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Sheffield or York

I’m stuck between Sheffield or York for Politics & International Relations. Sheffield is rated higher and I think it seems like a livelier city but others have said York is more prestigious?

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University of York

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Original post by Anonymous

I’m stuck between Sheffield or York for Politics & International Relations. Sheffield is rated higher and I think it seems like a livelier city but others have said York is more prestigious?

Hi there,

It's great to hear you're considering studying at York! ✨

If you've got an offer to study with us, you should have been invited to a Visit Day for Offer Holders. If you have, I'd really recommend coming to this as you'll get the chance to visit your department, try out the teaching, meet your potential fellow students, as well as explore campus and accommodation.

To get the student view on what it's like to study Politics and International Relations at York, I'd recommend checking out some of our student vlogs and blogs:

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Why I love studying Politics at York (vlog)

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Why I chose to study Politics and International Relations at York (vlog)

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A week in the life of someone studying Politics and International Relations (blog)

I didn't study Politics and International Relations at York, but if you have any specific questions about the course, please let me know and I'll try to get some answers for you ❤. I studied Biology at York from 2018 to 2022, and I truly loved my time there (so much so that I now work at the University!). There were three main things I loved about York:

1. The Campus

Walking around campus really feels like walking in a park, especially during spring and summer when the flowers are all in bloom and the young ducklings and goslings are swimming around the lakes. From a practical point of view, I loved that when I was on campus, I had everything I needed at my fingertips. From study spaces for independent or group work, to places to buy lunch, meet with friends and a shop to pick up any last-minute groceries. Everything is within walking distance.

2. The city of York

The city is only a short bus ride away from campus, or you can walk / cycle there. As I'm from Manchester, I was quite keen to go to a smaller city and escape the hustle and bustle, but still wanted somewhere that had loads to do - York ticks those boxes. It's such a beautiful city, brimming with history, medieval architecture, unique independent cafés, bars and shops, and you can even grab a bite to eat in a shipping container at SPARK! The York Art Gallery is well worth a look too, I particularly loved the William Morris exhibition there, which is due to end this weekend.As an undergraduate student, I enjoyed the mix of clubs and bars on offer (Stone Roses bar was always my favourite though!), and never felt I was missing out on a “big city” night out. Another great thing about York, is that one of the University buses runs through the night, so you can get to-and-from your night out by bus, which is kind to your wallet!

3. Safety and community

On the campus and in the city, I always felt safe and comfortable to walk around alone (which isn't something I can say about everywhere in the UK as a young woman). York is the second-safest city in the UK (Get Licensed, 2023), and it feels like it. On campus, we also have the campus safety team to help our students feel safe and deal with any problems.York is a collegiate university, and our colleges provide another community within the University. They aren't just where you live (if you live on campus), they are a place to go to for support, meet with friends, and attend events. Even now, if I meet a fellow York alum, the first question I ask is “Which college were you part of?”, not “what course did you do?” 🤣

I hope this helps! As I said, if you have any specific questions, please ask them - Hannah 😀