Gloucester is home to two universities that vary greatly in their specialisations. The accommodation listed here includes shared flats, private studios, and en-suite rooms, giving you the flexibility to compare options based on space, budget, and location.
The properties shown are relevant to students at universities across Gloucester, notably the University of Gloucestershire and Hartpury University.
Accommodation is available in areas close to university campuses as well as in central neighbourhoods. Some students choose to live nearer to academic buildings, while others prefer areas with easier access to transport links, shops, and city life.
Student areas in Gloucester include Kingsholm, Gloucester Docks & Quays, and Longlevens. Each area offers students a different local environment in which to thrive.
Across all properties, the basics are covered, including utility bills, Wi-Fi, and on-site support, helping students settle in and manage day-to-day living.
Details on each property are shown below, including room types, locations, and what is included.
WHAT UNIVERSITIES ARE IN GLOUCESTER?
There are three universities that we cater for at our Gloucester student accommodation. The University of Gloucestershire, Hartpury University and Royal Agricultural University (which is located in nearby Cirencester).
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire has campuses in Gloucester and Cheltenham and has been helping its students excel since 1847. The facilities are too a very high standard, and teaching is Silver rated, with the whole university set up to give students the best chance to experience working conditions and to be fully prepared for life as a graduate.
The libraries are extensive, with 24-hour computer access and opening times that are seven-days a week during term-time. There are loads of job opportunities, work placements and internships offered through the SU JobShop, with Future Plan designed to help students enhance CVs and build networks.
The Students’ Union has over 80 clubs and societies for a wide-range of topics and interests. If you can’t find what you’re interested in, the SU is a great place to head to, finding some help to set up your own sports club or society. The annual Freshers’ Fayre at the University of Gloucestershire has been voted the best in the country as recently as 2018, and throughout the year there is a plethora of events and balls.
Royal Agricultural University
The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has been one of the leading lights of agricultural education for over 170 years. Students can gain access to industry-leading expertise on matters such as agriculture, business and enterprise, animal science, equine science, food supplies, real estate, rural land management, environment and farm management. The course completion rates for Graduates of RAU are amongst the highest in the UK, with a reputable Enterprise Programme with a wide range of entrepreneurial support. The library has over 100,000 e-books, 30,000 physical books and journals, as well as providing students access to extensive specialist databases. There are four computer rooms with 24-hour access and Wi-Fi available throughout the campus.
Hartpury University and Hartpury College
The university specialises in veterinary nursing degrees, as well as courses that offer specialist, Gold-rated education in sport, equine, agriculture and animals. There is an extensive and specialist provision of equine and canine therapy at the university, with rider performance, advanced sports technology also offered.
The university is home to semi-professional athletes and a large range of domestic and exotic animal species. The focus is definitely on quality at Hartpury, with small classes and relationships with over 2,000 brands around the world that allows for great work experience opportunities for students.
WHAT ARE THE BEST PLACES TO EAT IN GLOUCESTER?
Moving into your brand-new Gloucester student accommodation, you might be wondering what to expect from this small, but beautiful, town when it comes to a dining experience. There is no better way to get to know your new flatmates and friends from university than to head out for a meal together, and there is plenty to get your teeth stuck into when living and studying in Gloucester.
Graze (Hartpury College)
At Hartpury College there is an amazing student restaurant on-site, which is open 7-days-a-week for breakfast right through the whole day to dinner. It is the perfect place to catch up with friends, find the right breakfast to power you through your day, to stop for a bite to eat (a snack or a lite bite at lunch), or for a full meal at dinner time after a full, hard day of study. There are loads of vegetarian options on the menu, and healthy meals, as well as those hearty staples such as jacket potatoes, filled baguettes, pizzas and panini. They also do some incredible themed days, such as Fajita Friday, so keep an eye out on the menu.
Sebz (Northgate Street)
Portuguese food is so tasty, and at Sebz on Northgate Street is the perfect place to try out if you like the taste of Portuguese dishes such as piri piri chicken, loads of tasty tapas-style dishes, alongside calamari, salt cod cakes, and an amazingly delicious Madeiran dish called espetada, which is meat on skewers that has been seasoned with rock salt, bay leaves and garlic. There are some great offers at Sebz, including three dishes for under £12 during lunchtime or £13.50 during the weekday evenings.
Tank (Llanthony Road)
Gloucester Brewery was already a really popular local brewery in Gloucester before deciding to open its own bar called TANK. The idea behind TANK is to continue the celebration of all things local, both beer and food. The menu is full of tasty pub grub-style dishes like big juicy burgers, pizzas, charcuterie boards and sandwiches – paired with the Brewery’s own beers, such as Gloucester Gold (the flagship beer of the brewery) and the American pale ale Chinook.
Portivo Lounge (Gloucester Quays)
Down on the historic Gloucester Quays, Portivo Lounge is situated within an old corn mill and delivers a unique setting for a bar and restaurant. The aesthetic is definitely bohemian in nature, and the menu is amazing. There is a wide range of food on offer, with brunch dishes to fill you up for the day ahead, tapas and panini for something a little lighter, and big burgers for a hearty feed.
WHERE ARE THE GOOD STUDENT NIGHTS OUT IN GLOUCESTER?
Gloucester has a great night out for students, despite its relatively small size. There is a night out for everyone, and best of all, you are always close to your Gloucester student accommodation – whether by foot, taxi, or public transport. Gloucester is home to a good student pub crawl, big student-specific club nights, bars, and big events throughout the year.
MooMoo Club Rooms (Regent Street)
MooMoo is one of the most popular nightclubs for students at the University of Gloucestershire and is in nearby Cheltenham on Regent Street. There is a massive dancefloor, a cosy space that is inspired by pop-art, and a lavish lounge to sit with drinks. Students flock to MooMoo for the £2.50 doubles every Monday night, and there is also Blue and Blue Wednesdays and Propaganda every Thursday.
Café Rene (Southgate Street)
Café Rene is one of those places that has successfully managed to be both a quiet café bar to have a drink and a catch up with friends earlier in the day, and a party venue after 11pm. There is a varied listing of live music shows, focusing on local talent, as well as the Cellar Bar playing music to suit all tastes (if you can dance to it, the DJ will be spinning it).
Frog & Fiddle (High Street)
The Frog& Fiddle is another Cheltenham venue that is popular with students from the University of Gloucestershire. The best thing about the pub is that students can have access to an exclusive drinks menu when presenting a student card, with drinks all under £3. You can also take part in games of pool and table football, with live music regularly and big sporting matches on the TVs.
ATIK (Eastgate Street)
ATIK is one of the most popular nightclubs in the region, with people coming from other parts of the country to have a night out. Every drink on the menu is just £2.50 on a Friday night (which is RnB night), and Oh La La Saturdays is another big appointment. Recess is the major student night on a Wednesday, but ATIK is also home to many student nights throughout the year, plenty of themed fun to be had, foam parties, and VIP booths to book.
WHAT IS THE GLOUCESTER SPORTS SCENE LIKE?
Moving into our Gloucester student accommodation will be a wrench. If you are particularly sporty, or you are looking for ways to meet new people easily and to make new friends in your new environment, you should look into the local sports scene. Gloucester has an array of great sporting venues and opportunities. Whether you are playing a team sport as part of a University team, on a hike in the nearby Cotswolds, or heading to Kingsholme to watch some rugby, there is something for everyone when it comes to sport.
University Sport
At the Oxstalls campus of the University of Gloucestershire, in Gloucester, a brand-new sports centre was opened as recently as September 2018 that is to international-standards. Alongside this, there are countless sports teams and sporting events to take part in (you can even compete against other universities and colleges in the BUCS league).
The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is one of the most beautiful parts of the UK and is right on the doorstep of your new home at our student accommodation in Gloucester. If you are into walking and hiking, running or cycling, there are many exciting trails to follow in this part of the world. It is great to get out in nature, to take in the breath-taking sights and feel the clear beauty of the British countryside.
Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest on the racing calendar, with the world of horse racing descending on the racecourse every year. Easily reached from your comfortable student accommodation in Gloucester, there is also the Cheltenham Festival Trials in January, which gives an insight into what you can expect from the madcap full week of racing later on.
Rugby Union
As fans of Rugby Union will know, Gloucester Rugby is one of the stalwarts of the sport in England. They play at Kingsholme Stadium in the top division of rugby, Premiership Rugby, and have competed at the very top in European competition over the years too. Kingsholme is easy to find within the city, and with relatively cheap tickets to watch top-class sport it is a great place for students to watch some live sport when living and studying here.
IS THERE GOOD SHOPPING IN GLOUCESTER?
Shopping for those essential groceries that we need on a daily basis is an important part of growing up. Moving into your Gloucester student accommodation you’ll be learning how to create and stick to a grocery budget for the first time in all likelihood. In Gloucester, you’ll find a city that has all of the staple supermarkets and big brand names that you know and love, plenty of independent stores and boutiques, as well as great shopping in the revitalised Gloucester Quays. Not only that, but you are only a short hop away from other great shopping in nearby Cheltenham and Bristol.
Big Brand Shopping
King’s Walk Shopping Centre and Eastgate Shopping Centre are the two places you should head to if you are looking for that comfort of big-name brands and the high street shops that we all know and love. Within this big-brand shopping, you’ll also find that there is an amazing Farmers Market every Friday, with the best of local produce on show.
Independent Shopping
There is no better way to feel the genuine pulse of a new city that to find the independent shopping scene. A city like Gloucester is thriving when it comes to this type of independent store or boutique, and through the areas of College Street, the beautiful College Court, and The Cathedral Quarter, you’ll discover a whole host of independent shops selling gifts, jewellery, art, and much more, always welcoming you with open arms.
Gloucester Quays
The redevelopment of Gloucester Quays has been marvellous for the city, with a range of outlet stores, cafés, restaurants and bars just a 15-minute ride from the city centre (so, easily reached from your student accommodation in Gloucester via bike, public transport or taxi). It is one of the most popular shopping destinations in the region and is home to designer brands selling items at a cut-price cost, a big cinema, as well as many different festivals throughout the year.
Antique Shopping
If you are into delving deep into old items, or you fancy a day out with your visiting parents, there are loads of fantastic, quirky antique and vintage shops in Gloucester to spend a day trawling through for hidden gems. Gloucester Antiques Centre is one such place, whilst Fab and Faded on Worcester Street and the quarterly Vintage Fair at Blackfriars Priory are also amazing places to go searching.
Bristol and Cheltenham – It is not far at all on public transport to venture out of Gloucester and head over to Cheltenham and Bristol for some of the great shopping that they have on offer. Cheltenham is a pretty town with loads of fantastic boutiques and classic shopping arcades, whilst Bristol is a big, cosmopolitan city that has an abundance of big shopping both in the city centre and waterside locations, as well as the huge Cribbs Causeway on the outskirts of the city.
WHAT ARE THE BIG EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS IN GLOUCESTER?
Gloucestershire has been hailed as the capital of festivals in the UK, with a festival or big event of some sort taking place every single week in this part of the world. You literally have no excuse not to venture out from your comfortable student accommodation in Gloucester to get to know the local area through one of the many festivals, events or attractions that can be found.
Dragon Boat Race
As the popularity of weird and wonderful racing continues, Gloucester Docks plays an annual host to a Dragon Boat Race, with entertainment both on the water and off it. The May fundraising event includes up to 30 teams, each competing in 40ft long dragon boats to race for the prize. The winning team will be presented with the stellar Gloucester Dragon Boat Shield. Away from the water, spectators are asked to turn up in fancy dress, and be entertained by the funfair and many stalls.
Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling
The Cheese Rolling Festival was a famous part of Gloucestershire on Cooper’s Hill since the 1800s. Although it was cancelled due to health and safety concerns back in 2010, it is expected to return in 2020, and for any students moving to Gloucester it is a chance to see something truly amazing. Cooper’s Hill is so steep, that very few competitors ever manage to even stay up on their feet, let alone have any chance of catching the 8lb Double Gloucester cheese that is sent rolling down the hill for them to chase.
Stroud Vegan Fair
Whether you have been tempted in to try Vegan food after Veganuary, or you are looking to make a lifestyle change, Stroud Vegan fair is a big celebration of all things vegan, from delicious vegan food, cosmetics that have been developed with a cruelty-free approach as a priority. Stroud is not far away from your home at our Gloucester student accommodation at all, and it worth a day out for this event, with a range of stalls and local vegan producers.
Gnome Hunt Eastcombe
The lovely village of Eastcombe in Gloucestershire is worth a visit every year, with the annual gnome hunt a big event that attracts people from all over the county. The gardens and the village are stunning and picturesque and play host to a gnome hunt each Easter. There are also many stalls, refreshments, the beautiful Lamb Inn to have a drink at the end of the hunt, and an ice cream parlour in the gardens.
National Waterways Museum (Gloucester Docks)
Set in the historic Gloucester Docks, the National Waterways Museum tells the 200-year story of how waterways have shaped the country for the better. The award-winning museum is housed over three-floors of a Victorian warehouse and has plenty of hands-on displays and interactive exhibits to enjoy. There are also two historic craft to explore on the quayside, and daily boat trips to enjoy.
As you can see, there is loads to see and do in Gloucester and the surrounding area. From your new home in our Gloucester student accommodation you’ll be right in the thick of it, close to all the great attractions and events that make this part of the world something truly special.
Gloucester has a strong local feel. Many students live close to where they study and build routines around the city rather than travelling in daily from elsewhere. Its size makes it easy to stay local during the week.
Students are often based in areas near the city centre, Kingsholm, and along main residential routes with good bus connections. These areas offer a balance of everyday amenities, walkable streets, and straightforward access to study locations.
Day-to-day life in Gloucester is generally calm and structured. Students benefit from short travel times, access to shops and green spaces, and a slower pace than larger cities.