With plenty of green spaces and four miles of beaches, Portsmouth is known as the Great Waterfront City.
Most of the student properties we list are within close proximity of the bustling city centre, as well as the University of Portsmouth.
From shared student lets to fully private studio apartments, our university accommodation options come with modern amenities and are managed by trusted landlords.
If you need further information, don’t hesitate to give us a call or talk to us via live chat.
Get to know Portsmouth
Ideally situated on the south coast of England, Portsmouth is the UK’s only island city. It’s a dynamic and vibrant waterfront city with excellent transport links to London and the rest of the UK.
If you choose to study and live in Portsmouth, you'll discover a seaside city with a buzzing creative community, a year-round calendar of cultural festivals, magnificent museums and galleries, unique shopping destinations, great food and drink, lively nightlife, miles of beautiful waterfront with beautiful beaches, pretty green spaces and a friendly vibe.
The milder winters and sunnier and warmer springs and summers than most places in the UK will make it that much easier to enjoy all of what Portsmouth has to offer.
The Great Waterfront City is also perfect for culture vultures.
A vibrant Cultural scene
Museums
With over a dozen museums Portsmouth is also known as the 'City of Museums'. They cover a wide range of topics, subjects, and themes, including the city's diverse literary heritage, and a proud naval and maritime history.
The Mary Rose is a must-visit, to see not only the ship itself but also the huge array of Tudor artefacts rescued alongside. See some of the most fearsome warships to ever take sail at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where one ticket gets you entry to 11 attractions.
The Portsmouth Museum celebrates literary greats such as city native Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling. It has the one of the largest collections of items on Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes in the world.
Arts
There’s a strong artistic community in the city. It has several art galleries and hosts regular arts and crafts festivals in theatres, community centres and outdoor areas where you can discover local artists and buy their work or exhibit your own.
The newly renovated Hotwalls Studios in Old Portsmouth is a thriving arts hub.
Showcasing the latest in contemporary art, Aspex Gallery in Gunwharf Quays offers an outstanding exhibition programme featuring works by artists from around the world as well as Portsmouth’s freshest artistic talent.
Portsmouth Museum’s decorative art gallery hosts over 500 years of artistic creation. It has changing displays mixing paintings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, furniture, glass, and textiles.
Theatres
Portsmouth is also richly served in its theatre offerings with two Victorian Grade II-listed theatres and a range of smaller venues.
The majestic New Theatre Royal has been active since 1884 and the Kings Theatre, one of the most complete Matcham Theatres in the country, opened in 1907.
The Groundlings Theatre is an exciting new venue offering some of the most unique and exciting shows in the city.
These theatres play host to a varied programme: ballet, drama, comedy, music, cultural festivals, pantomimes, live music and more.
Cultural festivals
In celebration of food, community, art and history, Portsmouth hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year.
The annual Festival of Cultures is the flagship event of Global Week. Explore music, food, costume and languages from around the world.
For one weekend in October local artists open their studios and homes to the public for the free annual Created in Portsmouth Art Trail.
Also in October is DarkFest, an annual creative and cultural festival that brings together artists, writers, performers, academics, storytellers, and musicians to explore all things supernatural and sinister.
The annual Portsmouth Festivities 8-day programme held in June includes more than 100 events at multiple venues showcasing theatre, film, art, and music in the city.
Comic Con, an annual celebration of comic books and pop culture, is held in May at Guildhall.
The world-renowned Portsmouth International Kite Festival welcomes kite flyers from across the globe in August each year.
In that same month is the three-day pop extravaganza Victorious Festival.
The city hosts various food festivals throughout the year as well, including the Hampshire Street Food Awards (November), the annual Oktoberfest weekend (September - October), Southsea Food Festival (July) as well as the Vegan Festival (November).
Student living in Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a great place to study and live as a student. It won't break the bank, almost everything is within walking distance, it’s friendly and welcoming with good weather and plenty going on.
According to the 2019 NatWest Student Living Index Portsmouth is in the top 10 most-affordable places in the UK to live as a student. So, you can save some cash for exploring the city. And there's plenty to explore too.
Nightlife
During those study breaks when you’re looking for a night out on the town you’ll be spoilt for choice. Portsmouth has more pubs per square mile than any other city in the UK.
You'll find most pubs around the Guildhall Walk, Osborne Road, Palmerston Road, and Albert Road areas. A few of these pubs stay open until the wee hours of the morning on the weekends. Some have free pool tables during the week or happy hours in the evenings.
Pryzm on Commercial Road is the largest nightclub in the city. The Gunwharf Quays and Guildhall areas are other go-to places for students. Many of the clubs and bars have dedicated student nights.
If you want an alternative night out and need a few laughs, comedy nights take place all over the city. Wedgewood Rooms has its own Comedy Club and hosts big comedy names throughout the year. The Guildhall hosts Laugh Out Loud comedy nights at least once a month.
If you’re in the mood to catch the latest blockbuster movie you can head to one of the multi-screen cinemas. For a unique experience see movies at the 275-seat No6 Cinema at the Grade II listed boathouse in the Historic Dockyard. There are also outdoor sunset screenings of popular movies by the Portsmouth Film Society.
The Spinnaker Tower
If you’re want to have some great views over the city, head to the top of the Spinnaker Tower and enjoy breath-taking panoramic views. Fast becoming the modern emblem of Portsmouth, the imposing tower stretches 170 metres above Gunwharf Quays - making it taller than Big Ben, the London Eye, and Blackpool Tower.
University Options
The University of Portsmouth continues to climb the rankings. It’s ranked as the 21st best university in the UK (2020 The Guardian University Guide) and also in the top 30 of UK universities for teaching quality and student experience (2019 The Times Good University Guide).
The university has also gained a 5-star rating from QS 2020 World University Rankings for teaching, employability, internationalisation, facilities, arts and culture, and inclusiveness.
The school also ranks highly for overall full-time student satisfaction placing 28th of all universities in the UK and 2nd in the South East (2020 National Student Survey).
The University of Portsmouth Business School offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses across accounting, business, economics, finance, human resource management, law, marketing, leadership and other specialist management subject areas.
Students participate in career-enhancing activities through live-client projects, work experience (both in the UK and overseas) and workshops.
There are also several projects set up to cater to students looking to establish their own business such as Entrepreneurs in Residence Programme, NEST business start-up space, Innovation Connect, and Accelerating Women's Enterprise.
Frequently asked questions about student housing in Portsmouth
How do I apply for university accommodation in Portsmouth on Student.com?
After choosing your favourite property, click ‘View rooms’ to go to the property page. Then choose the room type you prefer and click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now’.
One of our booking consultants will then be in touch with to take you through the steps of the booking process or to answer any questions you may have.
What are the different types of student housing you offer?
We offer three different types of student housing in Portsmouth.
With a Shared Room you’ll be sharing a bedroom with at least one other person, as well as sharing other common facilities (such as a kitchen and bathroom) with other tenants.
With a Private Room you’ll get a private bedroom and shared additional living facilities with tenants of other rooms. Depending on the property, your bathroom may be shared or private.
Booking the Entire Place will give you your own bedroom, bathroom, and cooking facilities in a self-contained studio apartment.
Do you offer student accommodation for the summer?
Yes, it’s possible to live in your accommodation over the summer in some of the properties we list. Click “View rooms” on the property you’re interested in to find out if they offer accommodation for the summer months.
Can you arrange a viewing for me?
Yes. Our booking consultants will be happy to arrange a viewing for you if you’ll be in Portsmouth before your move-in date.
What bills are included in my accommodation?
Usually the student properties we list come with all bills included. Make sure you check if this is the case with the property you are looking to book because different landlords may have different rules, however.
Do I need to pay a deposit?
Yes, most student properties require you to pay a deposit to secure your booking.