Student Life in Plymouth

Plymouth is a vibrant coastal city in the southwest of England, located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Offering the best of both city life and the great outdoors, it’s the ideal place to live and study. The iconic Dartmoor National Park is just a short drive away, as are the sweeping coastlines of Devon and Cornwall.

In Plymouth, There’s Something for Everyone

Everything you need is within a short walk of the University of Plymouth campus – from the multi-million-pound Drake Circus shopping centre, to bars, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. The city has its own ferry port, with regular crossings to France and Spain, and is just an hour away from Exeter International Airport. The train station is a two-minute walk from the University, and you can get to London in just three hours.

With a population of 260,000, the city is big enough to be cosmopolitan but small enough to be friendly. You are sure to feel safe in Plymouth, with a low rate of crime compared to large metropolitan areas.

Entertainment in Britain’s Ocean City

As the largest city in the region, Plymouth has a lot to offer. The city centre has excellent shopping, dining and leisure facilities, providing amenities within easy walking distance from the university campus and student accommodation.

Whether you’re dining with friends at one of our many restaurants and cafés around the city’s Barbican, grabbing a coffee and enjoying the coastal view along the historic Hoe, shopping at Drake Circus or visiting the National Marine Aquarium (the largest in the UK), you’ll soon feel right at home.

Plymouth Pavilions is the city’s main entertainment venue. In the past few years, it has hosted concerts by some of the world’s biggest stars – from A-list musicians to award-winning comedians.

Activities for Every Interest

If you love sport, you’ve chosen the right place! The city’s football team, Plymouth Argyle, is the biggest club in the southwest and has several international stars that attract an average crowd of around 7,000 each week.

The University of Plymouth has its own on-campus sports centre, which includes a multi-purpose hall and fully equipped gym. As a UPIC student, you can join any of the Student Union’s sports clubs. Also, Plymouth Life Centre comprises some of the UK’s most advanced and modern aquatic sports facilities and is accessible to all University of Plymouth students; it plays host to Olympians Tom Daly and former UPIC student and Kenyan Olympian, Issa Mohamed.

If you’re interested in water sports, we have some great locations where you can try everything from sailing and canoeing to scuba diving. How about trekking along the coast for a weekend? Or hiking in Dartmoor?