The Student Room Group
Graduation day, University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
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Life in Glasgow

Hi everyone!

This thread is for anyone wanting to know more about what life is like living and studying in Glasgow.

Feel free to ask about night life, shopping, getting around, things to do etc.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The Offical Rep team at Glasgow
(edited 8 years ago)

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Original post by Glasgow Uni
Hi everyone!

This thread is for anyone wanting to know more about what life is like living and studying in Glasgow.

Feel free to ask about night life, shopping, getting around, things to do etc.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The Offical Rep team at Glasgow


Happy to have an offer from Glasgow for Psychology :smile: I was wondering what it's like in halls and city generally for people not so much into partying? I don't mind the odd night out but I prefer to socialise in other ways. What are the options?

Also, are there plenty of larger shops near to accommodation for groceries?
Graduation day, University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
Visit website
Hi there,

First of all- congratulations on your offer!

As Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow has a lot to offer students- there is quite a big party scene, but nightlife here is definitely not limited to alcohol and clubs. The city is really renowned for its music scene, and is home to a number of well-known concert venues hosting a wide-range of artists. There's also comedy clubs, cinemas, and theaters- perfect if you fancy going out but not clubbing.

At the University of Glasgow, there is a vast range of both social and sports clubs on offer. Although some of these will have socials with a little emphasis on alcohol, many don't, and are definitely worth checking out at the Fresher's Fair.

Looking at accommodation, I stayed in Murano, the biggest halls. Although it's known for its parties etc, as Murano is such a big place it really does depend on your flatmates whether this will affect you or not. There are two choices of flats- 4-5 person and 10-12 person- generally, most parties will be in the larger flats. But by no means are these parties constant, and overall Murano is a great place to meet a whole range of new people and to socialise. The halls are also about a 5-10 minute walk away from a huge Tesco which is ideal!

However if you are worried about the nightlife in Murano, there is a whole range of accommodation options the university offers. I didn't stay there, but have heard the Queen Margaret Halls are a lot quieter than Murano, and very nice.
Here's a link to the accommodation profiles if you're looking to know more: http://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/accommodation/residenceprofiles/

Hopefully that's started to answer your questions, if you would like any more info just let us know- we'd be happy to help!

Wendy,
Undergraduate rep, University of Glasgow
Original post by mogwai98
I was wondering what it's like in halls and city generally for people not so much into partying?


Hey!

Also, congratulations on your offer, the Psychology department here is great :smile:

Wendy covered a lot, so I'll just throw in my experience of halls. I stayed at the "Student Apartments" for my first year and it was great. They have relatively large flats so you meet a lot of people quickly, there was also a good mix of international students and you're as close to the university as possible! It also had a good balance between being quiet and having the very occasional party. But, with what's already been mentioned, it depends a lot. I also stayed in Murano and it was really quiet in my entire block and there will always be people similar to you wherever you go.

Let us know if you have any other questions! :smile:

Scott
Undergraduate Rep
Aeronautical Engineering - School of Engineering
Hi! I am considering Glasgow for 2017 entry.
I am just wondering what the vibe of the city is like. I've been told that it's not quite as exciting as Edinburgh and, by some standards, unfriendly and uneventful. Is that true? What about museums/natural surroundings? Is there a lot to do during free time?
Reply 5
Original post by emmabnewman
Hi! I am considering Glasgow for 2017 entry.
I am just wondering what the vibe of the city is like. I've been told that it's not quite as exciting as Edinburgh and, by some standards, unfriendly and uneventful. Is that true? What about museums/natural surroundings? Is there a lot to do during free time?


No clue who told you that because Glasgow is far more exciting than Edinburgh, and that's coming from my friends who've lived in both places. Glasgow is definitely a friendlier city-it has a bad reputation but the people here are lovely and talkative. It's certainly not uneventful as it's the biggest city in Glasgow and there's always stuff going on. There's tonnes of museums and parks around the city if that's what you're looking for and there's loads to do in your free time if you're willing to get out there and find it. Idk who you've spoken to but it doesn't seem like they know Glasgow at all.
Original post by emmabnewman
Hi! I am considering Glasgow for 2017 entry.
I am just wondering what the vibe of the city is like. I've been told that it's not quite as exciting as Edinburgh and, by some standards, unfriendly and uneventful. Is that true? What about museums/natural surroundings? Is there a lot to do during free time?


Hi there! My friends living in Edinburgh often say that they wished they lived in Glasgow because there is so much more for young people to do in Glasgow! I guess in reality they are both amazing cities for students. I would say overall people in Glasgow are really friendly, chatty and genuine - of course like anywhere, not everyone is nice 100% of the time, but I would say it's rare to run into unpolite and rude people. Having lived here for a few years I have always found lots of things to do during free time. There are plenty of museums, larger and smaller, nice parks and places like Loch Lomond are not far away. It's definitely worth visiting Glasgow and seeing what you think :smile:

Essi
Undergraduate Rep
School of Social and Political Sciences
Hi!
I was wondering if living is Glasgow is very expensive?
If I was to go there I would have a very limited budget, so I wouldn't be spending too much in more clothes, etc.

Oh, and in order to get fees paid by the SAAS, do you have to apply for it? or does it get paid automatically?

Thanks!
Reply 8
Original post by EugeniaAries
Hi!
I was wondering if living is Glasgow is very expensive?
If I was to go there I would have a very limited budget, so I wouldn't be spending too much in more clothes, etc.

Oh, and in order to get fees paid by the SAAS, do you have to apply for it? or does it get paid automatically?

Thanks!


Hey, just gonna jump in here and be incredibly real. I've lived in Glasgow all my life, and just recently moved to Aberdeen with friends and I can honestly say I never noticed before how much I spent on nights out and the like at home. Seriously, nights out in Glasgow can get crazy expensive and nothing is super cheap in general, so any budgeting would need to be strict and realistic, 50 quid a week is the lowest you could realistically go. And this is before you take into account freshers and the fact that friends will persuade you to go out and do things even if you say you won't. For moving you'll definitely also want some sort of savings in the bank already, you really can't survive on the SAAS loan and bursary alone if you want a life also. In addition, many societies and sports will have fees you need to pay and trips that cost money.

For SAAS fees you need to apply, doesn't happen automatically.
Original post by joffgay
Hey, just gonna jump in here and be incredibly real. I've lived in Glasgow all my life, and just recently moved to Aberdeen with friends and I can honestly say I never noticed before how much I spent on nights out and the like at home. Seriously, nights out in Glasgow can get crazy expensive and nothing is super cheap in general, so any budgeting would need to be strict and realistic, 50 quid a week is the lowest you could realistically go. And this is before you take into account freshers and the fact that friends will persuade you to go out and do things even if you say you won't. For moving you'll definitely also want some sort of savings in the bank already, you really can't survive on the SAAS loan and bursary alone if you want a life also. In addition, many societies and sports will have fees you need to pay and trips that cost money.

For SAAS fees you need to apply, doesn't happen automatically.


Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate it. So do you think its realistic to live with 200 pounds per month? (not including rent obv)

Thank you again!!!!
Reply 10
Original post by EugeniaAries
Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate it. So do you think its realistic to live with 200 pounds per month? (not including rent obv)

Thank you again!!!!


Ahaha, no bother!

I think you could maybe stick to a food budget of £30/£40 a week if you manage to get to cheaper supermarkets such as Lidl, but the West End can be expensive because of all the independent cafes and shops. You're much more likely to find Waitrose, for example so that would jump up the cost. Nights out will honestly vary, and that'll be what pushes the £200, get as many free entry cards as you can during freshers because they will make such a big difference, and make sure to learn to love cheap wine for pre-drinking, don't get drinks in clubs.

For the first couple of months £200 probably won't be do-able, but once things die down and exams begin to loom you should be able to keep to it. You'll work out where to save and what places do student deals. And don't try to keep the budget during freshers. Really, you'll just stress yourself out.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by joffgay
Ahaha, no bother!

I think you could maybe stick to a food budget of £30/£40 a week if you manage to get to cheaper supermarkets such as Lidl, but the West End can be expensive because of all the independent cafes and shops. You're much more likely to find Waitrose, for example so that would jump up the cost. Nights out will honestly vary, and that'll be what pushes the £200, get as many free entry cards as you can during freshers because they will make such a big difference, and make sure to learn to love cheap wine for pre-drinking, don't get drinks in clubs.

For the first couple of months £200 probably won't be do-able, but once things die down and exams begin to loom you should be able to keep to it. You'll work out where to save and what places do student deals. And don't try to keep the budget during freshers. Really, you'll just stress yourself out.


A food budget of £30/£40 a week is almost double what I spend, and that's shopping at Tesco. £20-£25 is what nearly everyone I know spends on food per week (assuming no eating out, which will obviously bump up the price).

Glasgow really isn't an expensive city all things considered. Public transport is pretty cheap and most things are within walking distance anyway. £200 is maybe a bit of a push for a monthly budget, but I reckon you could get by on not much more than that-it would really just depend on how often you're wanting to go out and where you're wanting to go out. If you're willing to stick to the unions and Viper, you'll have a much cheaper night out than if you head out in the city, and you're more likely to be able to get cheap entry at one of those places depending on what clubs and societies you join. The first few weeks of the semester will be mega expensive because you'll have books to buy and you'll go out a lot more, but it's still not going to be too bad. It's all just about being smart with your finances and prioritising things really.
Original post by emcat
A food budget of £30/£40 a week is almost double what I spend, and that's shopping at Tesco. £20-£25 is what nearly everyone I know spends on food per week (assuming no eating out, which will obviously bump up the price).

Glasgow really isn't an expensive city all things considered. Public transport is pretty cheap and most things are within walking distance anyway. £200 is maybe a bit of a push for a monthly budget, but I reckon you could get by on not much more than that-it would really just depend on how often you're wanting to go out and where you're wanting to go out. If you're willing to stick to the unions and Viper, you'll have a much cheaper night out than if you head out in the city, and you're more likely to be able to get cheap entry at one of those places depending on what clubs and societies you join. The first few weeks of the semester will be mega expensive because you'll have books to buy and you'll go out a lot more, but it's still not going to be too bad. It's all just about being smart with your finances and prioritising things really.

Thank you for both of your answers! I just wanted to have an idea of what to expect and budget a bit in advance, so your replies have been very useful! Im fully aware that the first months, with freshers and so on, therre are going to be more costs involved and 200 may be not enough, I just wanted to know a bit the price of living there on a day to day basis :smile:

Thank you again!!
Hi, please, someone could help me?, the think is that I'm going to apply this year for graduate school of engineering, in fact, I just get a possible advisor, but I'm married and I have a child of 8 years old and it is vital for me to know approximately the necessary amount of money needed for living in Glasgow. Thankyou so much.
Hi, I'm considering applying to Glasgow for chemistry. My main concern is how multicultural the city and the university are. I'm mixed race and live in London, so I'm not very used to being the only non-white person. I know it might sound slightly ignorant, but I'd rather attend a university where I feel like I fit in, than one where I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Also are there Afro-Caribbean societies? Thank you :smile:
Original post by sciencefanatic
Hi, I'm considering applying to Glasgow for chemistry. My main concern is how multicultural the city and the university are. I'm mixed race and live in London, so I'm not very used to being the only non-white person. I know it might sound slightly ignorant, but I'd rather attend a university where I feel like I fit in, than one where I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Also are there Afro-Caribbean societies? Thank you :smile:


Hey, I'm not sure if the societies you mentioned exist but Glasgow has a very international environment, 40% of students are not from Scotland and in general everyone is super super welcoming to people with different races, sexualities etc.!
Hi! I've just been accepted to Glasgow and was wondering what sort of travel pass is worth getting, I know there's one that allows you to pay-as-you-go for the subway and theres also one that you pay for zones and lets you have unlimited travel within them?

Thanks :smile:
Reply 17
Original post by sciencefanatic
Hi, I'm considering applying to Glasgow for chemistry. My main concern is how multicultural the city and the university are. I'm mixed race and live in London, so I'm not very used to being the only non-white person. I know it might sound slightly ignorant, but I'd rather attend a university where I feel like I fit in, than one where I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Also are there Afro-Caribbean societies? Thank you :smile:


If you go onto the website there is a list of all the societies and if im not mistaken there is an African Caribbean society!
Reply 18
Original post by hannah-grace
Hi! I've just been accepted to Glasgow and was wondering what sort of travel pass is worth getting, I know there's one that allows you to pay-as-you-go for the subway and theres also one that you pay for zones and lets you have unlimited travel within them?

Thanks :smile:


Where are you living?
Assuming you'll live in the West End like most students, apply for a Subway card because that's free and you'll get ever so slightly cheaper cards, but I wouldn't bother getting anything for buses as most people I know only take the bus like once a semester.
Original post by emcat
Where are you living?
Assuming you'll live in the West End like most students, apply for a Subway card because that's free and you'll get ever so slightly cheaper cards, but I wouldn't bother getting anything for buses as most people I know only take the bus like once a semester.



Thank you!

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