Bradford

BRADFORD UNIVERSITIES

Founded as a technical institute in 1882 The University of Bradford has set high standards as a university that aims to shape the future of industry and academia. Courses are developed to provide students with the tools, skills, and first-hand experiences that they need to make a real, positive impact on the world once they leave higher education or continue deeper into a life of academia.

The School of Management is one of the oldest in the country (established in 1963) and holds the coveted Triple Crown of AMBA, Equis, and AACSB accreditations. The libraries and university staff are geared towards helping students’ access relevant literature, with a wide variety of both print and digital books and journals available on and off site, as well as subject-specific librarian support.

The Student Employment Service at the University of Bradford is key to helping students find work during their studies, and to be fully prepared to find work post-university. There are plenty of part-time work opportunities on campus and off campus, with support to help fill out applications amongst other things.

A thorough network of regional employers is also available for students to take advantage of through paid student internships that run over the summer holidays and add much-valued employment and industry specific experience to a CV. Other career and employment guidance events throughout the school year include employability workshops with direct input from employers, recruitment and career fairs.

The Students’ Union has many sports clubs and societies, media activities, volunteering projects and much more to help make a new student to Bradford feel part of the family.

At our Bradford student accommodation you are also close to Bradford College, which offers foundation, undergraduate and master’s degrees (validated by Leeds Beckett University, Teesside University, and Edecxel).

The college was founded in 1832 as the Bradford Mechanics Institute and by 1863 had grown to have full-time staff and a School of Industrial Design and Art.

The Students’ Union is a hive of bustling energy and advice, with help available to students on all sorts of matters such as funding, academic appeals, money and debt, housing issues, employment rights, and much more. The Union is home to regular interesting events, such as film screenings, craft fairs, and many clubs and societies. It really is the centre of student life and provides the perfect place to relax in between lectures, and to head for professional free advice on many matters that affect students.

EATING OUT IN BRADFORD

There is such vibrancy and variety of food in and around Bradford, and although it is well renowned as one of the best places to get a curry in the UK, there is much more than that to choose from.

As a student you’ll want to know that you can find a hearty feed without breaking the bank, and as well as the facilities to cook at home at our Bradford student accommodation you’ll be glad to know there are so many tasty options right on your doorstep.

Fish and Chips is certainly one of the best dishes in the UK, and as a student is there anything better than an affordable chippy that either sets you up for a night out or is the perfect hangover cure the day after? Towngate Fisheries can be found just at the north end of Bradford and it is well worth the trip. It is well known as a clean, affordable, award winning fish and chip restaurant. Just be sure to ask for some scraps!

One of the best hangover cures in Bradford can be found at The Guzelian Café Bar Gallery. It is popular with students in the city, as it offers full English breakfasts, pancakes, and much more, and is located close to the centre. The service is always fast and the prices great for students. It’s a great place to have breakfast after a big night out, or to stop for a bite to eat before heading to a lecture.

As Bradford is a cultural melting pot the cuisine reflects that. You’ll find some quality food in Polish restaurants, Chinese, Italian and Middle Eastern, as well as some of the finest curry houses (over 200 Asian restaurants can be found in the area) in the country (Bradford was in fact awarded the Curry Capital of Britain six years in a row between 2011 and 2016!).

If you love curry you’ll find some of the best from Pakistan, India, and Kashmir throughout the city. Taking the time to discover what you like, and to rate as many of the curry houses as you can during your time at our Bradford student accommodation is surely a challenge worth taking on?

As well as some great independent restaurants you’ll also find those comfortable chain restaurants and fast food takeaways that we all love to indulge in from time-to-time, from McDonalds and Burger King, to Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. You’ll never be too far away from the cheap and cheerful food you need to get you through a hard week of study!

BRADFORD NIGHTLIFE

There is plenty to see and do on a night out in Bradford, with a heritage to be proud of in terms of real ale pubs and the like. With its close proximity to Leeds, Bradford students will often drink in some of the great student pubs and bars in town before heading to Leeds for a big, late night out.

In Bradford itself there is a range of student bars and nights out to find. One of the most interesting bars can be found at The Peacock Bar. This is an Indian-themed bar located at the north end of the city centre of Bradford and is a great place to stop by for a quiet pint with mates earlier in the day, to watch the match, or to have a bite to eat from its tasty menu. It is easy to reach from our Bradford student accommodation and is colourful and comfortable and once you’re there it is often very difficult to leave!

The Stansfield Arms is a staple part of Bradford’s history and has stood proudly in place since the 16th century. It is a fantastic pub to visit on special occasions and provides a stunning drinks menu, fantastic grub and a slice of history.

For many students living in Bradford the pull of the Students’ Union is too much on most nights of the week, and with Student Central @ the University of Bradford it is no surprise. The University Sports Bar is a real attraction and pulls in students day and night, with its range of pool tables, dart boards, a large bar area, and big screens to watch all the sports throughout the season.

It’s a fantastic place to sit back and relax with friends during the day, to begin a night out, or just to watch your favourite team play at the weekend with a big group of mates. The Amp and Central Bar are two big venues that have two bars and a stage area. During the day and early evening you can enjoy a game of pool, have a cup of tea and a lunchtime snack, whilst at night it turns into a big student-club venue.

Some of the best student nights can be found at the University Escape Bar, a 100-capacity nightclub that has its own bar and DJ. It’s a great place for smaller club nights, private birthday parties and other events, such as charity fundraisers.

If you do like an old fashioned pub then Bradford has plenty to offer. The city and surrounding areas is home to some of the finest breweries in the entire country, including Wishbone Brewery and Timothy Taylors in Keighley, Bingley Brewery, and Saltaire Brewery. In Bradford and the surrounding areas are plenty of lovely real ale pubs with plenty of character (and characters) to explore and enjoy.

SPORT IN BRADFORD

Bradford and the surrounding areas offer beautiful rugged moorland and rolling hills that make it the perfect base to explore and go for hikes or cycling days.

With so much natural landscape to stay active many students living at our Bradford student accommodation have the perfect base from which to explore the region, with countless cycling routes and hiking trails to choose from. The Pennine countryside and Moors showcase some of the most breathtaking scenery you’ll find anywhere in the country.

Back in Bradford and at the University you’ll find many different sports clubs and societies to get involved with. Whether you fancy playing 5-a-side football with your mates, take up running as a hobby, try your hand at snowboarding or archery, or train to an elite level in athletics, there is a sport for you through the university.

The Team Bradford sporting community has some stunning sporting facilities to make the most of, including two Multi-use Games Area pitches, an indoor sports hall, tennis courts, 25-metre swimming pool, climbing wall, and a fully equipped gym with strength and conditioning suite.

All 25 sports clubs are open to all students no matter the level of experience they are coming in with, and many clubs even take part in the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) leagues, adding that competitive edge to those looking for it.

There is a real joy to taking part in sport through your University and in Bradford it is no different. If you want to try a new sport for the very first time you’ll be welcomed in the exact same way as you would be as a seasoned veteran of a sport. That’s why you’ll see people enjoying archery and learning a new individual skill, as much as a team sport, such as Rugby League, where you can count on your team mates and form new bonds that will last a lifetime.

For spectator sport Bradford is a rugby league town. The Bradford Bulls have a proud history in the sport, having won the prestigious Challenge Cup five times, the League six times, and the World Club Challenge three times.

Pop on down to Odsal Stadium to watch the Bulls play in the Championship. If football is more for you, Valley Parade is the home of Bradford City, currently competing in League Two. Other big football clubs are within close proximity and easily reached via public transport, most notably one of the giants of English football Leeds United.

SHOPPING IN BRADFORD

We all need to shop, and as a student living at our Bradford student accommodation it might be the first time that you’ve had to do your own shopping. There is plenty of choice in Bradford, for all tastes and budgets, from your high street names and big shopping centres such as The Broadway, to the independent shops that are great to explore around North Parade, and the regular markets that offer all sorts of food produce, arts and crafts. You’ll love shopping in Bradford once you’ve settled in.

From your base at our comfortable Bradford student accommodation, you’ll have access to some great shopping centres. Kirkgate is smack bang in the city centre and is home to plenty of big-name brands such as Sports Direct, Argos and the like. It is also home to regular events that give you an idea of the flavour of the city. Forster Square is another popular shopping centre and can be found just outside the city centre. Here, there is a big Asda, Boots, JD Sports, and easy access via public transport. The largest shopping centre, however, is at The Broadway, with over 50 stores all in all, including Next, H&M, Debenhams, as well as The Light cinema situated right next door.

Away from the main shopping centres and high street brands that you see on every high street, there is much more to shopping life in Bradford. One of the jewels in the crows in Sing Kee Supermarket, home to all of the fantastic and interesting Asian ingredients you can think of. As well as a wide range of frozen and packaged goods it also has a great deli and fresh fish counter, and if you want to sample what you might be able to cook at home, the Oriental City Restaurant is right next door and owned by the same people.

Some of the best Asian shops anywhere in the UK are found in Bradford, including the UK’s largest department store, Bombay Stores, which is home to amazing fabrics, jewellery, and incredible wedding outfits. The Waterstones in the Wool Exchange building on Hustlergate is an iconic and unique building in the city.

Not far away from Bradford is a wealth of independent stores and boutiques in pretty towns such as Saltaire, Haworth, and Ilkley, as well as some more of the high street brand shopping at Airedale Shopping Centre in Keighley.

BRADFORD EVENTS

With such a rich seam of traditions running through the city and a multi-cultural population it is no surprise that there are plenty of attractions and interesting events in Bradford throughout the years.

Living at our Bradford student accommodation you’ll never be far from a cultural event, some great music, fantastic art, as well as fascinating historical monuments and beautiful outdoor areas.

Bradford has built a reputation as a city that is rich in film heritage, providing movie locations that are iconic and inspiration, and with many important annual film festivals that are highly regarded. The city has been part of the film industry since the very beginning, with an indigenous film industry dating back to the First World War. It is down to this rich film history that has led to it becoming the first UNESCO City of Film in the entire world, and it is an accolade that the city loves to show off.

The culture and art in the city is something that the locals are extremely proud of; it is the birthplace of David Hockney after all (you can see his works at Salts Mill and Cartwright Hall).

Kala Sangam is an interesting intercultural arts organisation that puts on a whole host of varied events and entertainment throughout the year, featuring south Asian and collaborative arts. Other live entertainment and events in the area include the Bradford Family Film Festival, Ilkley Literature Festival, and Saltaire Festival (Saltaire is a beautiful model village close by and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Bradford as a city is full of history and tradition, dating back from Roman times all the way through to the grandeur of Victorian-era Britain and some beautiful architecture from many different periods. It was once the wool capital of the world and its industrial heritage is important to it, with Bradford Industrial Museum a focal point of the history of Bradford.

The 17th-century mansion house, Bolling Hall is another stunning place to visit. Other museums that are well worth visiting when living in Bradford as a student include the National Media Museum, which is a must-visit for all lovers of pop culture. It features galleries and hands-on exhibitions highlighting the best of film, radio, television, photography, animation, video games and the Internet. The museum is also home to the first IMAX theatre in the UK.

The Peace Museum is a unique experience, the only museum dedicated to the significance of, and the history of peace as a concept. It looks at peace activism, local movements, as well as Bradford’s role in wider peace movements.

For some live entertainment Bradford Alhambra is a glorious example of how a listed building with stunning architecture and an iconic part of the city’s skyline can become a staple on the touring scene. Here, you can see live theatre shows from all sorts of genre.

If you are interested in getting out in nature and exploring the green spaces in and around Bradford there is plenty of choice. Lister Park is a haven for students looking to blow away the cobwebs after a hard day of study, with a boating lake, large green lawns, and even the Cartwright Hall art gallery on-site.

Peel Park has a prestigious Green Flag Award and also has a lake that is a great place to walk and relax, whilst Harold Park is located just to the south of the city centre and has some nice lawns and areas to play games with friends, with a peaceful ambience that is great to get away from the hustle and bustle of life from time-to-time.