Bangor is much more than the university that it is renowned for. It is a quaint city where you can experience art, music, nature, wildlife, and more.

Living in Bangor enables students to combine a high-quality education with a wonderful living experience. Booking university accommodation with Student.com will allow you to make the most of a beautiful and welcoming environment.

Live in central Bangor, minutes from the university and high-street shops, and surrounded by the towering mountains of Snowdonia and the sparkling waters of the Menai Strait. This pretty seaside town will let you experience many seaside delights.

We offer affordable, modern student housing with partially shared or fully private accommodation for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. You can live in partially shared accommodation or enjoy the independence of a fully self-contained studio flat that offers more convenience compared to student halls.

Find out all you need to know about booking student accommodation in Bangor with Student.com by calling us, or sending us a message on our website’s live chat. Our excellent booking consultants are always happy to help and answer any questions you may have!

Bangor at a glance

Bangor is a small coastal town in Gwynedd, Northern Wales, the United Kingdom, about 230 miles (370 kilometres) northwest of London.

With a population of about 18,000 people, the oldest city in Wales is also one of the smallest in the UK. Home to the famous Bangor University, students account for the vast majority of the city’s population.

It may be small, but it is a cosmopolitan city with a uniquely intimate feel and more than enough to keep people engaged. Crammed with awesome bars, restaurants and live music, Bangor has many more amenities than one might expect, perfect for its very large student population. The friendly waterfront city offers the perfect mix of urban amenities with rural attractions. 

Natural beauty

Tucked in between the Snowdonia Mountains and the Irish Sea, Bangor is surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery, and offers some of the finest beaches in the UK. This outstanding natural beauty will entice you to take advantage of its stunning location between lectures.

The Snowdonia National Park is regularly voted one of the most scenic places in the world thanks to its soaring mountains, mirrored lakes, and breath-taking waterfalls.

Quaint architecture

Alongside its natural beauty, Bangor also draws attention with its beautiful architecture.

The city’s small size makes it perfect to explore its other attractions on foot. You can stroll around the streets of the city and take in some of its hidden gems and picturesque sites from its rich history, which stretches all the way back to the 6th century.

The Bangor Cathedral, one of the city’s main focal points, is a stunning work of architecture. Inside its gorgeous stained-glass windows, the cathedral’s beautiful wooden carvings give great insight into the city’s unique history.

The alluring architecture of the 18th century Penrhyn Castle looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. The neo-Norman castle is located on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park. 

Art & culture

Bangor is also rich in art and culture, and STORIEL (formerly the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor) showcases this history perfectly. With art that dates as far back as 1884, STORIEL has an assorted collection that is inspired by Wales’s culture and landscape.

Student life in Bangor

Filled with cafes, restaurants, independent shops, and scenic surroundings, Bangor is an enticing city for students. Bangor will give you the best of both worlds - a small university hub which offers many opportunities to enjoy a wonderful student life.

With its compact size and large student population, you won’t have to go far to see your peers, or stumble upon a fun student-run event in Bangor.

The city is well connected by trains. You can be in Liverpool and Manchester in just over two hours, with several daily trains running directly to London in just over three hours.

Bangor is also regarded as one of the most affordable university towns in the UK, making life much easier for students.

Pubs and bars

If you are looking for a nice place to grab a drink and hang out with friends during a night out on the town, Bangor has its fair share of pubs and bars where you can enjoy good food and drinks, a warm and welcoming vibe, as well as some incredible views.

Rascals Bar offers good drinks and meals at an affordable price. The Boatyard Inn, a traditional pub and restaurant with a modern and fresh décor, is ideally situated in the heart of the city. The Tap and Spile, also located by the Bangor Garth Pier, is a warm and cosy multi-roomed pub with fantastic views of The Menai Strait. 

Where to eat in Bangor

When it’s time to eat out, Bangor won’t disappoint you. The city has several restaurants and cafés that serve mouth-watering dishes.

For national culinary treasures, head to the quaint Whistlestop on the Pier, a tiny bijou café with a big reputation perched at the end of the Victorian Pier. Enjoy a menu packed with Welsh delights, including the Welsh Rarebit, and awesome views overlooking the Menai Strait and the towering peaks of Snowdonia.

Blue Sky, a cosy aesthetic café that serves delicious locally sourced food, is arguably the most famous cafe in the city.

Outside of the eateries that specialise in local cuisine, Bangor is also home to several good Asian restaurants, including Garden Hotel & Cantonese Restaurant, Aroy Dee Thai Noodle Bar, and Jasmine House.

If you’re vegan, vegetarian-friendly restaurants like Kyffin Café Deli, and Voltaire, will have you covered. Domu’s creative menu features things like the local favourite avocado and courgette cake, peanut-butter pretzels, fragrant coconut curry, and salad stuffed with halloumi, falafel, and pomegranates. Domu will offer you more than a vegan fix, though. The vegetarian café will keep you caffeinated as much as it will keep you fed, with bespoke blends of beans from Peru, India, and El Salvador. 

Shopping in Bangor

Home to Wales’ longest high street, shopaholics can also fulfil their shopping appetites in Bangor. Hunt for deals from a mixture of high street stores, independent boutiques, and chain stores. If you want to try shopping in a bigger city, Manchester and Liverpool are a couple of hours away by train.

Where to Study in Bangor?

Established in 1884 as the University College of North Wales, Bangor University has over 120 years’ dedication to academic excellence.

The university offers more than 300 undergraduate and 100 postgraduate programmes across five colleges housing over fourteen academic schools. Bangor Uni provides courses spanning the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, to about 10,000 students from 85 different countries. It has built up a strong reputation for several subjects, including Accounting & Finance, Sport Science, and Electronic Engineering.

The university is also a major provider of training and education for the NHS (National Health Service) in Wales and one of the main higher education partners in the North Wales Clinical School.

Bangor university’s alumni include Nobel Prize winner Sir Robert Edwards, former Prime Minister of Mauritius Paul Berenger, Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle, and actor Frances Barber.

Highly ranked

Bangor is among the most highly ranked universities in the UK. Rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Bangor is considered a top 100 university in the country, placing 45th and 82nd in the 2023 Times University Guide, and 2023 Guardian University Guide, respectively. QS ranked it among the best 650 universities in the world in its 2023 World University Rankings.

It’s highly popular amongst its students as well, featuring among the top 5 universities at the 2022 Whatuni Student Choice Awards and in the top 10 across five categories at the 2022 Student Crowd University Awards. 

Research prowess

One of the main reasons for Bangor University’s prestige is its research prowess.

From advances in healthcare, sport and exercise sciences, dietary behaviour and metabolism, combating global environmental change, to finding the energy solutions of the future, Bangor delivers internationally excellent research.

The university has gained recognition and several accolades for the social, cultural, and environmental impact of its world-leading research. Bangor’s research was ranked highly (42nd) in the UK Government’s 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), with 85% judged to be ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. This is a strong follow up to the 2014 results that adjudged over three quarters of the university’s research to be either ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent.’

Frequently asked questions about university accommodation in Bangor

How do I apply for private student accommodation in Bangor on Student.com?

To find the ideal student home just for you, you can compare the student housing we list with our search and location features. After finding a property you fancy, go to the property page by clicking on ‘View rooms’.

On the property page you’ll need to choose the room you’d like to book. Once you’ve made your choice, click ‘Book now’. If you’re not sure what would be the best option for you, you can click ‘Enquire’ and leave your contact details. One of our booking consultants will then be in touch with you to answer any questions you may still have.

What are the different types of student rooms you offer?

We offer three different types of rooms on Student.com. Do note, however, that not every property we list offers all three room types.

1. Shared Room – In this room type you’ll share your bedroom with a roommate. Bathrooms and kitchens are shared with occupants from other rooms.

2. Private Room – Here you get a private bedroom just for you. Depending on the exact room and property you choose, your bathroom may be private or shared. Other living facilities are shared with occupants from other rooms.

3. Entire Place – This is a fully self-contained studio property with fully private facilities. You’ll have your own bedroom, bathroom and a kitchenette for cooking your meals.

Are bills included in the rent?

Yes, typically the properties we list in Bangor have all bills included in the rent, as well as Wi-Fi and, in some cases, contents insurance. This is not always the case though, so make sure to check on the property page if bills are included in the property you’re interested in booking.

You can also use the filters on this page to only see properties where bills are included.

Are the apartments fully furnished?

Yes, most of the apartments we list in Bangor are rented fully furnished. As with the bills, make sure to check if this is the case with the property you’re interested in booking though.

Do you offer student housing for postgraduate students as well?

Yes, we do. As long as you are a full-time student, you can book any accommodation listed on Student.com.