Ultimate Student Guide to Nottingham
Not sure where to live next year? Get opinions from real students about the area.
View GuideStudent areas in Nottingham
Student accommodation in Nottingham
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen. Nottingham is much more than just the legend of a hooded man stealing from the rich; it’s a thriving city absolutely heaving with art, history, culture and caves. You read that right – caves. With two unis, plenty of nature, a bustling city centre and more independent creativity than you can even begin to imagine, Nottingham is a fantastic place to study, and we’re here to help you find the perfect place to enjoy it.
We’ve been helping students find accommodation in Nottingham since 2020, so with 5 years of experience here it’s safe to say we’re experts on the Nottingham scene. Browse properties from over 25 letting agents and filter by number of rooms, area and price. Search it, secure it, sort it.
Nottingham student housing market: everything you need to know
How much does student accommodation in Nottingham cost?
With all utilities included in the cost of your rent when you let via UniHomes, the average price for student houses in Nottingham falls at just £152. There’s definitely scope for both cheaper and more expensive lets (budget depending, of course), as prices overall range from just £44 to £290pppw for Nottingham student housing.
When does the Nottingham student property season run from and to?
As a general rule students here start looking for a place to live in October, but house hunting gets really competitive in November. It’s worth keeping this in mind if you want to get ahead of the market, especially because we find that after February most people have fully sorted next year’s house, with very few options for student accommodation in Nottingham left up for grabs at this point.
Which areas of Nottingham are most popular with students?
Lenton is definitely Nottingham’s most popular student destination. With the University of Nottingham just round the corner and Nottingham Trent University a mere 30-minute walk away, it’s no wonder that this area is favoured by the students of both unis.There are cafés and restaurants aplenty here, and the drinking options aren’t too shabby, either – check out The Organ Grinder for a proper pub experience, complete with a quiz on Mondays. Located near both Nottingham Castle and Nottingham Canal, Lenton’s a welcoming residential area that’s great for University of Nottingham student accommodation as well as Nottingham Trent housing.
It’s no surprise that the City Centre is the second-most popular choice for student houses in Nottingham; the heart of the city offers unique retail experiences alongside characterful bars like Pitcher & Piano, a cocktail venue nestled in an elegant old church and filled with Instagrammable stone archways and glass windows.
Fancy somewhere a little more secluded? Try Arboretum, Beeston or West Bridgford, all of which are peaceful, leafy suburbs dotted with the cosiest bars, restaurants and cafés as well as some seriously scenic parks. Beeston’s probably best if you’re a UoN student as this is the area that hosts the main UoN campus. It’s also home to the Beeston Crawl, a (you guessed it) pub crawl consisting of well over 20 pubs. Highlights include the Beeston Social (an oh-so-popular cocktail bar) and The Crown (a warm and welcoming old-fashioned pub).
No matter where you choose to live, Nottingham’s extensive public transport network means you’ll never be far from the action, whether that be uni or the shops.
Which house sizes are most in demand with Nottingham students?
The student housing in Nottingham that tends to be most in demand includes 2-bed properties, closely followed by 4-bedroom places. 3- and 5-bedroom houses are also popular, so get in early if you’re not looking to live with too many people. Demand for 7-bed and up properties is a lot lower though, so those bigger groups of mates shouldn’t have too much trouble finding Nottingham student accommodation big enough to house everyone.
Student life in Nottingham
Nottingham is a city with plenty of past and a whole lot of present to enjoy, offering a great mix of history, culture, creativity and nightlife to make your student experience truly unique. Let’s start with the bit you won’t expect - the caves. Nottingham has the UK’s largest network of underground caves, with over 800 man-made caverns hidden right beneath the city centre. It’s truly bonkers.
It’s safe to say that Nottingham truly takes advantage of these caves – from subterranean tours via the city’s museums to underground paintball at The Alley, exploring this dark part of Nottingham history has never been easier. There are even loads of bars built into these sandstone caves – see Hand & Heart and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem for traditional pub experiences, or head to the secretive The Lost Caves for a cavernous gin bar hidden away beneath Nottingham’s streets.
Nottingham has managed to maintain purple flag status both above and below ground, making it one of the safest cities in the UK for a night out. So whether you’re headed to Canal House (an old pub with an actual canal running through it) or Rock City (Nottingham’s most legendary live music venue, having hosted the likes of Oasis, The Smiths and David Bowie), you can feel safe and secure in knowing that you’re safe and secure.
Of course, a lively nightlife isn’t all that Nottingham has to offer. As England's Home of Sport, Nottingham is famed for its football and hockey teams alongside the many state-of-the-art facilities that come hand-in-hand. Pop over to West Bridgford to see Nottingham Forest play or to visit the huge National Watersports centre, or give rock climbing a go at The Depot in the City Centre. No matter your preference or skill set, there’s a sport for you in Nottingham.
To find out more about student life in Nottingham, check out UniHomes Brand Ambassador (and current Nottingham student!) Uwa’s day-in-the-life video.
Did you know?
Not only has Nottingham given us one of the most notorious English folklore figures in history, it’s also played a pivotal role in creating one of the most recognisable British institutions of the modern era – the iconic, the inimitable, the incomparable pub chain J. D. Wetherspoon. That’s right, Spoons’ very own founder Tim Martin graduated from the University of Nottingham, having studied law (did that come as a surprise to anyone else?).
Read more about student life in Nottingham
Check out our blog post on the best places to live in Nottingham.
What students in Nottingham say about using UniHomes
Trustpilot user Agnes says:
"The best website for cheap student accommodation. The website is transparent. You can easily navigate what kind of room you're looking for with preferred locations and distances. To top it off, they highlight the cheapest and most affordable rooms for students, all of which include all bills. I haven't seen any other website that has rooms for this cheap. So please check this out. It's truly amazing."
Karishma says:
"Compared to other accommodation sites, the accommodation prices here are student friendly and also the details are quite clear. The floor view (amongst other aspects) is a great option to understand the housing facilities. Overall it's a good choice for students."
Tolani says:
"It's really easy and straightforward to find exactly what you want."