Exeter, UEA, Glasgow, Lancaster, St Andrews, Leeds, Aberdeen

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Great public transport ties:

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Trains: There is a train station 20 minutes by bus from campus (direct). If you ever fancy a day out or getaway with friends both Manchester and the Lakes are one hour away!

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Buses: There is a bus stop right at the centre of campus with a bus to town every ~15 minutes roughly. We have buses that head to Preston, Blackpool, Morecambe, Lakes and Heysham with capped single prices at £3. My friends and I have taken plenty of budget day trips this way.

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Campus University:

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Lancaster is unique as our first years typically live in our accommodation blocks dotted throughout the entire campus. In my experience, this made the transition to university easier as I didn't have to commute to and from lectures.

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Nature and Wildlife: We have a green campus with woodlands and wildlife surrounding us- we're famous for our campus ducks! 🦆

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We have loads of "non academic" facilities on campus: GP, pharmacy, nursery, college bars, common rooms, cafes, food outlets, Spar and a Co-op! Its hard to put into words so if you have a chance to come to a campus tour (or attend a virtual tour) I would definitely recommend it : Campus tours - Lancaster University

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The weather... granted this is universal for every part of the UK but Lancaster is definitely on the rainier and windier side.

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Smaller city: Lancaster has all the essential shops you need but when it comes to shopping and nightlife we don't have as much to offer. There are lots of small independent shops, cafes, charity shops and restaurants in town but very few large retailers outside of Primark and TK Max. Usually, my friends and I would plan a Manchester trip for shopping days.

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Budget supermarkets in town- we have access to Aldi, Lidl, Farmfoods, Icelands and Sainsburys by bus. Since I have been here, the University has ran a free Wednesday Sainsburys bus from campus!

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Opportunities for student jobs: coming from a low income family, I have worked throughout my degree with the Employment and Recruitment Service - Lancaster University which is a department within our student services team that advertises on campus and off campus jobs that can fit around your studies!

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Wellbeing and Cost of Living Events: Our Students Union and Colleges have hosted lots of cost of living events throughout the year. The best way to see what is happening is on the respective Instagram pages!

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Walkable city and affordable buses: from experience it takes around 45 minutes to walk from campus to town and 15 minutes by bus. We also have a bike path to town and lots of bike storage on campus. My preferred mode of transport is the bus and an annual student rider this year was £389 which is definitely worth it if you're living off campus but not a necessity if you're living in halls for first year.

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First year accommodation on campus is pricier than the off-campus options, although it is the norm you don't have to live on campus in first year. For 25/26 the prices and room types can be found here: Undergraduate - Lancaster University . In my experience the off campus houses and flats that I have lived in for my 2nd and 3rd year have been cheaper than my first year on campus room . Sturents is a good way to see the types of prices for accommodation off campus.