Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Sheffield is a big Russell Group university in a city that feels smaller and friendlier than its size suggests. The campus spreads along Western Bank and into the city centre, and most first years live either in the leafy Ranmoor & Endcliffe 'student village' or in city-centre halls a few minutes from lectures. The students' union is the social hub and has a long run of national awards behind it.
It's hilly, so expect some steep walks. Halls aren't cheap (most rooms are around £150–£230 a week), but private renting is more affordable than in many big cities, and the Peak District is a short bus ride away.
Known for
The University of Sheffield is 39th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 52, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | University of Warwick | 52.1 |
| 38 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 52 |
| 39 | University of Sheffield | 52 |
| 40 | Falmouth University | 51.9 |
| 41 | University of Strathclyde | 51.9 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
16th of 124 · Societies Score 65.2
17th of 124 · Balance Score 53.2
21st of 124 · Freshers Score 64.3
23rd of 124 · Value Score 60
33rd of 124 · Social Score 58.7
36th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 56.3
38th of 124 · Affordability Score 59.7
44th of 124 · Innovation Score 60
50th of 124 · Inclusion Score 63.8
53rd of 124 · Nightlife Score 52
55th of 123 · Happiness Score 47.7
59th of 124 · Safety Score 43.8
68th of 124 · Employability Score 29.9
71st of 124 · Sustainability Score 48.1
74th of 122 · Careers Score 28.9
Sheffield as a student city
Ranked 32nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 54.
The University of Sheffield appears in 42 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Management 2026 table | 1st | of 10 | – |
| Aerospace Engineering 2026 table | 3rd | of 30 | 101 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 9th | of 66 | 119 |
| Architecture | 10th | of 55 | 123 |
| Linguistics | 5th | of 27 | 73 |
| PPE | 6th | of 31 | 89 |
| Software Engineering | 12th | of 58 | 132 |
| Music | 13th | of 56 | 123 |
| Journalism | 14th | of 59 | 123 |
| Data Science | 12th | of 50 | 111 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 16th | of 61 | 125 |
| Chemical Engineering | 8th | of 30 | 81 |
| Engineering (General) | 8th | of 30 | 87 |
| Law | 26th | of 97 | 158 |
| Zoology | 10th | of 37 | 102 |
| Pharmacy | 9th | of 32 | 84 |
| Biochemistry | 17th | of 60 | 125 |
| Philosophy | 16th | of 54 | 117 |
| Chemistry | 14th | of 44 | 103 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 25th | of 77 | 143 |
| Media and Communication | 26th | of 79 | 149 |
| Nursing | 28th | of 85 | 148 |
| Psychology | 36th | of 108 | 159 |
| International Relations | 24th | of 71 | 127 |
| Criminology | 32nd | of 94 | 157 |
| Biomedical Science | 32nd | of 93 | 143 |
| History | 28th | of 76 | 127 |
| Business and Management | 42nd | of 114 | 167 |
| English Language and Literature | 20th | of 54 | 105 |
| Politics | 29th | of 78 | 129 |
| Computer Science | 39th | of 102 | 154 |
| Environmental Science | 18th | of 47 | 100 |
| Economics | 33rd | of 85 | 134 |
| Medicine | 12th | of 30 | 69 |
| Robotics | 13th | of 32 | 87 |
| Sociology | 37th | of 86 | 140 |
| Civil Engineering | 25th | of 58 | 103 |
| Physics | 20th | of 45 | 96 |
| Geography | 29th | of 63 | 116 |
| Electrical Engineering | 31st | of 67 | 109 |
| Bioinformatics 2026 table | 9th | of 10 | – |
| Teacher Training 2026 table | 9th | of 10 | – |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
The Students' Union on Western Bank is the centre of things: bars, club nights, a 400-seat cinema, gigs, comedy and pub quizzes. The university says it was voted the UK's best students' union every year from 2017 to 2024 by the Whatuni Student Choice Awards. There are over 400 societies and sports clubs, a 'Give It a Go' scheme for trying things out, and a big Varsity rivalry with Sheffield Hallam. Off campus, Broomhill, Division Street, Ecclesall Road and Kelham Island cover cafes, bars and food, and the Peak District is a bus ride away.
University halls cost £151–£240 per week (2026/27 undergraduate rooms; £151–£228 on standard 42-week contracts, up to £240 for a 51-week Laddow studio) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says that if you're studying full time for the full academic year, it guarantees you a place in university accommodation, as long as you apply before the deadline (3 September 2026 for 2026/27 entry). The guarantee also covers students who come through Clearing or who have Sheffield as their insurance choice. Family accommodation isn't guaranteed.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent Flats and Endcliffe Vale Flats | Ranmoor & Endcliffe | shared bathroom | £151/wk | The cheapest undergraduate rooms: £6,359.22 for a 42-week contract (20 September 2026 to 11 July 2027). Bills, contents insurance and WiFi included. |
| Crewe Flats | Ranmoor & Endcliffe | shared bathroom | £152/wk | £6,379.80–£6,817.86 for 42 weeks. Close to Broomhill and Endcliffe Park. |
| St George's Flats | City | en-suite | £180/wk | City-centre en-suite flats right by campus: £7,558.74 for 42 weeks. |
| St Vincent's Place | City | en-suite | £180/wk | £7,558.74 for 42 weeks. A short walk from Kelham Island and the city centre; about 9 minutes to The Diamond. |
| Stephenson Catered | Ranmoor & Endcliffe | shared bathroom | £194/wk | The only catered option: £8,167.32 for 42 weeks, including meals. |
| Allen Court | City | en-suite | £194/wk | Larger 'en-suite+' rooms (£8,161.44 for 42 weeks) with a residents' gym, about 5 minutes from The Diamond. |
| Ranmoor & Endcliffe apartments (e.g. Burbage, Howden, Rivelin, Stanage) | Ranmoor & Endcliffe | en-suite | £196/wk | The main en-suite blocks in the student village: £8,220.24 for 42 weeks (deluxe rooms £8,911.14). The university puts campus at around 25 minutes' walk. |
| Kinder, Windgather and Wimberry Studios | Ranmoor & Endcliffe | studio | £228/wk | Self-contained studios: £9,562.73 for 42 weeks. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The classic student area between campus and Endcliffe, full of shared houses, bars and cafes.
Up the hill from Broomhill: lots of terraced student houses, a bit cheaper and a bit quieter.
Popular with second and third years: bars, restaurants and Endcliffe Park nearby.
Mostly private purpose-built blocks and flats, close to campus and the city's independent bars.
Top tip
If Sheffield is your firm choice, you can apply for accommodation from March. Apply before the guarantee deadline (3 September in 2026). Contracts are 42 weeks for most undergraduates. Rents include bills, insurance and WiFi, but no TV licence.
University halls for 2026/27 cost from about £151 a week for a shared-bathroom room to around £196 for a standard en-suite, with bills included. On top of rent, the university's money page (using Save the Student figures) suggests around £155 a month on groceries, £73 on transport and £60 on going out. Sheffield is generally cheaper than the big southern cities.
Getting around
Sheffield is walkable but hilly. The university says you can walk from the train station to campus in about 20 minutes, and from Ranmoor & Endcliffe to campus in about 25. Buses into town run roughly every ten minutes, and the Supertram crosses the city. Adult bus singles are capped at £3, and the university says student bus singles are £1.50.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Sheffield is 39th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 52. Its strongest results are for student societies (16th), work-life balance (17th), freshers experience (21st).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Sheffield places highest for Construction Management (1st of 10), Aerospace Engineering (3rd of 30). Across our awards, it also stands out for student societies.
Yes. Sheffield is one of the 24 Russell Group universities, and it's also part of the N8 Research Partnership of northern research universities.
Yes, if you're studying full time for the full year and apply before the deadline (3 September in 2026). The guarantee includes Clearing students and those with Sheffield as their insurance choice. You can apply from March if Sheffield is your firm choice.
Ranmoor & Endcliffe is a leafy 'student village' near Broomhill with most of the rooms, including the cheapest shared-bathroom flats and the only catered hall. It's about a 25-minute walk to campus. The City residences (Allen Court, St George's, St Vincent's) are en-suite only and a few minutes from lectures.
Yes. Rent includes water, gas and electricity, contents insurance and WiFi, plus laundry credit and Residence Life events. You'll need your own TV licence if you watch live TV or BBC iPlayer.
For 2026/27, undergraduate rooms range from £6,359.22 (about £151 a week) for a shared-bathroom flat to £9,562.73 (about £228 a week) for a 42-week studio. Standard en-suites are about £180–£196 a week. Catered Stephenson is £8,167.32 for 42 weeks.
Mostly on foot, by bus and by Supertram. The city is hilly but compact. Adult bus singles are capped at £3, the university says student bus singles are £1.50, and a Supertram single is £2.10.
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.
