Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Nottingham is a big Russell Group university with a famously green main campus. University Park has a lake, parkland and most of the traditional catered halls, with Jubilee Campus a mile away and Sutton Bonington, home to the vet school and biosciences, out in the countryside about 12 miles south. Free hopper buses link them all, and the city centre is a short bus or tram ride away.
The hall system is a big part of first year, and on-campus catered halls have a strong community feel. They're also expensive: most catered rooms start at around £225–£300 a week. Cheaper self-catered options exist, mainly at Broadgate Park, Jubilee and Sutton Bonington.
Known for
The University of Nottingham is 22nd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 54.6, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Norwich University of the Arts | 55 |
| 21 | University of Leeds | 54.6 |
| 22 | University of Nottingham | 54.6 |
| 23 | University of Oxford | 54.6 |
| 24 | University of Cambridge | 54.5 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
6th of 124 · Social Score 72.2
9th of 124 · Nightlife Score 73.8
11th of 124 · Balance Score 56.9
14th of 124 · Value Score 63.7
20th of 124 · Societies Score 64.2
21st of 124 · Employability Score 40.9
25th of 124 · Inclusion Score 71.5
27th of 122 · Careers Score 40
49th of 124 · Affordability Score 58.2
54th of 124 · Freshers Score 57
55th of 124 · Innovation Score 57.1
71st of 124 · Wellbeing Score 50.3
80th of 123 · Happiness Score 43
81st of 124 · Sustainability Score 45.6
88th of 124 · Safety Score 33.5
Nottingham as a student city
Ranked 9th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 61.6.
The University of Nottingham appears in 46 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Science | 1st | of 10 | 50 |
| Neuroscience | 3rd | of 26 | 82 |
| Product Design | 10th | of 43 | 110 |
| Pharmacology | 10th | of 37 | 80 |
| PPE | 9th | of 31 | 81 |
| Teacher Training 2026 table | 3rd | of 10 | – |
| Chemical Engineering | 10th | of 30 | 79 |
| Midwifery | 18th | of 54 | 100 |
| Aerospace Engineering 2026 table | 11th | of 30 | 82 |
| Philosophy | 20th | of 54 | 110 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology | 38th | of 94 | 147 |
| Pharmacy | 13th | of 32 | 74 |
| Law | 41st | of 97 | 132 |
| Sociology | 37th | of 86 | 140 |
| Sports Science | 34th | of 78 | 126 |
| Biomedical Science | 42nd | of 93 | 126 |
| Nursing | 40th | of 85 | 125 |
| Zoology | 18th | of 37 | 81 |
| Architecture | 27th | of 55 | 100 |
| Economics | 42nd | of 85 | 117 |
| Chemistry | 22nd | of 44 | 89 |
| Biochemistry | 30th | of 60 | 102 |
| History | 38th | of 76 | 110 |
| Film Production | 44th | of 87 | 140 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 39th | of 77 | 124 |
| International Relations | 36th | of 71 | 103 |
| Biology | 26th | of 51 | 87 |
| Business and Management | 59th | of 114 | 138 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 35th | of 66 | 83 |
| Media and Communication | 42nd | of 79 | 119 |
| Medicine | 16th | of 30 | 60 |
| Psychology | 58th | of 108 | 124 |
| Social Work | 36th | of 67 | 122 |
| Politics | 43rd | of 78 | 110 |
| Civil Engineering | 32nd | of 58 | 93 |
| Computer Science | 58th | of 102 | 126 |
| Geography | 36th | of 63 | 108 |
| Mathematics | 35th | of 61 | 91 |
| Construction Management 2026 table | 6th | of 10 | – |
| Physics | 27th | of 45 | 86 |
| Human Resource Management | 39th | of 58 | 79 |
| Environmental Science | 32nd | of 47 | 68 |
| Bioinformatics 2026 table | 7th | of 10 | – |
| Biotechnology | 8th | of 10 | 27 |
| Classics | 16th | of 20 | 45 |
| Archaeology | 23rd | of 28 | 55 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
The Students' Union is based in the Portland Building on University Park and supports more than 200 societies and 70 sports clubs, plus Impact magazine, University Radio Nottingham and Karnival, one of the UK's biggest student fundraising efforts. Hall life is a big deal, with inter-hall sport and events. Lenton and Beeston are the main student neighbourhoods, and Nottingham city centre has a big nightlife scene shared with Nottingham Trent's students.
University halls cost £129–£302 per week (lowest 'from' prices across 2026/27 halls; premium catered rooms cost more, up to about £347) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says: "We will guarantee you a room in University-arranged accommodation for your first year if you: accept your offer of a place on a course at the University of Nottingham; accept your accommodation licence/tenancy agreement and the terms and conditions" by the deadline in your residential offer letter. You must also apply for accommodation. Only students who have firmly accepted an offer can apply; for 2026/27, applications opened on 1 April 2026, with rooms released in phases. International students are guaranteed accommodation for the whole course if they reapply each year.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadgate Park | Next to University Park (West Entrance) | standard, en-suite, studio and flats | £129/wk | Big self-catered site (UPP-run) with 40+ buildings, about 2 minutes' walk from University Park. 'Essential Standard' rooms £129 a week on a 44-week contract; en-suites from £225. |
| Newark Hall | Jubilee Campus | en-suite | £153/wk | On Jubilee Campus; listed as catered or self-catered. |
| Bonington Student Village | Sutton Bonington | en-suite and shared | £153/wk | Self-catered halls on the Sutton Bonington campus, for students based there. |
| University Park Townhouses | University Park | shared bathroom | £188/wk | A self-catered option on the main campus. |
| Lincoln Hall Catered | University Park | en-suite and shared | £226/wk | The cheapest of the on-campus catered halls. |
| Lenton and Wortley Hall Catered | University Park | en-suite and shared | £244/wk | Traditional catered hall on campus. |
| Cripps Hall Catered | University Park | shared bathroom, en-suite and flats | £267/wk | Catered hall on campus on a 41-week contract. Rooms from £267 a week (shared bathroom) up to £347 (one-bedroom flat). Meal plan plus a weekly MealPass allowance for lunches. |
| Cavendish Hall Catered | University Park | en-suite | £302/wk | The priciest hall by 'from' price: catered en-suite rooms on campus. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The classic second-year student area between University Park and the city, packed with shared houses.
Right next to University Park and close to Jubilee and the QMC hospital, handy for medics.
A town just south-west of campus, a bit calmer, with its own high street and a tram link.
Cheaper and close to Jubilee Campus and the city centre.
Top tip
You can apply once you've firmly accepted your offer, conditional or unconditional. For 2026/27, applications opened on 1 April 2026, and rooms are released in phases, so your first choice may appear later. Accept your residential offer by the deadline in the letter or you lose the guarantee. Eligible students can get an accommodation bursary of up to £12,375 towards first-year halls.
Nottingham is a mid-priced student city, but halls here are on the pricier side because so many are catered. 2026/27 'from' prices run from £129 a week at Broadgate Park to £302 at Cavendish Hall, with premium catered rooms higher. Getting between campuses is free on the hopper buses, which helps if you're at Jubilee or Sutton Bonington.
Getting around
University Park is about 15 minutes from the city centre by bus or tram (the tram stops on the edge of campus). Free hopper buses run by Nottingham City Transport link the campuses for students with university ID: the 901 to Sutton Bonington and Kegworth, the 903 to Jubilee, and the 906 evening service to Lenton and Beeston in term time.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Nottingham is 22nd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 54.6. Its strongest results are for social life (6th), nightlife (9th), work-life balance (11th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Nottingham places highest for Veterinary Science (1st of 10), Neuroscience (3rd of 26), Teacher Training (3rd of 10). Across our awards, it also stands out for social life.
In the UK there are three main ones: University Park (the main campus), Jubilee Campus about a mile away, and Sutton Bonington about 12 miles south, which is home to the vet school, biosciences and the university farm. There are also campuses in Malaysia and China. Free hopper buses link the UK campuses.
Yes. You're guaranteed a room in university-arranged accommodation in first year if you accept your place, apply for accommodation and accept your contract by the deadline in your residential offer letter. For 2026/27, applications opened on 1 April 2026 for students who had firmly accepted an offer.
For 2026/27, catered halls on University Park start at £226 a week (Lincoln Hall) and run past £300 (Cavendish Hall from £302). At Cripps Hall, for example, rooms run from £267 to £347 a week on a 41-week contract, with a meal plan included.
Broadgate Park, next to University Park, has 'Essential Standard' rooms from £129 a week on a 44-week contract. Jubilee's Newark and Southwell halls and Sutton Bonington's Bonington Student Village start at £153 a week.
By bus or tram: both take about 15 minutes. The tram stops on the edge of campus. Lenton, the main student area, is between the two.
Most move into shared houses in Lenton, the classic student area between campus and the city. Dunkirk, Beeston and Radford are popular too. The free 906 hopper bus runs to Lenton and Beeston in the evenings during term.
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.
