What kind of university is best for you?
Get that shortlist sorted
Not sure what unis are going on your application form? No worries.
Let's take a shortcut through all that tricky decision-making. Give some quick and honest answers to the questions in this quiz and we'll show you just where you should be headed. Ready?
How'd you go? If you didn't like the answer you got, give it another go. (It's fine...we're not judging.)
Anyway, the quiz is obviously just for fun (please don't make any binding life choices on the basis of an internet personality quiz) but hopefully it’s got you thinking about how different universities can be.
In this article, we'll pick apart some of the main ways in which universities will vary. When it comes time to make your uni choice, it can be good to think about these – to help make sure you pick a place where you'll feel at home.
Campus unis are centred around one specific area. You'll have your accommodation, lecture theatres, campus shops, entertainment venues and other amenities all located within minutes of each other in a dedicated student village. City unis, on the other hand, have all the uni buildings spread across the city.
Campus unis are ideal if you want to be in among other students all day, every day and you want the convenience of being located close to absolutely everything you’ll need.
City unis are great if you want to mix with a wider range of people and throw yourself into life in a new place - particularly if you want to soak up the culture or make the most of the city’s nightlife.
Becca, an international development student at UEA, moved from northern England down to Norwich for uni. “For me, the reason I found UEA so good is because it felt like home when I got here,” she says.
“I chose to study at a campus uni because everything is right where you need it and right on your doorstep, and it feels like your own little town, which is a good way to get used to somewhere new.”
Toyin, a medicine student, wanted a uni where everything would be easy to get to. “I can be quite lazy sometimes - I didn’t want to have to take the bus to get to a lecture in the morning, so a campus uni suited me and my lifestyle better.”
Doing your research will give you an idea of what a particular uni is like, but the best way to really get a feel for it is to visit. This is why open days are so important. Once you’ve made a shortlist of unis, make a note of when you can go and visit for the day.
“It's obviously important to keep in mind the quality of education you receive, but it's not at all unreasonable to consider other, more social aspects of it," says The Student Room member abraaacadabra. "It’s pretty hard to tell if it’s for you until you actually rock up to the uni yourself and get a feel for the place.”
You might also want to think about how much it's likely to cost to travel back home from uni, or how long it's going to take. Some people are happy to move away from their hometown and just go back in the holidays (or even less frequently). Others will want to head back far more often – even if that’s only to have a proper home-cooked meal every once in a while!
“Being away from home makes me appreciate it and my family and childhood friends 100 times more than if I had stayed," says The Student Room member studentskg. "But I know friends who studied locally and have had almost the same experiences, and equally exciting – but different – ones.”
And if you’re worried about moving far away from home and feeling homesick, jelly1000 makes a great point: “If you go home every holiday you'll only be at university half the year, so not as long away at uni as you might think.”
You might already know you want six big messy nights out every week. You might be dead-set on joining 18 different societies by the end of the first month. Or maybe you know you'll be wanting a more quiet life.
Whichever uni you pick, you'll find a range of socials on offer, but some places are particularly well known for certain scenes. The ancients – especially Oxford and Cambridge – are famous for their big formal dinners and balls. Big city unis such as Leeds and Manchester have a reputation for their party scenes.
Others, like UEA and Sussex, are famous for their amazing range of societies, so you can take your pick of the activities. Even within unis, some halls will be notorious for their parties, while others will be calmer and quieter, so you can choose the uni with the perfect social scene for you.
Before Becca applied to uni, she knew she wanted to go somewhere with an excellent nightlife, but also some fun daytime activities that weren’t all centred around alcohol.
“Currently I’m a committee member for UEA Tap Dance," she says. "It’s really fun to be on the committee and to be in a club that’s really inclusive, and we have lots of socials and things to do outside of tap which is really good.”
For example, some unis are hot on their huge 200-people lectures, while others focus more on practical lab work.
Some unis are particularly strong on their research, and others may offer an exciting range of study abroad opportunities and year-in-industry courses.
In the latter stages of your uni search, you may want to look over the course syllabus and the types of modules on offer - but there’s plenty of time for all that!
Marketing student Hani loves the practical, hands-on approach of her course. “Instead of writing long essays, I get to produce a TV advert, design websites and run social media campaigns for real local businesses, which is super fun but also gives me real-life experience of the industry.
“My advice is to look at the type of work involved, and think about your preferred learning style when choosing a course.
“Do you prefer more hands-on, practical learning, or independent essay writing? Are you interested in doing a year abroad or a placement year? Take all of this into consideration.”
Let's take a shortcut through all that tricky decision-making. Give some quick and honest answers to the questions in this quiz and we'll show you just where you should be headed. Ready?
How'd you go? If you didn't like the answer you got, give it another go. (It's fine...we're not judging.)
Anyway, the quiz is obviously just for fun (please don't make any binding life choices on the basis of an internet personality quiz) but hopefully it’s got you thinking about how different universities can be.
In this article, we'll pick apart some of the main ways in which universities will vary. When it comes time to make your uni choice, it can be good to think about these – to help make sure you pick a place where you'll feel at home.
Campus or city
This is a biggie, because it really affects the whole atmosphere of a university.Campus unis are centred around one specific area. You'll have your accommodation, lecture theatres, campus shops, entertainment venues and other amenities all located within minutes of each other in a dedicated student village. City unis, on the other hand, have all the uni buildings spread across the city.
Campus unis are ideal if you want to be in among other students all day, every day and you want the convenience of being located close to absolutely everything you’ll need.
City unis are great if you want to mix with a wider range of people and throw yourself into life in a new place - particularly if you want to soak up the culture or make the most of the city’s nightlife.
Becca, an international development student at UEA, moved from northern England down to Norwich for uni. “For me, the reason I found UEA so good is because it felt like home when I got here,” she says.
“I chose to study at a campus uni because everything is right where you need it and right on your doorstep, and it feels like your own little town, which is a good way to get used to somewhere new.”
Toyin, a medicine student, wanted a uni where everything would be easy to get to. “I can be quite lazy sometimes - I didn’t want to have to take the bus to get to a lecture in the morning, so a campus uni suited me and my lifestyle better.”
Atmosphere
The vibe of unis varies dramatically, from the ‘ancient’ universities with their classic architecture, cute quads and traditions, through to sprawling city-based unis with their modern glass-fronted buildings and buzzing surroundings.Doing your research will give you an idea of what a particular uni is like, but the best way to really get a feel for it is to visit. This is why open days are so important. Once you’ve made a shortlist of unis, make a note of when you can go and visit for the day.
“It's obviously important to keep in mind the quality of education you receive, but it's not at all unreasonable to consider other, more social aspects of it," says The Student Room member abraaacadabra. "It’s pretty hard to tell if it’s for you until you actually rock up to the uni yourself and get a feel for the place.”
Location
A huge factor for lots of people is where the uni actually is. A university's location can affect your day-to-day life in all kinds of ways. Do you want to stay close to home or head further afield? Are you looking for big city life or would you be happy somewhere a little quieter?You might also want to think about how much it's likely to cost to travel back home from uni, or how long it's going to take. Some people are happy to move away from their hometown and just go back in the holidays (or even less frequently). Others will want to head back far more often – even if that’s only to have a proper home-cooked meal every once in a while!
“Being away from home makes me appreciate it and my family and childhood friends 100 times more than if I had stayed," says The Student Room member studentskg. "But I know friends who studied locally and have had almost the same experiences, and equally exciting – but different – ones.”
And if you’re worried about moving far away from home and feeling homesick, jelly1000 makes a great point: “If you go home every holiday you'll only be at university half the year, so not as long away at uni as you might think.”
Social life
A huge part of people’s happiness at uni comes down to their social life. This is your downtime; it's going to be your escape from the academic pressures of your course – so it's important.You might already know you want six big messy nights out every week. You might be dead-set on joining 18 different societies by the end of the first month. Or maybe you know you'll be wanting a more quiet life.
Whichever uni you pick, you'll find a range of socials on offer, but some places are particularly well known for certain scenes. The ancients – especially Oxford and Cambridge – are famous for their big formal dinners and balls. Big city unis such as Leeds and Manchester have a reputation for their party scenes.
Others, like UEA and Sussex, are famous for their amazing range of societies, so you can take your pick of the activities. Even within unis, some halls will be notorious for their parties, while others will be calmer and quieter, so you can choose the uni with the perfect social scene for you.
Before Becca applied to uni, she knew she wanted to go somewhere with an excellent nightlife, but also some fun daytime activities that weren’t all centred around alcohol.
“Currently I’m a committee member for UEA Tap Dance," she says. "It’s really fun to be on the committee and to be in a club that’s really inclusive, and we have lots of socials and things to do outside of tap which is really good.”
Course
While it’s important to consider a uni’s reputation for the subject area you’re interested in, there are other things to think about, too.For example, some unis are hot on their huge 200-people lectures, while others focus more on practical lab work.
Some unis are particularly strong on their research, and others may offer an exciting range of study abroad opportunities and year-in-industry courses.
In the latter stages of your uni search, you may want to look over the course syllabus and the types of modules on offer - but there’s plenty of time for all that!
Marketing student Hani loves the practical, hands-on approach of her course. “Instead of writing long essays, I get to produce a TV advert, design websites and run social media campaigns for real local businesses, which is super fun but also gives me real-life experience of the industry.
“My advice is to look at the type of work involved, and think about your preferred learning style when choosing a course.
“Do you prefer more hands-on, practical learning, or independent essay writing? Are you interested in doing a year abroad or a placement year? Take all of this into consideration.”
Our partnership with UEA (University of East Anglia)
The Student Room is proud to work with UEA, a UK top-25 university (Complete University Guide 2025) and UK top-30 university (The Times/Sunday Times 2024), as the official partner of our student life section.
Located on the edge of Norwich, a vibrant city full of secret gems just waiting to be discovered.
Visit their profile page to learn more or join the conversation on The Student Room's UEA forum.
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