Student Life in Yorkshire & the Humber
Offering nine universities in six cities, each set in beautiful natural surroundings, and offering students a wide range of social and cultural activities, Yorkshire & the Humber is seen by many students as an ideal place to study. The two main cities in the area, Leeds and Sheffield, are particularly famous for their lively student atmospheres, while Hull, Bradford, York and Huddersfield also contribute massively to the region’s student-friendly vibe.
Covering one of the largest areas of UK countryside, the Yorkshire & the Humber area has plenty on offer for students in terms of leisure and entertainment opportunities, while the region is perhaps most famous for its natural beauty, with both the North-Yorkshire moors and the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep, as well as access to the Pennines. The region also has many historical sites for culturally-minded students including York Minster in York, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe; Harewood house in Leeds; Skipton Castle in Craven; Scarborough Castle on the North Sea coast in Scarborough; and Nunnington hall in Ryedale. Other local places of interest include Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo in Ryedale, the Yorkshire Air Museum in York and, for the young at heart, the Eureka! National Children's Museum in Calderdale. In terms of sports, students living in Yorkshire & the Humber can visit one of the many top football, rugby and cricket teams in the area, including Hull City and Leeds United football teams. Shopping enthusiasts are also provided for, with each of the university cities in the region offering extensive shopping and leisure complexes.
In terms of socialising and night-life, the two most lively cities in the area are Leeds and Sheffield, each boasting popular club scenes that rival any other student town. Leeds in particular is noted for its vibrant clubs, with the city offering several ‘super clubs’, popular chain bars and small, alternative venues. Live music is a huge source of entertainment in the area, with Sheffield and Leeds producing some of the country’s biggest bands in recent years including Pulp, Gang of Four, the Arctic Monkeys and the Kaiser Chiefs. There are a plentiful supply of live music venues in both cities, while Leeds is also home to the annual Leeds Festival, which takes place in Bramham Park every summer and features some of the world’s biggest artists.
Culturally, Yorkshire & the Humber has a rich variety of museums, theatres and art galleries on offer for local students. In Sheffield, the Crucible theatre, the Lyceum Theatre and the Studio theatre make up the largest theatre complex outside London, while the Leeds arts gallery features some of the most famous and important examples of traditional and contemporary British art, including pieces by Rodin and Turner. Hull boasts many places of touristic interest, including museums, art galleries and The Deep 'submarium' aquarium, which boasts an elevator ride through tanks of marine wildlife and a restaurant where you can eat in front of a shark-filled seascape.
The cost of living in Yorkshire & the Humber is generally quite low, especially in university cities. Outside the city, the cost of basic living essentials dramatically increases. On the downside, crime rates in the area are pretty high, well above national averages and third worst in the country behind only the North West and London. Unfortunately for students, the worst affected areas in the region are Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford, the three places with the biggest student populations. Consequently, students living in the region are advised to be careful both with their personal safety and their property, as burglaries are the biggest source of crime in the region.
Access to and from Yorkshire & the Humber is pretty easy by both road and rail, with the M62, M1, A1 and A19 roads offering links to all corners of the country, and extensive train services to and from the area, with Leeds, Sheffield and York providing the central rail hubs. The East Coast Main line passes through both Leeds and York, while the Midlands train line finishes in Sheffield. East-west routes are also offered by the TransPennine express, offering services from Sheffield, Leeds and York to both Manchester and Liverpool. Airports operating in the area include Leeds-Bradford International Airport, Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster-Sheffield Airport and Humberside Airport, but Leeds-Bradford International Airport is currently the region’s only airport offering its travellers international services.
