Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
UCA is a specialist creative university spread across three campuses in the South East: Farnham in Surrey (the biggest, with the most halls), Canterbury in Kent and Epsom in Surrey. Each campus has its own school: creative and cultural industries in Farnham, art, architecture and design in Canterbury, and creative business and fashion in Epsom. Which campus you study at depends on your course.
All three are in pleasant, fairly quiet towns within reach of London, and campus communities are small and studio-based. But UCA doesn't guarantee halls, and the South East is expensive to live in. Halls cost about £132–£205 a week, so budget carefully.
Known for
University for the Creative Arts is 60th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 48.7, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | Bangor University | 49.1 |
| 59 | University of Essex | 48.8 |
| 60 | University for the Creative Arts | 48.7 |
| 61 | University of Leicester | 48.6 |
| 62 | University of Dundee | 48.5 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
13th of 123 · Happiness Score 64.6
21st of 124 · Safety Score 58.6
23rd of 124 · Wellbeing Score 62.3
38th of 124 · Societies Score 59
46th of 124 · Sustainability Score 55.6
55th of 124 · Freshers Score 56.8
58th of 124 · Balance Score 43.3
64th of 124 · Social Score 49.8
71st of 124 · Innovation Score 54.5
74th of 124 · Value Score 42.3
74th of 124 · Affordability Score 52.4
83rd of 124 · Inclusion Score 51
99th of 124 · Nightlife Score 38.2
102nd of 122 · Careers Score 21.9
106th of 124 · Employability Score 21.1
University for the Creative Arts appears in 14 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2nd | of 44 | 113 |
| Fashion Design | 7th | of 49 | 124 |
| Graphic Design | 10th | of 68 | 156 |
| Architecture | 11th | of 55 | 122 |
| Computer Science | 28th | of 102 | 168 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 18th | of 60 | 122 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 17th | of 52 | 114 |
| Product Design | 19th | of 43 | 95 |
| Business and Management | 51st | of 114 | 148 |
| Marketing | 40th | of 88 | 126 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film Production | 43rd | of 87 | 141 |
| Music | 29th | of 56 | 95 |
| Fine Art | 32nd | of 58 | 105 |
| Interior Design | 22nd | of 36 | 59 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
UCA's Students' Union (UCASU) runs across the campuses with over 65 clubs and societies. Because the university is specialist, social life tends to grow out of studios, crits and shows rather than big union nights. Farnham is a pretty market town with pubs and cafés, Canterbury is a busy student city shared with two other universities, and Epsom is a short train ride from London. End-of-year degree shows are a highlight.
University halls cost £132–£205 per week (2026/27, 38-week undergraduate contracts at UCA-run halls) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
UCA doesn't guarantee first-year accommodation. It says it can usually offer a room to most applicants: last year, 95% of those who applied before the accommodation deadline (6 June) were offered a room. To apply, you must have accepted UCA as your firm choice, be entering your first year and study full time. Rooms are allocated using the university's Allocation Policy.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Village | Farnham campus (a minute's walk) | single rooms with basin and shared bathroom; a few en-suites | £132/wk | Houses and flats for up to 345 students. Budget singles cost £132 a week (£5,016 for 38 weeks), standard singles £159 and en-suites £175–£181. |
| Polden Studios, Union Yard | Aldershot (5 minutes by train to Farnham) | en-suite | £168.30/wk | 128 en-suite rooms in a private partner building, five minutes' walk from Aldershot station. Buses to Farnham run up to every 20 minutes. |
| Wilberforce Court | Epsom campus (next to campus) | standard single, shared bathroom | £170/wk | 70 rooms in flats of four to seven. £6,460 for 38 weeks. |
| Riverside Student Quarter | Canterbury (about 20 minutes' walk from campus) | en-suite, flats of 8 | £175/wk | 138 rooms UCA has secured at a discounted rate, £175–£194.48 a week depending on tenancy length. Next to cafés, bars and a Curzon cinema. |
| Worple Road | Epsom campus (on campus) | en-suite | £181/wk | Up to 53 students in eight flats. £6,878 for 38 weeks. |
| University Walk | Farnham campus | premium en-suite, flats of up to 8 | £205/wk | Five colour-coded buildings with 252 rooms. £7,790 for 38 weeks. |
| Crossways House and Bradford House | Epsom (about 10 minutes' walk) | premium en-suite | £205/wk | 198 premium rooms near the town centre and Rainbow Leisure Centre. £7,790 for 38 weeks. |
| Ian Dury House | Canterbury campus | en-suite, flats of 6 | Not published | The only on-campus hall in Canterbury: nine flats of six en-suite rooms. Canterbury prices for 2026/27 average around £158 a week. See the residence fees document for exact prices. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Pretty, affluent market town. Rooms are limited and pricey, so many students look at Aldershot too.
Cheaper than Farnham and five minutes away by train, with frequent buses.
A big student city shared with the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church, so there's plenty of shared housing.
UCA has no halls here. It says average rent is about £150 a week, with most rooms between £118 and £164.
£150 (average)/wk
Top tip
Firmly accept your UCA offer, wait up to 48 hours for your portal link, then apply for halls on your campus, listing at least two choices. Apply before the early-June accommodation deadline (6 June last year): those who did had a 95% success rate. Don't pay anything until you've received and accepted a room offer.
The South East is expensive, but UCA's own halls are reasonable: from £132 a week in Farnham's Student Village to £205 for a premium en-suite, with internet and utilities included. Most undergraduate contracts are 38 weeks. On creative courses, budget for materials too. If you need a guarantor for private housing, UCA's partner Housing Hand charges at least £295.
Getting around
Your campus depends on your course, so check before you apply. In Farnham, the Student Village and University Walk are on campus. In Epsom, the halls are on campus or about ten minutes' walk away. In Canterbury, Ian Dury House is on campus and Riverside is about 20 minutes' walk. From Aldershot, it's a five-minute train or a bus that runs up to every 20 minutes to Farnham.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
University for the Creative Arts is 60th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 48.7. Its strongest results are for student happiness (13th), safety (21st), student wellbeing (23rd).
In our 2027 subject rankings, University for the Creative Arts places highest for Photography (2nd of 44). Across our awards, it also stands out for student happiness.
It depends on your course. Canterbury focuses on art, architecture and design, Epsom on creative business, fashion and enterprise, and Farnham on creative and cultural industries. Some TV courses are taught at The Maidstone Studios. Check your course page before you apply.
No. UCA doesn't guarantee halls for first years. However, 95% of students who applied before last year's accommodation deadline (6 June) were offered a room, so apply early.
For 2026/27, UCA-run halls cost £132–£205 a week on 38-week contracts. Farnham's Student Village is cheapest, from £132, and premium en-suites in Farnham and Epsom cost £205. Canterbury rooms average around £158, and Riverside partner rooms cost £175–£194.48.
There are halls in Farnham, Canterbury and Epsom. There are none for The Maidstone Studios, where UCA says the average private rent is about £150 a week.
No. All UCA accommodation is self-catered, with shared kitchens in each flat. Internet, heating, lighting and water are included, but a TV licence isn't.
If you live at Polden Studios, Union Yard, it's a five-minute walk to Aldershot station and then a five-minute train to Farnham. Buses also run directly to Farnham up to every 20 minutes, seven days a week.
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.
