Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Teesside is a modern university with a compact campus right in the middle of Middlesbrough. Everything is close together: around 900 university rooms sit within about five minutes' walk of lectures, and the town centre and Linthorpe Road are a short stroll away. It was named Times Higher Education University of the Year in November 2025.
The big draw is cost. Halls for 2026/27 start at just £85 a week for a shared-bathroom room and top out at £175 for en-suites, with bills included. Middlesbrough isn't a glamorous city, and nightlife is smaller than in Newcastle or Leeds, but it's friendly, affordable and easy to settle into.
Known for
Teesside University is 96th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 42.4, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 94 | University of Hull | 42.7 |
| 95 | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 42.7 |
| 96 | Teesside University | 42.4 |
| 97 | Leeds Trinity University | 42.2 |
| 98 | University of Northampton | 41.8 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
41st of 124 · Social Score 54.7
57th of 124 · Nightlife Score 50.2
58th of 123 · Happiness Score 47.2
59th of 124 · Societies Score 51
66th of 124 · Balance Score 41.7
73rd of 124 · Freshers Score 52.8
80th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 47.5
82nd of 124 · Safety Score 35.5
88th of 124 · Inclusion Score 49.4
89th of 124 · Affordability Score 49.2
88th of 122 · Careers Score 25.9
91st of 124 · Employability Score 25.4
92nd of 124 · Value Score 38.6
106th of 124 · Sustainability Score 33.4
114th of 124 · Innovation Score 36.1
Middlesbrough as a student city
Ranked 48th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 48.8.
Teesside University appears in 42 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Design | 7th | of 36 | 89 |
| Chemical Engineering | 9th | of 30 | 80 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 23rd | of 66 | 97 |
| Fashion Design | 22nd | of 49 | 98 |
| Software Engineering | 28th | of 58 | 104 |
| Pharmacology | 19th | of 37 | 64 |
| Biomedical Science | 48th | of 93 | 110 |
| Information Technology | 11th | of 21 | 57 |
| Midwifery | 29th | of 54 | 80 |
| Social Work | 36th | of 67 | 122 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation (2D/3D) | 29th | of 52 | 93 |
| Law | 55th | of 97 | 109 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 44th | of 77 | 111 |
| Psychology | 62nd | of 108 | 118 |
| Marketing | 51st | of 88 | 109 |
| Media and Communication | 47th | of 79 | 106 |
| Fine Art | 35th | of 58 | 98 |
| Teaching | 48th | of 79 | 102 |
| Graphic Design | 42nd | of 68 | 102 |
| Civil Engineering | 36th | of 58 | 87 |
| Cyber Security | 36th | of 58 | 86 |
| Business and Management | 71st | of 114 | 114 |
| History | 48th | of 76 | 86 |
| Film Production | 55th | of 87 | 115 |
| Aerospace Engineering 2026 table | 19th | of 30 | 63 |
| Sports Science | 50th | of 78 | 82 |
| Forensic Science | 20th | of 31 | 73 |
| Criminology | 61st | of 94 | 86 |
| Occupational Therapy | 26th | of 40 | 76 |
| Pharmacy | 21st | of 32 | 52 |
| Computer Science | 67th | of 102 | 101 |
| International Relations | 47th | of 71 | 80 |
| Physiotherapy | 33rd | of 49 | 69 |
| Primary Education | 40th | of 59 | 87 |
| Politics | 53rd | of 78 | 85 |
| Nursing | 58th | of 85 | 95 |
| Electrical Engineering | 46th | of 67 | 70 |
| Radiography | 20th | of 29 | 54 |
| Journalism | 41st | of 59 | 70 |
| Biology | 36th | of 51 | 58 |
| Sociology | 63rd | of 86 | 80 |
| Optometry | 12th | of 13 | 28 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Teesside University Students' Union (TUSU) is based at Campus Heart and runs student-led communities (clubs and societies), events, venues such as The Terrace and The Hub, and an accreditation scheme for local landlords and letting agents. Linthorpe Road, right next to campus, is the main strip for bars, takeaways and nights out. The coast at Redcar and Saltburn and the North York Moors are close for days out, and Newcastle is about an hour away.
University halls cost £85–£175 per week (2026/27, bills included, 40-, 45- or 50-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
We couldn't find formal guarantee wording on Teesside's accommodation pages. To apply, you must firmly accept a conditional or unconditional offer for a full-time course (international students also need a valid CAS and must have paid their tuition fee deposit). You then have 7 days to accept a room offer, with a £150 deposit, which is refundable if you don't take up your course place and tell the university more than 10 working days in advance.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkside Halls | Campus | single room, shared bathroom | £85/wk | The cheapest option, with only 85 spaces, on a 40-week contract. |
| West Parkside Village | Campus | single room | £120/wk | Listed at £120 a week on the accommodation overview. |
| East Parkside Village | Campus | single room | £120/wk | Listed at £120 a week on the accommodation overview. |
| Woodlands Halls | Central campus, near Linthorpe Road | en-suite | £125/wk | 252 en-suite rooms across seven halls of 36. Very cheap for an en-suite. |
| King Edward's Square | Campus (central, near the library and SU) | en-suite or private bathroom | £155/wk | £155 a week with a private bathroom, £160 for an en-suite. 40-, 45- or 50-week contracts. |
| Cornell Quarter | 1 minute from campus | en-suite (small double bed) | £175/wk | The priciest hall, with 300 spaces, about seven minutes' walk to the town centre. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Right next to campus, the main student strip of terraced houses, bars and takeaways.
Residential streets south of campus, popular with second and third years.
Close to campus and the park, a bit quieter.
Top tip
Firmly accept your offer first, then apply. You'll have 7 days to accept your room offer and pay the £150 deposit, so keep an eye on your emails. The cheapest rooms (Parkside at £85 a week) are limited, so apply early. Use the SU's landlord accreditation scheme when you look for a house in second year.
Teesside is one of the cheapest places in the UK to be a student. Halls for 2026/27 cost £85–£175 a week with bills included, and an en-suite at Woodlands is just £125 a week. You'll pay a £150 deposit to accept a room. Living costs in Middlesbrough are low, and you can walk almost everywhere, so you'll save on transport too.
Getting around
Teesside's campus is in central Middlesbrough, and all university halls are within about five minutes' walk, so most students walk everywhere. Middlesbrough station is a short walk from campus, with trains to Darlington (for the East Coast Main Line), Newcastle and the coast. Local buses serve the wider Teesside area.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Teesside University is 96th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 42.4. Its strongest results are for social life (41st).
For 2026/27, rooms cost £85 to £175 a week, with bills included. Parkside Halls is the cheapest at £85 (shared bathroom), Woodlands en-suites are £125, and Cornell Quarter is £175. Contracts are 40, 45 or 50 weeks.
We couldn't find a formal guarantee on the university's accommodation pages. You can apply once you've firmly accepted an offer, and you'll have 7 days to accept a room offer with a £150 deposit. Contact accommodation@tees.ac.uk to check your situation.
Very close. The university has around 900 beds on campus, all within about a five-minute walk of lectures, and Cornell Quarter is about a minute away.
It's affordable and friendly, with a compact town centre and Linthorpe Road for nights out. It's not a big city, so for more choice, Newcastle is about an hour away by train, and the coast and North York Moors are close.
Yes. Teesside was named Times Higher Education University of the Year in November 2025, having won the same award in 2009. It was also named Daily Mail Modern University of the Year 2026.
Yes, £150 when you accept your room offer. It's refundable if you don't take up your course place, as long as you tell the university more than 10 working days in advance.
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.
