The Top 5 Most Popular Student Cities

International student housing marketplace Student.com have been busy bees over the past year, gathering feedback from over 100,000 students in 426 cities around the world. And the results are out!

Giving interesting insights into student accommodation booking trends, the research also highlighted student’s favourite cities to study in. We take a closer look at the top 5 most popular places and explore just what might make them so appealing.

London, UK

London tops the charts for most popular student city and is home to around 40 universities and other high education institutes – one of the largest concentrations of places to study in the world. London unis consistently top the world ranking leaderboards, and prestigious universities such as the London School of Economics, University College, Imperial College have produced a host of famously successful alumni ranging from authors and musicians to scientists and politicians.

London’s art, culture and history makes it a fascinating place to live and learn. Many global businesses have their HQs here and run internship programmes and graduate schemes. Like any major city it can be expensive to rent accommodation in the centre, but head to the outskirts and there are plenty of more affordable options. London’s excellent transport links make it a breeze to get around.

Sydney, Australia

Located on the East Coast of Australia, Sydney is bursting with culture and blessed with natural beauty. This is a bustling, multicultural harbour-side city with miles of sandy coastline, all set against a backdrop of the Blue Mountains National Park.

Whilst Sydney might not be the cheapest place to be a student, the quality of life makes it one of the most desirable cities in the world to live meaning it’s still a popular choice for students. Taking advantage of the huge array of free fun outdoor activities will save you a few pennies! The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales both feature in the QS global Top 50 best universities to study at.

Melbourne, Australia

It’s another win for Australia! This time on the South coast in Australia’s cosmopolitan capital, Melbourne. Recently voted as the most liveable city in the world by The Economist’s Intelligence Unit it’s easy to see why Melbourne a great choice for student life.

With seven universities, a vibrant cultural and creative scene, a great range of student accommodation and excellent transport links this is a city which attracts students from all over the world. The University of Melbourne is ranked as the best university in Australia by Times Higher Education and consistently tops leaderboards for its world class research.

Manchester, UK

Despite concerns about Britain’s exit from the EU, with another UK city in the Top 5, it looks as though BREXIT is currently doing little to deter students from studying here. North of London, Manchester is a vibrant city with a buzzing student scene and four major universities to study at.

The University of Manchester belongs to the prestigious Russell Group of unis – pioneers of research and renowned for their social, economic and cultural impact. Combined with Manchester Met, the University of Salford and the University of Bolton, the student population in Manchester is just shy of a whopping 100,000. And with over a fifth of those being international students, Manchester is an attractive option for both home and overseas students.

Glasgow, Scotland

It might not be quite as warm as Australia, but Glasgow more than makes up for its chilly climate with a rich history, impressive historic landmarks and the fact that it’s a stones throw away from the wild beauty of the surrounding countryside.

The University of Glasgow is ranked in the top 100 universities, boasts 7 Nobel Peace Prize winners and is also one of the oldest in the world, with a history dating back to 1451. With a range of other places to study including Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow Caledonian and the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow is a popular choice for budding artists and scientists alike.

Emily Faulder writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and graduate jobs.