Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Solent is a small, practical university with its main campus right in the centre of Southampton, next to the city's parks and a short walk from the shops and waterfront. It's known for industry-focused courses in media, sport, fashion, business and especially maritime: its Warsash school trains merchant navy officers on the Hamble River.
It has four halls, all within 10–15 minutes' walk of campus, costing £130.20 to £170.10 a week for 2026/27 with bills included. Southampton is a mid-sized port city with a decent student scene shared with the University of Southampton, and it's cheaper than nearby Bournemouth or Brighton.
Known for
Solent University is 104th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 41, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 102 | University of Bradford | 41.1 |
| 103 | Abertay University | 41 |
| 104 | Solent University | 41 |
| 105 | Staffordshire University | 41 |
| 106 | University of Cumbria | 40.6 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
32nd of 124 · Nightlife Score 57.2
50th of 124 · Social Score 52.3
74th of 124 · Inclusion Score 53.4
87th of 124 · Affordability Score 50.2
88th of 124 · Societies Score 44.3
92nd of 124 · Safety Score 30.9
93rd of 124 · Sustainability Score 41.9
96th of 124 · Freshers Score 45.6
96th of 122 · Careers Score 23.7
99th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 39.5
101st of 124 · Employability Score 22.5
103rd of 123 · Happiness Score 35.7
104th of 124 · Innovation Score 42.6
107th of 124 · Value Score 32.5
107th of 124 · Balance Score 33.7
Southampton as a student city
Ranked 35th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 53.5.
Solent University appears in 26 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performing Arts | 14th | of 37 | 90 |
| Psychology | 46th | of 108 | 138 |
| Business and Management | 51st | of 114 | 148 |
| Social Work | 30th | of 67 | 132 |
| Biomedical Science | 43rd | of 93 | 124 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 28th | of 60 | 103 |
| Interior Design | 17th | of 36 | 70 |
| Nursing | 41st | of 85 | 123 |
| Software Engineering | 28th | of 58 | 104 |
| Journalism | 29th | of 59 | 97 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology | 48th | of 94 | 116 |
| Law | 50th | of 97 | 119 |
| Cyber Security | 30th | of 58 | 108 |
| Music | 32nd | of 56 | 90 |
| Sports Science | 46th | of 78 | 101 |
| Quantity Surveying | 21st | of 35 | 71 |
| Architecture | 33rd | of 55 | 89 |
| Computer Science | 62nd | of 102 | 117 |
| Sociology | 53rd | of 86 | 111 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 49th | of 77 | 105 |
| Film Production | 58th | of 87 | 109 |
| Photography | 30th | of 44 | 66 |
| Graphic Design | 47th | of 68 | 95 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 36th | of 52 | 75 |
| Fashion Design | 35th | of 49 | 67 |
| Fine Art | 42nd | of 58 | 78 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Solent Students' Union is based on the East Park Terrace campus and runs sports clubs, societies, events and advice. Sailing and water sports are a highlight, and the university's sports ground is at Test Park in Millbrook. Southampton's Bedford Place and Above Bar Street are a short walk from campus for bars and clubs, and the city has big venues like the O2 Guildhall. Shared with the much larger University of Southampton, the city has a sizeable student population.
University halls cost £130.20–£170.10 per week (2026/27, bills included; standard 41-week residence period) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
We couldn't find a formal accommodation guarantee on Solent's pages. To apply, Solent must be your first choice, with an unconditional firm (UF) or conditional firm (CF) offer, accepted on UCAS at least one full working day earlier, and you must be a full-time student. Rooms are allocated in date order, starting in April, with results from May/June, so apply as soon as you can. You pay £150 advance rent (not a deposit) when you accept a room, which comes off your annual fees.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chantry | Marsh Lane, SO14 (15 minutes' walk to campus) | mostly non-en-suite | £130.20/wk | The cheapest hall, with 208 rooms. Non-en-suite £130.20 a week (£5,338.20 for 17 September 2026 to 1 July 2027); large non-en-suite £146.65. A limited number of en-suites. |
| David Moxon | St Mary's Place, off Kingsway, SO14 (10 minutes' walk) | rooms from | £159.25/wk | For first-year undergraduates. |
| Deanery | Marsh Lane, SO14 (15 minutes' walk) | en-suite flats | £159.25/wk | Mixed hall for undergraduates, postgraduates, maritime officer cadets and exchange students. |
| Kimber | St Mary's Place, off Kingsway, SO14 (10 minutes' walk) | en-suite | £170.10/wk | The closest hall to the main campus; en-suite rooms for first years. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Southampton's main student area, with lots of shared houses, bars and takeaways; busier with University of Southampton students.
Residential area with a big high street, west of the centre.
Close to campus and cheaper, between the centre and Portswood.
Near the city centre and nightlife, a short walk from campus.
Top tip
Apply as soon as you're eligible: rooms are allocated in date order, starting in April. Make sure Solent is your firm choice and wait one full working day after accepting on UCAS. Have a card ready to pay the £150 advance rent when you accept your room.
Solent's halls are reasonably priced for the south of England. For 2026/27, rooms cost £130.20–£170.10 a week with utilities, wifi, communal cleaning and contents insurance included. A standard Chantry room is £5,338.20 for the 41-week year. You'll pay £150 advance rent when you accept a room. Most students walk to campus, which keeps transport costs low.
Getting around
Solent's East Park Terrace campus is in central Southampton, and all four halls are within a 10–15-minute walk, so most students walk. Southampton Central station has fast trains to London (about 80 minutes) and along the south coast. Local buses link the city centre with Portswood and Shirley.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Solent University is 104th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 41. Its strongest results are for nightlife (32nd).
No. They're separate universities in the same city. Solent (officially Southampton Solent University again since September 2024) is smaller and more vocational; the University of Southampton is a Russell Group university based in Highfield.
For 2026/27, halls cost £130.20 to £170.10 a week, with bills, wifi and contents insurance included. Chantry is the cheapest, and Kimber, the closest to campus, is the most expensive.
We couldn't find a formal guarantee. Rooms are allocated in date order from April to students with Solent as their firm choice, so apply as early as you can.
All four halls are within a 10–15-minute walk of the East Park Terrace campus. Kimber and David Moxon are about 10 minutes away; Chantry and Deanery about 15.
The Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering is Solent's maritime school on the Hamble River, which trains merchant navy officers and runs specialist ship-handling training.
You pay £150 advance rent by card when you accept a room. Solent says it's not a deposit: it's taken off your annual accommodation fees.
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.
