Cheltenham offers a different pace of student life. It is smaller than many university cities, allowing most places to be within a walkable distance, from campus to town, with parks and green spaces never far away.
Known for its regency architecture and over 35 festivals each year, it has a strong sense of identity without feeling overwhelming.
Student life centres around a mix of town and countryside; Pittville Park is a popular spot for study breaks, while Cleeve Hill is known for its sunset views and is considered the go-to place for fireworks on Bonfire Night.
After dark, there is still plenty going on in town: MooMoos, Planet Caravan, Two Pigs and The Frog and Fiddle are regular choices for nights out, alongside places for cheaper drinks and casual evenings with friends.
The University of Gloucestershire is split across four campuses, with Park and Francis Close Hall based in Cheltenham. Both are within easy reach of the town centre, making day to day life straightforward.
Getting around is simple. For the non-walkers, a student bus route links accommodation to the town and campuses. Cycling is common amongst students with plenty of bike shelters onsite, and train links make it easy to travel further afield when you want a change of scene.
The University of Gloucestershire made it to the UK top 20 in terms of career prospects in 2023 for the WhatUni Student Choice Survey. The university also claims to be one of the top universities in the South West for successful job outcomes, with 95% of Glos students finding work or furthering their studies within 15 months of graduating. Due to this high statistic, the University of Gloucestershire ranks within the top 30 universities in England for graduate outcomes.
If you are in fulltime education and living in accommodation where everyone else is a student too – you generally won’t have to pay council tax. However, if you live in a property alongside non-students you may be expected to pay.
Most students spend their first year living in halls at Pittville Park Student Village which has a bus route running straight to all Cheltenham campuses. Other popular first-year options include living on campus. After that, students tend to move closer to town or to the Arle, St Paul’s, and Hatherley regions for private housing. Due to the residential areas near Park Campus being quite fancy, most students avoid these areas as rent prices are too high.
Popular student clubs include MooMoos and Popworld – on student night (Wednesdays), there are plenty of discounts on entrance fees, drink doubles and shots. This is also the night when most societies hold their social evenings. For those that prefer bars Lounge 22 or Bentley’s may be more up your street with their pool tables and cocktails. Popular chain bars are available in the Brewery Quarter too!
As the Festival Town, there are always ongoing events for students to get involved with – either as an attendee or even as a volunteer. Events include the famous Literature Festival, Jazz Festival, Cider Festival and so on. There are also plenty of museums to explore like the Holst Museum and Wilson Art Gallery. With cafes galore, on-campus libraries and acres of green parks, students are spoilt for choice when deciding where they would like to study.
Our research shows that students in Cheltenham pay an average of £615 per month. This is equivalent to £153.75 per week. In comparison to the average student rent in the UK, students in Cheltenham are said to pay £293 less per month.
As a spa town Cheltenham is considered to be moderately expensive in comparison to other towns, with prices similar to a city. However, as it is a student town there are many opportunities to get student discounts on private housing, eating out (in-store discounts as well as via using apps such as Student Beans and UniDays), as well as in shops.
Cheltenham is generally considered safe, the town has held a Purple Flag status for over 10 years – indicating that active efforts are in place to ensure ongoing safety, particularly for women.
