Derby
172 Reviews by Students #49 out of 216 University locations
Study in Derby
The University of Derby is situated in the East Midlands city of Derby. The main campus is near the suburbs of the town, right next to the huge and popular Markeaton Park.
University of Derby
The University of Derby strives to provide students with industry-relevant and expert teaching. The university’s teaching has been recognised with a gold award from the Teaching Excellence Framework. They have invested millions into industry-standard facilities that include a sports centre, forensic house, custody suite, courtroom and two NHS-standard hospital wards.
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Derby Student Life
Derby is a city but not a massive one so it’s easy to keep yourself fed and entertained without ever feeling overwhelmed by the place. It offers the perfect mix so you can enjoy everything a city has to offer whilst being able to escape to the countryside at the drop of a hat.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs in Derby range from £76 - £180 per week; the average is £136/week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Birmingham: £173/week, Nottingham: £166/week, Lincoln: £146/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: £13.50
A pint of beer: £3.50
A regular takeout coffee: £2.49
1L of milk: £0.85
A loaf of white bread: £1.06
The cost of living is about the same as equivalent costs in Nottingham and Lincoln and about 5% higher than Birmingham.
(Source: Numbeo)
Nights Out
As with all student towns, the nightlife is generally good, with favourite venues being Mosh, a three-floor nightclub, Popworld and Moo Moo. For a more sophisticated night out, there’s the Derby Theatre and the smaller Guildhall Theatre for music, shows, talks and comedy. There’s also a handful of independent venues and two major cinemas a short taxi ride from the campus. The Derby QUAD is a community arts centre with a cinema attached. They show movies, art exhibitions and put on a bunch of events and extra workshops over a range of topics and they offer student discounts. Keep an eye on their calendar.
Public Transport
As well as being an easy city to get around by foot, as a student, you will benefit from a free Unibus that shuttles between the campuses as well as the town centre and train station. Derby is also well connected to the rest of the country with a great rail and road network.
Eating Out
You know it's good news when there is a popular street food market in town. Bustler is your go-to place to try out the best local street food vendors, which can be enjoyed with one of their many tasty craft beers or cocktails whilst listening to vinyl DJ’s.
Not only do the neon lights in BUNK make for great insta pics, but they also serve up delicious food (think wings and hot dogs) all in a seriously fun atmosphere. If you fancy treating yourself, make sure to try one of their signature cocktails.
Carnero Lounge is a real ‘go-to’ spot for many students, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks. It’s a quirky restaurant with comfy seating making it very easy to spend hours there with friends. Their menu caters for everyone; they even have a handy online menu where you can filter your options by allergen(s).
Shopping
The Cathedral Quarter is where you’ll find all the little boutique shops and quirky cafes. St Peters is the classic high street area, a favourite spot for buskers and performers, as well as the Eagle Market. Finally, there’s Intu, a huge indoor shopping complex. There are over two hundred shops in there so there’s a fairly good chance they have what you’re looking for! If you’re all shopped out, Intu also has a cinema, bowling alley, mini-golf and, at Christmas, its famous ice bar, Glacier.
Days Out
Outdoor adventurers will be pleased to know that you’re only half an hour from the edge of the Peaks, with their huge range of activities. You can keep it as low tech as a gentle walk, or gear up for some climbing or canoeing, whatever takes your fancy.
Stately homes
Nearby manors like Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall have been used in a number of movies, giving you the chance to go and immerse yourself in your favourite films all over again.
You’re only 40 minutes away from Britain’s most popular theme park!
Adrenaline junkies should definitely pay a visit to Wildpark. There are so many activities to get stuck into: there’s paintballing, quad biking, laser tag, crossbow shooting, archery and pistol shooting. All this just a 25-minute bus ride away!
Top 10 Derby Accommodation
Read Derby Reviews
i do not live at...
i do not live at university i live at home read more
Public transport...
Public transport is good, but patchy, often busses are late or do not show up, but other facilities in Derby are amazing, for eating out, nights out and shopping read more
I have been livin...
I have been living in Derby for roughly 15 years in different parts of the city and its a great location for getting around the county. Lots of transport options and services getting you anywhere. Its a small city, with the centre having mostly anything you need, and plenty of hubs dotted around so no matter where you are there is amenities easily within reach. I gave nights out nothing, because I don't usually go out clubbing or anything like that. Public transport is ok. There are 2 buss services, Trent Barton which usually have buss that run in and out of derby to places like Nottingham, Burton, and all of the small villages and towns nearby. They are great. A fantastic company. Then there is Arriva, they usually run services around the city, going from the centre to the districts. They are not good sometimes. The busses are outdated and very rickety most of the time. However as a University student you get access to the uni buss service for free and that ran by Trent Barton. read more
I have fun going...
I have fun going to the town centre and it’s so enjoyable being able to have the best bubble tea I’ve had in the UK in derby (miss coffee) read more
You don't really...
You don't really need to use public transport. The great thing about Derby is that it is a small city. You can reach from one end to the other in about 15-20 minutes by foot. The campuses are located about a maximum 30 minutes walk. I liked how it is quiet in Derby. read more
Derby is a small...
Derby is a small town and can be easily accessed. read more
It has everything...
It has everything in it! Shopping, food, socializing & much more. Great place read more
Great city, got e...
Great city, got everything I need. read more
A bit dangerous c...
A bit dangerous city at the night, but in the morning or afternoon its safe and I would also say, people are friendly! Free Unibusses for students from University of Derby, most of the shops here do discounts for students, usually it's 5-10% and some barber shops make 25% diacount for students! So I would say it's a great City to live during your studies! read more
not the biggest c...
not the biggest city which does me perfect. loads of good shops with stuff at reasonable prices. uni bus is free. pop world and mosh are good nights out. spoonys is our usual haunt as its cheap lols read more
Derby is very pea...
Derby is very peaceful and amazing city to live in read more
Very good accommo...
Very good accommodation and organised read more
Great city for st...
Great city for students coming read more
Nice place, crime...
Nice place, crime on the rise though, fights/stabbings etc read more
There is a wide v...
There is a wide variety of restaurants however shopping and nights out could be improved on read more
Derby has a great...
Derby has a great selection of pubs/bars and restaurants. However, it's not a very attractive town and sometimes I feel unsafe in the city. The parks are nice, especially Darley Park. read more
small close nit c...
small close nit city good food great entertainment read more
Derby is a nice a...
Derby is a nice and safe place to live, the city center is easy to locate, and food items are easily to buy as an africa student read more
Love the location...
Love the location and the shops and restaurants read more
Everything is goo...
Everything is good. It’s a great town! read more
I have nothing mo...
I have nothing more to add, the rating is enough. read more
Might get stabbed...
Might get stabbed and the people are rude but it has toy planet which is the best shop to ever be created read more
Different from ho...
Different from home but ok area read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living is pretty much the same and the shopping and places to eat are not that bad the public transport is a bit strange but its not to bad. read more
Ciy life could be...
Ciy life could be better, don't enjoy popworld read more
Great city with l...
Great city with lots of shops and experiences on offer read more
I don’t really go...
I don’t really go out to parties often but everything is relatively close and accessible. read more
There is a large...
There is a large range of shops in town and plenty to do with friends read more
It’s quite nice o...
It’s quite nice overall some oddities read more
This city is good...
This city is good for what the average student read more
I have enjoyed li...
I have enjoyed living in derby read more
Lovely place to s...
Lovely place to stay! Great events and places to go to! read more
Derby is a very n...
Derby is a very nice city with great links to surrounding cities such as Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham read more
Derby is a great...
Derby is a great city. Not a lot of nightlife besides clubs though, but in general a nice place to live read more
Derby is a pretty...
Derby is a pretty good city, small, and not too much crime. There's a decent police presence and rangers that patrol the center during the day. I feel safe and I enjoy living here. read more
Buses for univeri...
Buses for univeristy are never on time! read more
Decent town Nice...
Decent town Nice and quiet so for people who want to concentrate on their studies I’d say it’s a good place to go to. As for nights out there really isn’t much for minority students but they’re trying to fix that this year is much better than last year for minority students in terms of night out but could still be better There are multiple shops in the town centre, pretty much everything you need is there, as for eating out you’re not going to find anything too good but I’m sure you’ll find something you moderately enjoy and finally public transport there’s a uni bus that students can take for free and will pretty much take you to where you need to be. Derby is a small town so most of the time you’ll be walking anyways but in case you need public transport it’s there to take you around the city From the unis dairy all the way to the train station read more
Derby is a nice p...
Derby is a nice place to live, everything is within walking distance and it’s very diverse. The range of shops make it good for everyone and the clubs are good too. read more
It’s a nice city...
It’s a nice city all round, derby is not too loud read more
All are very dece...
All are very decent just expensive due to inflation and travelling to and from London is always expensive read more
Derby is a good c...
Derby is a good city for a student with good transport and quite a bit to do. read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living isn't great but that is the same everywhere. Had some great nights out in Derby and created some great memories read more
Love all the rang...
Love all the range of night clubs and places to shop and eat read more
Not a bad place t...
Not a bad place to live, good range of shops and not too expensive read more
The City of Derby...
The City of Derby for nights out is probably one of the safer places to party because the city itself isn't too big and there aren't as many people. Nights out if you like clubbing aren't Manchester or Liverpool quality but they can be good fun. For me what makes the city is social groups from the University or pub crawls. It has a shopping center called the Derbion which has a good choice of restaurants and shops read more
uni bus is not th...
uni bus is not that convenient and always full, I can only walk to everywhere read more
the fact we get f...
the fact we get free bus travel in and around derby just by showing our student card is magnificent read more
Nice and lovely p...
Nice and lovely people here in Derby. read more
Derby is a lovely...
Derby is a lovely city to school at read more
Derby is lit city...
Derby is lit city, I will defo wanna live here read more
What a city, it r...
What a city, it really peaceful and loads of lovely people read more
This city is real...
This city is really peaceful, lovely people read more
Derby is a great...
Derby is a great city, peaceful and welcoming read more
suitable for thos...
suitable for those who want to live in a quieter town. read more
Derby: Vibrant, C...
Derby: Vibrant, Charming, and Unforgettable read more
I didn't get arou...
I didn't get around Derby too much in my free time, so N/A read more
Okay city more qu...
Okay city more quite then my home city but there's not much activités you can really enjoy read more
Overall, city of...
Overall, city of Derby is great.. read more
Not a lot to say...
Not a lot to say about it rlly read more
The free uni bus...
The free uni bus really helped me during week days. read more
Alright city, pre...
Alright city, pretty good value for money read more
Derby is lovely a...
Derby is lovely area but can be too quiet at times. Though it is appreciated. read more
Very good I could...
Very good I could recommend like read more
dismal experience...
dismal experience tbh just stay home fam why u gonna go out and spend that extra p dont make mistakes g take the student finance and do a loft conversion or suttin use ur brains g read more
quite place and l...
quite place and lovely place to live in read more
Good city, nice p...
Good city, nice people and quiet environment read more
Quiet city with l...
Quiet city with lovely people. read more
Horrible nightclu...
Horrible nightclubs, but nice quiet city so its fine read more
Life in Derby is...
Life in Derby is calm but interesting. Cost of living is definitely a bonus. read more
Its a great city...
Its a great city to live and study in. read more
Pooooor poor need...
Pooooor poor needs better restaurants literally nothing to do read more
Derby puts the mi...
Derby puts the mid in midlands read more
Its a good place...
Its a good place to live in with good facilities read more
Lovely place alwa...
Lovely place always great day out read more
Derby is an ok ci...
Derby is an ok city, nothing bad about it but not a lot that stands out read more
Nightlife in derb...
Nightlife in derby not great but everything else is alright. read more
Nice enough town...
Nice enough town better than carlisle read more
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…………………………………………………………………………………….. read more
Doesn’t really ap...
Doesn’t really apply as I am distance learning but it’s excellent all round place. read more
Everything is awe...
Everything is awesome and the place is very beautiful and nice for leaving read more
Good city to live...
Good city to live in anything needed i a sort walk away public transport is a little bit lacking but overall a nice place to be read more
Derby is a safe c...
Derby is a safe city to be in. I feel much at home all the time. read more
It’s a very quiet...
It’s a very quiet city. And friendly ppl read more
Low cost of livin...
Low cost of living. Easy access to transport and people are safe to walk around at night. Shopping made easy at all times. read more
No complaints her...
No complaints here. Derby is a nice and quiet place. Everyone is helpful read more
Getting around is...
Getting around is quite expensive and tedious for those who dont drive read more
really love it -...
really love it - very busy and nice atmosphere! small but always something to do! read more
The uni bus allow...
The uni bus allows to access to city centre aswell read more
It’s alright, not...
It’s alright, nothing special but it’s fine read more
Good nightclubs ,...
Good nightclubs , good spoons, good social life read more
Derby is a small...
Derby is a small city which has everything. Calm place which is perfect for students read more
A lovely town to...
A lovely town to live in for university! Lots of opportunities and lovely places read more
Derby is an all a...
Derby is an all around nice place it’s mainly clean but yeah all good read more
Great city to sta...
Great city to stay in whilst studying read more
Uni buses make tr...
Uni buses make transportation anywhere very easy and most things are within walking distance read more
Derby is a safe c...
Derby is a safe city with great amenities and it feels like a town. read more
I wish there were...
I wish there were more shops but that’s it read more
If you're a perso...
If you're a person like me, I like to stay somewhere quiet and peaceful. Derby is the city I was looking for! Yes, I know crime happens everywhere, but there seems to be less crime incidents in this city. There is a good range of shops accessible for students too. read more
Derby is an OK pl...
Derby is an OK place for shopping and nightlife read more
A very quiet city...
A very quiet city overall. If you want to leave a peaceful and chill uni live thn this is the place to do it. If i knew that before i would not come because honestly its way to boring. read more
I am local, and...
I am local, and a mature student so didn't really experience the city from a students perspective, but it is a great place to be with lots of entertainment and other opporunities read more
Derby does little...
Derby does little to provide a nightlife but looking forward more business are being built and opening. Currently the best for a night out is Nottingham read more
Nice city and goo...
Nice city and good transport, also good nights hot read more
Derby is a fairly...
Derby is a fairly quiet and sedate town, with not many activities. Perfect for people who enjoy a slightly slower pace of life. read more
I live really clo...
I live really close to town so everything is very near read more
It’s a small but...
It’s a small but nice city with lots to do read more
Very slow and a b...
Very slow and a bit quiet, but has a few things to do. read more
Derby is very qui...
Derby is very quiet and clean. Many shops around so you can find everything you need read more
It’s an alright c...
It’s an alright city just some dodgy places and some spiking happening. read more
nice city, shame...
nice city, shame about the crackheads read more
very central has...
very central has everything you need read more
Awful public tran...
Awful public transport in derby. Buses don’t ever run to schedule and are always dirty. In terms of nights out, food and shopping derby is severely lacking. We’ve only got 4 main clubs to choose from and two of those I wouldn’t even step foot in. read more
Intu is great for...
Intu is great for shopping with nearly every type of shop you could need. The uni provides free bus transport which is nice. Wide variety of restaurants which is nice. Nightlife is mixed. read more
Great place to li...
Great place to live nice and friendly place read more
Lack of student a...
Lack of student activities or places besides nightclubs and lack of halal restaurants read more
Great free univer...
Great free university bus that takes you all around the different campuses read more
Derby is a great...
Derby is a great city, by staying in the Croft you are not only close to the bus stop but also the city centre with it being just a 7 minute walk away. read more
good overall livi...
good overall living for students very good value for money read more
Great shopping ce...
Great shopping centre and restaurants read more
Very expensive as...
Very expensive as a bus daysaver in derby is 4.50 and in the west mids its 1.50 read more
Majority of subje...
Majority of subjects I don’t use so have average stars read more
The town is real...
The town is real fun and has lots of places to visit read more
Derby is a good p...
Derby is a good place to come and pursue your education and sport read more
Has something for...
Has something for everyone from clubs, bars, pubs, shops, restaurants, cafes to modes of transport. It really is a great city and it’s not too big so everything you need is all in one place in the city centre. read more
Nights out are ok...
Nights out are okay, got two spoons which is always handy. Apart from these and the main student club of pop world, there isn’t really much more open. I saw alot of closed clubs in the city ( I assume due to COVID), so maybe Derby’s nightlife will be better when more things open again, but generally for me the city didn’t really offer many good nights out, you’re better off travelling to Nottingham for a good night out. read more
Derby is a homely...
Derby is a homely place with lots of opportunities for fun, nights out aren’t the best but there are plenty of pubs to go to x read more
There are a varie...
There are a variety of places to explore in Derby and there is something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a park for a picnic, to browse the shopping centre or for a night out with your friends, Derby aims to please. read more
Most accommodatio...
Most accommodations here are fairly decently priced and loads of public transport within walking distance read more
There are many pl...
There are many places to go for drinks and many places to go for food. There are some really nice restaurants and really nice places to go for drinks. read more
Great and comfy p...
Great and comfy place to live. The nightlife is okay. read more
Good town and eve...
Good town and everything is local which is good read more
All accessible cl...
All accessible close to accommodation and uni read more
close to Nottingh...
close to Nottingham and easy to access to town centre and you can get everything in the town centre read more
The living cost i...
The living cost is very affordable and most of it is included in the rent. Shopping for groceries is not that far either. read more
Nice university b...
Nice university but dead city not gonna lie read more
Very good place t...
Very good place to stay and offered a various amount of things to do and very nice and practical. read more
Really really rea...
Really really really really really really really good read more
Lovely, friendly...
Lovely, friendly, accessible. read more
Great city with e...
Great city with everything you could ask for. It’s not too big and not too small, just right. read more
Love everything a...
Love everything about it, relatively cheap drinks and food and as mentioned before due to Derby being relatively small everything is a walking distance away :) read more
Decent place to h...
Decent place to have lived for two years read more
Derby is a small...
Derby is a small town but I like that however the clubs are rubbish read more
Reasonable for a...
Reasonable for a small city, everything is nearby which makes travelling easier read more
Very compact city...
Very compact city and it is easy to live here as a student. read more
Decent city . Nig...
Decent city . Night life is boring and no decent food places or restaurants read more
All round okay pl...
All round okay place to live, can be expensive to shop read more
Derby is such a l...
Derby is such a lovely place. It can be quite calm for a city, but there's always something exciting happening. I love the amount of green spaces there are, it's great for walks and relaxing with friends. read more
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Ndbsnahsbbebehdhdhdhdhdbdnbehdhdhdhhdhdhjd rhrnbdbd read more
Small city. Howev...
Small city. However, great for student living due to small prices, close distances to the campus, shops, train stations. read more
Free unibus trans...
Free unibus transport for students around the city. Plenty of shopping options. read more
Different pubs/ba...
Different pubs/bars/restaurants all close together so it is nice during a night out! Very easy to travel too as there are plenty of public transport options read more
Cost of transport...
Cost of transportation is relatively low. Living costs are well suited to every budget. Major shop chains are available. read more
The unibus is gre...
The unibus is great. It’s not the biggest city but I quite like it as I’m not a big city person anyway, nights out are ok but there aren’t many places to go. read more
Easy: derby has e...
Easy: derby has everything you need and would walk without it being hectic and confusing to get about read more
Derby is a good c...
Derby is a good city with good night life read more
Intu is about all...
Intu is about all there is. But it is insane.. very clean and loads of shops. Good food places too. Nights out are plentiful and many and easy to find a club that suits you. However the town is crawling with homeless people and drugged up zombies, police presence is constant read more
It's an ok city,...
It's an ok city, council need to do more about crime & the state of the city with homelessness & people on drugs walking around like zombies. read more
It's a lot like m...
It's a lot like my home town. Just cleaner and flatter read more
Buses aren't over...
Buses aren't over priced and actually turn up on time read more
Derby has the usu...
Derby has the usual places to shop and eat. Not so great on a night out if it isn't freshers or a bank holiday. Other then the bus station, public transport is confusing. Still don't really know any bus routes other then the university bus read more