Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Derby is a mid-sized university in a compact, affordable East Midlands city. The main campus is on Kedleston Road, on the north-west edge of Derby, and there are city-centre sites at Markeaton Street, Britannia Mill and One Friar Gate Square. Halls are mostly in or near the city centre, and the university's own Unibus links everything up.
It's a good fit if you want sensible costs and a friendly, manageable size. The trade-off is that Derby isn't a big student city, so the nightlife is modest compared with Nottingham or Leicester nearby. Expect a short bus ride most days, as halls and the main campus aren't side by side.
Known for
The University of Derby is 68th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47.2, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | University of Kent | 47.8 |
| 67 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 47.6 |
| 68 | University of Derby | 47.2 |
| 69 | Edinburgh Napier University | 47 |
| 70 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | 46.9 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
41st of 124 · Nightlife Score 55.1
45th of 124 · Affordability Score 58.8
48th of 124 · Social Score 52.4
60th of 124 · Freshers Score 55.4
60th of 124 · Safety Score 43.6
61st of 123 · Happiness Score 47
65th of 124 · Sustainability Score 51.4
64th of 122 · Careers Score 31.2
67th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 50.6
71st of 124 · Societies Score 48
72nd of 124 · Employability Score 29.2
77th of 124 · Innovation Score 51.4
86th of 124 · Inclusion Score 50.3
89th of 124 · Value Score 40
90th of 124 · Balance Score 37.5
Derby as a student city
Ranked 26th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 55.1.
The University of Derby appears in 48 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Art | 9th | of 58 | 145 |
| Creative Writing | 6th | of 34 | 88 |
| Graphic Design | 15th | of 68 | 149 |
| Law | 23rd | of 97 | 162 |
| Electrical Engineering | 16th | of 67 | 135 |
| Supply Chain Management | 3rd | of 12 | 48 |
| Sociology | 22nd | of 86 | 158 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 16th | of 60 | 125 |
| Music | 15th | of 56 | 120 |
| Teaching | 22nd | of 79 | 152 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
The Union of Students runs more than 150 sports clubs and societies, with around 19 sports clubs entering BUCS leagues, plus societies from debate to Warhammer. The SU is based at Kedleston Road. Derby itself is a compact city, so the centre, Friar Gate's bars and the shops are close to most halls. Cheap student nights include tickets from £5 at Derby Theatre, and Nottingham's bigger scene is a short train ride away.
University halls cost £119–£208 per week (2026/27 undergraduate rooms, 42–51-week contracts, bills included) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says: "We guarantee a room for first-year and international students." It can't guarantee your first choice. Derby's clearing guidance says the guarantee applies if you apply by 31 July. You need your 9-digit student number to apply, and you pay a £50 deposit, which comes off your first term's rent. You accept your room offer online within 10 working days.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Alice Court | University Quarter (city centre) | standard single (shared bathroom) or en-suite | £119.42/wk | The cheapest option: 321 standard rooms at £5,015.64 for 42 weeks. En-suite rooms are £150.57 a week. |
| St Christopher's Court | Ashbourne Road | premium standard (shared bathroom) or en-suite | £128.59/wk | 309 premium standard rooms, discounted from £140.56 a week for 2026/27 (about £500 off a 42-week contract). En-suites are £180.81. |
| Darley Bank | Near the city centre | en-suite and studios | £170.59/wk | The biggest mix of room types: small, medium and premium en-suites (£170.59–£187.25) and studios (£192.43–£207.76 on 51-week contracts). |
| Peak Court | Near the city centre | en-suite | £180.81/wk | 247 en-suite rooms in modern flats, with a common room and laundry. 42 or 50-week contracts. |
| Agard Court | Agard Street, near One Friar Gate Square | premium en-suite | £187.25/wk | The newest hall, with 244 premium en-suite rooms, close to the Law School. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Close to the city-centre university sites, bars and shops. Handy if you want to walk most places.
On the Unibus U2 route between the city centre and Kedleston Road, near the Markeaton Street and Britannia Mill sites.
Quieter and more residential, close to the main campus.
Top tip
Apply as soon as you've chosen Derby as your firm choice and have your 9-digit student number; you can't apply if Derby is your insurance choice. Applying by 31 July secures the guarantee. Have a £50 deposit ready, and accept your offer within 10 working days so you don't lose it.
Derby is one of the cheaper places to study in England. Hall rooms run from about £119 to £208 a week in 2026/27, with all bills included. The university suggests budgeting £30–£50 a week for food and £20–£50 for socialising. Travel adds up if you use the Unibus daily, so a term or annual pass is worth considering.
Getting around
The university runs its own Unibus on weekdays. Route U1 links Derby station and the city centre with Kedleston Road, and U2 serves Ashbourne Road and the Markeaton Street and Britannia Mill sites. With a student ID, a single is £2 (£1.80 on the Mango app), a day ticket is £5 and an annual pass is £310.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Derby is 68th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47.2. Its strongest results are for nightlife (41st).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Derby places highest for Supply Chain Management (3rd of 12). Across our awards, it also stands out for nightlife.
Yes. Derby guarantees a room for first-year and international students, though not necessarily your first choice. Its guidance says to apply by 31 July. You'll need your 9-digit student number and a £50 deposit, which comes off your first term's rent.
For 2026/27, rooms cost from £119.42 a week (a standard room at Princess Alice Court) up to £207.76 a week for a large studio at Darley Bank. Most en-suites are £170–£187 a week. All halls prices include bills.
Partly. The main campus is on Kedleston Road, on the north-west edge of Derby. There are also city-centre sites at Markeaton Street, Britannia Mill and One Friar Gate Square. The university's Unibus links them with the halls and the train station.
No. With a University of Derby ID, a single is £2 (£1.80 on the Mango app), a day pass is £5, a term pass is £145 (£65 for the summer term) and an annual pass is £310.
HESA data for 2024/25 puts it at 18,895 higher education students, including 14,475 undergraduates. That makes it a mid-sized university.
The Union of Students runs more than 150 sports clubs and societies. The university owns Derby Theatre, where student tickets start at £5. Derby is compact, and Nottingham and Birmingham are both easy day trips by train.
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.
