It’s official: These are the best (and worst) UK cities for uni students to live in right now

The QS Best Student Cities 2026 ranking has dropped, and it’s revealed the best places across the world for students to live in. Loads of UK cities scored really well. Eight UK cities with Russell Group unis in all ranked within the top 50. So, here are the best UK cities for uni students to live in at the moment.

I’m afraid the UK can no longer claim to have the best city in the world for students. London had topped the QS Best Student Cities ranking for several years in a row, but in 2025 it sunk to third place. Ouch.  Seoul and Tokyo both scored better for employer activity, and rose above London in the rankings. Plus, London scored an absolutely abysmal 12.6 out of 100 for affordability. This isn’t a surprise, since student accommodation in London costs a ridiculous amount.

Edinburgh also scored really well. It came 15th in the world, so is apparently a more exciting place for students to live than Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid or Barcelona. The city got lots of points for how many students said they wanted to live there in QS’s survey.

At the other end, Leicester did not do very well. It came 125th out of the 150 cities included in the ranking. Oh dear. Leicester got a pretty low score for employer activity.

QS based this ranking on loads of factors, including what students thought of the city, what the cost of living is like there for students, how many young people get jobs there, and how many high-ranking unis are there.

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So, here are the best (and worst) UK cities for uni students to live in, according to 2025’s QS Best Student Cities ranking. The ordinal number is that city’s overall position in the world, in case you’re interested.

16. Leicester – 125th, scored 54.8

15. Brighton – =92nd, scored 62.2

14. Aberdeen – 86th, scored 64.1

13. Sheffield – 67th, scored 69.7

Sheffield actually has stuff for students to do

12. Belfast – 65th, scored 70.6

11. Liverpool – 62nd, scored 70.9

10. Birmingham – 59th, scored 73.0

9. Leeds – 51st, scored 75.0

8. Nottingham – 49th, scored 75.3

7. Bristol – 47th, scored 75.4

Bristol is not short of places for students to have a boujie brunch

6. Coventry – 45th, scored 76.2

5. Newcastle – =41st, scored 80.7

4. Manchester – 4oth, scored 80.8

3. Glasgow – 35th, scored 82.2

2. Edinburgh – =15th, scored 88.5

1. London – 3rd, scored 97.1

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