Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Sheffield Hallam is a big, practical university right in the middle of Sheffield. City Campus sits next to the railway station, and Collegiate Crescent, where nursing and midwifery are taught, is a walk away in leafy south-west Sheffield. All ten halls are within walking distance of both campuses. Courses are career-focused, and every student is guaranteed a placement.
Sheffield is one of the more affordable student cities, and Hallam's halls are cheap compared with many big-city universities: most rooms cost about £100–£130 a week. With around 31,000 students it's busy, and over half come from within 25 miles, so you'll be mixing with plenty of locals.
Known for
Sheffield Hallam University is 65th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47.8, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | University of Dundee | 48.5 |
| 63 | University of York | 48.5 |
| 65 | Sheffield Hallam University | 47.8 |
| 66 | University of Kent | 47.8 |
| 67 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 47.6 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
39th of 124 · Societies Score 58.4
49th of 124 · Social Score 52.3
53rd of 124 · Inclusion Score 62.6
58th of 124 · Affordability Score 55.4
59th of 124 · Sustainability Score 53.1
62nd of 124 · Balance Score 42.8
62nd of 124 · Safety Score 43.5
65th of 124 · Nightlife Score 48.2
66th of 124 · Innovation Score 55
70th of 124 · Value Score 43.5
70th of 123 · Happiness Score 44.9
74th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 49.3
75th of 122 · Careers Score 28.8
77th of 124 · Employability Score 27.9
87th of 124 · Freshers Score 49.7
Sheffield as a student city
Ranked 32nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 54.
Sheffield Hallam University appears in 54 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Technology | 2nd | of 21 | 71 |
| Chemistry | 6th | of 44 | 118 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 8th | of 52 | 137 |
| Data Science | 8th | of 50 | 120 |
| Fashion Design | 9th | of 49 | 122 |
| Cyber Security | 11th | of 58 | 136 |
| Biochemistry | 12th | of 60 | 135 |
| International Relations | 15th | of 71 | 137 |
| Politics | 17th | of 78 | 144 |
| Mathematics | 14th | of 61 | 129 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Hallam Students' Union runs events, societies, sports clubs, volunteering and an independent advice service, and every student is a member. Team Hallam covers competitive and social sport. The university's halls page points to the city centre as the most popular student area, with Division Street and West Street bars, Ecclesall Road's restaurants and London Road's cheap food all within walking distance. Sheffield is a compact, hilly city, and the Peak District is close by for weekends outdoors.
University halls cost £96–£182 per week (2026/27, 44-week contracts; The Gate's published rooms are £151–£185 for 2025/26) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says new students are guaranteed accommodation in halls for their first year when they firmly accept an unconditional offer for a full-time undergraduate course. You can apply as soon as you hold an offer, and you don't need to accept a room offer, sign a contract or pay a deposit until your results are confirmed. No application deadline for the guarantee was published.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trigon | City centre (Shoreham Street) | en-suite | £96/wk | The cheapest Hallam room: a standard en-suite with a single bed for £4,224 over 44 weeks. A 5-minute walk to City Campus. |
| Pinnacles | City centre (Broad Street, by Victoria Quays) | en-suite | £99/wk | Five-bed en-suite flats, some overlooking Victoria Quays. A 10-minute walk to City Campus, but about 35 minutes to Collegiate. |
| Exchange Works | City centre (Arundel Street) | en-suite | £109/wk | Just 2 minutes from City Campus, with a free on-site gym. The tenancy is with Now Student Living. |
| Anvil | City centre (Clough Road) | en-suite | £109/wk | Medium-sized hall with five-bedroom flats in a residential part of the city centre, 10–15 minutes from City Campus. |
| Forge | Between City and Collegiate campuses | en-suite | £110/wk | The largest Hallam hall, with over 1,000 rooms in 3–6 bed flats. About 15 minutes' walk to both campuses. Rooms run from £110 to £127 a week. |
| Devonshire Courtyard | City centre (Wellington Street) | en-suite | £113/wk | 5–8 bed flats with a free on-site gym, close to the bars of West Street and Division Street. |
| Elements | Between City and Collegiate campuses | en-suite | £129/wk | A large hall (410 rooms) with a two-storey common area and a cinema room, near Ecclesall Road and London Road. |
| Liv Student | Ecclesall Road | en-suite (double beds) and self-contained flats | £161/wk | The priciest 2026/27 option: double-bed en-suites from £161, and self-contained flats at £182 a week. On popular Ecclesall Road. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The university calls it the most popular student area: close to both campuses, nightlife, indie shops and food.
A long road of bars, cafés and restaurants, with lots of shared houses nearby. Handy for Collegiate Crescent.
A leafy, popular student suburb west of the centre.
Hilly and residential, further out than Broomhill, with cheaper houses and a local high street.
Top tip
Apply online as soon as you have an offer. You won't have to accept a room, sign anything or pay a deposit until your results are in. Some halls ask for a £99 damage deposit or an early rent payment. With a UK or international guarantor, you can usually pay rent in three instalments (October, January and April). For second year, use Sheffield Hallam Studentpad, where all listings are accredited by Snug.
Sheffield is one of the cheaper big student cities. Hallam halls cost £96 to £182 a week for 2026/27 (most are £100–£130), with bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance included on 44-week contracts. Some halls ask for a £99 damage deposit or an early rent payment of £150–£200. Eligible students can get up to £2,100 through the Student Success Scholarship.
Getting around
City Campus is next to Sheffield railway station, and all ten Hallam halls are within walking distance of both campuses. Most are 2–15 minutes from City Campus and 15–35 minutes from Collegiate Crescent. Sheffield is compact but very hilly. The Supertram and local buses cover the city, and the Peak District is easy to reach by bus or train.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Sheffield Hallam University is 65th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47.8. Its strongest results are for student societies (39th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, Sheffield Hallam University places highest for Information Technology (2nd of 21). Across our awards, it also stands out for student societies.
Yes. New full-time undergraduates are guaranteed a place in halls for their first year once they firmly accept an unconditional offer. You can apply as soon as you have an offer, and you don't need to sign or pay anything until your results are confirmed.
For 2026/27, rooms cost £96 to £182 a week on 44-week contracts, and most are £100–£130. Every room is en-suite, and rent includes bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance.
No. All the halls Hallam allocates are self-catered, with shared kitchens in each flat. You'll need to bring your own bedding, towels, crockery and cooking utensils.
All ten halls are within walking distance of both campuses. Exchange Works and The Gate are 2–3 minutes from City Campus, and Forge and Elements sit between the two sites, about 15 minutes from each.
City Campus is in the city centre next to the railway station and hosts most courses. Collegiate Crescent is in a leafy area to the south-west and hosts courses including nursing and midwifery.
Popular areas include the city centre, Ecclesall Road, Broomhill and Crookes. The university runs Sheffield Hallam Studentpad, where all private listings are accredited by the Snug scheme.
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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