AM
Curated and written by
Alisha Miah
AFS City Guide Content Creator
Studying at University of Sheffield
The complete student guide to Sheffield
8 min read·Last updated: 10 April 2026
“I love the proximity to nature, and the amount of fun activities to do! (climbing, great food scenes, great pubs, cool events).”
Why study in Sheffield
Close to nature
Sheffield is proud of its “Outdoor City” nickname, with lots of parks and greenery. Endcliffe Park and Weston Park provide charming walks and running opportunities or places to picnic, and Park Runs runs at weekends. The Winter Garden also allows for a warm indoor nature escape during cold months.
It also does not take too long to get to the Peak District and maybe try find the fluffy highland cows in Bamford Edge. Other popular day trips to take are Ladybower Reservoir, and Castleton.Vibrant nightlife
Nightlife in Sheffield is great and very student friendly. It has affordable drinks and special student deals. West Street is the heart of nightlife, located very close to the Sheffield Students’ Union. Places like West Street Live offer cheap drinks while clubs such as Corporation, Tiger Works, The Viper Rooms, and Popworld are some of the favourites. Societies often offer discounted drinks during socials. Wednesday nights are usually the busiest as it’s the University social night. Don’t forget to get a late-night kebab from Aslan’s.
Great shopping
Sheffield has a good mix of high street and independent shops, as well as options for students that love to buy thrifted or vintage finds. Division Street is especially good for thrift and second-hand sustainable shopping, with stores like Vulgar and Glass Onion. Whereas, The Moor has the more well–known branded shops, including Primark and H&M. Meadowhall, is one of the UK’s largest shopping centres. You will find restaurants, cafés, a cinema, and it is accessible by tram and train, right at the University tram stop.
Galleries and culture
Kelham Island Museum provides an excellent insight into the industrial history of Sheffield. Millennium Gallery and Weston Park Museum are also free to enter and much nearer to Sheffield University. A bit further out, you also have the Yorkshire Natural History Museum.
For theatre lovers, a number of live productions are staged at Crucible Theatre and an escape room, arcade games and a place to hang out. For gamers, the National Videogame Museum shows contemporary and retro game exhibits, the collection holds over 5000 objects.
Key facts about Sheffield
Student life in Sheffield
Cost of living in Sheffield
Wondering how much it costs to live in Sheffield as a student? We’ve broken down typical monthly expenses and compared them to the national average, so you can plan your budget with confidence.
| Expense | Sheffield average | National average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (monthly) | £524 | £907.91 | £383.9142% less |
| Utilities (monthly) | £100 | £111.91 | £11.9111% less |
| Bus pass (monthly) | £54 | £62.64 | £8.6414% less |
| Groceries | £13.67 | £15.26 | £1.5910% less |
| Gym pass (monthly) | £32.33 | £35.63 | £3.309% less |
| Takeaway coffee | £3.51 | £3.62 | £0.113% less |
Rent (monthly)
- Sheffield average
- £524
- National average
- £907.91
- Difference
- £383.9142% less
Utilities (monthly)
- Sheffield average
- £100
- National average
- £111.91
- Difference
- £11.9111% less
Bus pass (monthly)
- Sheffield average
- £54
- National average
- £62.64
- Difference
- £8.6414% less
Groceries
- Sheffield average
- £13.67
- National average
- £15.26
- Difference
- £1.5910% less
Gym pass (monthly)
- Sheffield average
- £32.33
- National average
- £35.63
- Difference
- £3.309% less
Takeaway coffee
- Sheffield average
- £3.51
- National average
- £3.62
- Difference
- £0.113% less
“Kollective Kitchen; Birdhouse Tea, Bar & Kitchen; Treehouse Boardgame Cafe; Nam Song; Paesani's Pizza; Showroom Cinema; Crucible Theatre; Botanical Gardens”
Universities in Sheffield
Sheffield Hallam University
With much to do both in and out of the lecture theatre, Sheffield Hallam University offers students plenty of opportunity to grow.
Read guide →
University of Sheffield
With an award winning student union and a career service to help students following graduation, the University of Sheffield provides wonderful opportunities.
Read guide →Getting around Sheffield
Sheffield is easy to travel around using a variety of methods, it is also easy to travel to popular areas and Peak District towns.
Buses
There are two main bus companies in Sheffield - First and Stagecoach, from either of these you can buy weekly, termly and annual tickets as a student (which are discounted.) According to Sheffield’s Students’ Union, you can also buy discounted travel passes from your University. Students will also definitely benefit from the Zoom 16-18 Travel Pass. The card allows cheaper travel and has a spending cap for a single fare anywhere in South Yorkshire.
Cycling
The city is a great place for cycling if you don’t mind going uphill!
Walking
Sheffield is a fairly walkable city despite there being plenty of hills. Various green spaces, allows you to be surrounded by great places to wander – slightly further out are some great walks in the Peak District too.
Metrolink
The Supertram network runs near the Uni of Sheffield campus and throughout the city.
Trains
With a 16-25 railcard, you can get 1/3 off most rail fares throughout Great Britain. The main train station is Sheffield Station.
Life after uni
The University of Sheffield is a Russell Group university, therefore due to its high reputation, employers are typically more keen to hire graduates – as seen through this statistic which shows that over 80% of graduates enter graduate-level work or study once they have completed their studies.
Employment levels
92% of University of Sheffield graduates are in employment or further study 15 months after finishing their studies, with 86% in graduate-level roles. Main job hire sectors
Students will find plenty of opportunities if they wish to remain in the city after graduation, the main sectors are healthcare, digital technology and the outdoor tourism market. Graduate schemes
Most graduates don’t rely on “graduate schemes.” The majority of students enter direct-entry jobs instead of formal graduate schemes. In Sheffield, jobs are available year-round across: small businesses, public sectors (NHS, local government) and large em
Some of Sheffield's biggest graduate employers
Accommodation for every student
halls
38 properties
Avg. £106/week
houses
327 properties
Avg. £102/week
flats
332 properties
Avg. £124/week
studios
219 properties
Avg. £167/week
Latest properties in Sheffield
AM
Curated and written by
Alisha Miah
AFS City Guide Content Creator
Studying at University of Sheffield
Alisha is a 2nd year student at the University of Sheffield, studying BA Journalism Studies. Using her love for Sheffield, she wrote a City Guide as a part of our student content creator team.
