Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Staffordshire's main campus sits in Stoke-on-Trent's University Quarter, a few minutes' walk from Stoke station, with trains to Manchester, Birmingham and London. Health courses are taught at its Stafford campus, and some games and computing courses at a London campus. It's best known for games and esports, and for a practical, career-focused approach.
Stoke is one of the cheaper places in England to be a student. It's a city of six towns rather than one big centre, though, so nightlife is more low-key than in Manchester or Birmingham. First years live in a new on-campus Student Village, where every room is en-suite and bills are included.
Known for
The University of Staffordshire is 105th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 41, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 103 | Abertay University | 41 |
| 104 | Solent University | 41 |
| 105 | Staffordshire University | 41 |
| 106 | University of Cumbria | 40.6 |
| 107 | University College Birmingham | 40.5 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
25th of 124 · Affordability Score 65.5
39th of 124 · Nightlife Score 55.6
52nd of 124 · Social Score 51.9
80th of 124 · Societies Score 46.4
81st of 124 · Safety Score 36.4
80th of 122 · Careers Score 27.4
84th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 46.9
91st of 123 · Happiness Score 40
92nd of 124 · Employability Score 25.3
94th of 124 · Inclusion Score 46.8
95th of 124 · Freshers Score 46.2
98th of 124 · Value Score 36.5
99th of 124 · Sustainability Score 37.9
99th of 124 · Balance Score 35.9
111th of 124 · Innovation Score 39.4
Stoke-on-Trent as a student city
Ranked 21st of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 56.3.
The University of Staffordshire appears in 28 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | 12th | of 44 | 94 |
| Architecture | 19th | of 55 | 112 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 25th | of 66 | 96 |
| Forensic Science | 15th | of 31 | 80 |
| Psychology | 53rd | of 108 | 130 |
| Biomedical Science | 48th | of 93 | 110 |
| Film Production | 45th | of 87 | 136 |
| Teaching | 41st | of 79 | 118 |
| Criminology | 49th | of 94 | 114 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 28th | of 52 | 95 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 37th | of 68 | 110 |
| Fashion Design | 27th | of 49 | 93 |
| Electrical Engineering | 38th | of 67 | 98 |
| Law | 58th | of 97 | 105 |
| Sports Science | 47th | of 78 | 100 |
| Art and Design | 8th | of 13 | 47 |
| Computer Science | 63rd | of 102 | 112 |
| Software Engineering | 36th | of 58 | 84 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 48th | of 77 | 107 |
| Engineering (General) | 19th | of 30 | 50 |
| English Language and Literature | 35th | of 54 | 76 |
| Cyber Security | 38th | of 58 | 84 |
| Primary Education | 39th | of 59 | 88 |
| Marketing | 59th | of 88 | 88 |
| Business and Management | 77th | of 114 | 95 |
| Fine Art | 40th | of 58 | 83 |
| Human Resource Management | 41st | of 58 | 75 |
| Aeronautical Engineering | 6th | of 8 | 27 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Staffordshire Students' Union (Staffs Union) runs the clubs and societies, from games and anime to cheerleading, caving and debating, plus a lettings agency called GreenPad. Sport is organised through the university's sports centre, with BUCS teams, social sport and an annual Varsity against Keele. Campus is in Shelton, close to Stoke town and its shops and bars. Hanley, the city centre, is a short bus ride away for bigger nights out, theatres and shopping. The Peak District and Alton Towers are close enough for days out.
University halls cost £175–£233 per week (2026/27, all en-suite, bills included, minimum 42-week licence) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university says it guarantees all new undergraduate and postgraduate entrants at its Stoke-on-Trent locations a place to live. To qualify, you must hold a firm (conditional or unconditional) offer for a full-time degree, apply for a full licence before 31 August 2026, apply for a single room and accept your accommodation offer by the deadline. Students at the Stafford campus are covered, but the London campus is not. If campus rooms run out, the university helps you find a room with a trusted local provider. You pay a £50 pre-payment when you accept, and this counts towards your rent.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swan Classic | Student Village, Leek Road (Stoke campus) | en-suite | £175/wk | The cheapest option: 296 refurbished en-suite rooms in flats of 3–12 sharing a kitchen. That's about £7,350 for the minimum 42 weeks, with bills, Wi-Fi and gym included. |
| Swan Premium | Student Village, Leek Road (Stoke campus) | en-suite (larger room) | £188/wk | New larger en-suite rooms for September 2026, in flats of 3–8 with a shared kitchen and lounge. |
| Village Classic | Student Village, Leek Road (Stoke campus) | en-suite | £192/wk | New for September 2026: standard en-suite rooms in flats of 8–12 with a shared kitchen and lounge. |
| Village Premium | Student Village, Leek Road (Stoke campus) | en-suite (larger room) | £210/wk | New larger en-suite rooms in flats of 8–12. |
| Swan Deluxe | Student Village, Leek Road (Stoke campus) | studio | £212/wk | Studios with your own mini-kitchen, plus an extra kitchen shared with 6 residents. |
| Village Deluxe | Student Village, Leek Road (Stoke campus) | studio | £233/wk | The priciest option: a self-contained studio with its own kitchenette, dining area and en-suite. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Right by campus and Stoke station. Handy if you want to walk to lectures.
A smaller town centre close to campus, with supermarkets, a weekly market, shops and bars.
The city centre, a short bus ride or 25-minute walk away, with the main shops, theatres and nightlife.
Top tip
You can apply once you've accepted your offer (firm or insurance) and have your eight-digit student number. Wait 48 hours after accepting, then register on the accommodation portal. Rooms are allocated first come, first served, and you must rank every room type for your application to count. Add the same group reference as your friends if you want to live together. For second year, try GreenPad, the Students' Union's lettings agency, whose properties are university-approved.
The university doesn't publish an overall living-cost estimate, but it calls Stoke one of the most affordable places to study in the UK. Hall rent is the big cost: £175–£233 a week for 42 weeks (about £7,350–£9,786), with bills, Wi-Fi, insurance and gym included. Sport is cheap, buses are capped at £3, and a taxi to Hanley costs from about £5.
Getting around
Campus is next to Stoke-on-Trent station, with direct trains to Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and London. The Student Village is about 8 minutes' walk from the station and 10 minutes from College Road. Buses run from outside campus to Hanley's bus station. Single bus fares in England are capped at £3 until at least March 2027. Cycle lanes run along Leek Road.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Staffordshire is 105th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 41. Its strongest results are for affordability (25th), nightlife (39th).
Yes. Staffordshire University changed its name to the University of Staffordshire in 2024. It's the same institution, with its main campus in Stoke-on-Trent and other campuses in Stafford and London.
Yes, for new students at the Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford campuses. You need a firm offer for a full-time degree, must apply for a full licence before 31 August and must accept your room offer by the deadline. The London campus isn't covered. If campus rooms run out, the university helps you find a room with a trusted local provider.
For 2026/27, rooms in the Student Village cost £175–£233 a week on a minimum 42-week licence. Every room is en-suite, and bills, Wi-Fi, contents insurance and gym membership are included. The cheapest is Swan Classic and the priciest is a Village Deluxe studio.
In the University Quarter at Shelton, next to Stoke-on-Trent station. It has two main sites, College Road and Leek Road, and the Student Village sits by the nature reserve at Leek Road. Hanley city centre is a short bus ride or about a 25-minute walk away.
Stafford is home to the Centre for Health Innovation, used for nursing, midwifery, paramedic science and other health courses. The London campus at Here East in east London focuses on computing, games and cyber security, with some business and education courses.
It's one of the best-known names for them. It says it was the first UK university to offer an esports degree and has a 60-seat esports arena. TIGA named it Best Educational Institution for games in 2024 and 2025.
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.
