As 2026 kicks off, we are reflecting on the research we carried out here at Accommodation For Students at the end of 2025. Over 300 students were asked to rank their university in terms of satisfaction and stating their reasons for the score. In total, 99 universities were taken into account. Here were the results:
Top five universities:
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University of Bristol scoring 9.0/10
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Swansea University scoring 8.6/10
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University of Manchester scoring 8.5/10
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Sheffield Hallam University scoring 8.5/10
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Manchester Metropolitan University scoring 8.5/10
Students were asked what the best attributes were of their university. The universities that scored the highest were said to have “good support services”, “strong community”, and a “positive experience of living in the city.”
Bottom five universities:
95. University of Central Lancashire scoring 6.3/10
96. Cardiff University scoring 6.1/10
97. Liverpool John Moores University scoring 6.0/10
98. University of Leicester scoring 6.0/10
99. City St George’s, University of London scoring 5.5/10
Despite most students confirming that they found their workload “manageable”, students that studied at the bottom five universities reported of a “higher workload” and “weaker support.”
Did accommodation choices impact the scorings?
The overall results of the survey showed that accommodation choices made by students had little impact on their connection to the university community. For example, halls - whether on or off campus - tend to have a student hub or vibe, living just outside of campus boundaries also means that you might be closer to town and other social events, on campus events like those hosted by Student Unions are also welcome to all students.
Expectations for 2026
Everything could change in the 2026 season. In the future, Accommodation For Students will carry out further research to investigate whether the top and bottom five universities have changed.
