Canterbury
209 Reviews by Students #84 out of 216 University locations
Study in Canterbury
The University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University are both based here. Canterbury is probably most well known for having an Archbishop and featuring in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.
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University of Kent
The University of Kent started in 1965 with 500 students and today the institution has grown to over 20,000 students. The university has been awarded a gold by the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for outstanding teaching. 95% of Kent graduates are in full time employment or further study within six months of graduating.
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Canterbury Christ Church University
Canterbury Christ Church University is home to 17,000 students and is known for its friendly and vibrant community of students and staff. Starting life as a teaching college the university now has three faculties which are Arts, Humanities and Education, Medicine, Health and Social Care and Science, Engineering and Social Sciences.
Study in Canterbury? Review your location
Canterbury Student Life
Canterbury is about as far south-east in England as it’s possible to get, but somehow still manages to be in the middle of everything interesting. There are beaches only twenty minutes drive away, and London can be reached in an hour. The city itself caters brilliantly for students, it’s easy to get around and has plenty to offer outside of studies.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs range from £99 - £264 per week; the average is £166 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Guildford: £210/week, Portsmouth: £183/week, Reading: £201/week.
(prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) over the last 12 months, as listed on StudentCrowd)
The average price for:
A cheap meal at a restaurant: £10
A pint of beer: £4.65
A regular takeout coffee: £3.00
1L of milk: £1.00
A loaf of white bread: £1.13
Prices are about the same as equivalent costs in Guildford, about 6% higher than Southampton and about 8% higher than Exeter.
(Source: Numbeo)
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Nights Out
If you are looking for a big night out, then the main clubs to head to are Club Chemistry and Tokyo Tea Rooms. If you are more into pubs than a night of clubbing, you’ll be pleased to hear that Canterbury has lots of them! Explore the city’s cobbled streets and you will find plenty of pubs. Two favourites are The Cherry Tree and The Foundry Brew Pub which has its own brewery on-site.
Eating Out
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The Veg Box Cafe is a favourite spot among students and locals, right in the heart of the city. The quirky independent cafe serves fresh, locally sourced food for delicious veggie and vegan meals at really reasonable prices.
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High Street Options
You won’t be short of options if you hit the high street in search of good food. Dotted all around the city centre you will find the likes of Byron, Ask Italian, Bills, Five Guys and of course a trusty Nando’s, but also Canterbury favourites like The Old Weavers House.
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The Olive Grove is popular among students, thanks to its great value two-course meal for just £9.95! They serve both Moroccan and Italian food and make sure to get a table upstairs where you can enjoy the great view of the high street’s historical buildings.
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Shopping
There’s a mix of chains and big names with local and traditional shops, and most of it is located around the famous cathedral. If you are after a shopping day out, then a 50-minute drive away is the famous Bluewater, a huge shopping centre that hosts pretty much any shop you can think of. For something on a smaller scale and if you are into vintage shopping and unique finds, there is Westgate Hall which hosts a weekly market with local artists and producers.
Cultural Guide
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Festivals
Canterbury has fantastic festivals taking place throughout the year: Canterbury Festival is a two-week art extravaganza that attracts thousands of people from across Europe, Canterbury Pride is the second biggest Pride event in the South East and every May Bank Holiday is the free-entry City Sound Project which hosts emerging and established artists.
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Theatre & Cinema
Marlowe Theatre is one of the best theatres in Kent, you can expect the programme to have anything from West-End Shows and Shakespeare to comedy stand up. Canterbury has three cinemas there’s the Curzon and the Gulbenkian, so you can catch the latest blockbusters or indie arthouse films.
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Museums & Galleries
The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge is an art gallery, museum and library right in the centre of Canterbury. It is housed in a Grade II listed building which was recently refurbished. It is a cultural hub which brings together art, heritage books, ideas, information and collections all under one roof.
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Canterbury Cathedral
The world-famous Canterbury Cathedral is what the city is centred around and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a fantastic historical structure to explore and if you are a Christ Church student, you’ll get to access it for free using your student card.
Top 10 Canterbury Accommodation
Read Canterbury Reviews
Canterbury is suc...
Canterbury is such an ancient city; rather cool to live in. Only downside is the rather pool internet connection & infrastructure. The night life isn’t the best either, however there is still plenty to do. read more
Many shops closed...
Many shops closed down and not anywhere good to shop for clothes. But eating out is great! read more
Everything is goo...
Everything is good and balanced read more
Very good public...
Very good public transport, clubs are rubbish read more
Wowowoowowowowoow...
Wowowoowowowowoowowowowo wow wow read more
For safety reason...
For safety reasons, I do not recommend that new international students who have just arrived in the UK walk alone on the streets at night without a companion. read more
Pretty decent how...
Pretty decent however kinda underwhelming for an international Ps. I wish they had Chanel in town. read more
I love Tokyo Tear...
I love Tokyo Tearooms on Fuego Friday read more
It’s Beautiful! B...
It’s Beautiful! But not much to do. It does have everything you need read more
grate place to li...
grate place to live in shops, markets,and so on read more
The public transp...
The public transportation here can be annoying as the schedules are not followed most of the time and busses are not available when needed. However, there are cabs but sometimes the rates are too expensive. read more
Don’t need public...
Don’t need public transport but the rest is amazing read more
I’ve had an amazi...
I’ve had an amazing experience read more
Food llace to liv...
Food llace to live fir gew years read more
It’s an okay plac...
It’s an okay place to live in. read more
Canterbury is lov...
Canterbury is lovely. Only issue is with the buses, they don’t always come when stated on the stagecoach app. Sometimes they are too early or too late/don’t even show up. The rule of once the door is closed you cannot get on should be scrapped especially if the bus arrived early. read more
The restaurants a...
The restaurants are nice here but the night and social life is quite limited. Things also seem to be more expensive here than London. read more
Canterbury is a g...
Canterbury is a great town to start your adult years in read more
Canterbury is a l...
Canterbury is a lovely city however the transportation needs to be more efficient and convenient for people. read more
All reasonably go...
All reasonably good and fun to do things read more
Great cultural ac...
Great cultural activities and very green city! Walking is the best transport. read more
Honestly canterbu...
Honestly canterbury isnt the greatest example of on time or in stock, though the town is really nice read more
The city is reall...
The city is really nice but some things are a bit expensive. It is a really good student city though and there’s quite a lot to do and lots of places to eat! read more
It's good enough...
It's good enough but not amazing read more
not a lot to do i...
not a lot to do in canterbury i wish there were more dinner options read more
The services in t...
The services in terms cost of living crisis is absolutely appalling read more
It’s a lovely are...
It’s a lovely area to live I’ve enjoyed my stay in canterbury read more
Peaceful place ol...
Peaceful place old town nice to chill around read more
Much to experienc...
Much to experience in the town and on campus read more
Good all in all,...
Good all in all, good for students read more
Nights out get a...
Nights out get a bit boring after a while as there’s limited clubs and public transport is expensive. All of the restaurants are also too expensive read more
I like the bus de...
I like the bus depot that can take you anywhere you want to go, however from Riverside to UCA there isn't a bus route so it's a 30 minute walk which is lovely when it's sunny read more
Buses get cancell...
Buses get cancelled way too much for it to be a university bus, buses here are different from where I am but they’re worse over here. Bus drivers were rude to my friend as well when we didn’t know how to pay on the bus read more
I love how the sh...
I love how the shuttle bus drop off and pick up is right by my accommodation. We are also able to walk to our shops and campus which is great exercise read more
Great city to liv...
Great city to live in. Sometimes very loud and busy but always something to do. read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is quite expensive and public transport can be unreliable. read more
Although Canterbu...
Although Canterbury is a very small town and nice , there is a lot of things that take a long time to get used to. There’s a lot of things that can be expensive and also hard to find read more
Canterbury is a g...
Canterbury is a great all around city with strong transport links around Kent and up to London. The high street does really well compared to other declining towns and cities. There are also several green spaces/gardens dotted around the city. read more
Canterbury is coo...
Canterbury is cool, quirky but SMALL. I often wish I studied in a bigger city! read more
The location of t...
The location of the university is far from the city, so if you live outside the campus, it will be annoying. Buses are good, but it depends on where you live read more
Canterbury is a c...
Canterbury is a charming and historic city that I highly recommend visiting. The city is known for its stunning cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see for anyone visiting the area. The cathedral is one of the most impressive examples of Gothic architecture in England and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and historic buildings. read more
Canterbury is a g...
Canterbury is a good uni town with alot of things to do read more
very nice town wi...
very nice town with a lot to do, and a great night life read more
Great, pubs, food...
Great, pubs, food, parks and site seeing read more
Don't use transpo...
Don't use transport or spend nights out. Otherwise the city is very beautiful with the stunning cathedral and quaint old buildings. The town is cute and has plenty of shopping and eating opportunities. read more
Buses are unrelia...
Buses are unreliable. They change or cancel with no warning. read more
it’s nice but a l...
it’s nice but a little middle class read more
It’s fine and sui...
It’s fine and suitable. It’s fine and suitable. It’s fine and suitable. read more
Small town but ha...
Small town but has what you need read more
great area with l...
great area with lots to do but a quiet community read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is high but plenty of shops read more
Everything is ver...
Everything is very expensive for students read more
Canterbury can be...
Canterbury can be a very expensive place to live for a student. When I graduate I will be moving somewhere cheaper. read more
Although the buse...
Although the buses can be a bit late or too early and inaccurate from the stagecoach app, I would say all is great apart from that. read more
Could be a little...
Could be a little more happening as well as have a lower cost of living. read more
Not much but is B...
Not much but is Baerable - I’m happy read more
Good neighbouring...
Good neighbouring shops around read more
A quite city rich...
A quite city rich in history and culture read more
Canterbury is a g...
Canterbury is a great student town but the only issue is the stagecoach system being poorly run read more
It’s an ok city,m...
It’s an ok city,met some nice people here read more
Canterbury is a b...
Canterbury is a beautiful city during the day and there's plenty of places to go drinking with friends too. read more
It's a nice town...
It's a nice town if you like old architecture and history, a bit boring if you don't like clubbing or don't have many friends. read more
It’s quite nice b...
It’s quite nice but nothing super exciting read more
Amazing place tow...
Amazing place town is gorgeous and the wonderful things to do read more
Everything amazin...
Everything amazing rooms are cosy and the longue area fun read more
Buses are hardly...
Buses are hardly ever on time. read more
It’s a small town...
It’s a small town so there isn’t much to do rwalt read more
Canterbury is so...
Canterbury is so cute I love my friends so much read more
Lots to do and go...
Lots to do and good job opportunities for students read more
Canterbury is a s...
Canterbury is a slightly more expensive city, but the longer you spend there, the better you become at saving money. Canterbury has a good set of bars and pubs, including two Weatherspoon's. Canterbury also boasts multiple clubs which all run promotional and themed events so there is always something going on. The centre of canterbury is great for shopping, and also great for independent restaurants. read more
Decent town centr...
Decent town centre. Not a huge selection of night life but enough to have a good time read more
Great transport l...
Great transport links to London and super easy to find a way home after a night out read more
Great city with a...
Great city with a lot of students. Public transport does not work in this city read more
Canterbury is a b...
Canterbury is a beautiful city to live and study in, night life is incredible, plenty of pubs and bars for everyone unique tastes. read more
An amazing place...
An amazing place with so much to do and so any new experience read more
Bus always not on...
Bus always not on time Food is boring read more
Not many clothing...
Not many clothing shops on the high street, very expensive to live, however nice variety of restaurants, and some really nice independent restaurants! read more
Didn’t use public...
Didn’t use public transport or have nights out. read more
really great and...
really great and perfect for a uni student has all the shopping and restaurants you could need. also quite a quiet place during breaks to focus on those deadlines. read more
Brilliant city wi...
Brilliant city with plenty of restaurants, cafes and things to do that can suit anyone, only 2 nightclubs that aren’t very good but plenty of bars and pubs to make up for this read more
transport isn’t t...
transport isn’t the best, however the cab service is decent. Many shops in a small area which is useful. read more
Canterbury has a...
Canterbury has a wide array of shops and a great nightlife. read more
Busses are always...
Busses are always cancelled so you have to wait for ages for one to come read more
Canterbury has a...
Canterbury has a range of nightlife and places to eat out, however I feel like it lacks in other social aspects read more
It's a very prett...
It's a very pretty city with lots of shopping spots and experiences. But if you are not careful, you can lose a lot of your money quickly as it is an expensive place to live. read more
I really enjoy my...
I really enjoy my time at Canterbury. read more
Very accessible p...
Very accessible place to live with everything you could need read more
It’s a nice and c...
It’s a nice and chill town with really nice streets and spots but the nightlife is a bit boring. read more
Small area with l...
Small area with lots of people, lots of student accommodation to choose from read more
Canterbury is the...
Canterbury is the best city I have lived in so far. read more
nice area to eat,...
nice area to eat, beautiful views read more
Canterbury is a g...
Canterbury is a great town with lots of activities to do. I must say grocery shopping got expensive throughout the year but there is aldi, lidl and tesco and they are all close to each other. My main issue was the public transport. Stagecoach busses most of the time don’t arrive on time. Do not trust at the bus times sometimes they don’t come at all. They need to sort their times out or state on the app that the bus will be late or it’s not gonna come. Worst public transport ever read more
Everything is in...
Everything is in town so you'll always be able to find something to do or places to go. The beach is 30 mins on bus read more
Canterbury is qui...
Canterbury is quiet enough to not feel overwhelming but still busy enough to enjoy as both a student and an adult. Its a nice medium between the. countryside and the city read more
Safe town. Lovely...
Safe town. Lovely area with a lot of social able people read more
Canterbury is qui...
Canterbury is quite nice and going out is quite good read more
The overall area...
The overall area is good and I like to live here read more
Transport is horr...
Transport is horrible and there is not much to do at all read more
Canterbury is a v...
Canterbury is a very nice town, filled with lots of shops and activities. There are a few clubs, but there should be more. Public transport to London is only accessible by Southern Eastern trains. read more
The most beautifu...
The most beautiful and calm city in the UK read more
I usually walk to...
I usually walk to city centre as it isn’t that far which is really good but if I do need to use transport it’s really easy to get I don’t usually eat out but the very few times I have it’s been really good nights out in Canterbury are really fun and worth it read more
Good place althou...
Good place although so service or reception anywhere read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is not cheap, public transport always cancelled without showing in apps! read more
a very pleasant a...
a very pleasant and quiet town located 50 minutes from London and 30 minutes from Dover/Fokelstone. Very good restaurants and parks to relax and walk read more
Very small town....
Very small town. Relatively quiet Has the basics read more
Bus alway be canc...
Bus alway be cancelled. It’s difficult to make a plan. read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living is quite high. Around the city you can find some nice places where to eat, from Italian food to Japanese, Mexican etc. There aren't many clubs but still there are some cute ones. For shopping, there is Zara, HM and also there is Fenwick, the shopping center. Public Transport is not very good, some buses never come.. but as Canterbury is small you can walk all around the city read more
Not crowded , qui...
Not crowded , quite easy to get from one point to other. You can find nearly everything you need. read more
Great location fo...
Great location for students, good nightlife and plenty of places and things to do in the day. read more
I love Canterbury...
I love Canterbury as a city but it could certainly do with abit more night life. Other than that I love it here read more
Small and beautif...
Small and beautiful town. Not a big shipping centre but enough for life. read more
Nice and quiet co...
Nice and quiet community with alot of friendly people read more
Love the night li...
Love the night life, eating out and shopping lovely place to be. read more
Small community f...
Small community feeling is good, I love the city. read more
Canterbury is a l...
Canterbury is a lovely city. The weather is somehow almost always nice and you can experience a lot of local history just by walking around in the town centre. Bus drivers are usually friendly but I wouldn't trust most busses to be on time. The Uni busses that are supposed to pass through Park Wood rarely show up at all. Restaurants and shops are nice, especially along High Street where there are many second hand shops. read more
Its a very small...
Its a very small city (more so town really) read more
It’s a nice place...
It’s a nice place to live and very scenic but it falls short by the fact the cost of living is london-esque read more
Good place, lots...
Good place, lots of fun to do things. read more
Eating, and night...
Eating, and nights out are pretty good, transport is excellent, Canterbury to London takes 50 minutes on the train read more
Canterbury is nic...
Canterbury is nice but very very quite not much to do for teenagers read more
Really pretty wil...
Really pretty will do a YouTube video on it https://youtube.com/channel/UCfTPYJhQkbRmPxJn4klXrPA read more
Quite a small cit...
Quite a small city with unique older styling and lots of places to visit read more
very good for stu...
very good for students and for eating out read more
good train access...
good train access with e-scooters available to rent Also a bus hub read more
Small and easy to...
Small and easy to find your way around read more
Cost of living ca...
Cost of living can be high your better of being in a group and using a house share , their is lots of shopping and eating out opportunities. read more
Many options when...
Many options when it comes to shopping and eating out read more
Gorgeous town. Cl...
Gorgeous town. Club Chemistry is amazing fun and the shops are pretty great. read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is good for, not only students, but defiently good for South East England. Multiple places to eat out and variety for dietry needs/choices. Nights out are good for students; lots of places to go pub wise but also students. read more
Alright. Bit smal...
Alright. Bit small. Nightlife is so so. read more
It is very easy t...
It is very easy to get places because of the transformation system. There is also a lot of good places that are walking distance read more
Canterbury is a v...
Canterbury is a very reliable student city. read more
Beautiful city, v...
Beautiful city, very safe, great roads and many different shops and amenities in the centre. read more
Cute little town...
Cute little town perfect for young students moving away from home for the first time read more
It’s just a small...
It’s just a small town nothing to do read more
Canterbury is a r...
Canterbury is a really nice city to live as a student. Very historic city to live in as it has the cathedral and many old houses. The lake near my accommodation is a beautiful view to look at in the mornings. Walks around town is fun as well as food places are clean but expensive. read more
Great town with l...
Great town with lots to do and excellent facilities all round read more
A small lovely to...
A small lovely tourist city with much history to explore. read more
didn't experience...
didn't experience nights out cause it's so dark outside haha. public transport is quite good. mostly arrive on time as shown on apps and it's clean. just avoid after school period. read more
Very quiet town,...
Very quiet town, not the place to be if you expect a lot from your social life at university, however cost of living is cheap and it is a small town so you can get everywhere easily. There are few good 'nights out' (if any), and the town centre is small so there's not many places to explore, so you'll have to get creative and plan trips to nearby places if you're bored (Broadstairs, Margate + Folkestone are fun to visit for a change of scenery but all small towns too!) read more
Canterbury was a...
Canterbury was a very safe city to live in and easy to get around. There was something for everyone and always something to explore. read more
Transportation is...
Transportation is good, near London read more
Very expensive. N...
Very expensive. Not a lot to do. Very bad transport (bus) system. read more
Good town centre...
Good town centre with lots of shops and restaurants. rent is expensive. lots of transport options read more
Good place to liv...
Good place to live but expensive for what it is read more
Plenty to do and...
Plenty to do and see. Especially now with Covid restrictions lifting. read more
A little town tha...
A little town that has everything you need read more
Generally very ni...
Generally very nice but a bit expensive like most cities read more
Public transport...
Public transport is quite pricy but most stuff in Canterbury is within walking distance. The nightlife is great here and lots of restaurants and takeaways to choose from. read more
Beautiful city. L...
Beautiful city. Lots of great student friendly restaurants and bars. read more
Good nights out....
Good nights out. Can be expensive read more
Bus was overly ex...
Bus was overly expensive. Student nights are fun for the 1st year but not after that. read more
A comfortable env...
A comfortable environment, very conducive to learning. read more
Nice town, everyt...
Nice town, everything’s close together which is good read more
Very pretty city,...
Very pretty city, all you need, close to the coast, countryside, and decent journey to London read more
Buses everywhere,...
Buses everywhere, just buy a bus pass and you’re sorted. Lots of restaurants: Nando’s, five guys, ask Italian... SHOPPING is good dw read more
Easy to save mone...
Easy to save money whilst living in Canterbury read more
I love canterbury...
I love canterbury, it’s a small city but it means you soon start to recognise everyone. it’s not too far to walk everywhere and i’ve never had to take a bus. i can walk everywhere i need to. uni is in the city and so is the library, everything is close and the shops are close and good, all outside so when it’s cold and windy it’s a bit annoying but cuban, chem, tokyo are my fave clubs, not far away. around £5 entry. aldi is so cheap and close and tesco is close a bit more expensive read more
Plenty to do and...
Plenty to do and of course club chemistry is worth a visit amazing nights out at Tokyo tea rooms as well. read more
drunks, hazards,...
drunks, hazards, fights, none good looking people, just as the uk really is read more
Good high street...
Good high street with multiple popular brands like top shop, primark, wilko, aldi etc. There are also many places to eat like pizza express, Bill’s, fast food chains etc. Recommend Club chemistry for a night out, they have the most room, the best music and good deals on alcohol. Get. A. Bus. Pass. Make sure you also download the stagecoach app and familiarise yourself with when the buses run on a night out (they never run on Sunday night/early Monday morning). Some of the drivers are horrible and drive like crazy people but that’s bus drivers for you! read more
Great range of sh...
Great range of shops and food for everyone! Clubs all near and always events happening! read more
Rural City, limit...
Rural City, limited technology read more
Canterbury is an...
Canterbury is an excellent place to live, work and study. There are two universities that rival each other in their excellency. There are plenty of shops and a great nightlife scene. The only drawback would be public transport, it sucks! I found that the best way to get around is by taxi, as the city is fairly small the taxis are extremely cheap. The best service without a doubt is Canterbury Taxis. read more
Love Canterbury,...
Love Canterbury, it's lively but not ugly. Many shops and restaurants to visit with unique cafés. read more
Canterbury is bey...
Canterbury is beyond beautiful. Everything is cheap because it's a student town. I'm originally from London so the prices for nights out and even buses amazed me. read more
Canterbury has ev...
Canterbury has everything you need wether it's a night out or somewhere to eat lunch read more
Relatively okay!...
Relatively okay! Locals hate the students so normally a battle constantly. read more
Unibus is really...
Unibus is really good but not great at night. Bit of a trek to campus and lots of hills. Shopping is good but expensive, lots of nice resturants that aren't too badly priced and good take away via just eat. Always check the hygiene rating though. read more
If you like pubs...
If you like pubs and bars, historic buildings of an "old town", and the sound of graduating in a cathedral: this is your place. Great shopping spaces, parks, and transport for students! read more
You can get food...
You can get food cheap (as long as you go Aldi). Compared to Essex I don't really like to go out to Canterbury at night. My favourite shop is Forever21 and the closet one is a 50min drive from town (Bluewater). Public transport is great as long as you stick with the green uni bus. Bus ticket is £2.80 for the WHOLE DAY! There's loads of places to eat out, but I order food online instead. read more
Love living here....
Love living here...feels like a second home! read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living is expensive regarding eating out as well as the accommodation. read more