Moving away from home to study is one of the biggest and most challenging decisions you will ever make. Student.com will make it that much easier for you by helping you to find a home away from home.
Our budget-friendly, modern student accommodation near the University of Sunderland will help make living in this modern port city an experience to remember.
We offer shared and private student accommodation close to Sunderland University campuses as well as in the city centre.
Call us or send us a quick message through Live Chat to learn more about the Sunderland Uni accommodation we offer.
Where is the University of Sunderland located?
The University of Sunderland is a global institution with two campuses in Sunderland, as well as additional campuses in London and Hong Kong.
City Campus
The University of Sunderland’s City Campus is located at the centre of the metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, North East England.
It is home to the university’s main administration and support services, library, lecture halls, and sports facilities at CitySpace. It is also the centre for the Arts and Design courses the Northern Centre of Photography, and the main Sciences provision that houses the world-famous Pharmacy School, Living Labs, School of Nursing, and the newly established School of Medicine.
Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s
This impressive riverside campus is ideally located within easy reach of both the city and Sunderland’s miles of beautiful beaches.
The university’s Business, Law, Tourism, Education and Social Sciences faculties, as well as its main centre for Computing and Engineering, are based there.
The campus is also the home of the David Puttnam Media Centre. The centre houses a cinema, industry-standard TV studios, lecture halls, and Spark Sunderland, the university’s award-winning community radio station.
The renowned National Glass Centre, a centre for glass design and innovation, as well as The David Goldman Technology Centre, a high-tech computing environment, is also located at the riverside.
Sunderland is a port city on the rise
Once known as the largest shipbuilding town in the world, Sunderland has transformed into a city of technological innovation with a rich cultural presence, a thriving arts scene, buzzing nightlife, and a strong student community.
Sunderland is one of the largest cities in the North East and one of the most affordable in the UK. Students based at Sir Tom Cowie and City Campuses will enjoy the Sunderland’s perfect combination of metropolitan and seaside living in a friendly, diverse city.
In the 2018 Liveability Index, Sunderland was named the best place to live for under 30s due to its low living costs, high job satisfaction, and general happiness and wellbeing, making it a great place to live and study.
Studying at Sunderland University
Recognised as one of the great, modern civic universities, the University of Sunderland is an award-winning institution. Shortlisted for the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year award, the University of Sunderland was named 2021 University of the Year for Social Inclusion by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. It also won the Widening Access Initiative (Retention and Progression) Award at the 2020 NEON awards.
Acknowledged as one of the UK’s top providers of transnational education, the university received a Silver Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) rating in 2017 for its “institutional culture that facilitates excellent teaching.”
It was also recognised for enhancing its students’ personal development and overall experience through exposure to professional practice.
Sunderland’s high-quality teaching is informed by its outstanding research.
Academics-based in research
Research is stitched into the fabric of Sunderland Uni. Ten of Sunderland’s research programs have been classed as ‘world leading’, including pharmacy, engineering, sports and exercise sciences, education, and social work.
For nearly 100 years, researchers at the university have been helping to improve society in varying facets from the early days of pharmacy to the heavy industry at its height, through to the new sciences and advanced technologies of the current modern era.
Degree courses at every level
The university has five main faculties:
- Arts and Creative Industries
- Business, Law and Tourism
- Education and Society
- Health Sciences and Wellbeing
- Technology
Through its wide range of academic departments, the university offers its nearly 20,000 students degrees at every level, from undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to doctorates in the arts, sciences, manufacturing, computing, education, engineering, sports, law, and tourism industries among others.
High-quality facilities
The university’s facilities have benefited from a multi-million-pound investment in recent years.
The 1,000-square-metre Living Lab, which opened in 2016, includes a mock ward, point of care centre with consulting rooms, OSCE suite, dispensing pharmacy, and patient home setting.
The university’s Sciences Complex is a dedicated facility with research and teaching laboratories as well as testing equipment for pharmaceutical, biomedical, environmental, and sports sciences.
The David Puttnam Media Centre comes equipped with a 200-seat HD cinema, TV studios, a green room, and six radio stations.
The law facilities at Reg Vardy Centre feature a mock courtroom and moot court for law students and high-spec IT equipment in all of its 24 lecture and seminar rooms.
Sports facilities
Sunderland also has some fantastic sports facilities. The university offers an aquatic centre with a 50m pool, a marina, and a water sports centre on the beach, an LTA accredited tennis centre, a dry ski slope, an athletic track, a gym, plus rugby and cricket grounds.
High employment rate
The university placed inside the top 10 (9th) at the 2019 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (voted for by students) in the ‘Student Support’ category.
Sunderland’s forward-thinking teaching staff, state-of-the-art facilities, and strong links to world-renowned companies provides its students with the support and the tools required to embark on their career journey and succeed in their chosen career path or further vocational study.
This combination has led to over 93% of the university’s graduates and over 95% of postgraduates gaining employment or further study within six months of graduating, according to the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education study.
Sunderland Uni student life
With more than one-third of the student population (36%) coming from over 150 countries outside of the UK, you can be confident you will always get a warm welcome and all the support you need during your uni years at Sunderland, and you’ll be part of a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Student support
The Students’ Union offers a buddies scheme and a peer support scheme to help students connect with other students to help and guide them through their first months of university life.
The confidential Health and Wellbeing service offers advice and support on issues relating to mental health, depression, drugs and alcohol, contraception, eating disorders and much more. General counselling support is also available to all students.
Events and activities
The union has established several events and activities to help students make new friends and have a fulfilling student experience.
There are over 50 sports clubs and societies available to join. From football, hockey, snow sports and rugby to debating and feminism, whatever your interests are, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to attach yourself to a like-minded group.
Sunderland Culture
Sunderland Culture brings together some of the city’s most important cultural assets and activities in a year-round programme of exhibitions, events, and performances. Alongside showcasing the best and most exciting local talent, Sunderland Culture brings renowned creatives from the worlds of contemporary visual and performing arts to the city.
Sunderland University’s exciting partnership provides opportunities for its students and graduates to enjoy a lively and varied programme of arts and cultural activities throughout their time at the university.
As a student of Sunderland Uni, you’ll have opportunities to experience its entire range of activities and venues, including National Glass Centre, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Arts Centre Washington, and The Fire Station.
You’ll also have access to the cross-city programmes, including Sunderland Stages and the Great Place programme, where you can visit the venues, take part in events, get involved in the programme, and gain valuable work experience.
Sports and fitness
If you are a sports fanatic, Sunderland University will cater to most of your sporting needs. If you want to play, coach, study or watch sports, Sunderland Uni has over 20 teams competing in the British Universities College Sports (BUCS) leagues every Wednesday, as well as other competitions throughout the year.
The university is also equipped with a multi-million-pound fitness suite that features 70 stations, cardio, strength, free weights and flexibility areas, body stats tests, and a huge range of courses and classes for fitness lovers.
There are also several cafés and places to eat, offering a range of healthy options at reasonable prices on campus, including many options for vegetarians.
History of the University of Sunderland
Sunderland University’s roots can be traced back to 1901 when Sunderland Technical College was established as a municipal training college.
The first institution in England to offer ‘sandwich courses’, which enabled engineering apprentices to gain higher qualifications whilst working, Sunderland Technical College began with the Chemistry, Mechanical & Civil Engineering, Physics & Electrical Engineering, and Commerce & Languages departments.
In 1908, Sunderland Teacher Training College opened with 70 students.
The year 1967 marked a monumental year for technology innovation at the college. Sunderland was the first educational centre in the region to install a digital computer, which required a crane to haul it through the roof of the university building.
On the first day of 1969, Sunderland Technical College became Sunderland Polytechnic. Four years later, it created the first part-time, in-service BEd (Bachelor of Education) programme in the country. In 1982, it established the UK’s first-degree course in Glass Design.
In 1992 Sunderland Polytechnic gained university status, changing its name to the University of Sunderland. The Queen and Prince Philip visited the university a year later. St Peter’s Campus, which houses the School of Business, Law, and Psychology, opened in 1994. In September 2002, St. Peter’s Campus was renamed the Sir Tom Cowie Campus.
In 2012 the university’s London campus opened in the UK capital and in 2017, the university opened its first campus in Asia, in the heart of Hong Kong.
Frequently asked questions about private student accommodation near the University of Sunderland
How can I book private student accommodation near Sunderland University on Student.com?
Use our filter feature and mapping tool to compare student properties by price and find your desired university accommodation.
After you’ve found an accommodation option you like, go to the property page by clicking ‘View rooms’. On the property page, choose the room type you’d like to live in and click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now’. One of our booking consultants will then contact you and guide you through the next steps.
Why should I book a private accommodation instead of university halls of residence?
Booking a private accommodation instead of university halls will give you many benefits. A private accommodation will allow you to have a private room as well as private facilities if you wish. You can even book a fully self-contained studio property with complete privacy.
You can also choose more freely where you’d like to live. Park Lane House and Millfield House are very close to the City Campus, while Dunn House and All Saints House are north or the River Wear and close to the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. AXO Sunderland and Norfolk Street are right in the city centre while U Student Sunderland (also known as Forge U Student Village) is a little bit further west on Neville Road.
What are the different room types you offer?
We currently offer two different types of rooms near the University of Sunderland.
In a Private Room you’ll have a private bedroom just for yourself. In some properties you’ll also have a private bathroom, while in some properties you can also choose to get a slightly cheaper room by choosing an option with a shared bathroom. Other facilities like the kitchen are shared with other students.
If you book the Entire Place, you’ll get a studio flat all to yourself. You’ll have a private bedroom, bathroom and a kitchenette for cooking your meals.
Do you offer accommodation located in the Sunderland city centre?
Yes, some properties we list are right in the city centre. AXO Sunderland and Norfolk Street are particularly central.
Are bills included in the rent?
Yes, all bills are usually included in the rent, as is Wi-Fi. Dunn House also offers free contents insurance to their occupants. Check the property page of the accommodation you’re interested in to make sure what bills are included in that particular property though, as some landlords may have different policies.
Are the apartments fully furnished?
Typically, the student apartments we list near Sunderland University are fully furnished. Check the property page to make sure if this is the case with the property you’re interested in though.
