Where to Live in Bristol as a Student

By Student Cribs | June 16, 2022 | Reading Time: 10 minutes

Finding a place to live can be a daunting task, especially in a city as big as Bristol. However, a big city means a big selections of options and Student Cribs have put together a useful guide to help you work out which location is best for you.

The City Centre

The city centre is obviously a great place to live if you like having everything on your doorstep. It is the buzz and the hub of Bristol’s culture, commerce and business with exciting features such as the waterfront and St Nicholas Market. Most of the accommodation is converted office blocks or warehouses but with great location comes high prices and limited parking. For UWE students, Frenchay, Glenside and Bower Ashton campuses are all from 4-6 miles away but there are great bus links from the city centre. For the University of Bristol students, the main campus is only a short 10-20 minute walk away – ideal.

Price: ★★

Quality of houses: ★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★, UOB ★★★★★

Things to do: ★★★★★

Gloucester Road

One of the most popular student areas is Gloucester Road, filled with shops, bars and cafes and many flats and student houses that are available to rent at very affordable prices. Gloucester Road is slightly more ‘urban’ than other residential areas and, fun fact, it has the largest number of independent traders on any one road in the UK. For UWE students, Frenchay, Glenside and Bower Ashton are all 4-4.5 miles away and the University of Bristol campus is a 30 min walk away but there are good transport links to both University campuses.

Price: ★★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★★

Things to do: ★★★

Redland

Just opposite Gloucester Road, is Redland, a very popular student housing area. Redland is very close to Whiteladies Road, which is filled with shops, bars and cafes and as it is filled high with students you can be sure you’ll never be short of entertainment. Rent prices vary in Redland but if you get in quick then you’ll be able to bag yourself an affordable crib. The narrow streets bring in noise and make parking especially difficult but also means that your friends are never too far away. For UWE students, the bus links can get you to the Frenchay (6 miles), Glenside (4 miles) and Bower Ashton (3 miles) campuses with ease. For UOB students, campus can be as close as a 10 minute walk but also as far as a 45 minute walk so make sure you check the location of your property!

Price: ★★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★★(★★)

Things to do: ★★★★

Kingsdown & Cotham

Similarly to Redland, Kingsdown and Cotham are situated just on the opposite side of Gloucester Road, and are very popular with students due to their close to proximity to Whiteladies Road (the White Bear pub in Kingsdown is also a crowd favourite). For UWE students, Frenchay, Glenside and Bower Ashton are all 6-3 miles away, however for UOB students, the walk to campus can be as short as 2 mins and is maximum only a 20 minute walk away. The area is filled with modern flats and houses and Cotham is a leafy residential area for those who like to feel a bit closer to the countryside.

Price: ★★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★★★★

Things to do: ★★★

Bishopston & St Andrews

In terms of location, Bishopston and St Andrews are very close to city centre and walking distance to the popular Gloucester road, however have an appeal as more quiet and residential area, perfect for those who wish to be near the buzz without actually living in it. There are lots of shops, pubs and restaurants in the area or close by and the nearby St Andrew’s Park is a great place to relax in the summer. The student houses here are mostly large Victorian houses with reasonable rent prices, perfect for bigger groups. For UWE students, Frenchay, Glenside and Bower Ashton are all 4-4.5 miles away and the University of Bristol campus is between a 25 and 40 minute walk, depending on where you live.

Price: ★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★★

Things to do: ★★

Montpelier, St Pauls & Stokes Croft ­

Situated walking distance from both the popular Gloucester road and the city centre, Montpellier, St Pauls and Stokes Croft ­have a growing student population. Stoke’s croft is the soul of Bristol’s graffiti and music scene and the area in general has a reputation for being a bit more alternative, edgy and multicultural. It is definitely an area for the more street wise of students, slightly less popular amongst the UOB students and a closer 3.5 miles from UWE’s Bower Ashton and Glenside campus and 6 miles from Frenchay.

Price: ★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★

Things to do: ★★★★

Fishponds

Fishponds is a large residential area perfect for UWE students studying at Glenside and Frenchay. It has a large mix of cafes, pubs and shops and although they might not be as trendy as those on Gloucester road, the short walk to campus definitely makes up for it. Glenside and Frenchay campuses are 0.5 – 1 mile away (Bower Ashton is a much further 6.5 miles away).

Price: ★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★★★

Things to do: ★★

Filton, Stokes Park & Frenchay ­

Similarly to Fishponds, Filton, Stokes Park and Frenchay  are popular student housing locations for UWE students because of their close proximity to Frenchay and Glenside campuses, however, they are quite far from the city centre. Stokes Park and Frenchay especially are hugely residential areas, so are potentially more suitable for final year or post-grad students who wish to study in peace. Filton is 2.5 miles from Frenchay campus while Stokes Park and Frenchay are only 0.5 miles from the Frenchay campus and 1 mile from Glenside. All three are over 7 miles away from Bower Ashton.

Price: ★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★★★

Things to do: ★

Bedminster & Southville

Bedminster and Southville are increasingly popular with Bower Ashton students due to their close proximity (0.5 miles). They are also close to the nationally renowned Tobacco Factory Theatre, the Hen and Chicken comedy venue and lots of coffee shops and restaurants, so there is lots to do in this up and coming area. Fewer UOB students live here as the walk to campus is a minimum of 35 minutes but the number is growing.

Price: ★★★

Quality of houses: ★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★★★, UOB ★

Things to do: ★★★

Hotwells & Cliftonwood

Close to the Downs and historic Clifton Village, Hotwells and Cliftonwood are both great areas for walking and cycle rides and are only a very short walk, run or bike ride from the city centre. Home to a sizeable student population, Hotwells and Cliftonwood have many independent shops, pubs, restaurants but also unfortunately lots of steep hills! Although it is cheaper to live here than in Clifton itself, the student houses (mostly terrace houses) are quite expensive to rent and parking is very difficult. For UOB students, the campus is fairly close by (around a 15-30 minute walk) and for UWE students, Bower Ashton campus is only 2 miles away while Frenchay and Glenside are 6 miles away.

Price: ★★

Quality of houses: ★★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★★★

Things to do: ★★★★

Clifton – 7 bedroom student cribs house

Clifton ‘Village’ is one of the oldest and most affluent parts of Bristol. As the name suggests it has a Villagey feel, filled with small shops, pubs, bars and cafes. Most of the student houses are Georgian, making it a very pretty area to live in. The city centre is only a short bus ride away while the popular Leigh Woods and Whiteladies Road are only a 10 minute walk either way. For UWE students, Bower Ashton campus is only 2 miles away, while Frenchay and Glenside are 6 miles away. For UOB students, the furthest Clifton house from campus is only a short 15 minute walk away. Clifton is an extremely popular area amongst students and exceptionally safe, however, it is quite expensive.

Price: ★★

Quality of houses: ★★★★★

Travel Times: UWE ★★★, UOB ★★★★★

Things to do: ★★★★

What ever the location, there will always be perks and downsides so make sure you do your research and pick the area most suited to you! Bristol is one of the most vibrant and buzzy cities in the country, so one thing’s for sure, you’ll never be bored.

Still house hunting in Bristol?

Check out our last Student Cribs houses before they’re all gone.