Steeped in rich cultural heritage, the multicultural market town of Reading in Berkshire continues to attract students from across the UK every year. Just a 30-minute train ride from London, location is the obvious pull for residents in Reading – but there’s more to this town than meets the eye.

As the largest town in the UK, Reading is home to a thriving university that's ranked within the top 200 universities in the world! The University of Reading is renowned for its world-class research across foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

As it's also home to world-leading IT brands such as Huawei, Microsoft and Verizon, this tech cluster is the perfect springboard for students seeking to kickstart a career in computing post-graduation.

A hotspot for shopping, Reading is one of the UK’s top retail destinations, offering locals the choice of hundreds of high street brands and independent stores to explore. At night, the town centre plays host to pub-crawls, live music events, comedy and DJ sets in its eclectic range of bars, restaurants and clubs. This in mind, it’s no surprise that students choose this up-and-coming city to call home, and quality student accommodation in Reading isn’t hard to come by.

Whether you’re seeking a 2-bedroom apartment in the town centre or you'd prefer a spacious property closer to campus in Earley or Whitley, there is plenty of student housing in Reading to suit your needs.

 

The University of Reading may have begun its life as an extension college of the University of Oxford, but it's since gained university status and firmly established its place in the global ranks for teaching excellence in higher education. Every year, it welcomes 1,700 academic and research staff and over 19,000 students from more than 150 countries!

The university operates across three campuses – Whiteknights Campus, located on 130 hectares of gorgeous grassland, London Road Campus and Greenlands Campus, which houses one of Europe’s top business schools. It also boasts a film theatre for showing new releases and cult classics, four museums, a picturesque cherry tree orchard and a sports park where students can keep fit.

The Reading University Student Union offers around 150 student groups ranging from the standard sports clubs and media societies to those established for niche interests, so there’s truly something for everyone. Students can also get involved in volunteering activities such as wildlife and conservation projects, as well as those designed to help vulnerable members of society.

Relocating to Reading to study? Your choice of accommodation isn’t restricted to student halls. Throughout the town centre and across districts such as Earley, Whitley, Newtown and Coley, you can find plenty of places to suit your preferences - many just a short walk away from public transport and shopping centres! This stems from private student accommodation in Reading, to halls of residence and house shares.

Reading has rapidly grown to become a vibrant hub for students and young professionals to live, study, work and play. Beyond the legendary music festival, the town is full to the brim with pubs, cafés, parks and places to explore. Reading is home to a truly diverse community – one that keeps the place feeling lively all year round. Whether you choose to live in the heart of it all or on the outskirts, you’ll always feel well-connected with the rest of the UK.

This fast-developing hub is only set to get better, and it has more than enough on offer for students. With plenty of club venues, quirky bars, cocktail lounges and chain pubs, the nightlife crosses the boundaries of campus as Reading town centre invites students to hang out and have a good time.

From Forbury Gardens and King’s Meadow to Caversham Court and Christchurch Meadows, Reading offers the best of both worlds: a busy city-like experience and serene countryside spaces to satisfy both needs. The River Thames runs through many of these parks, giving avid rowers and paddle boarders a place to practice their skills.

For sports fans, Reading is the perfect place to catch a football or rugby match. The Madejski Stadium is a stone’s throw from the centre and is home to Reading FC and London Irish Rugby Club. Music lovers, art aficionados and culture buffs need not look further than the Hexagon, South Street and Sub 89 - where a range of drama, music and comedy performances take place each year. If you’re a film fanatic, you’ll be pleased to know the city centre is home to a 10-screen theatre where you can catch all the latest releases.

Then there’s the obvious: the transport links. Reading is one of the busiest interchanges on the national rail network and has direct routes to almost every part of the UK, so wherever you hail from originally, getting home for the holidays will never be a struggle.

Let UniHomes keep your property search simple. Our fantastic range of reading student housing range from modest apartments for one, two or three people to large town houses converted to fit a big group of friends. Our properties come fully furnished and are all conveniently located close to all the necessary amenities - the perfect student rooms! To help you budget for the year ahead, we’ve packaged the cost of utility bills and the price of rent into one monthly charge – no hidden fees or nasty surprises. Just a straightforward experience to create a smooth move to your new student accommodation!