Lancaster: Student City Guide

Lancaster living costs

Here are some examples of what students can expect to pay in Lancaster:

As you can see, student living costs in Lancaster are pretty low compared to many student cities in the UK.

For a start, the cost of student accommodation in Lancaster is considerably cheaper than the majority of other student cities. Lancastrian transport is also very affordable, making this an ideal new home for many students.

Universities in Lancaster

Lancaster is a relatively small city with just two universities:

1. The University of Lancaster

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The University of Lancaster is one of only six universities in the country operating a collegiate system. The university has nine colleges in total - eight undergraduate and one postgraduate - to which each student is assigned.

Each of the colleges has its own study spaces, accommodation blocks, common rooms and unique activities. They also take part in inter-college sporting competitions.

Lancaster provides the perfect balance between a campus and a city student lifestyle, with each college providing a unique vibe for its members. Some colleges brand themselves as the ultimate party college or the sporty college, or the college with the best bar.

Through the intimate college systems, you are given the opportunity to meet people within your college before branching out to make friends with the entire student population. Plus it gives new students a better opportunity to mix with older students and settle in quicker.

Under Lancaster University's wing is their Management School, offering a variety of subjects focused on business and finance. Ranked in the UK's top 10 business schools by the Financial Times, LUMS is well-established with a quadruple accreditation. Put simply, this means they're a global leader in this area of teaching.

2. University of Cumbria in Lancaster

While technically not an original Lancaster university, Cumbria University operates a campus in Lancaster. The campus' facilities enable it to focus on delivering courses in sports performance, health, education and business programmes in this location.

Students also benefit from the use of performance labs, X-ray and ultrasound suites, ambulance simulations and more, making it ideal for students wishing to pursue studies in nursing and rehabilitation.

Student travel in Lancaster

Buses

The bus service to and from campus into town provides a great link between the two hubs of Lancaster. The Stagecoach service runs every five minutes at peak times.

Single bus tickets are currently just £2 and unlimited day bus passes are £5.70.

It's well worth getting a student bus pass to cover spur-of-the-moment trips into town to buy fancy dress costumes or for days out further afield. With the Lancaster UniRider ticket you can have unlimited travel from Lancaster or Cumbria University campuses into the centre and as far afield as Morecambe or Carnforth.

The pass works out as little as £1.32 per day so is definitely worth it if you're planning on heading into town three or more times a week. Just be aware if you want to use the N1 night bus service after a night out on the town you'll have to pay an extra £1.

The buses also regularly run to Preston, and the Mega Bus has a drop-off and pick-up point at the university, which is brilliantly convenient and cheap!

For long-distance travel by coach or bus, many students choose to take the Megabus (budget) or National Express.

Trains

Regular trains run from Lancaster to London Euston, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow.

Trans Pennine Express, Avanti West Coast and Northern Trains all operate regular services out of Lancaster, providing direct links across the country.

More advice in our guide on cheaper train tickets.

Walking/Cycling

The beauty of having a countryside campus within a cityscape is the freedom to choose to walk or cycle between the two.

It only takes 20 minutes to cycle from the city centre to Lancaster University campus along one of the two cycle routes. Cycling is most definitely encouraged and there are plenty of secure places to leave bicycles on campus and in town.

Lancaster offers many walks and there are off-road walking trails between campus and the town centre. There is also woodland and countryside surrounding the campus offering various trails.

Student nights in Lancaster

Lancaster's student nightlife does not have as much on offer as the other major cities in England but what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality.

Here are a few of the top student haunts!

The Sugar House

There’s only one club in Lancaster worthy of the title ‘best student nightclub’ and that honour falls upon The Sugar House. The holy grail of Lancaster nightlife, where memories are made and swiftly forgotten, Sugar is there to entertain you every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night, each night providing a different theme.

The Sugar House is owned by Lancaster University's Student Union. Each night sees a variety of tempting drinks and entry offers. The Sugar Bus runs to and from campus on the hour every Wednesday and Friday so everyone can enjoy a sugar rush even on a week night!

If that doesn't satisfy your urge to party, party, then here's a list of other student haunts to try on a night out in Lancaster:

• Vibe – bar and nightclub with cheap drinks promos including a Quids Pre-Bar every Wednesday
• Pendle Witch – traditional pub with student discounts and a pub quiz, great for a chilled night out with friends
• Mint – long-running lively cocktail bar great for pre-club drinks and live music
• Generation – late-night bar/nightclub with student discounts, dance classics and karaoke nights
• The Crafty Scholar – friendly pub offering student discounts on food and drinks and karaoke nights with £1 drinks on Mondays
• The Bobbin – alternative pub with live music and great beer.

Eating out in Lancaster

The Study Room is a well-known pub among students in Lancaster, mostly because of their famous Thursday night quizzes. But the food is decent too, offering student-friendly priced burgers, loaded fries and nachos.

If you're after Asian cuisine, Full House Noodle Bar is a hidden gem with over 200 Malaysian and Chinese dishes on offer. And if you haven't tried a poke bowl yet, you need to head to Pokobento for the most amazing Japanese and Hawaiian fusions.

Kanteena is a lively bar and food venue housed in an old warehouse in the centre of Lancaster. There's a variety of street food on offer and live music events. Open from Thursday to Sunday it's a great venue if you're treating yourself to food out.

For the sweet tooths there's Wallings. Serving over 40 flavours of ice cream along with waffles, pancakes and sundaes.

For those students in a rush, GO Burrito is always popular with students and there's the usual McDonalds and KFC that will satisfy a rumbling tummy.

There are plenty more to choose from depending on whether you fancy Thai, Chinese, Japanese or local pub food and they're all super close to most student accommodation.

Things to do in and around Lancaster

Lancaster is a traditional city with heaps of culture to explore. And with your student discount you'll be able to explore without spending a fortune on entrance fees. So make the most of it while you can. Here are just a few things you can do if you've got a day off or a few hours to spare:

• Lancaster Castle - it may seem a bit of a touristy thing to do, but Lancaster Castle is one of the best preserved castles in England and is well worth a visit. Tours last around an hour and you'll get a discount with your student card.
• Williamson Park - a huge 54 acres of parkland with loads of woodland walks. Great for chilling out on a summer's afternoon, or you can also visit the Butterfly House and the mini zoo!
• Lancaster Brewery - looking for some tips for brewing your own beer? The brewery offers informal tours covering the full brewing process.
• The Forest of Bowland - easily reached by bus, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has stunning rivers, woodlands and farmland to explore. And for Lord of the Rings fans, it's where JRR Tolkien is known to have written much of the book.
• Morecambe – if you're a beach lover, Morecambe is only a short journey away and has some beautiful beaches and traditional seaside activities for a break from your studies.