Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Plymouth is a city-centre university by the sea. The campus sits at Drake Circus, a few minutes from the shops, and halls are either on campus or in the nearby Student Village. That means most first years can walk everywhere. Its marine science is a big draw, with a Marine Station on the waterfront and diving built into some courses.
Plymouth itself is a working naval city with a lovely seafront, and it's one of the more affordable places to study. It's a long way from most of the UK, and the nightlife is smaller than in bigger cities. If you love the coast and want an easy, walkable student life, it's a great fit.
Known for
The University of Plymouth is 42nd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.7, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Falmouth University | 51.9 |
| 41 | University of Strathclyde | 51.9 |
| 42 | University of Plymouth | 51.7 |
| 43 | Harper Adams University | 51.5 |
| 44 | University of Winchester | 51.5 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
24th of 124 · Sustainability Score 63.5
25th of 124 · Innovation Score 64.3
37th of 123 · Happiness Score 52.5
39th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 55.3
41st of 124 · Affordability Score 59.1
43rd of 124 · Societies Score 56.4
44th of 124 · Social Score 54.1
45th of 124 · Safety Score 48.1
48th of 124 · Freshers Score 58.3
52nd of 124 · Balance Score 43.8
54th of 122 · Careers Score 32.7
55th of 124 · Nightlife Score 51.5
56th of 124 · Value Score 48.3
62nd of 124 · Employability Score 31.4
92nd of 124 · Inclusion Score 48.3
Plymouth as a student city
Ranked 27th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 55.1.
The University of Plymouth appears in 51 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Security | 1st | of 58 | 174 |
| Quantity Surveying | 1st | of 35 | 112 |
| Electrical Engineering | 2nd | of 67 | 163 |
| Robotics | 1st | of 32 | 121 |
| Civil Engineering | 2nd | of 58 | 152 |
| Nursing | 3rd | of 85 | 194 |
| Data Science | 2nd | of 50 | 140 |
| Anthropology | 1st | of 24 | 92 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 4th | of 77 | 190 |
| Zoology | 2nd | of 37 | 119 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
The University of Plymouth Students' Union (UPSU) runs an award-winning venue, bar and social space on campus, along with student groups, sports clubs and volunteering. It also runs low-cost initiatives such as free-to-use microwaves and a £3 fresh-produce box. Off campus, the Barbican, Plymouth Hoe and the waterfront are close by. Dartmoor and the Cornish coast are within reach for weekends of walking, surfing and watersports.
University halls cost £141–£233 per week (2026/27, 41-week licence, bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance included) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Plymouth guarantees a single room in halls (university-managed or an ANUK-accredited private provider) to new first-year undergraduates who make Plymouth their firm first choice, apply by the guarantee deadline and meet the terms. For 2027/28 the deadline is 17:00 on 4 July 2027. You also need to complete all parts of your academic application, reply to emails and make any advance payments on time. The guarantee doesn't cover your preferred building or room type, but the university says the vast majority of first years are offered university-managed halls.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilwell Hall | Student Village | shared facilities | £141/wk | The cheapest hall, in flats of 5–6: £5,781 for a 41-week licence. Includes 52 top-floor 'loft' rooms at the same price. |
| Robbins Hall | Student Village | shared facilities and en-suite | £141/wk | £141–£188 a week, in flats of 4–8. |
| Radnor Hall | Student Village | en-suite | £209.50/wk | 400 standard en-suites in 6-person flats (£8,589.50 for 41 weeks). Superior rooms £230 a week. |
| Pilgrim Hall | Student Village | en-suite | £209.50/wk | Flats of 6–8. Large en-suites £215, superior £230 a week. |
| Francis Drake Hall | On campus | en-suite | £209.50/wk | 288 standard en-suites in flats of 3–10, right on campus. |
| Mary Newman Hall | On campus | en-suite | £209.50/wk | 106 standard en-suites, plus 48 large en-suites at £233 a week (the most expensive rooms). |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The best-known student area, just north of campus, with terraced houses, cafés and pubs along Mutley Plain.
Near campus and Mutley, with lots of shared houses.
Right next to campus and very convenient for lectures.
Historic harbourside area near the Hoe, with bars and restaurants. Pricier and further from student houses.
Top tip
Make Plymouth your firm choice and apply through the Accommodation Portal before the early-July guarantee deadline. Use a personal email address, not a school one, as room offers come from uniaccommodation@plymouth.ac.uk and school accounts can expire after results. No deposit is needed for halls.
Plymouth is one of the more affordable cities in the South. Halls cost from £141 a week for a shared-bathroom room, or £209.50 for an en-suite, on a 41-week licence with bills included. No deposit is needed. The university doesn't publish a full living cost estimate on the pages checked, but the Home Office asks international students outside London to show £1,171 a month.
Getting around
Halls are on campus or in the nearby Student Village, a few minutes' walk from both the university and the city centre, so most students walk everywhere. The Marine Station is on the waterfront at Queen Anne's Battery. For buses, most single fares in England are capped at £3.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Plymouth is 42nd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.7. Its strongest results are for sustainability (24th), innovation (25th), student happiness (37th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Plymouth places highest for Cyber Security (1st of 58), Quantity Surveying (1st of 35), Electrical Engineering (2nd of 67), Robotics (1st of 32). Across our awards, it also stands out for sustainability.
Yes. New first-year undergraduates who make Plymouth their firm choice and apply by the deadline (17:00 on 4 July 2027 for 2027/28) are guaranteed a single room in university-managed halls or an accredited private hall.
For 2026/27, rooms cost £141–£233 a week on a 41-week licence. Shared-facility rooms in Gilwell and Robbins start at £141, and standard en-suites are £209.50. Bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance are included, and there's no deposit.
Francis Drake and Mary Newman are on campus. Radnor, Pilgrim, Robbins and Gilwell are in the Student Village, a few minutes' walk from both campus and the city centre.
It's one of its best-known strengths. The university has a Marine Station on the waterfront with a diving centre, boats and full-time instructors, and its microplastics research has won a Queen's Anniversary Prize.
Many move into shared houses in Mutley, Greenbank and North Hill, all close to campus.
Placements for health and medical students are spread across the South West, and you're responsible for your own placement accommodation. The university notes that halls are available in Truro.
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.
