6 Reasons Why Student Life in Belfast is More Affordable Than Other UK Cities

Find out what makes student life in Belfast so affordable.

Belfast has the lowest cost of student living in the UK. This means you can enjoy a great student experience for less. Here are six reasons why student life in Belfast really is more affordable:

1. Travelling home is super cheap

You may think that having to pay for a flight home from uni will break the bank. Think again. Flights to and from Belfast are super cheap — and can even be a lot cheaper than getting a train to uni. You can book a return flight to London Gatwick for just £40, Manchester for £43 and Glasgow for £46. There are other options for travel too — you can get a ferry from Belfast to Liverpool or Cairnryan for around £30. So, if you’re from Canada, exploring the UK is super cheap, and travelling home may not cost as much as you think!

2. Save money on rent

Here’s another stat for you — Belfast has the lowest student rent in all of the UK (PDF). You can enjoy a great student environment and super cheap rent by renting in the popular Holylands area, which is filled with streets named after the likes of Palestine and Damascus. There are loads of other reasonably priced areas to choose from as well, including Botanic, Lisburn Road, Malone Road, and Stranmillis — all offering cheap, student-friendly accommodation.

3. You’ll pay less for (or even avoid) public transport costs

One of the great things about being a student in Belfast is that everything is usually within walking distance. To get to your lectures, there’s no need to travel by bus, train, tram, or Underground. And if you do want to skip the 25-minute walk and get a bus from uni into town, you’ll get really great discounts with a yLink card.

4. Taxis are affordable

You’d be forgiven if you don’t fancy the walk home after a good night out. Luckily, taxis in Belfast are super affordable (and the drivers are pretty friendly, too). The two most well-known companies are ValueCabs and FonaCAB, but Uber works in Belfast too. There’s even a free phone taxi in Queen’s accommodation for you to hail your cab.

5. You can eat great food for less

Belfast is a foodie’s dream — and it isn’t all that expensive! Whether it’s brunch dates, an Ulster Fry, or a burrito from Boojum, there are so many brilliant food places that will give you a good feed and won’t eat into your student loan! Try the Cathedral Quarter for some brilliant student-friendly restaurants and bars (and some incredible street art).

6. You could save on tuition costs

Scholarships for international students make tuition even more affordable. There are plenty of scholarships available where you could earn an award up to $5,000 or you could have 50% of your tuition paid for up to four years of study. Check out the international scholarships available for Canadian students studying at Queen’s University Belfast!