Liverpool is one of the most unique cities in the UK, and this is just one of the many reasons why it attracts so many students to live here every single year, with such a diverse range of culture to the amazing universities on offer whether it be University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores, Liverpool Hope or LIPA, Liverpool is one of the biggest hotspots for student life that you can find.
This aim of this guide is to help many students who are moving out for the first time and are unsure about what the best steps are for them to take in order to find the best possible area for their lifestyle and budget within Liverpool. In this guide, you will find a small selection of some of the most popular student living areas within the city, with a brief rundown on their key aspects like amenities, transportation, budgets and the overall environment of the area. Aswell as some steps that you may feel that you need to take to launch your first step into university life.
Top Student Areas in Liverpool
Smithdown Road
Smithdown Road is the beating heart of student life in Liverpool. There is nowhere else in the city that you will find more populated, more alive and more drunk than at Smithdown Road. Home to the famous Smithdown Ten pubcrawl, this is the place to be if you are looking for an energetic and noisy place to live while at university.
However, not only is it home to pubs, but on a relaxing day, feel free to head down to Bean There or Café Nomad to catch up on some studies with a nice hot drink, or bring some mates to Wavertree Sports Park and blow off some steam.
Transportation to campus is one of the most important things to consider when finding the right area for you. Thankfully, because of the 86A route, which will become your ultimate way of transportation to campus and the city centre. Here is a list of the 4 biggest universities in Liverpool and how long they take to reach with public transportation and by walking:
- University of Liverpool – Bus route 86A (19 minutes on average) and around 30 minutes to walk.
- Liverpool Johns Moores University – Making your way to Liverpool Queen Square Bus Station, many different bus routes will take you near to campus, which include: 310, 47 and the 300 route with the trip overall taking roughly 35 minutes including some walking.
- Liverpool Hope University – Again, using the 86A bus route but instead going the opposite way, then jumping onto the 61 route will take you to the doorstep of Liverpool Hope campus, taking roughly 20 minutes depending on where on Smithdown Road you live.
- LIPA – The 86A will take you 17 minutes, and exiting the bus on Back Canning Street will take you up the street from the campus.
For your groceries, Smithdown road does offer an Aldi and Asda which can be found in the centre of the area. Aldi often is the more popular place to shop considering its cheaper prices and will most likely become your main place to shop. However, if you sometimes feel the need to splurge on some of those name brands, Asda has all the offerings you could wish for just across the road and with the good transportation on offer for the area, even taking a small bus journey into the city centre opens up a lot more options when it comes to grocery shopping and beyond.
Because it is such a popular place to be, the housing can go quick but is reasonably priced with the average rent being between £100-£145 per week per person. This pricing is for living in a shared flat and is the best way to go, especially if it is your first time living on your own as it allows you to learn all of the new things that come with being independent.
If you are a lively, energetic student who wants to experience everything that university life has to offer. Smithdown Road should be at the top of your list.
Kensington
Kensington is another highly populated spot for student life, with its extremely close proximity to the University of Liverpool, it is ideal for a quick commute. A great plus for Kensington is that there is a lot of available housing meaning that the prices are generally cheaper here than in Smithdown Road and you don’t sacrifice a lot of the social front.
While not as populated at Smithdown Road with pubs and clubs, it still has a majority student population in the area. Contrary to Smithdown Road, the area is more relaxed with a lot of nearby parks and green spaces. Many community groups often volunteer in order to keep the area clean, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities for taking advantage of the sun in the parks of a day.
Travelling to university campus (especially University of Liverpool) in this area is a cinch and is more accessible than in Smithdown Road. Here is a rundown of the average travel times to each of the 4 main campuses:
- University of Liverpool – 15-minute walk but if you wish to get the bus, it is primarily route 8 which will take you around the corner to campus.
- Liverpool John Moores University – 30-minute walk with a roughly similar bus time going along the 10 bus route.
- Liverpool Hope University – 30-minute bus ride on average along the 78 route finishing virtually outside of the campus.
- LIPA – This is a 30 minute with, with not much easy access if you wish to get the bus with either the 699 route or the 10A route not getting you close to campus.
If you are someone who prefers a comfortable café aesthetic for when they are doing their assignments, this area is perfect for you with a variety of high-rated cafes in the area like The Base Café and a personal favourite of mine being Bekas Café which serves a traditional Kurdish breakfast and is not too far of a walk from the centre of Kensington. Even more so, if you head towards the Knowledge Quarter, you will find plenty more cafés and restaurants that would be perfect for some afternoon tea or a delicious evening meal.
The rent prices in Kensington vary from £90 to £130 a week per person so it is generally one of the cheaper options for living in Liverpool. The general housing accommodation that you will find in this area are either shared houses or flats. They all offer shared living spaces with it most commonly including between 5 and 6 bedrooms, therefore you will most likely be sharing your space with others. This can be important because if you are heading to university with a group of friends, then it is definitely possible that you could all live in the same flat.
Kensington would definitely be recommended to those who are past their first year of university and maybe want to take a step back from all of the action and wish for easy access to the universities.
Liverpool City Centre
If you are looking to experience everything that Liverpool has to offer, the City Centre is for you. Home to everything that you could possibly need, you will never find yourself bored here.
The City Centre boasts the most convenience out of all of the areas previous because you are surrounded by a variety of shops, bars, restaurants, tourist spots and more. Meaning whether you are out to get some groceries or you are looking for a nice place to have dinner, there are literally hundreds of options for you to choose from.
A word from the wise however, if you are living in the City Centre expect your sleep schedule to be ruined as there is always something going on at nighttime and is the noisiest place to be in Liverpool but if that is the kind of atmosphere that you are looking for, then City Centre is certainly the right place to experience the night-life that the city has to offer and means that coming home after a long night can be within walking distance.
The rent costs here can vary largely because there are so many places on offer, the cheapest rent is around £130 a week per person, whereas some of the more expensive places can cost over £200 a week per person. However, there is a good reason for these prices as these are some of the most modern and luxury student accommodations that you can find in the city. There is a lot of variety when it comes to the types of accommodation ranging from studios, flats and houses. It is often common that they come will all bills included and with modern appliances already inside. This, therefore, means they are highly sought after and if you wish to find a place to live in the City Centre, you need to be fast before they are all snatched up.
Access to transport within the City Centre means that you have nearly every area of the city in easy access with both Liverpool Queen Square Bus Station and Liverpool One Bus Station offering all of the bus routes that you need to explore the city. Even when going home or travelling outside of the city, Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central are within walking distance of anywhere within the City Centre, meaning that travelling home has never been easier.
Surrounded by culture, if you want the true Liverpool student experience, Liverpool City Centre is where it is at. Surrounded by every possible convenience comes at a price but it does mean that life will be significantly easier for you with access to just about everything that a student could possibly need right in the palm of your hand. This area, however, is recommended to students who either can afford the more expensive rates and are not afraid of the hustle and bustle of the City Centre.
Finding your place in Liverpool
Looking for the perfect student accommodation can be difficult, but here is a final list of some of the most important steps that you need to take in order to ensure that you find the perfect place for you.
Start your search for accommodation early – Being early to house hunting allows you greater opportunities to find the best deals and accommodation for yourself without the worry of rushing in order to beat other students to an accommodation.
Visit the areas yourself – Visiting the area that you wish to live in yourself means that you can get a feel for the area and whether or not if it suits your lifestyle. Looking at maps and images alone is not enough to be able to make a decision that will affect your life for the next year and being sure that you have chosen the right area and accommodation with definitely heighten your living experience.
Be sure to check transportation to your university of choice – Making sure that you have easy access to your university campus is essential. After all, that is why you are moving to student accommodation. It can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of moving out for the first time and maybe wanting to be close to friends. Ultimately, you need to make the choice that is right for you and finding an accommodation near to your campus will make your life a lot easier in the future.
Understand the difference between bills and rent – Often student accommodation with not include your bills such as electricity, water or wifi. Meaning that you will have to handle the payment of these bills yourself. Always make sure to check with the listing or landlord whether or not these bills are included with part of your rent or not. If bills aren’t included, then make sure that they are within your budget by calculating your income and the cost of both bills and rent before you sign any contracts.
If there are ever any concerns that you may have either before or during your accommodation, your first port of call should always be your university. All of the universities in Liverpool have dedicated staff to ensure that you are both happy and comfortable in your accommodation. If you ever have problems with budgeting, bills or general living. Always make sure to contact your university’s student wellbeing team. Links are provided are provided below for student wellbeing teams in the universities that have been covered in this guide:
- University of Liverpool Wellbeing Team
- Liverpool John Moores University Wellbeing Team
- Liverpool Hope University Wellbeing Team
- LIPA Student Support
Liverpool is one of the most diverse cities in the country, and this means that whether you like a more relaxed evening surrounded with green spaces, or you’re a night owl looking for the underground at Jacaranda. There is always a place for you to be in Liverpool.
