Leicester is a beautiful and diverse city, and boasts two highly prestigious universities: the University of Leicester and De Montfort University. It’s clear why so many students come to the city, and why many choose to remain here once they have finished their degree. 

If you’re reading this article, you’re likely a new student wondering where to live in Leicester. As experts in providing student accommodation, we definitely have something to say about the best places for students to live in Leicester – including St George’s Way (although we promise we’re not biased!). Our room types, and city-centre location, were chosen with students in mind, so you can rest assured that we know what we are talking about.

When looking for student accommodation, you typically have three options: 

• University Owned Accommodation
• Shared Accommodation
• Private Accommodation 

University-owned accommodation is typically only available to first-year or mature students – so even if you manage to secure some for one year, you will likely have to look at other options further down the line. 

Shared accommodation is what many people choose in their second and third year of university. There are some benefits: it can be cheap and you can live with your friends. However, the houses are often dirty or poorly maintained, private landlords are a risky business and you may lose your deposit for reasons beyond your control. 

Finally, there is private accommodation, like St George’s Tower. You have your own luxury bedroom and private bathroom and kitchen, you can enjoy safe social spaces and you have access to fantastic amenities, such as a gym. While it can sometimes be slightly more expensive, the benefits far outweigh the cost.

In short, if you are looking for somewhere to live in Leicester, you have three choices of accommodation. You then need to find a location that best suits your needs and priorities. Some factors to consider include:

• Proximity to the university 
• Proximity to the city centre 
• Whether the accommodation is furnished or unfurnished
• Crime levels 
• Bus routes
• Your budget 

While it can seem like a difficult task, finding somewhere to live in Leicester as a student, that ticks all of your boxes, is not impossible. And once you’ve decided on the perfect location, it’s practically a walk in the park. Which is why we’ve collected our top six places to live in Leicester, so that you can save yourself hours of research. 

Top 6 Places To Live In Leicester For Students

Aylestone Park

• 46 minute walk to the city centre
• 33 minute walk to the University of Leicester
• 30 minute walk to De Montfort University

Aylestone Park is a popular choice for those who want to step back from the city centre – as long as you don’t mind the commute! With plenty of local pubs and shops, you’ll never be bored. And the nearby nature reserve is the perfect spot for walks to clear your head, picnics and barbecues. 

Highfields 

• 20 minute walk to the city centre
• 19 minute walk to the University of Leicester
• 25 minute walk to De Montfort University

Highfields is in a prime location, offering easy access to the city centre and both universities. There is also plenty of green space nearby, which is always great for the summer. Nothing boosts your mood quite like nature, which is why this is one of our favourite places to live in Leicester. Clarendon Park is nearby, and if you are a student at the University of Leicester, you actually walk through Victoria Park to get to campus. 

Evington

• 57 minute walk to the city centre
• 49 minutes to the University of Leicester
• 1 hour walk to De Montfort University

Evington is a great place for students to live in Leicester, and has a reputation for being cheap and cheerful. Everything you could ever need is nearby, including pubs and 24 hour stores. However, the distance from town, and from university, may be a deal breaker – it all depends on what your budget is, and how much your student finance covers.

Stoneygate

• 38 minute walk to the city centre 
• 22 minute walk to the University of Leicester
• 39 minute walk to De Montfort University 

Stoneygate is a firm favourite amongst students who attend the University of Leicester – you can roll out of bed half an hour before a lecture and make it there with time to spare! There are great transport links, loads of green spaces and so many independent and chain eateries to visit and sample. 

Bede Park

• 17 minute walk to the city centre
• 27 minute walk to the University of Leicester
• 7 minute walk to De Montfort University 

Are you a De Montfort University student? This is one of the best places to live in Leicester for you! It’s close to the city centre, without being in the city centre, which means that the hustle and bustle of city life is just 20 minutes away. This can be great if you require near-silence to study, as it guarantees that you will have a distraction-free space. 

City Centre

• You’re already in the city centre!
• 20 minute walk to the University of Leicester
• 10 minute walk to De Montfort University

Living in the city centre allows you to embrace student life to its fullest. It grants you 24/7 access to everything the city has to offer, which means that you’ll never miss out on making memories. There’s so much to do in Leicester, from visiting museums and galleries to trying new restaurants and bars. And the convenience of the location means that you can easily access both universities and nearby cities, because you have excellent transport links at your fingertips. 

Living In Leicester With St George’s Tower

Living in Leicester can be truly fantastic, especially when you are equipped with expert city knowledge from the get-go. At St George’s Tower, we strive to ensure that all of our residents, and all of our readers, know everything there is to know about the city – from where to live, to where to eat. 

If you’re interested in living at St George’s Tower, or think that we could be of use in some other way, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. A member of our friendly staff will be more than happy to help and support in any way they can. Contact us today by completing an online form, phoning 0116 262 6933 or emailing stgeorges@iiluk.com. 

And if you’re interested in reading more about all things Leicester, be sure to take a look at our other blog posts – including our most recent post, “Eating Out In Leicester”.