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Finding a Student House Share in Leeds:
So, you’re considering studying in Leeds. That makes sense: it’s a fantastic student city with vibrant nightlife and a low cost of living. Plus, it’s home to 4 different universities, so you’ve got plenty of choices.
Whether you’ve already been accepted or are still researching your options, this guide will cover some of your questions about finding a house-share in Leeds and living in the city.
Where to live in Leeds as a student?
If you’re a first-year student, you might choose to live on campus. All 4 universities in Leeds offer a variety of halls of residence to suit any preference or budget. Some are centrally located, others are a short walk from the city centre, and some are nearby main campus buildings.
When choosing on-campus accommodation, it’s important to consider how close you will be to your campus, what facilities the accommodation offers, if there are bars, restaurants and nightlife nearby, if bills are included, and if it suits your budget.
However, Leeds has a tonne of private student accommodation. These are perfect for large groups of friends (from first year all the way to PHD), a great choice if you’re a first-year student looking to make new friends or if you simply don’t fancy staying in halls! There are lots of student houses in Leeds city centre as well as in popular student areas.
Here’s a breakdown of the 3 most popular student areas in Leeds…
Hyde Park
This is one of the most popular student areas in Leeds, and it’s clear why. Hyde Park is within walking distance from the University of Leeds and the city centre, so it’s an obvious choice if you attend that university. There are loads of Victorian terraced houses full of students, and the area has a real community vibe!
Hyde Park has loads of trendy coffee shops as well as a huge number of bars and pubs. If you’re a music fan, then Hyde Park is home to two venues integral to the Leeds music scene: Hyde Park Book Club and Brudenell Social Club. However, if you’re a fan of relaxing outdoors, Woodhouse Moor is a stunning and tranquil green space in the centre of Hyde Park.
Woodhouse
If you want to be as close as possible to the University of Leeds or Leeds Beckett University, Woodhouse might be perfect for you. Although it’s not as picturesque as some other student areas in Leeds, it’s more affordable than the nearby Hyde Park.
The main appeal of Woodhouse is its highly convenient location. It’s only a short walk to the city centre and just a 5-minute walk to the main university campuses! Woodhouse is also a short walk to Woodhouse Moor and close to the scenic Meanwood Valley Trail if you enjoy some green spaces.
Headingley
This student location is slightly further away from the city centre, but it’s more affordable than the city centre, which is perfect if you’re on a budget. And a bus to the centre will only take around 20 minutes!
Headingley is home to one of the Leeds Beckett campuses, so it’s ideal if you’re based at this campus.
Headingley is full of student-friendly bars and affordable restaurants. From The Box, a student sports bar with a heated outdoor seating area and tasty loaded fries, to the Headingley Taps, a pub with a huge drinks menu and some of the lowest prices in Leeds! There’s also Beckett Park which is a firm favourite for students during the warmer summer months.
How to find a student house-share in Leeds?
If you’ve decided on private student accommodation, you might wonder how to find a house-share. You can look for houses or flats with an existing group of friends or coursemates. You’ll just need to look for accommodation with the same number of bedrooms as the people you want to live with.
However, if you’re new to the university, haven’t made a group of friends yet, or don’t think your friends would make ideal housemates, then you might need another option. One way to find potential housemates is through social media or online forums. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find people with similar interests who you know you’ll get along with.
Another option is to look for websites designed for individuals looking for rooms in houseshares. You can rent out a single room in a shared house without worrying about the stress of finding housemates yourself!
Whatever accommodation you choose, check if bills are included or if you’ll need to sort these out yourself. If you want more advice about household bills, check out our blog on managing utilities in your student home.
How do I get around Leeds?
Despite the fact Leeds is the third biggest city in the UK, it’s relatively compact and easy to navigate. Most student accommodation is close to the city centre and universities, so walking or cycling to where you need to go is easy. Leeds also has an extensive public transport network.
The main bus operator in Leeds is First Bus, and you can purchase a monthly, term-time, or annual Leeds student bus pass. Or you can pay approximately £1.60 – £2.00 for a single journey. You’ll need to remember to show your student ID to get the student discount.
Another option is the 19-25 or student MCard. This offers discounted weekly or monthly bus and rail tickets if you’re 19-25 or a full-time student.
Where to go shopping in Leeds?
Leeds is full of options for avid shoppers. Leeds has something for every student, from big high street names to quirky boutiques.
There’s the modern Trinity Leeds with its iconic glass roof, home to 120 shops, bars and restaurants. This shopping centre offers loads of student discounts and offers to help your student loan stretch further! Or there’s the Kirkgate Market which houses a variety of stalls, including some tasty and affordable street food.
What’s the music scene like in Leeds?
Leeds is home to a vibrant and varied music scene, from live acoustic bands playing intimate venues to big-name festivals. There are several large arenas in Leeds, including First Direct Arena and the O2 academy, which have hosted massive artists like Biffy Clyro and Drake. There’s also The Stage at Leeds Beckett’s City Campus, which has hosted some huge acts over the years and is now one of Leeds’s most popular and beloved music venues.
If you prefer smaller music venues, there’s also loads of choice. One student favourite is Belgrave Music Hall, which hosts new talent and famous DJs, films, and food nights. Their in-house pizza company, Dough Boys, is particularly popular among students with its buy one get one free offer!
How to find part time jobs for students in Leeds?
With a huge student population, many part-time jobs are available in Leeds. For a breakdown of the best student jobs, have a look at our blog on the 5 perfect jobs for students.
One way to find student jobs in Leeds is to look at your university’s student job shop. This will have a list of part-time and flexible work opportunities, internships, and graduate jobs. For example, the University of Leeds offers Joblink to help its students easily find part-time opportunities. Your university might also host job fairs throughout the year where you can chat with employers in person and find out about any opportunities available.
There are also loads of free job search tools, such as Indeed, and job websites like CV-Library, which can help simplify your search. Before applying, you’ll need to get your CV sorted and up-to-date to ensure you have the best chance of getting an interview.
How to find free things to do in Leeds?
If you’re a student, chances are you’re on a budget. Whether you’re waiting for your next student loan payment or waiting to start your part-time job, you might find yourself pretty strapped for cash. Luckily Leeds has plenty of free things to do.
If you’re a museum fan (or your parents are visiting and you need somewhere to take them), then several of Leeds’s best museums are completely free. Why not check out the Leeds City Museum or Royal Armouries? Or even the breathtaking Kirkstall Abbey or one of Leeds’s many contemporary art exhibitions? There are also loads of breathtaking green spaces where entry is free, such as Golden Acre Park or Roundhay Park.
How Split the Bills can help
If you’ve chosen to rent private student accommodation in Leeds it may come as a suprise if bills aren’t included in the rent. This means not only do you need to pay extra for your household bills, but you have the responsbility of setting up and managing gas & electricity payments – and even wi-fi!
If this sounds like too much hassle, this is where we comes in…
Split the Bills are a bill-splitting service trusted by thousands of students. We split your household bills equally among your housemates and charge you one neat monthly payment. You won’t have to deal with ringing up multiple suppliers and trying to haggle over the best deal; we’ll do all that for you!
Split the Bills can create a personalised package from trusted suppliers with competitive prices. You can include energy, broadband, water and your TV licence. Plus, you can choose uncapped energy usage, so you don’t have to stress about monitoring your thermostat or telling off your housemate for making too many cups of tea!
If you want to make your time in Leeds as stress-free as possible, you can learn more about how Split the Bills works or contact our team!
Electricity. Gas. Broadband. Water. TV Licence.
Bills not included in your rent price?
Don’t worry - Split The Bills can find the best providers for you and bundle all your bills into one easy payment a month. What's more:
Everyone pays their fair share
We split the bills equally between housemates and set up separate Direct Debits for each of you.
Bundle your bills into one payment
Why stress over multiple bills, when we can help you budget easier by bundling them into one?
You choose the bills, we do the rest
Looking after the bills is our job. We’ll tailor a package to you guys from suppliers we trust.
Want to find out more?
Interested in splitting your student household bills rather than splitting up friendships? Check out SplitTheBills now and make life easier for everyone in your shared student house.
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