One of the most vibrant, historic and attractive cities in England, it is no surprise Norwich has been voted one of the best small cities in the world.
Make this thriving and safe city your home by booking a student accommodation in Norwich through Student.com. We list student housing in the city centre, less than a 10-minute walk from the Norwich University of The Arts and a short bus ride to the University of East Anglia.
We offer several types of student homes, including cheap shared student lettings and private student flats, as well as en suite and studio apartments. Give us a call, or send us a text through our website’s live chat or WhatApp and our booking consultants will help you find the ideal university home just for you!
Getting to know Norwich
A district of the county of Norfolk, England, Norwich is an affluent and easy-going city. The largest city in East Anglia, Norwich is one of the most prosperous cities in the East of England. The Sunday Times ranks Norwich as one of the best places to live in the UK, calling it a “cool, comfortable, and relaxed city that is at one with itself.”
The fashionable city has a reputation for style, innovation, and a cherished medieval heritage. Its rich tapestry of meandering alleys, lanes, and cobbled streets are ordained with architectural gems from the past and present.
A city of history and modern-day living
This cathedral city has a wonderful fusion of modern and historic. Norwich continues to hold on to its rich past while remaining in touch with the present world.
As many as 1,000 listed buildings, some dating back over 2,000 years, within the city boundaries alone, are protected from demolition or inappropriate alteration. Some of the city centre’s streets still showcase its medieval charm, including remains of the ancient city walls and a wealth of historic buildings.
Part of the ‘Norwich 12’, the majestic Norwich Castle and iconic Norwich Cathedral remain prominently situated, dominating the city’s skyline. The Royal Arcade Norwich is an enigmatic retail destination for independent retailers thanks to a nice combination of Victorian architecture and Art Nouveau.
These nostalgic jewels contrast with the city’s modern state-of-the-art architecture such as the iconic glass Forum, the impressive Norwich Millennium Library, the Riverside development, and the city’s two shopping malls, Chantry Place and Castle Quarter.
A city of culture, creativity and stories
Roaming some of the most attractive streets in the country and exploring its medieval architecture is not the only thing that makes Norwich such a wonderful place to visit. The city punches above its weight when it comes to culture.
Norwich has flourishing arts and music scenes. It boasts four museums spanning centuries of history, four independent theatres, art galleries, exhibition spaces, and music and dance venues with productions worth seeing.
Norwich also sparks with creativity. It is a city of creators, innovators, and makers that stimulates creativity, celebrates the independent, and encourages diversity.
Home to the UK’s National Writing Centre, literature is close to ‘The City of Stories’ heart, boasting a celebrated tradition of storytelling and performance. England’s first UNESCO City of Literature has a rich history of top writers, including Julian of Norwich, Thomas Browne, and Anna Sewell.
Norwich is also home to a thriving hub of creative businesses and digital start-ups. With several design studios, film and production companies, and app builders, the city is one of the most highly concentrated and diversified creative industry clusters in the UK.
Norwich is an easily accessible city
Norwich is easily accessible by road, rail, and air. London is less than two hours away by train, and the city’s international airport offers direct flights to and from the UK as well as international destinations.
Student living in Norwich
Regularly voted as one of the top 10 places to live in the UK, Norwich offers plenty to capture students’ imagination. There is always something exciting happening, especially when the sun goes down.
Thriving nightlife
When you fancy a pint, there are independent drinking holes, clubs, cocktail venues, bars, and pubs aplenty in Norwich. With 10 pubs and bars per square mile, you are bound to find a cosy, quiet, or lively one that best suits your taste. You will have plenty of opportunities to share the experience as the Norwich locals are known to savour a drink.
Music is also a big part of the city’s nightlife. During the 17-day Norfolk & Norwich Festival in May you’ll have opportunities to enjoy regular performances from Norwich Philharmonic and Norwich and Norfolk Chamber Music as well as one-off international extravaganzas.
Shopping
One of the top shopping destinations in the UK, people from all over come to Norwich for a bit of retail therapy. The city has a wonderful mix of both high street retailers and independent stores, and it’s where individual boutiques stand beside your favourite chain stores.
Whatever you’re looking for, be it general shopping, finding a new outfit for that uni function, buying gifts, or items for back-to-school purposes, you’ll find everything you need in Norwich.
Food
Norwich is a city of foodies and is known for its vegan scene. As a city in the centre of a large farming county, its people enjoy the spoils of local produce. The market is the ideal location to shop for vegetables and fresh fish from surrounding scenic shores, as well as exciting dishes from around the world, whipped up by internationally trained and experienced chefs. It’s no coincidence that some of the UK’s best street food comes from one of the UK’s best markets.
Relaxing
When you find time between studying, take a break and enjoy a change of scenery. A gateway to the iconic broads and beaches of Norfolk, Norwich forms an excellent base from which to easily explore the county’s coast.
For some fresh air and splendid views of Old Norwich from the river, take a trip with City Boats, or enjoy a river tour of the Wensum from the Norwich Punting Company.
One of the UK’s greenest cities, Norwich regularly wins awards for its planting designs. Take your lunch from Norwich Market to the War Memorial Gardens, or devour your Grosvenor Fish and Chips on a bench in sunny Pottergate.
Take a book and relax in the Plantation Garden, Norwich’s secret green space. Head slightly out of the city for some peace to Eaton Park, one of Norwich’s best heritage parks. For a wonderful view of Norwich as the sun sets, head to the heathland of Mousehold Heath.
Universities in Norwich
Norwich University of The Arts
One of the UK’s leading creative science universities, the Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) is renowned for outstanding teaching quality, industry-standard facilities, and high student satisfaction.
In recognition of its excellent standard of teaching, NUA was ranked in the UK’s top 10 for teaching quality by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide in 2018. It’s also the recipient of the Gold rating from the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
The university’s teaching is often practical and experimental, allowing students to explore different techniques and formats. It offers courses in the fields of architecture, art, design, and media at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
NUA’s campus is equipped with the latest industry-standard tools, studios, and creative spaces. The university’s campus is home to medieval structures and revitalised Victorian factory buildings fitted out with 21st-century media labs and contemporary technology. It’s conveniently nestled between the cafes, bars, independent galleries, and shops of Norwich’s cultural quarter.
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia also provides a campus with top-quality academic, social, and cultural facilities to its almost 20,000 students.
The campus’s 320 acres of rolling parkland sit just two miles (three kilometres) from the city centre. Consistently rated one of the best universities for student experience in the UK, it was voted the region’s best campus environment by the Times Higher Education (THE) in 2016. UEA is also generally highly placed on global university rankings, coming in at 295th at the 2024 QS World University Rankings.
This uniquely placed university is also a leading member of the Norwich Research Park, one of Europe’s biggest concentrations of researchers in the fields of environment, health and plant science.
Frequently asked questions about student housing in Norwich
How do I apply for private student lettings in Norwich on Student.com?
You can apply for private student accommodation in Norwich with just a few clicks. You can use the filters and map on this page to find the most suitable property for your needs.
After selecting the property you’re interested in renting, click ‘View rooms’ to go to the property page. On the property page, you’ll need to choose the exact room you’d like to live in and click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now.’ Then simply leave your contact details and one of our booking consultants will get in touch with you shortly. They’ll answer any questions you may still have and help you through the next steps of the booking process.
Do you offer studio apartments in Norwich?
Yes, we do. We offer three different types of student accommodation in Norwich.
1) Shared Rooms: You’ll share a bedroom with a flatmate. All other facilities are also shared.
2) Private Rooms: You’ll get a private bedroom just for yourself. Depending on the exact room you choose, your bathroom is either shared or private. Other facilities are shared with your fellow students.
3) Entire Place: This is a fully self-contained studio flat with fully private facilities. You’ll have your own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette and won’t have to share anything with others.
Do you offer university accommodation in the city centre?
Yes, some of the properties we list are located in the Norwich city centre. You can use the map on this page to see where all our listed options are located.
Are bills included in the rent?
Usually all bills are included in the apartments we list in Norwich. Some landlords may have different policies though, so make sure to check on the property page which bills are included in your rent.
Are the apartments you list fully furnished?
Usually yes. Most of the apartments we list in Norwich are fully furnished, but make sure to check if this is the case if you want to rent a furnished apartment. You can see a list of the furnished apartments by selecting the filter ‘Furnished available’.