Student Accommodation

Warwick

The University of Warwick

There is plenty of easy public transport options to help get you to your lectures on time at the University of Warwick, whether you are living in Warwick, Coventry, or Leamington Spa. The university itself is ranked as one of the best universities in the country and has high standards of research to maintain, as well as a dedicated aim to deliver academic excellence throughout campus and for all types of students and course subjects.

There is an emphasis on students being implored to be proactive in how to take on study and extra-curricular activities, with advice and guidance aimed at helping students maximise potential and learn skills that will stand them in good stead in both an academic sense and a professional sense.

Library

The University of Warwick library has been designed in a way to help students fulfill their potential. It is home to around 1 million printed books, and within this number can be found some incredibly rare editions dating from as far back as the 17th century, and in languages as varied as Italian, German, French, and of course English.

Extensive Digital Library

Alongside the printed editions of books can be found an extensive digital library, including over 600,000 books, and over 50,000 journals. Studying in the library is comfortable and spacious, with plenty of group study areas available, quiet zones, and multimedia resources. The library is open 24 hours a day on days when the university is open and with this in mind there are facilities in the shape of a café and coffee bar to help keep students minds active and bodies refreshed during long study sessions! There are also skills-development sessions and well-being sessions to help keep a good mental health balance during what can be a very stressful time.

The Students’ Union

Student support is such an important part of life at the University of Warwick and there is a high standard of support services on show through the university and the Students’ Union. Unitemps is a university-run temping agency that aims to help students find part-time work alongside studies. The service recruits students to work both on campus and with local employers, with many students finding part-time work in university administrative offices, at the Arts Centre front of house or backstage, and in many of the shops and bars that are open on campus every day. Flexibility is key of course, to ensure students are focused on study as a priority.

Professional Career Advice

Support is also available to students in the form of professional career advice and guidance, helping students to put together a CV that will have a positive impact, as well as finding courses that will help to develop key skills that will form the bedrock of a future successful profession and career. The careers events at the university provide the chance for access to over 300 potential employers and industry experts each year.

The Warwick Fringe Festival

At the Students’ Union you can take advantage of one of the largest SUs in the UK, with a brilliant bar and nightclub that play host to touring live bands and comedy events, as well as plenty of in-house performances. The Warwick Fringe Festival is an annual highlight, showcasing performing arts talents from within the student body. There are over 300 sports clubs and societies to choose from at the university, so there is plenty of choice to keep you active during your time here.

Having a Bite to Eat

Studying at a university such as Warwick, with its campus location and facilities means that you’ll be spending a lot of time there during the days. It is important to get to know the Students’ Union and the campus to ensure you know where is best to grab a quick bite to eat at lunchtime, where’s best to get a coffee or a cup of tea first thing in the morning, and where you can relax with a pint and a few friends once lectures are over for the day. On campus you’ll find 6 food and drink outlets, as well as a catering company.

Every penny that is spent in the shops, bars, and cafes of the Students’ Union is directly reinvested back into the service you receive. What this means is that the more money you spend on campus, the more funding can be given to the representation and democracy the SU provides, the better standard of service you’ll receive from the Student Advice Service, and better funding towards the societies and clubs that the SU offers. Refresh Catering provides daily sandwiches, tea and coffee, soups, and hot meals throughout campus, and they are always a good shout for an affordable bite to eat during the day.

The Pod Café

Once you are back in Coventry where is best to go for good student food in the city? One of the favourite places for students is The Pod Café. It serves a mostly vegan menu in a quiet environment, relying on locally produced ingredients for its tasty meals. Rising Café is another firm student favourite, providing a range of incredibly tasty treats in the form of cakes and scones.

Millie’s Kitchen

It’s pretty much always packed so be prepared to wait a little – the standard of food and service make the wait worthwhile for sure! If you are partial to a pizza and some pasta, head on over to Millie’s Kitchen, which has become an institution for students looking to grab an affordable tasty slice. It even has a vegan and gluten-free menu.

Bargain Meals

Chi bar is where you go for a generous helping of chicken katsu and rice for under a tenner, whilst The Old Windmill is the place to go for a soul-warming roast dinner on a Sunday (just don’t tell your mum that it’s better than her roast when you next go home!). Falafel Corner is a magical Arabic delight, with great coffee and tea, and some absolutely lip-smackingly gorgeous wraps and salads. Try some of their squeaky cheese (halloumi) and you won’t be disappointed. Other delights in Coventry for Warwick students include the cheap and tasty sandwiches at The Phoenix, the brilliant food at Gourmet Food Kitchen, and a nourishing Big Bowl Meal Deal at Noodle Bar.

Mainstream Fast-Food

For mainstream chain restaurants and fast-food outlets, such as McDonald’s, Subway, KFC, Wagamama’s, Bistrot Pierre, and Las Iguanas, you can find exactly what you want in Cathedral Lanes and West Orchards’ food court. There are also some incredible restaurants and cafes over in Leamington Spa, such as Kayal, Cellar Club, Pure and Raw, and The Garden Shed Café.

The Copper Rooms

The best night as a student at the University of Warwick is POP at The Copper Rooms on a Wednesday night. At the SU, Copper Rooms is home to ‘circling’ every Wednesday between 7pm and 10pm, where you sit in a big circle with your sports clubs and societies and drink and play games. At 10pm the lights go low and Disco Dave enters the building with a fantastic list of classic anthems and cheesy tunes to get the dance floor moving. Just remember that it’s always fancy dress! Another exciting event at the SU is the annual One World Week, a week-long celebration of over 120 nationalities at the university.

Close By Options

Away from the SU is where the choices start as a student at the University of Warwick, as most students choose to either head to Leamington Spa or Coventry for a night out. There is an express service where you can purchase a return ticket that drops you to and from campus and to and from Coventry and Leamington Spa that is worth looking into.

Traditional Pubs

In Leamington Spa there are many great pubs along the Parade, including Clink cellar bar, Fox and Vivian, and Kelsey’s. It is in Leamington Spa where there are some of the biggest student club nights going too. On to the clubs and there are two to look out for in Leamington. Neon on Spencer Street is open every Friday and Saturday until 3am and has different themed nights, including Jaegermonster on a Friday and a fancy dress theme each Saturday. There are three big dance floors and three bars to keep you occupied until late. Smack is the party venue of the town, open until 6am playing D&B and Dubstep with some fantastic DJs coming into town. Every Tuesday is the most notorious student night in the region – £5 entry, £1 Vodka Rush all night, a fantastic party.

Great Options

In Coventry most students will drink in one of the three Wetherspoons pubs to keep things affordable, whilst there is also the Slug and Lettuce and Draper’s Bar and Kitchen. The Phoenix and the Gosford Arms are other student favourites in the town. The main draw in Coventry though is the Kasbah. The nightclub is inspired by the décor of luxury Morocco, with four large bars inside and a heated patio and BBQ pit making for a great outside drinking area. The venue hosts loads of live music, such as Calvin Harris, and also hosts plenty of local acts. It is a regular club venue for students, especially those living in Coventry, and from our comfortable Warwick student accommodation you won’t be too far away from rolling home after a night at the Kasbah. The Empire is another popular club for students in Coventry, and is best known for fantastic live music concerts at an affordable price. JJ’s and Scholar’s are the two other popular student nightclubs in Coventry, both great places to socialise.

Coventry City Football Club

Despite their troubles in recent seasons and a row over where they are to play their home games, living at our Warwick student accommodation you’ll be just a stones throw away from the Ricoh Arena, home to Coventry City Football Club. If you are a fan of football this makes for an exciting prospect, and with such fantastic transport links to Birmingham and the rest of the Midlands, as well as down to London within an hour, there is plenty of spectator sport action for you to choose from on any given weekend, especially in the form of football or rugby union. Within an hours radius you could be watching Aston Villa, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Northampton Town, or Leicester City.

The Oldest Racecourse

Just outside of Warwick is the Racecourse, one of the oldest in the country and home to a full jump racing programme between September and May. Races have taken place here since the 1700s and the course looks glorious nestled right next to the beautiful Warwick Castle.

Plenty On Offer

If you want to take part in sports instead there is also plenty on offer as a student at the University of Warwick. There are many sports clubs and societies available through the Students’ Union, and if you sign up to football, rugby or tennis, athletics, trampolining, or snowboarding, you can gain from the advantage of the exceptional sports and fitness facilities brought to you by Warwick Sport, including the brand new Sport and Wellness Hub. The university promotes an active and healthy lifestyle for its students and there is plenty of choice on offer both on-site and external to campus.

Fitness Centres and Swimming

If you want to compete at a high level or just have a kick around with friends in a fun and relaxed spirit, there are facilities for you, including pitch hire and fitness centres. There are also several swimming pools available throughout Coventry, where you can either pay as you go or sign up to longer membership and specific classes. It is a town with an extensive range of climbing walls and facilities too, for amateurs and seasoned climbers alike.

Plenty of Choice for Shopping

Living at our Warwick student accommodation you’ll have plenty of choice for shopping expeditions whether you are travelling to Warwick or Leamington or staying closer to home in Coventry.

Independent Boutiques

In Warwick there is a wide variety of specialist shops and independent boutiques to choose from. It is definitely a town to go to in order to impress, with a variety of antique shops and gift stores. Market Place is home to a regular market every Saturday with a focus on local produce of the highest quality. Swan Street is the busiest of the shopping streets however, and Smith Street is the oldest shopping street in town. If you are looking for more familiar big brand and high street names in Warwick head on over to Market Street.

Supermarket Choices

Back in Coventry and it is very easy to find the shops you need to fill the cupboards at your Warwick student accommodation. There are plenty of supermarkets around, such as Sainsbury’s on Trinity Street and a Tesco Express on Shelton Square, whilst you can also find some Asian supermarkets if you are trying to broaden your culinary and cooking horizons. Outside of the city centre is a large Morrisons, an Aldi, and an Asda, but you might be reliant on a car to make the most of a big grocery shop.

Shopping Centres

Everything else you could want can be found in the city centre. The West Orchards Shopping Centre and the Upper and Lower Precinct are home to many big name brands, such as Marks and Spencer, New Look, and Topshop, there’s also a city centre IKEA (A real rarity in this country!), and Argos, Primark, and a Wilko. So there’s no excuse not to get your apartment looking nice and cosy.

Amazing Independent Boutiques

If you fancy a trip down to Leamington Spa you’ll find some amazing independent boutiques and arts and crafty stores to explore. Royal Priors Shopping Centre and Regent Court Shopping Centre both have a heady mix of big brand names and local, historic independent retailers, and it is a pedestrianised part of town making it a pleasant afternoon out with coffee shops to stop at along the way.

Amazing Attractions

Living at our student accommodation in Warwick you can take your pick between Coventry, Warwick, and Leamington Spa for amazing attractions and events all year round, as well as some of the club nights and on-going events that the SU put on at the University of Warwick campus.

Coventry Coffee Festival

In Coventry there is always plenty going on throughout the year, with particular highlights being the Coventry Coffee Festival offering a wide range of teas, speciality coffees, plenty of cake and amazing coffee machines. The Belgrade Theatre has an 850-seat auditorium and hosts professional touring productions if you fancy getting your theatre fix during your time living in the area, whilst Coventry Cathedral is a beacon of hope and peace, fully restored after the destruction of the city during the Second World War. The Transport Museum and Watch Museums are both fun ways to pass the time (excuse the pun), with plenty to see about the importance of the city’s industrial development and rejuvenation in recent decades.

Warwick Castle

In Warwick itself you’ll find a spectacularly charming town that boasts some beautiful parks and green spaces, and spectacular architecture spanning the last 1100 years as you walk through the town. Warwick Castle has some magnificent history to explore and it is also home to some amazing shows portraying the gruesome history of the country in the ‘War of the Roses Live’. It can be an action-packed fun day out to visit the castle. Warwick Castle has been named as one of the ‘Top 10 historic houses and monuments’ by the British Tourist Authority, and the Towers have been brilliantly preserved.

Sights To See and Attractions

Other sights and attractions in Warwick include one of the most interesting and largest churches in England in St. Mary’s Church, St. Nicholas Park with its many activities such as crazy golf, miniature railways, giant chess, basketball, and skate parks. Warwick Folk Festival is a charming date on the calendar each year, whilst Warwick Arts Centre welcomes around 300,000 visitors each year to over 2,000 events.

One of the most highly anticipated events each year in the area is the ‘Art in the Park Festival’, which takes place in Leamington Spa. It is a free festival curated to highlight and showcase some of the amazing independent food and drinks retailers, as well as the creative arts and crafts traders that are thriving in the region.