Ranking Newcastle’s five most popular student neighbourhoods

Newcastle is a relatively small city with a strong local identity, uniform Victorian homes, and a thriving social scene. That is not to say, however, that choosing where to live boils down simply to walking distance to uni. Newcastle’s student population has helped to foster distinct cultures within different neighbourhoods and areas, contributing to Newcastle’s rich cultural tapestry. Whether you’re still looking for next year’s house, or want to know what to expect from your future local area, this guide to student hotspots will help you identify where to live, where to visit, and how much there is to see across our city.

5. Gosforth

Gosforth is a quieter area, a vibrant community with less focus on nightlife, but still plenty to do between its parks, pool, rugby clubs, its high street, and pubs. It has a diverse demographic; you’ll meet families and professionals as well as students. Student housing is accessible and on the cheaper side, with properties available through typical agents such as Rightmove, but also through the university itself, who own Bowsden Court, with rooms for single people and flats for families. You can take a pretty straightforward route across the Town Moor to walk to uni, but this could take around 45 minutes. If you live close to Ilford Road or South Gosforth metro stations, public transport is easy to access, but it’s easy to get stuck in Gosforth without a car, which is something to bear in mind. This area is ideal for families, older students, or students who want a quieter area and don’t mind more of a commute.

4. The city centre

Many students will live in the city centre as freshers, with most accomodation centring on proximity to nightlife and the exciting events on in town. Whether you enjoy clubbing, the theatre, shopping, or spend your life in the library, you have a wide range of options in the city centre. You are guaranteed to be walking distance to just about everything - uni, shops, clubs, pubs, gyms. That being said, as with any city centre, you pay a fortune per square metre. You’ll save a fortune moving further afield in second year, or double your floor space.

3. Jesmond

Jesmond is Newcastle’s quintessential student neighbourhood. It’s the subject of countless social media posts (see @jesmondunfiltered on TikTok), has its own microcosm of culture and style, and attracts like-minded students who love the feel of the suburb, and everything there is to do there. From Jesmond, you could walk or use Newcastle’s metro to get around the city with ease, but you hardly feel like you’re in a city when you’re there. You’ll find plenty of trendy things to do, from shopping at Oliver Bonas to reformer pilates. Osborne Road is a vibrant hub of nightlife, and you’re surrounded by other students, guaranteeing you a busy night out any night of the week. Unfortunately, though, there is some tension with non-student residents, and there are perceptions of elitism from some students, as Jesmond becomes increasingly inaccessible to lower-income students who can’t afford the ever-increasing rent.

2. Sandyford

Sandyford is Jesmond’s cheaper little sister. It’s less than a ten minute walk into Jesmond itself, and is close to Heaton, Ouseburn, Shieldfield, and the Quayside. While you can easily walk into town, you’re on the doorstep of some of Newcastle’s most iconic restaurants and cafes, like Aiden’s Kitchen, a Sandyford staple. You’re a stone’s throw from great pubs, like Cog and Wheel, and from a bar crawl in Ouseburn, with a vibrant cultural scene perfect for fans of live music. There’s plenty of parking, with some streets being free, which you’ll be glad for if you ever need to do a big shop; unfortunately, Sandyford leaves you reliant on public transport or driving to get to a shop bigger than Spar can provide, unless you have hands of steel and can make the walk back from Byker Morrisons.

1. Heaton

Heaton is up-and-coming, but has a strong foundation; you won’t find a Starbucks in Heaton, but many local cafes and coffee shops. This reflects Heaton’s identity - individual, small-business focused, and completely unique. Whether you want to go vintage shopping, grab a coffee, pick up some freshly baked bread, sit down for tea, or grab a burger to go, Heaton has plenty of options for any activity. There’s a huge expanse of green space in Heaton Park, or plenty of places to stop off if you stroll through the suburb itself. Best of all, it’s one of Newcastle’s cheapest areas to live. North Heaton might leave you reliant on public transport, but there are plenty of metro and bus stops that bring you directly to the city centre and uni. Life in Heaton is never boring, but don’t take it from me, take it from the Times, who ranked Heaton one of the best places to live in the UK.