Sheffield is a thriving student city with a young and vibrant feel to it. All of our Sheffield student accommodation properties in the area are in excellent locations, ensuring your journey to the University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University takes a matter of minutes on foot.
Whether you want to live alone or share with friends, every student room and flat in our properties share the common themes of quality, convenience and safety. From big, spacious buildings to the cosier end of the scale, everyone’s needs are catered for.
There are two big universities in Sheffield and if you are living at our Straits Manor and Star Residence student accommodation you’ll be within walking distance of Sheffield Hallam University, with Rockingham House a good location for easy access via foot, bike, or public transport to the University of Sheffield. With over 60,000 students living in the city, it is a really friendly student town, with young people travelling from all over the country, and the world, to study at the two universities. It is one of those big student cities that people fall in love with whilst studying and decide to stay on and live in the city for many years to come.
The University of Sheffield was founded over 100 years ago, and is a leading Russell Group university, noted as one of the best research universities in the UK. It is well regarded as an establishment of research-led learning that maintains high levels of excellence, impact and distinctiveness. The Student’s Union is home to over 400 sports clubs and societies, and can be easily reached from our Sheffield student accommodation at Rockingham House, Straits Manor, and our other accommodation. ‘Give it a Go’ is a scheme at the Student’s Union that allows students the chance to sample different clubs and societies, paying per session without having to worry about joining long-term. In the union can be found shops, cafes, bars, as well as an award-winning cinema and venue for club nights, comedy and live music.
The University of Sheffield International College is close to both our Crown House and Star Residence student properties, within walking distance of both. The college is home to international students looking for a clear and flexible pathway to both undergraduate and post-graduate degrees at the University of Sheffield. It offers small classes and high levels of student support to help an international student find his or her bearings in an unfamiliar city, whilst preparing them fully for an undergraduate degree or masters degree, alongside improving English language skills.
Sheffield Hallam is located right in the heart of Sheffield, within walking distance of all Homes for Students Sheffield accommodation, but closest to Straits Manor and Star Residence. It is highly regarded as a university that offers a large variety of courses and applied learning opportunities. As one of the largest universities in the UK (home to over 35,000 students and over 300 courses available) Sheffield Hallam has established strong links with over 1,000 organisation, such as the NHS, the BBC, Sony, and Rolls-Royce, delivering around 24,000 placements each year to its students. It is also one of the largest providers of teacher training, health and social care, as well as sport. The Student’s Union provides hundreds of volunteering opportunities to students, helping you to build a CV that includes fundraising, teaching young children, or caring for animals. There are over 100 clubs and societies for students to get involved with, meeting people and making life-long friends.
Sheffield is a town that has a vibrant, student-friendly food scene, including plenty of options that don’t hit the bank account hard. Whether you are searching for the latest in American-style BBQ, authentic pizzas, South-East Asian cuisine, and everything else you can think, you’ll be able to find a tasty treat in Sheffield to suit your tastes and your budget.
As a student there are plenty of options open for you to make the most of your budget on some gorgeous food. If you fancy taking in some American-style chicken and waffles, Lucky Fox in the city centre is a popular place for students to hang out. Another city centre hangout with a North American flavour is The Cabin, a Canadian establishment that offers customers fluffy pancakes and luscious waffles as a stop off along the day without having to buy a full meal.
If you are on the lookout for a good old traditional British feed without breaking the bank, Wellies is another city centre café that offers home comforts at a good price. You can stop off to eat some beans on toast, pick up a Panini for lunch, or soak up last night’s beer with a full English breakfast! Outside of the city centre, in the student-friendly area of Ecclesall Road, Two Steps is a Sheffield tradition for new students, providing that staple of the city in the form of a beautiful fishcake. This place has won plenty of awards over the years. Once you’ve finished your chippy, Eve Kitchen is just down the road and has all manner of sweet tasty baked goods for you to feast on. Try the cheesecake in a doughnut and have your life changed forever!
Just Falafs is a haven for those on the lookout for traditional Middle-Eastern street food, as well as anyone looking for a vegan fix. It is a place that serves delicious food, 100% homemade vegan food. The shakshuka, hummus and pita are to die for. For a range of international takeaways and restaurants head on over to London Road, where you can also sample some fantastic desserts at Rassam’s Creamery, a dessert-only restaurant where you can indulge in ice cream, waffles, milkshakes, cookies and cake. Aside from that, there are several Wetherspoon pubs throughout the city, offering cheap meals and student discounts on a regular basis. Like in many other cities, food halls have become more popular than ever in Sheffield, and with Cutlery Works, Kommune, and Peddler Market you can find a wide range of food stalls and vendors selling small plates and drinks from a variety of cuisines – a great start to a night out.
There really is something for every type of student in Sheffield, as far as nightlife is concerned (read our article on the best nightclubs in Sheffield for details!). Whether you are an indie kid looking to explore the live music scene at The Leadmill, want to take advantage of the many craft ale bars in the city, such as The Beer Engine or Riverside, or you are looking to enjoy a night at the Student’s Union bar Hideout at Sheffield Hallam, you can find what you are looking for as a student in Sheffield. All of our student accommodation in Sheffield is in prime location for you to take advantage of a night out in the town, and pretty much most places are within walking distance in a city centre that is easy to navigate. For those nightspots that are a little out of the centre, the tram and bus network is certainly easy to navigate. As the fifth biggest city in the UK, Sheffield has certainly got plenty to offer for a night out, and students living at our Star Residence and Rockingham House are in the heart of the action, just a short walk from many a great night out!
Let’s start with the Student Unions’, with Sheffield Hallam providing the biggest student club night in the city. Those visiting Hallam Union will have the chance to take advantage of a club night with five different rooms, each with different genres of music and cheap drinks flowing to help lubricate the night. If you are looking for a ‘pub crawl’ through town there is a fantastic range of bars and clubs. West Street and Carver Street has loads, making them great destinations for young students looking to sample many different places in one night! The Original Bierkeller is open until 3am with many offers on for drinks, shots, and bratwurst (great to soak up the alcohol after a few shots!). The Leadmill is one of the best live music venues around, and has welcomed many famous bands through its doors since it opened in 1980, including Sheffield's finest bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Pulp, as well as other popular bands throughout the years like Culture Club, Suede, The Strokes, White Stripes, Bloc Party, and The Killers. Other great live music venues in the city include Plug, as well as the O2 Academy for slightly larger touring bands, and Sheffield Academy for big bands touring the country.
Sheffield is a real hotspot for craft ale and beers, with 23 breweries in the city and over 400 unique beers coming out of this wonderful town. What this means is that if you are into your craft beer you’ll have access to pubs all around the city that provide this. The Beer Engine on London Road is a prime example of this, as is The Riverside just out of the city centre, and The Sheffield Tap, which is uniquely located inside the city’s main railway station. If you are looking to provide the beer for a student party, Beer Central in The Moor Market is a fantastic place to buy kegs and bottles made by Sheffield breweries.
For something a little different to a traditional night out on the town Rassam’s Creamery is a popular dessert destination for student’s across the city, and is a great alternative to meeting in a pub or bar. Other late night café’s include Treehouse Board Game Café, where you can meet to have fun and laugh with friends, playing board games, drinking tea and coffee and eating light bites.
Sheffield is a famous sporting city, and as a student living at our comfortable accommodation you’ll be right on the doorstep of physical activities, sports clubs, as well as professional sport to sink your teeth into. From football and rugby, to swimming and tennis, and long walks and runs in the Peak District, Sheffield is a town that is built to please the outdoor types. With 60% of the city being made up of green spaces, you’ll never struggle to find some form of sport to take part in if that is your wish.
One of the most famous things about Sheffield as a city is that it is home to the oldest football club in the entire world. Sheffield FC can lay claim to being the oldest club in the world, founded as it was in 1857. Not only that, but Sheffield is also home to two genuine giants of the British game in United and Wednesday (both with a rich history of playing in the Premier League and Championship). Every weekend you can travel down to either Bramall Lane or Hillsborough to support the boys. Away from the football, Sheffield is also a city that is home to a club in every major team sport in England, becoming the first UK National City of Sport in 1995 and becoming home more recently to the English Institute of Sport (EIS). The Crucible in Sheffield is home to the World Championship of Snooker, which takes place over two weeks every year, culminating in the final being played over May Day Bank Holiday weekend.
If you are looking to get active as a student in Sheffield, our Rockingham House is the closest to the University of Sheffield and the sporting options open to you. Whether you are training with a view to becoming a professional, just for fun with friends, or to stay fit and healthy, there are plenty of team and individual sports clubs and facilities for you to enjoy. At the University of Sheffield there are two full-sized synthetic pitches, a gym and fitness centre, and bouldering wall. If you want to compete, there are Intra Mural sporting leagues, and you could even compete to represent your university in national competitions in a variety of sports. The University of Sheffield also has an Elite Sports Performance Scheme (ESPS) that helps young talent train for a future in elite level sport. Bryony Page won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro after coming through the scheme in Sheffield.
If you love to go on long walks, hikes, or runs, Sheffield has plentiful parks and green spaces as mentioned, but it is also just a short distance from the Peak District. Here you have many different routes to choose from, suitable for both walking and running. You’ll get to see and experience some genuinely breath taking wildlife and scenery, and is a fantastic way to get away with friends for a day. Endcliffe Park and Sheffield Botanical Gardens are both other green spaces that are a great place to walk and unwind after a long week in University.
As a student it is important to understand what’s available to you in terms of shopping, as most likely you’ll be living on a strict budget. From big high street brands and shopping malls, to independent boutiques and crafty stores, Sheffield has something for everyone. Whichever of our Sheffield student homes you choose to live in, from Straits Manor to Crown House, you’ll be within either walking distance or easy public transport routes to make the most of your budget and get all of your groceries and more in the city.
Meadowhall is one of the biggest shopping centres in the whole of Europe and can be found just outside the city centre. It is home to all of the big brands that you know and love, including Primark, Hugo Boss, and H&M. As students that are new to the city of Sheffield, there are also countless examples of student discounts that can be unlocked throughout the year, so always keep your eyes peeled. The Moor is a part of the city centre that has undergone some massive redevelopment in recent years, including the opening of a new cinema, a gym, food hall, and several big brand names. It is a place that is well worth exploring as you can find all of your grocery needs met, as well as clothes shops from popular brands. Right in the heart of the city centre, a few minutes walk from our Straits Manor and Star Residence Sheffield student accommodation Fargate is home to plentiful high street shopping. Here you’ll find Topshop, River Island, M&S, John Lewis and Waterstones, all the big brands that you trust.
If you are looking for more student, independent vibes there is plenty on offer in Sheffield, especially around the Division Street area. Here, you’ll find loads of independent stores and vintage shopping to explore, from places such as Vulgar and Freshman’s. For arts and crafts and little cute gifts, MoonKo is the perfect place to explore in this part of town. Ecclesall Road is a big student area and is home to loads of independent boutiques and charity shops, including Cocoa Wonderland where you can experience handmade chocolate and have a cuppa at the same time.
In Sheffield and the surrounding areas there are always plenty of events and attractions to fill your days and weekends. The Peak District offers you the joys of the great outdoors right on your doorstep, with plenty of routes available for hiking, runs and long days out and about for a solitary experience or with groups of friends. Inside the city itself Sheffield City Hall is a Grade II listed building that is home to a 2,000 capacity venue for all sorts of entertainment, whilst the Millennium Gallery is linked to the V&A in London and houses important art and design pieces that highlight the importance of the city to the industrial revolution. There is always a big and interesting event on of some sort in Sheffield, and our student accommodation provides you the perfect place to enjoy them and to immerse yourself in the major events, and the underground music, art, and culture scenes.
For festivals, Sheffield Food Festival takes place every May, making the city centre come alive with a large selection of street food stalls, established restaurants doing pop-ups and loads of other exciting culinary guests and cuisine. Doc/Fest is a documentary film festival in June, bringing to Sheffield some of the biggest filmmakers in the genre from all around the world, and welcoming over 25,000 people to enjoy the festival. Another popular film festival is Celluloid Screams, which brings a celebration of all things horror every October. For a big music festival Tramlines is one of the most popular in the country, home to 70-acts playing on four stages at Hillsborough Park. You can easily take the 15-minute tram journey from the city centre out to the festival. At the same time in July, there are dozens of free gigs taking place in the city centre. July is also the time of year when Sheffield Pride takes place, with a large catalogue of LGBT events to enjoy. It really is one of the events of the year in the city.
