5 Benefits of Choosing Manchester To Study In!

Manchester is fast becoming people’s first choice when it comes to studying in the UK, as it’s far more affordable than living in London, you have the friendly Northern charm of the city and it’s overall an incredible place to live, with fantastic universities to go with it. We’re here to talk about five of the benefits you get when you choose to live in Manchester as a student, to help you decide if this is the right place for you! 

It’s A Famous Student City

Firstly, Manchester is a famous student city. Students have been travelling from all over the UK and all over the world for decades to study here, and so the city is well equipped. With fantastic accommodation across the city for students, as well as great student unions and of course the overall nightlife that everyone can enjoy, there is so much in Manchester for students to make the most of. 

Not to mention, there are four incredible universities in and around Manchester. In the city centre you have University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, with around 46,000 and 37,000 students respectively enrolled at a time. Just outside of the city there is the University of Salford and University of Bolton. Both are just a short tram or train ride away from the city and provide excellent study options for people who want to be close to the city but not living directly in it. Lastly, there is also the Royal Northern College of Music for aspiring composers, conductors and performers, with some extremely successful musicians being alumni. 

There are so many options if you want to study in Manchester, no matter what your predicted grades are or what you want to study, so the opportunities are endless. 

Endless Independent Bars, Restaurants, Shops and Cafes

If you’re fed up with food and drink chains in your hometown, then Manchester is the place to be. All across the city, from Oxford Road to Northern Quarter, Deansgate to Salford, as well as in the little towns that surround Manchester, there are endless independent bars, restaurants, shops and cafes to explore and enjoy. 

From great cheap street food stalls that will become a staple for you as a student through to mid-priced options with affordable mid-week deals and then the fancier choices for special occasions, you will be spoilt for choice. Try new cuisines and cocktails you’ve never heard of, as well as making it your mission to try as many coffee shops across the city as you can. 

A few of our favourites in the Northern Quarter are Chakalaka for South African food, Mackie Mayor for street food, Birria Brothers for tacos and Wolf At The Door for £1 bao buns. Around Oxford Road near the student areas, head to Federal for brunch, Refuge for a fancy drink or Hello Oriental for incredible Asian Fusion cuisine. In and around Deansgate, head to Rudy’s for fantastic pizza, Flat Iron for affordable yet delicious steak, Evuna for tapas, Platzki for incredible Polish food and Haunt for sandwiches and spritzes on a sunny day. In Salford, Porta is fantastic for tapas and has a lovely outdoor area, perfect for stopping off after a walk around Peel Park, or head to Vero Moderno for some lovely Italian. 

We’ve barely even touched the surface here, so if you’re big into your food and drink, then Manchester is the place to be!

Fantastic Work Placement Opportunities

Another huge benefit of Manchester is that there are fantastic work placement opportunities across so many industries. From huge international companies in finance, marketing and law to small independent companies in art, music and design, Manchester is the home to so much talent, so during your degree, you can gain valuable experience. It’s getting increasingly difficult to get jobs in competitive industries even with a degree, and so work experience will be essential to helping set yourself apart. 

Getting hands-on experience also helps you to develop as an individual and to explore different areas of the industry you’re interested in, to help guide you in the beginning of your career. From a great web development agency in Manchester through to music venues, marketing firms, theatres, accountants, restaurants and property companies, Manchester literally has it all, so you can easily access great work experience throughout your degree. 

World-Famous Music Scene

No blog about the benefits of Manchester would be complete without mentioning the music scene. Known all over the world for the impact it’s had on music and its musical heritage, it’s certainly the music capital of the UK, and for good reason. From The Smiths to Oasis, Joy Division, Sex Pistols, Bee Gees, Happy Mondays and Stone Roses, bands from Manchester changed the world of music forever, particularly punk rock in the 70’s.

There are so many fantastic music venues all across the city, including Band Of The Wall, Night & Day Cafe, O2 Ritz, Manchester Academy, Bridgewater Hall, Warehouse Project, the O2 Arena and Co-Op Live. In terms of affordability, Band On The Wall and Day & Night Cafe are right up there, with cheap tickets and fantastic up and coming musicians, as well as more established ones wanting to do smaller gigs, so you can go regularly without breaking the bank. As music is at the heart of Manchester’s identity, there is also live music in many of the bars across town, particularly the Irish bars. 

We’ve not even mentioned the incredible club scene, from Soup Kitchen to Warehouse Project, Hidden and Factory 251. There are also great student clubs across the city, like 42’s if you like indie music or the Freemount for a good dance along to live music. The list is endless and you have so much to explore when you live in Manchester. 

Great Transport Links All Across The UK

Last but not least, there are great transport links all across the UK, so you can easily get to uni and also go home to visit friends and family. Manchester Piccadilly is a major train station and you can get right up to Scotland or down to London in a matter of hours. There is also a really good tram system to help you explore Greater Manchester, as well as trains from Oxford Road, Deansgate and Manchester Victoria that take you anywhere from the Peak District to other major cities. You definitely don’t need a car to get around in Manchester which is another benefit, as there are so many options from trains to trams and buses to help you get where you need to go. Another great benefit of Manchester is you can walk from one end of the city to the other in around 25 minutes, so if you like walking, then you can do it as much as you like!