–£200. The Metro is cheap with a Pop card. The university doesn't publish its own living-cost estimate; it points students to Save the Student's Newcastle figures.
Getting around
City Campus is in the centre of Newcastle, and most halls are a 3 to 11-minute walk away. The Metro and buses link campus with Heaton, Jesmond, Gateshead and the coast. From April 2026, Pop Pay As You Go Metro fares are capped at £2.50 a single and £5 a day, and under-22s pay £1. Coach Lane campus is a bus ride out.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Northumbria University is 27th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 53.7. Its strongest results are for student societies (3rd), social life (9th), nightlife (13th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, Northumbria University places highest for Data Science (1st of 50), Environmental Science (1st of 47), Electrical Engineering (2nd of 67), Law (3rd of 97). Across our awards, it also stands out for student societies.
Yes. New full-time undergraduates starting in September who have accepted a full-time taught course offer are guaranteed accommodation in university-owned or university-commissioned residences, as long as they book a full-year, single room through the Student Portal and pay the £250 advance rent.
Mostly private partners: Student Living by Sodexo (Glenamara, Winn, Trinity Square), Unite Students (Camden Court, Byron Central), iQ (Stephenson House) and Abodus (Portland Green, The Bridge, Stepney Yard). Payment terms differ by provider, so check before you book.
Very close. Most are 3 to 11 minutes' walk from City Campus East, in Shieldfield and the Ouseburn. Trinity Square is across the Tyne in Gateshead.
Most students are at City Campus in central Newcastle. Some courses are taught at Coach Lane, about 4 km away, and there's a separate London campus near Liverpool Street. Check your course page.
Compared with most big UK cities, yes. Northumbria halls start at about £121 a week for 2026/27, and Metro fares are capped at £2.50 a single with a Pop card (£1 if you're under 22).
HESA figures for 2024/25 put it at 29,685 students, including 20,750 undergraduates, which makes it one of the larger universities in the North East.
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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