Sheffield/Leeds/Canterbury - What are they like to live in?

Folev the red

Might be going Uni in Autumn if I get the grades. I've got to pick two out of Leeds, Sheffield and Kent Universities in the last stage of my ucas application before I sit my exams in June.

The reason I haven't chosen the two yet is because I don't know much about the towns/cities, so was wondering if anyone who knows Sheffield, Leeds or Canterbury well could tell me what they're like to live in as a student?

operationpig

I might Sound bias because I live in Sheffied, but without any doubt Sheffield, for a student City it has the highest number of post graduates staying on to live in the city then any other UK Student city.

It was also voted the most safe student City in the UK too!

Monday - Thursday all the bars in town are 80p - one quid a drink shorts/ spirits 1.20.

Greenest City in Europe with parks/ woods etc.

It's a great city, much better then Leeds mate trust me.

Off_it

Yes, you do.

ISawLeaburnScore

Went to Sheffield myself lived there for 3 years.

Great city to be a student in: decent university, spent a lot in the last few years on new halls of residence/accommodation , loads of bars and club nights cheap prices, small enough to be able to get around most places on foot, good transport links (crucual for your future cafc away attendance).

Think Leeds is a good choice as well, just on a much bigger scale.

In my opinion it depends on how the courses stack up and on your personality (whether you want a smaller or larger city depending on what you are used to/want to experience).

AddickUpNorth

Forget what my South Yorkshire chum has said and go for Leeds. Never lived there but had more nights out there than I can remember. Nightlife is excellent, gig scene is good. Has a much better all round vibe than Sheffield.

Two of my mates went to Uni there and they still say it was probably the best three years of their lives.

Addickforlife

Ive been to Leeds many times for nights out with uni mates and its a fantastic student city. Never had a bad night up there.

SE10

Sheffield.

operationpig

Leeds have a big problem with students getting attacked, not long ago one got murdered, Leeds does have a decent nightlife but it has full of idiots too, not saying Sheffield hasn't but it is 10 times more safer, the areas in leeds are horrid!.

marksablade

Not a student myself but Sheffield is the choice you want to make,the city is more student friendly & has two universities.Not sure about Leeds being on a much bigger scale as the two cities are roughly the same size maybe Sheffield just edging it.

Addickforlife

Not a student myself but Sheffield is the choice you want to make,the city is more student friendly & has two universities.Not sure about Leeds being on a much bigger scale as the two cities are roughly the same size maybe Sheffield just edging it.

Leeds also has two unis....

North Lower Neil

Canterbury is lovely, I was a student here and stayed afterwards, but I'd go up north for Uni if given the chance again.

_MrDick

Was in Sheffield during freshers week back in September 1999. Absolutely mental. If I were going to Uni, I'd seriously consider Sheffield

fatrob

for the crack go up north or you can go to Canterbury to be nearer the reds

cafcdan18

Graduated from Kent Uni last summer, lived in the city for 3 years and really enjoyed it. Lots of pubs and always plenty of student nights and different things going on. However it is not the biggest and in terms of clubs, not the best compared to other student cities. Certainly came back to London more so in my third year for nights out.

The city is fairly small, easy to get around and always felt safe. As for the University, no complaints at all.

If you have any more questions Folev, feel free to send me a message.

Folev the red

Thanks for the info everyone. I've been to both Sheffield and Leeds in the past month, and I get the impression that they're pretty similar in most ways, only that Leeds is a bit bigger. Basically I've only seen both places for about 8 hours each, so not enough time to see them properly and know what 3 years there could be like.
I actually have to put kent down as my back-up as both Leeds and Sheffield demand higher grades. What I was fearing was that if I didn't get the grades for one of those two, I wouldn't find as much to do in Canterbury as its much smaller, but again I don't know much about the City.

Wheresmeticket

Both full of people from Yorkshire. ;0(

J BLOCK

Went to Sheffield myself lived there for 3 years.

Great city to be a student in: decent university, spent a lot in the last few years on new halls of residence/accommodation , loads of bars and club nights cheap prices, small enough to be able to get around most places on foot, good transport links (crucual for your future cafc away attendance).

Think Leeds is a good choice as well, just on a much bigger scale.

In my opinion it depends on how the courses stack up and on your personality (whether you want a smaller or larger city depending on what you are used to/want to experience).

Agree with this. Im a couple of months away from finishing at Hallam and although a big city the smaller scale of the city centre is appealing and would definitely recommend it

Athletico Charlton

Spent 3 excellent yrs in Sheffield and loved it. Great vibe, loads of students, cheap beer, the great outdoors of the Peak District nearby. Good clubs/pubs and generally the people there are excellent and the girls being northern are a lot more friendly! Only people you should watch out for are the cab drivers who had a penchant for beating up students! Reckon Leeds would be just as good...as for Canterbury - def no for me.

tangoflash

Much easier to get to the valley from Canterbury. When they start running the valley express from yorkshire then you'll have a decision to make, until then...................................

Powell Is Pleasant

I went to Canterbury for 3 years - it's very pleasant, studenty and full of girls (since Canterbury Christ Church Uni's most subscribed-to courses are teaching and nursing).
It's quite a nice place, but ethnically diverse it ain't - I met two people in my time there who weren't from Kent.

Its_Hamer_Time

I went to Canterbury Uni, on campus is all good but once you move off site its a bit boring. There isn't that much to do, I'd go up North if I was you, I hear Sheffield Uni is brilliant, and good night life.

stilladdicted

I have lived in Canterbury and vicinity for many years. Town and gown tend to be a bit separate and the area is deeply conservative (C & c). Students have never really been accepted IMO. It's pleasant enough with the usual cloned shopping centre together with pretty high prices. The Dean and Chapter own a lot of the land & caused a furore some years back by upping rents so much that smaller traders were forced out of business. It's a small town and may not suit those dedicated to the pleasures of a more hedonistic night life. But Valley Express runs from Canterbury, that overcomes everything in my eyes.

BlackForestReds

Might be going Uni in Autumn if I get the grades. I've got to pick two out of Leeds, Sheffield and Kent Universities in the last stage of my ucas application before I sit my exams in June.

The reason I haven't chosen the two yet is because I don't know much about the towns/cities, so was wondering if anyone who knows Sheffield, Leeds or Canterbury well could tell me what they're like to live in as a student?

Go to the best university for your course and get a good degree. The choice of university should be based on that, not which is the best town to live in.

lo fi

Consider the key issues...

Leeds - good for Charlton away next season, also accessible for Huddersfield v Charlton
Sheffield - only League 1 games here for the next three years.
Canterbury - 1 hour to London and also on the Valley Express route.

Been to all, enjoyed them all. In the end it depends who you hook up with and what you go for that dictates how good your time at University is. Best of luck.

redman

This may be an old man's comment - but shouldn't you be looking at the best course and which is more aligned to what you want to do

randy andy

Never been to Sheffield, but went to Christ Church in Canterbury, great city for pubs and bars, but lack of night clubs. It's a lovely city and short trips to the beach, countryside, or day trips to London and France.

From what I've seen from many weekends with CIFC, Leeds looks like a great uni city, and I know a few people who went to uni there and they loved it.

Mike

im in my final year at christ church atm. great little city, like andy says not the best if your a mad clubber but plenty of good pubs. Never been to the kent campus but sounds pretty good, better than CCU

AidenTheAddick

I'm currently at the University of Sheffield, and it's a great student city. Lots of things to do, places to go, and I've found that it's a very friendly city. I'm from Kent, and although it's okay, there's nowhere near as much to do for students as there is in Sheffield. From an entirely biased, but fairly informed perspective, I'd put Sheffield as first choice, followed by Leeds (visited Leeds since I've been at Sheffield, plenty to do again, but more prone to crime). Obviously though, it depends on what course you're doing too, and how highly the respective universities are rated on your chosen course.

cafcdave123

I might Sound bias because I live in Sheffied, but without any doubt Sheffield, for a student City it has the highest number of post graduates staying on to live in the city then any other UK Student city.

It was also voted the most safe student City in the UK too!

Monday - Thursday all the bars in town are 80p - one quid a drink shorts/ spirits 1.20.

Greenest City in Europe with parks/ woods etc.

It's a great city, much better then Leeds mate trust me.

have to agree, my sister went to uni in sheffield and stayed on to do her masters so i had four years of popping up for weekends and had a great time.

have to say that the morning after gatecrasher could be quite funny with some wrong'uns around still trying to get home whilst on a come down/still off their tits!

Folev the red

Cheers for the help. I understand those saying I should be basing it on my course, but Leeds and Sheffield offer identical courses and are both ranked similarly.
One of them will be my first choice, and kent will be my insurance.

Athletico Charlton

^ Should have been there the morning after Pyjama Jump...all the dirty stop out blokes walking home proudly dressed in a nighty from the night before! Lol, cracking days, shame it was banned.