The Student Room Group

is it worth travelling two hours for university?

the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

It’s possible - my dad moved back home and completed his undergraduate degree when he had to catch a train and a bus and then walk to his lectures. However, I think you need to be 100% committed and it will be tiring for sure.
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?
If you're trying to save money then sure, but be warned that this will be very tiring and you wouldn't get the full university experience given you will spend so much time commuting.
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hey,

Many of students commute to uni for a variety of reasons from lots of distances. If commuting is something that your considering it is definelty worth weighing up the pros and cons and only you will know what is best and doable.
Some things to consider

1.

Time: 4 hours is a lot out of your day. If you are using public transport is there a way you could still study while travelling. I have friends who did manage and others who found it too distracting/ too busy/ felt sick studying whilst moving

2.

Reliability of transport. The roads if driving - mindful it may be rush hour times which will mean that your 2hrs is a lot longer, Trains/Buses - frequency for morning classes and last getting home. Weather

3.

Cost

4.

Social aspect - At uni after/before class, clubs and societies. Many of my firends commuted (Mostly within an hour) and still were active in societies/clubs/nights out

5.

Studying environment - Is home / the library better? Where would you be most productive and is this manageable if having a long commute to have effective access to library / best study spot

6.

Potential group projects - meeting times and availability

7.

Other commitments - family, work, volunteering etc

8.

Time on campus - Are you on campus 9-5 everyday or likely only a few hours in person taught? Whichever it is will you be motivated to travel for all classes as you relly don't want to miss any.

Personally I moved out to stay closer to my uni to study. However, I completed placements over an hour away and from my experience commuting can be tiring and can be stressful. I did still give my all in placement but I did feel I lost time commuting by getting up super early and home very late.
Hope some of that helps with your considerations. All in all it is doable to have a long commute if you are certain it is the best choice for you. Catherine - University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hi there,

This is quite a long commute so it might be quite tiring. There are pros and cons of both living at home and in uni halls so I thought I"d give my opinions on this:

Pros of living at home:

You will save money. Rent to live in student accommodation is usually quite expensive and it will be a lot cheaper living at home. You will also save money on things like food shopping etc.


You will be close by to family and friends which is nice, especially during times when you have deadlines and it is nice to be at home surrounded by home comforts.


If you have a part time job already at home, you may be able to keep doing this which saves finding a new job when you are at uni.



Pros of living at uni:

You get a lot more freedom and you will be more independent which I have found to be really fun.


You will save a lot of time commuting, and the commute may not be as cheap as you think so it is worth looking into this.


You have lots more opportunities to make friends! While you can still make friends as a commuter student, it is a lot easier if you live at uni as you are always there if people want to meet up and go out etc.


You will never get the uni experience again so it's worth living at uni to get the full experience! Living with friends is fun and might be something you don't get the chance to do again.


I hope some of this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador :smile:
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hi there,
It's definitely possible. However, I'd ask yourself "is this commute something that is manageable?". For example, during the colder, darker months or during bad weather or if public transport is unavailable (if you don't drive). I would also say that it depends on how frequently you'll be required to go into university, if it's every day then that would be less manageable than if it was one day a week.

Hope this helps!

-Nicky
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?


Anon,

No, though to be fair it does depend on what subject you are studying and how often you need to be in.

If you are in twice a week then there is time for you to recover from the journey, but two hours there and back will sap your energy levels and mood. Try to remember that you may also come up against unexpected delays: strikes, cancellations, traffic jams etc...

I think it is advisable to try and find accommodation which is closer to the university, even if you still have to commute a bit.

Hope that helps,

Oluwatosin 3rd year student University of Huddersfield
(edited 9 months ago)
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

2 hours in total (1 hour each way) like I had to for sixth form? Sure.

2 hours each way? wouldn’t bother, better off getting student accommodation where possible in my opinion especially if most of your lectures are 9am at for example.
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hi there,

I think commuting for uni is always an option and it works really well for alot of people! I commuted in my first couple of years and while it wasn't 2 hours, it was absolutely fine, I still made loads of friends etc. It is tiring and when it is as long as 2 hours it is sometimes hard to stay late to see friends etc because you are always thinking about what time you will get home. So I think it depends on the reason for commuting. It is a really good money saver to stay at home with your parents and if you aren't that bothered about staying in accommodation etc then it would be a good option I think!

I hope this helps,

Ellen
Uni of Sunderland
Digital Ambassador
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hi anonymous!

For me, it would depend on hour your traveling! If it was on the train, it wouldn't be too bad as you could get some work done on the train! If you were driving however, I feel personally this would be a really long commute especially if you were in every day!

It all comes down to your personal preferences and how it would fit into your schedule!

I hope this helps,

Rebecca, UCLan
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hey!

Four hours a day is admittedly a lot of travelling, but if it's a university you particularly want to go to, a degree you want to study and commuting makes the most financial sense for you, I would say it's definitely possible. However, make sure to consider some personal aspects as well: even if it's possible, it might not necessarily be the best choice for you. Do you typically enjoy a long commute? Does you find that following the same routine daily leads to burn-out, or do you enjoy the stability of it? Do you think you'd be able to complete any work/reading for university whilst travelling, or would the four hours just be spent commuting?

I would also double-check how often said university/course requires you to be on-campus: for example, some courses require students to attend five days a week, whilst others may only have two on-site days and then three days of private revision. I know Kingston has a lot of commuting students - over 50% - so commuting does work for lots of people; it just depends what you want your university experience to look like. 🙂

Eve (Kingston Rep).
(edited 4 months ago)
It doesn't seem sustainable across a 3-year degree. You'd miss out on the social life, weather/travel issues might make you late for lectures, and it will make it very difficult to take up part-time work around your studies. Travel costs could be as much as half of your accommodation costs, and you might have made up the difference with part-time work.
Original post by Anonymous
the above, two hours to and back from uni so four hours?

Hi!
I would generally not recommend travelling for this long unless you are really committed to commuting. If you really love the university and course it can be totally worth it, but you have to consider what your life will look like if you go ahead with this. For example, if you have a lecture that finishes at 6pm you are not going to be home until 8pm. But the long commute can provide you with time to complete readings and assignments, and therefore might be an asset to your studies.
Overall, it's really down to how much you feel this university is worth it, or wether this is something you will grow to resent.
Hope this helps! Faye 🙂

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