A Guide To Sheffield University Accommodation

Sheffield is one of the most popular cities within Northern England. The city is known for its now depleting steel industry. These days it's known for being the green city, being one of the only cities to have more trees than people. Sheffield is a digital powerhouse in Yorkshire. This makes it a popular location for prospective students. Especially those who are looking to continue to work within the city post graduation.

Sheffield is home to a surprising amount of companies headquarters or major offices. These companies rely on students to take part in graduate schemes. This makes Sheffield a desirable location for the average student.

• HSBC - Major bank & data centre
• Boeing - Globally operating aerospace manufacturer
• Sumo Digital - Cutting edge games studio and publisher
• IBM - IT consultancy & research

Sheffield's Universities

Sheffield is not only known for its steel industry, major sports teams, and its tree to people ratio. It's known for its two major universities. The University of Sheffield and the polytechnic Sheffield Hallam University. Each are fantastic universities that offer a massive range of courses.

University of Sheffield.  - Ranked 13th in the UK by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking. The University of Sheffield specialises in Law, Architecture, Aeronautical and aerospace engineering. University of Sheffield's campus is outside the main city centre in a less busy area. Both the student union and other buildings are within a few minutes walk.

Sheffield Hallam University. - Sheffield Hallam is ranked 67th in the UK. Sheffield Hallam University specialises in Computer Science and Sports Science. The Hallam campus is in the city centre being only a couple minutes walk from the train station. This makes it a very desirable location for students who want a vibrant city centre campus. It also makes the public transport links accessible.

Each campus is conveniently located within the city and is easy to commute to and from. Deciding where to live within Sheffield is important, now that you're convinced to go to either of the Sheffield universities. There is an abundance of great options for student accommodation in Sheffield, this might make it hard to decide. Start by narrowing it down to student halls or private accommodation. But what are the differences?

What are Student Halls?

Usually located in the city centre, halls are fantastic options for students wanting to live independently and have lots of amenities close by. This gives students the freedom to try cafes, bars, and restaurants that are all on their doorstep. Plus, depending on the hall you choose, you might find amenities like a gym, village shop, games room, study area, and super-fast internet all included in the housing. However, this convenience does come at a higher cost.

 People in their first year of Uni typically choose to go with Student halls as they are very social, it’s a great way to mingle and meet lots of friends. Halls usually include all their bills together, so this is great for if it’s your first time away from home with all these new responsibilities. Some students choose to stay in halls for their second year if they haven’t found housemates they’d like to share with or private accommodation.

 What is Independent Accommodation?

Private accommodation is usually purpose built buildings where students can rent within shared flats. Most students choose to move into independent accommodation in their second year as they have a better idea of the city and where they would like to live, and maybe have arranged to move with friends they met from their first year of uni.

 
Independent accommodation will likely be cheaper but remember that bills are often not included in the rent. Who you live with in this accommodation will be more important, as you will have to consider things like guests, supplies, cleaning, bills, and noise levels. The flexibility and affordability of independent accommodation are particularly appealing to students. For example you may want to live in a quieter side of the city or, conversely, choose a lively street. Considering all these factors, it's easy to see why independent accommodation is the most popular choice for students.

University of Sheffield

Some examples of Student Halls:

Owned and run by the University of Sheffield, Ranmoor & Endcliffe are massively popular student halls. They are situated on either side of Fulwood Road. There are 4,500 undergrads split between these two halls.

Steelworks run by Prestige Student Living is just a two minute walk away from the University of Sheffield. And a brief walk away from the centre.

The University of Sheffield isn’t a campus university, instead it has buildings around the South-East of Sheffield.

Popular areas for independent accommodation

Named as one of the UK’s coolest places to live, Broomhill is a fantastic choice for students wanting a balance of city and country. There is also a Harry Potter themed cafe here!

Located very close to the University, Crookesmore has a very large student population and is always lively. Surrounded by bars and cafes, you’ll be able to try something new everyday.

South-West of the city centre is Ecclesall Road. This area offers a 3 mile stretch of cafes, pubs, bars and lots more.

Sheffield Hallam University

Examples of Student Halls

The Anvil, located just 10 minutes away from Sheffield Hallam (SHU), the Anvil has great amenities.

Located right next to Sheffield United Football stadium is The Forge with over 1000 rooms and just a 10-15 walk from both campuses.

Something to be considered with Sheffield Hallam is there are two campuses. The city campus is located next to the train station. The other campus, Sheffield Hallam Collegiate, is located near Ecclesall Road. 

Popular areas for Independent Accommodation

Broomhall is a popular area, conveniently located between both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. This campus is great for students attending Sheffield Hallam Collegiate.

Sharrow Vale is an excellent multicultural neighbourhood just south of the city centre.

Eccleshall Road. Known for its live music venues and independent businesses.

Kelham Island is a perfect location for students that want to be surrounded by Sheffield's rich culture and unique cafes and businesses.

No matter what type of accommodation you choose in Sheffield you’ll be sure to have a great time meeting new people and gaining independence. Once you’ve figured out what works best for you, the only thing you’ll need to decide next is which unique coffee shop or restaurant you’d like to try as there is no shortage in Sheffield! Happy studying.