Students rate London universities higher for nightlife
For the first time two London universities have broken into the top-rated group for nightlife, as we reveal the latest findings from the third annual Which? University student survey.
Based on the views of more than 12,500 undergraduate students the annual Which? University student survey outlines the top-rated universities for sports, local nightlife, creative and political scenes, and a variety of student union activities.
Eleven of the 15 universities voted highly for having a diverse local nightlife are in Northern and Scottish cities, but this year two London universities – University College London and London School of Economics – have both made it into the top group.
Universities in London or the south-east also scored highly for their political scene, but fell down on sports, as five universities were voted into the least sporty group by students.
Four universities offer a particularly strong extra-curricular scene – University of Leeds, University of Glasgow, University College London, and University of Edinburgh – scoring well across the board in nearly all categories.
Jenni Allen, Which? University spokesperson, said:
“With tuition fees now averaging nearly £9,000 a year, it’s important that prospective students do their homework, find out everything they need to know about different universities, and weigh up all the options before deciding where they want to study. Which? University is a free website to help students compare universities on both the extra-curricular and academic experience and make the right choice for them.”
Notes to editors:
1. Which? University is a free and independent website to help students make more informed decisions about higher education, featuring information on more than 30,000 courses and around 300 universities and colleges to search and compare. It brings together facts and statistics from official sources, combined with real-life insight from students and the unbiased, expert analysis you’d expect from Which?.
2. Top universities for sports, creativity, political scene, varied student union activities and diverse local nightlife:
Please note that the following lists are not a ranking in order but a list of universities that are in the highest and lowest scoring groups. The scores of the universities within these groups are not necessarily significantly different.
Top sporty universities, as rated by students:
We asked if sport is a large part of university life, with a wide range of organised sports teams, clubs and facilities open to all levels.
Loughborough University
St Mary’s University, Twickenham
University of Bath
University of Stirling
Durham University
Brunel University
University of Worcester
Cardiff Metropolitan University
University of Birmingham
Harper Adams University
University of Surrey
Northumbria University
Least sporty universities, as rated by students:
Birmingham City University
Goldsmiths, University of London
University of the Highlands and Islands
University Campus Suffolk
London Metropolitan University
Bath Spa University
University of West London
University of the Arts London
University for the Creative Arts
Top creative universities, as rated by students:
We asked if music, theatre, dance, choirs, visual arts etc. are a large part of university life, with lots of arts societies, events and facilities open to all students.
Falmouth University
Goldsmiths, University of London
University of the Arts London
Bath Spa University
University for the Creative Arts
Southampton Solent University
Least creative universities, as rated by students:
City University
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Heriot-Watt University
London South Bank University
University of Bath
Harper Adams University
Royal Veterinary College, University of London
Top political universities, as rated by students:
We asked if there are lots of different political groups and activities, such as meetings and demonstrations and whether politics is a visible part of the university experience.
SOAS, University of London
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
University of Sussex
University of Oxford
Goldsmiths, University of London
University of Cambridge
University of Glasgow
University College London, University of London
University of Essex
University of Edinburgh
University of Manchester
Least political universities, as rated by students:
Cardiff Metropolitan University
St George’s, University of London
University for the Creative Arts
Royal Veterinary College, University of London
Top universities for varied student union activities, as rated by students:
We asked how varied a range of activities the student union offers catering to lots of different student interests, including well-attended student nights, and societies and clubs.
University of Leeds
University of Sheffield
Loughborough University
University of East Anglia
Harper Adams University
Keele University
Universities with student unions offering the least varied activities, as rated by students:
University of the Arts London
University of West London
University of the Creative Arts
Top universities for diverse local nightlife, as rated by students:
We asked if there are lots of different types of pubs, clubs and music venues near your university, which cater to a range of tastes.
London School of Economics and Political Science
University of Manchester
Newcastle University
Liverpool John Moores University
Glasgow Caledonian University
University of Strathclyde
Northumbria University
University of Bristol
University of Leeds
University of Liverpool
University of Sussex
University College London
Leeds Beckett University
Nottingham Trent University
University of Glasgow
Universities with the least diverse local nightlife, as rated by students:
University of Cambridge
University Campus Suffolk
Edge Hill University
University of Chichester
University of Winchester
University of St Andrews
University for the Creative Arts
Royal Holloway, University of London
University of Leeds, University of Glasgow, University College London and University of Edinburgh scored well in several categories:
- University of Leeds – made it into the top group for varied union activities and diverse local nightlife, and also scored highly in sports and political scene.
- University of Glasgow – made it into the top group for political scene and diverse local nightlife, and also scored highly in varied union activities and sports.
- University College London – made it into the top group for political scene and diverse local nightlife, and also scored highly for creative scene and varied union activities.
- University of Edinburgh – made it into the top group for political scene, and also scored highly for creative scene, varied union activities and diverse local nightlife.
Methodology:
YouthSight, on behalf of Which?, interviewed 4,519 students in their second year or above, online between 9th and 29th October 2014. This data was merged with the previous year’s survey, which interviewed 8,053 students in their first year or above, online between 8th July and 8th August 2013. Students who were surveyed in 2013 were not surveyed in 2014.
Press Release: Higher Education