Congrats! You’re now a Glasgow student. Glasgow is known to be the liveliest city in Scotland with some of the nicest people in the UK, however, students in Edinburgh might have something to say about that. Get ready to get stuck into life in this city which has endless amounts of local pubs, bars, views of the River Clyde and beautiful places to visit.

Before you start writing your bucket list, you might want to think about opening a student bank account. The Royal Bank Student account* comes with an offer of £50 cash and four year tastecard membership – giving you 2-4-1 or 50% off food deals at participating UK restaurants and takeaways, cheaper cinema tickets and more. To find out more and apply click here to visit rbs.co.uk/students
*Student account eligibility criteria apply. Apply online only. Offer Terms and Conditions apply. £50 cash is a limited time offer until 5th November 2021. Offer can be withdrawn at any time.

We’ve put together all the best spots in Glasgow for housing, food, drinks, exploring and Instagram pics so you don’t have to. Scroll down to read our guide to the city.

The best places to live

Dennistoun

Price: ££££       Noise level: ||       Supermarkets: Lidl

This is a great location if you’re keen to be in the heart of Glasgow city centre. Because of its location, you’ll also find a mix of The University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University students living here so it’s a good social hub. You’ll be within walking distance of loads of restaurants, bars and clubs keeping you busy all week. It’s about a 15 to 30-minute bus ride from uni.

Finnieston

Price: ££££      Noise level: |       Supermarkets: Roots, Lidl

Finnieston is considered the cooler part of town for students to live in. It has an array of vegan restaurants, burger joints, artisanal coffee shops and trendy bars for you to sink your student loan into. It’s one of the more expensive locations for students, but, on the plus side, it’s only an 11-minute bus or 15-minute walk from campus.

Hillhead

Price: £££      Noise level: ||       Supermarkets: Waitrose, Tesco Metro, Iceland

Hillhead is the perfect spot for someone keen to be close to the university. It also has a Subway stop giving you easy access to the city centre. It’s considered one of the more social spots in Glasgow, making it a prime place for second years.

Kersland Street

Price: £££       Noise level: |||       Supermarkets:Tesco Metro

This location is a popular student hub, partly because it’s only a seven minute walk from campus (great if you’re not a morning person), and partly because it’s the party centre of Glasgow. If you’re keen to get stuck into university life, this is an ideal option for you.

Great Western Road

Price: £££       Noise level: |||        Supermarkets: Sainsbury’s

Great Western Road has lots of cafes, bars and shops – hence many students move there and stay there for their entire uni experience. Again, this is a popular spot for students wanting to party, socialise and be at the centre of the excitement. It’s a bit further out, however, and will take about 35 minutes on the bus to get to campus.

Price: ££       Noise level: ||       Supermarkets: Tesco Express, big Morrisons

Houses in Partick are mid-range prices, making this a good location for anyone trying to save on their rent. It still has the energy of other locations as it’s packed with lots of shops and cheap restaurants. It’s also only a ten minute walk from campus.

Anniesland

Price: £       Noise level: |       Supermarkets: Aldi, Morrisons

Anniesland is a couple of miles west of Great Western Street, so you’ll be able to find everything you need to survive uni. It’s a fairly social area but not too noisy, making it great for students who love heading to the pub after a hard day of lectures.

Want to keep your budget in check? The Royal Bank Student account* comes with an offer of £50 cash and four year tastecard membership – giving you 2-4-1 or 50% off food deals at participating UK restaurants and takeaways. To learn more click here to visit rbs.co.uk/students

Food spots

On campus:

Fraser Building on Hillhead Street

Bank Street Bar Kitchen on Bank Street – the small outside area makes this great for cute summer dinner dates

BRGR on Great Western Road

Sultan’s on Great Western Road – tastecard offer available 

Glasgow University Union Kitchen at the SU – try their pint of Fun, it’s an essential and on £5.50

The Chicken Place on Gibson Street

Worth the journey:

Max’s Bar & Grill on Queen’s Street

The Hanoi Bike Shop just off of Byres Road

Bar Soba on Byres Road – this place has a funky interior and amazing Asian street food

Rioja on Argyle Street

Waxy O` Connors on West George Street – tastecard offer available

Kelvingrove Café on Argyle Street

Paesano on Great Western Road

Café Antipasti on Sauchiehall Street – tastecard offer available

Sugo Pasta on Mitchell Street – great for cheap Italian dishes as the prices are only around £6 per dish

Are you a big foodie? With the Royal Bank Student account offer*, you get £50 cash and a free four year tastecard membership – giving you 2-4-1 or 50% off food deals at participating UK restaurants and takeaways. Open a Royal Bank Student account. Visit rbs.co.uk/students to read more.

Where to grab a drink

Inn Deep on Great Western Road

The Crafty Pig on Great Western Road – tastecard offer available 

Vodka Wodka on Ashton Lane – the cocktails here are delicious, cheap and it’s a student friendly vibe

Old Schoolhouse on Woodlands Road

The Grosvenor on Ashton Lane

Firewater on Sauchiehall Street

Hillhead Bookclub on Vinicombe street – try their strawberry mojito which is only £3 on weekdays

The best clubbing spots 

Location: Sub Club       When: Friday      Music: Electronic, DnB, Soul

Hive

Location: The SU       When: Thursday       Music: Pop, Old School Classics

Hip Hop Thursdays

Location: Buff Club       When: Thursday       Music: Hip Hop, RnB

SWG3

Location: Eastvale Place       When: Throughout the week       Music: Electronic

Save on late-night takeaways by setting up a Royal Bank Student account* as it comes with an offer of £50 cash and four year tastecard membership – giving you 2-4-1 or 50% off food deals at participating UK restaurants and takeaways. For more info and to apply click rbs.co.uk/students.

Transport

Taxis: Uber, Network Private Hire

Cycling: Nextbike, a 24/7 public bike system

Train services: The Subway

Glasgow students’ top tricks and tips

“S’mug Coffee on Great George Street is one of the best places to set up for a day of studying”

“Hillhead Bookclub does unreal mojitos for only £3”

“Invest in an SPT travel card to save money on the Subway”

To help you make the most of the city, your might want to set up a Royal Bank Student account.* It comes with an offer of £50 cash and four year tastecard membership – giving you 2-4-1 or 50% off food deals at participating UK restaurants and takeaways cheaper cinema tickets and more. For more info and to apply click rbs.co.uk/students.

Your mini bucket list for the city

• Go to Kelvingrove Park in the summer for BBQs and in the winter for sledding

• Get a pint of “Fun” at Glasgow University Union

• Get a picture in The Cloisters (every Glasgow student does it)

• Take the chocolate and whisky tour at Clydeside Distillery (when it reopens)

• Go see the Cathedral and The Glasgow Necropolis – both are beautiful historical sites

• Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

• Head to Drygate Brewery and try their range of 26 beers

• Take a look around the Hunterian Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art

• Check out the Glasgow Science Centre

*Student account eligibility criteria apply. Apply online only. Offer Terms and Conditions apply. £50 cash is a limited time offer until 5th November 2021. Offer can be withdrawn at any time.