My favourite thing about being a student in Cheltenham was the fact it wasn’t too big or too small. In cities, students often feel a little lost or lonely when they first move there, but with Cheltenham being a spa town it quickly felt like home. There are so many beautiful places to visit that exhibit regency architecture but with the Cotswolds nearby there are also loads of great walks and plenty of activities to get involved with.
The university itself (University of Gloucestershire) is split amongst four campuses in Cheltenham and Gloucester, meaning that most courses are blessed with small class sizes (especially when you compare to other universities!)
Favourite place
During my three years of study in Cheltenham, Pittville Park became a firm favourite spot. My first year accommodation had been a two-minute walk just up the road (Pittville Student Village) but even after I moved into a shared house on the other side of town for my second and third year, this spot was still visited frequently.
The Pump Room has a monthly indoor artisan and craft market, and the park itself has an aviary as well as a large pond filled with ducks and swans. With over 360 acres, the area is a popular spot with students, especially in Spring and Summer when study dates and picnics are essential.
Student nightlife
With a Brewery Quarter, a student club in the centre of town and a plethora of bougie bars, Cheltenham is the place to be on a night out. For bottomless brunch you have Turtle Bay, for cheap drinks you have the vibey The Moon Under Water JD Wetherspoons, for Happy Hour head to Planet Caravan for £5 margarita’s, if you want good atmosphere and a place to play pool go to Bentley’s or Lounge 72 (neighbouring bars) and you can even take part in their ‘Beat the Bartender’ for a buy one get one free drink. In terms of clubs and live music, student nights at MooMoos (Wednesdays) are very popular among first years or those in societies - especially during Freshers Week or Varsity. Two Pigs and The Frog and Fiddle is where you will get the best live bands, some of which are students themselves.
After a night out, there are a couple of spots you can stop at on your walk home. KFC and Valentino’s are often open until early hours of the morning as they have learnt that their best customers are hungry students at 3am.
Best places to eat
Whatever mood you are in, Cheltenham has a café, quirky restaurant, or fast food place that will suit your needs.
If you’re in the mood for Japanese cuisine then Kibou is my favourite. A slightly cheaper and more well-known option is Yo! Sushi, where you can make full use of your student discount using Uni Days (20% off!) Nagomi is a local Japanese-Korean BBQ hotpot restaurant and is usually pretty quiet due to it being tucked away off the high street (one that I highly recommend for a slightly more authentic dining experience.)
Mowgli Indian Street Food has a great menu but can feel a bit pricey on a student budget – we used to go here to celebrate big things (like the end of the year etc.) The atmosphere inside is beautiful with the whole restaurant covered in fairy lights and customers getting to enjoy their food at tables where you can sit on swinging seats.
The Coconut Tree is right outside Francis Close Hall campus and has a more cosy feel with its Sri Lankan cuisine. For Thai food you have Giggling Squid which is situated at the top of Montpellier or Rosa’s Thai in the heart of town.
For the best burgers head down to either Beefy Boys or Hub Box (the latter does a student discount on certain days!)
If you’re looking for a health kick, then Rainbowls is the spot for you with its Acai, Buddha, and Poke Bowls.
If you’re missing home, a roast dinner might cheer you up, so head down to Toby Carvery in Brockworth - it’s only a 15 minute drive.
Coffee shops/Cafes
Cheltenham is teeming with lots of coffeeshops, both independent and chain. The Scandinavian Coffee Pod is great but has quite limited seating so be prepared to take your drink to-go. If not, visit Boston Tea Party for brunch, or you can’t go wrong with either of the Café Nero’s in town. The Society Café is popular with students who go there to study and so is the Waterstones café. Slightly outside of town, on Bath Road, a quirky spot called The Curious Café is my personal favourite. However, Pickles has a great selection of vegan food and their whipped feta and grilled pepper rostis are to die for!
Hidden gems
In Cheltenham, you’re never far from a park or some gardens, whether that be Montpellier or Imperial Gardens, Pittville Park itself, Sandford Park or any other smaller and lesser-known parks that you’ll find along the way.
Many people don’t know that Cheltenham was home to the 19th Century composer, Gustav Holst. Today, you can visit the old Victorian house where he used to live and see the very piano that was the inspiration for some of his best work.
In the centre of town, The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum often has many exhibitions on throughout the year. With some students showcasing their own art and published work.
Best walks
Cleeve Hill is notorious among students, a 20 minute walk from Pittville Student Village, this hill has been conquered by the majority of those that live at Pittville. From the top, you can see a birds eye view of the town centre, the racecourse and beyond to the mountains in the distance. It’s a great spot for picnic enjoyers and sunset lovers. On Bonfire Night, this is the place to be if you want a view of the fireworks all across Gloucestershire.
Slightly lesser known, the Leckhampton and Crickley hills are also great walks but slightly further out unless you live on campus at Park.
Nearby spots
If you feel like you’ve explored all of Cheltenham (I can guarantee you probably haven’t) then venture into Gloucester city centre, look at the Cathedral where the hallway scenes of Harry Potter were filmed, explore the Beatrix Potter shops, enjoy the markets at the Quays, eat out at the Food Dock or go shopping.
Not much further away is Bourton-on-the-water, here you can get a real feel of what the Cotswolds life is all about. With a canal to walk along as well as lots of small independent shops and quaint stone cottages. Birdland is also here.
Sudeley Castle is one of the most beautiful areas around and is a must-see at Christmas time when the grounds are light up by their annual event, the Spectacle of Light.
What is Cheltenham famous for?
On top of the town being well-known for its horse racing events, Cheltenham is also known as the ‘festival town’, there is always something on in Cheltenham so you will never get bored. Whether it’s Oktoberfest, the Literature Festival, Poetry Festival, Cider Fest, Food and Wine Fest or Jazz Festival.
Worst thing
The Cheltenham Festival takes place in March and over 250,000 people attend annually over the 4 day period.
It’s a great opportunity for students if they wish to see the races themselves, especially because that week in March is usually given as a study break. However, town can get quite busy so most students opt to go home for that week.
Where are the best places to live in Cheltenham as a student?
There are plenty of accommodation options available to students, and the University of Gloucestershire guarantees a room for all first-year students. Those studying at either of the Cheltenham campuses have the opportunity to stay at Pittville Student Village which is about 20 minutes from town, but is part of the bus route which will drop you in town or take you to either campus. The accommodation here consists of town houses, studios, ensuite or shared flats and is more modern with its accessible sports and gym facilities, but it is slightly more expensive too.
On-campus accommodation is also available, at Park there are halls and villas that you can apply for. Virtual tours for these properties are also available via the university website if you can’t make an Open Day. University or Pittvile accommodation is usually from £180+ per week but there are plenty of house share or private rental places in Cheltenham too through student landlords. House shares are normally a better price and can be as low as £110 per week bills included. The uni has a portal where you can find off-site properties that they have approved.
