Leeds

Leeds Universities

Our luxury student apartments in Leeds provide you with the perfect base from which to study. There are five universities in Leeds in total, and from our Leeds student apartments you’ll be within easy reach of all of them.

1. The University of Leeds – The fifth largest university in the entire country (with over 34,000 students), this Russell Group uni is consistently ranked within the top-10 of the annual UK university league tables. With high entry requirements the focus here is on research and academia, rather than vocational training. All university buildings are easy to find, on one large campus, just a 10-minute walk north of the city centre. It is also home to a students’ union with a fantastic reputation – home to over 300 clubs and societies, a 360-seat theatre, bars, cafés, a three-room nightclub, and live music venue.
2. Leeds Beckett University – The second biggest university in the city, with 28,000 students, Leeds Beckett (formerly Leeds Metropolitan University until 2014) comprises of two main campus locations. One of these is close to the University of Leeds in the city, whilst the other is located three miles north of the city in a 100-acre park in Headingley. It is a well-regarded university that has a particular focus on top-notch facilities and sporting endeavour. In terms of sport Leeds Beckett prides itself on a good record in the annual Varsity derby (especially with its rugby teams).
3. Leeds Trinity University – Trinity is unique as it offers courses where work placements are incorporated into every single degree. With less than 4,000 students it is a small university, but students benefit from greater attention to individual detail and three-months of professional work experience. This helps students build experience and gain contacts and references within an industry they are interested in building a career within. The university is located in Horsforth, around 15-minutes on the train from Leeds itself, and students can access a free shuttle bus service from the railway station to campus. Courses include Media, Film, Sport, Psychology, Primary Teaching, Film, amongst other types of vocational courses.
4. Leeds Arts University – The only specialist arts universities in the North (and one of only a few in the UK), Leeds Arts University was previously named Leeds College of Art, and it offers degrees in Fine Art, Photography, Animation, Fashion Design, and other artistic pursuits. The university has a genuine community feel, with under 2,000 students in total. There are two main buildings, one next to Millennium Square in the centre of Leeds, and another in the north of the city close to the University of Leeds.
5. Leeds College of Music – One of nine UK music conservatories, Leeds College of Music is home to 1,200 students and has recently been given degree-awarding powers after previously been linked with the University of Hull. It is the only conservatoire in the UK to have All-Steinway School status. The campus can be found in Quarry Hill in the east of the city. Alongside the Skyline library, the college is home to some astounding art facilities, including seven mixing rooms, five recording studios, five surround sound rooms, and six Apple Mac labs.

Eating Out in Leeds

Some of you might be worrying that on a student budget you just won’t be able to find those tasty treats, the best of the best cuisine that we see on the streets of most major cities in the UK these days. Fear not however, as in Leeds your student budget can stretch to include some of the finest examples of food that the city has to offer. We’ve put together a short list of some of the favourite student haunts for the best places to eat out in Leeds. Please feel free to let us know about more places that you feel are worth checking out, once you have moved into your luxury student accommodation in Leeds.

1. Trinity Kitchen (Trinity Centre, Albion St) – This wonderful food court in the Trinity Centre is home to a whole host of revolving independent restaurants and food stalls (there are five new stalls rotated in every six weeks), and some permanent food stalls including Pho, Duck ‘n Roll, Absurd Bird, and Chip + Fish, to name just a few. There is always something new and exciting to try, with plenty of choice for vegetarians and vegans too!
2. Greasy Pig (Victoria Road) – Up in Headingley, the Greasy Pig cafe is a massive student favourite, due to the fact it offers the perfect hangover cure in the form of an all-day breakfast. After a big student night out in Leeds it’s easy to get dragged down the following day, and struggle to get over the dehydration and the headaches to get into lectures on time. With a Load of Breakfast (a loaf of bread stuffed with a full English breakfast) or the Paralyser, you can overcome anything!
3. LS6 Café (Headingley Ln) – Open for brunch, lunch, dinner, and cocktails, LS6 is an institution in Leeds. There is plenty of choice in terms of menu, and it is a firm favourite for students on a Sunday especially, where you’ll find a curious mix of go-getters and hungover people searching for brunch (or one of the tasty milkshakes) to help them through the day. Brunch is served until 4pm, and with a healthy mix of meat and vegetarian options, and a good price, you should definitely pay it a visit.
4. Mog’s (Kirkstall Ln) – An absolute must for vegans living in Leeds, Mog’s is one of the best around. Close to one of the most populous student areas in the city, Mog’s is a restaurant that focuses on vegan junk food, with the best of vegan burgers, vegan hotdogs, vegan bites, all washed down with tasty vegan milkshakes. It is so hard to get vegan junk food right, but Mog’s does it easily, and with its recent renovation it is a really pleasant place to get stuck into your junk food.
5. Bakery 165 (Woodhouse Ln) – A legendary bakery for students of the University of Leeds, Bakery 165 can be found within the grounds of the university. It is well known as a place for students (especially those in the midst of a tough 3rd year of study) to pop out from an all-day session at the library, or on a break between lectures, to pick up one of the amazing sandwiches on offer. It’s takeaway only, served with a smile, and has an extensive range of cheap and cheerful dishes for meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike (all for under a fiver!).

Leeds Nightlife

With a small city centre for such a big city, Leeds has a great community feel for a night out, and there is certainly plenty to see and do. With our luxury student apartments in Leeds located in the heart of the city, you’ll never be far away from your favourite night out, whether it’s in the city centre itself or close to the public transport links that we cater for. Here are just a few examples of great nights out for students in Leeds:

1. Leeds University Union (University Square) – There are two weekly clubnights that are worth checking out at the SU. Fruity Friday is a right of passage for all students new to the city, whilst Club Tropicana every Thursday night is an 80s dream – with a packed dancefloor, cheesy sing-along moments, and great drinks promotions and offers that change on a regular basis.
2. Mixtape Project @ The HiFi Club (Central Road) – Every Tuesday night at the HiFi Club you’ll have a chance to enjoy one of the most eclectic nights around. You’ll be dancing to a classic disco tune one minute, before rocking away to an indie classic the next. The DJs never disappoint, and there are always fantastic drinks promotions available, meaning the dancefloor is always packed. Be prepared to get sweaty and up close and personal with your friends as you dance away to the Bee Gees and then The Beatles.
3. Fuel @ The Key Club (Merrion St.) – A night for all the rockers, Fuel at The Key Club is a great place to party on a Friday night. There are two rooms, each blasting out different music (it’s a lot heavier in Room 2!). Some of the drinks are fantastic, with interesting cocktails including the famous Raining Blood, where blood orange and vodka are mixed to perfection. Expect to hear Metallica, Iron Maiden, Arctic Monkeys, Fall Out Boy, and everything in between in this rock and alternative club night.
4. Element @ Club Mission (Heaton’s Court) – The best place to be every Thursday for students into dance music. At Element you’ll hear everything from the latest house music, to classic techno and grime, all played through the cutting-edge sound system. Located under disused railway arches, Element has that industrial, cool feel, and the prices are student-friendly too!
5. Go Nuts at Donuts @ The Wardrobe (St. Peter’s Square) – Bigger and better than its previous location and incarnation, students can expect to hear some classic tunes mashed up like they’ve never heard before. The DJs perform their magic every Thursday night, and this club night will remain a firm student favourite with its fantastic tunes and dirt-cheap drinks – but most of all because of the free donuts!

A special mention must also go to the Otley Run, which is a famous pub crawl that starts at the far end of Headingley and finished near the Dry Dock in the city centre, after taking in 18 pubs in fancy dress! A Leeds student initiation like no other.

Sport in Leeds

For sport lovers Leeds is a fantastic city to live in, and from your base at our luxury Leeds student accommodation you’ll be just a short hop, skip, and a jump away from participating in sport, finding new teammates, or watching some fantastic professional sport.

2019 has been one of those years where Leeds has proved once again that it is a fine sporting city. Over the course of 2019 the city will host The Cricket World Cup, the UCI Road World Championships, Tour de Yorkshire, an Ashes Test Match, the 2019 IFAF Women’s European Championship, as well as host the cities sporting teams on a regular basis.

Here is the lowdown to the top 5 for those Leeds students interested in sport whilst living and studying in this fine city.

1. Leeds United FC (Elland Road) – With a fine tradition dating back to 1919, Leeds United have certainly been toiling away in the Championship (and brief tenure in League One) since the glory days of the 1960s, 1970s, and Champions League semi-final form in the early 2000s. You might not see the likes of Norman Hunter, Billy Bremner, or Rio Ferdinand at Elland Road these days, but with one of the finest minds in the game in current coach Marcelo Bielsa, it is an exciting time to go and watch the boys as they attempt to get back to the promised land of the Premier League.
2. Rugby (Headingley) – Whether you are a fan of Rugby League or Rugby Union Headingley Stadium is home to teams from both codes of the game. Leeds Rhinos are part of the Super League and they are the third most successful rugby league club in the UK (winning 9 championships, and 3 World Club Challenge cups). Yorkshire Carnegie have the ambition to sustain a regular Premiership team in Yorkshire, and are currently in the RFU Championship.
3. Cycling in Leeds – The Tour de Yorkshire appears in Leeds every single year and is a must-see event for cycling fans. It has become a central part of great live cycling events in recent years, including being the starting point of the Tour de France back in 2014. It was the success of this event which led to the start of the Tour de Yorkshire, which has seen a regular increase in spectators and participants since its inception.
4. Cricket – Highly regarded as one of the most prestigious county cricket clubs in the entire world, Yorkshire County Cricket Club plays its games at Headingley. The venue is home to England test matches (including one of this year’s Ashes tests against Australia, as well as matches in the Cricket World Cup, and T20 matches. It has been hosting international fixtures since 1899.
5. Take Part in Sports – As with most big universities, if you fancy taking part in sports you can do so in this sport-mad city. From your base at your comfortable and luxury Leeds student apartment you’ll be close to some top-class sporting facilities, with the universities competing against other universities, as well as providing countless sports clubs and societies to join. Whether you wish to take part for fun, to make new friends, to keep fit, or to join a competitive team with a view to elite sport, you’ll find something for you. The famous Olympians the Brownlee brothers have left a legacy at the University of Leeds, with the Brownlee Centre the first purpose-built triathlon training centre in the country.

Shopping in Leeds

Leeds has often been referred to as the Knightsbridge of the North, due to the many designer stores and independent clothing boutiques that can be found in the arcades and the different shopping centres in the city. If you fancy taking a look at the Victoria Arcade and other places like that, by all means there is plenty there to enjoy, but for a student budget you might want to look at some of the other places in town where you can shop without worrying about the price tag too much.

1. Trinity Centre (Albion St) – The biggest shopping centre, right in the very centre of the city and very easy to find, the Trinity Centre is home to all of the big brand names and high street stores that you know and love (including a huge Primark store that is handy for all of your essentials without breaking the bank). The student night every year is a fantastic way to take advantage of 50% discount in most stores in the shopping centre (open all day with discounts, promotions, freebies, and other giveaways – usually takes place in October).
2. Independent Arcades (Corn Exchange/Queen’s Arcade) – There are some truly beautiful arcades in Leeds that are full of quirky independents, craft and gift stores, and great fashion boutiques. Queen’s Arcade is home to vintage jewellery stores and cafés, Thornton Arcade is where you go for alternative clothing, comic books and music, whilst Central Arcade is great for vintage clothing. The Corn Exchange is the finest example in the city, home to some fine creative and innovative independent stores inside a Grade I listed Victorian building that is stunning.
3. Designer Outlets (Victoria Quarter/Vicar Lane) – You’ll find some of the finest examples of high-end fashion in Leeds, and if you are into your designer clothing head over to the Victoria Quarter to find Louis Vuitton and Harvey Nichols, or over to Vicar Lane for Gucci, Canada Goose, Hugo Boss and more. Victoria Gate on the other hand is the place to be for Calvin Klein and Ghost.
4. Kirkgate Market (Vicar Lane) – The best way to sample the true climate of a town is to find the best market options. Leeds has a fine example of market shopping at the Kirkgate Market on Vicar Lane. It is one of the largest indoor markets in the whole of Europe, and is home to interesting traders selling crafts and gifts, fruit and veg, flowers, hardware, and vintage fashion.
5. Shopping on a Budget – There are some fantastic ways to shop on a student budget and ensure that your money goes even further. The aforementioned giant Primark in the Trinity Centre is a great place to start but there are so many interesting charity shops and vintage boutiques around Leeds to interest you. Leeds Beckett Students’ Union has a regular vintage fair, whilst around Chapel Allerton, Headingley, and other student areas you’ll find charity shops aplenty, as well as vintage stores such as Pop Boutique and Best Vintage.

Leeds Events

Whatever your interests, living in our luxury student apartments in Leeds means that you are in the heart of the action in a city that always has an event or attraction worth visiting or experiencing. There are so many to explore that we couldn’t do it justice here, so we’ve plumped for a few different types of events and attractions to get you started.

1. Live at Leeds (Various City Centre Venues) – During the May Day Bank Holiday weekend each year Live at Leeds is a one-day music festival held at various venues throughout the city centre. Expect to see some of the finest examples of up and coming talent from around the country, discovering new bands and artists that you’ll love for years to come.
2. Leeds Pride – The annual LGBTQ celebration takes place in August each year. There are over 120 floats that take part in the procession through the city centre streets, and over 40,000 people come into town to have fun each year. It is a wild, joyous celebration that is fantastic to be part of.
3. Leeds Festival – One of the most iconic music festivals in the UK, Leeds Festival takes place every August Bank holiday weekend. Since 1999 it has hosted some of the world’s biggest names in music, with the 2019 edition featuring The 1975, Post Malone, and Foo Fighters.
4. Leeds International Film Festival – The 16-day event that takes place in November of each year is a fantastic way to see cult classics, interesting documentaries, short films, and get first glimpse of brand-new movies. If you are interested in film this is one of the finest examples of movie culture and dissection around.
5. Emmerdale Studio Tour – For fans of the hit TV Soap, or those interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how television production works, the Emmerdale Studio tour is a fantastic attraction for Leeds students. See the replica sets, walk onto working sets, and find out production and industry secrets.

There is so much more to see and do in Leeds than the above of course, with multiple annual events in all sorts of different sectors, as well as arts and culture in the form of galleries and museums, fantastic parks, and other attractions dotted throughout this fine city. It is a great city to wander about from your base at our luxury student accommodation in Leeds.