Choosing the right university
You’ve made the life-changing and exciting decision to come to the UK to gain a world-class education and a student experience you will never forget.
Next on the list of big life decisions – choosing the right UK university.
This decision will shape the next few years of your life in the UK and even what your career might look like.
We are here to support you at the University of Nottingham. This article will give you an insight into our university, our city and the lifestyle to expect if you choose to study here. We'll cover:
- The university
- Scholarships and funding for international students
- Student life and city life
- What our past international students had to say
Our university
With a community of over 40,000 students from more than 150 countries, the University of Nottingham is a truly global university, with campuses in the UK, Malaysia and China.
As a member of the prestigious Russell Group, we are proud to be renowned worldwide for our outstanding research-led teaching. We also top national and international university ranking tables year after year.
Did you know?
We are ranked as a top 20 UK university (QS World University Rankings 2025 and The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024)
Ranked 108 in the world (QS World University Rankings 2025)
A world top 70 university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020)
Sports University of the Year (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and the Daily Mail University Guide 2024)
The University of Nottingham attracts some of the best global teaching talents from around the world, so you can be sure that you're getting the best education. Our research continues to have a global impact on environmental and economic issues.
Did you know?
We are ranked 7th in the UK for research power, with 100% of research recognised internationally. (Research Excellence Framework, 2021)
90%* of our research is classed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent.’
Our academics have won Nobel Prizes in medicine, economics and chemistry.
A degree from the University of Nottingham boosts your employability and kick-starts your career. We are also the 3rd most targeted university by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
A view of the Trent Building and Highfields Park lake
Student life in the Nottingham city
For the culture vultures
If culture is what you are after, Nottingham is steeped in it! Immerse yourself in our museums, theatres, art galleries, arthouse cinemas, literature events and music festivals. So many events - so little time!
A great place to start your cultural exploration of Nottingham is our very own Lakeside Arts, found on our University Park Campus. Over 200,000 people of all ages and abilities engage annually with Lakeside’s cultural programme – enriching the lives of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire communities, including the University’s staff and students.
Other popular cultural events across the city include:
- Nottingham Contemporary
- Nottingham Playhouse
- Dot to Dot music festival
- Broadway cinema
- Nottinghamshire Pride
- Rock City and Rescue Rooms
- New Art Exchange
- Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall
For the party people
If you love late-night socialising and partying until the wee hours (not when you have a 9 am lecture obviously!) we’ve got good news for you.
Not only is Nottingham one of the best cities in the UK for every kind of night out you can imagine, but it is also one of the safest. Our lively city has been awarded a Purple Flag award for nine consecutive years. This means that when you are enjoying our clubs, pubs and cocktails bars, you should feel that you are in a safe, enjoyable and diverse environment.
Nottingham also has loads of excellent restaurants catering to all tastes, cuisines and budgets.
Find out more about our vibrant nightlife.
For nature lovers and outdoor adventurers
If you choose to study at the University of Nottingham during your time in the UK, you will quickly realise that Nottingham is a haven for outdoor adventure and is one of the ‘greenest’ cities in the country.
A recent study from NatWest ranked Nottingham in the top ten of the UK’s greenest and most eco-friendly cities.
Our campuses are well known for their beautiful and peaceful green spaces, from the extensively landscaped grounds of University Park to the beautiful lakes of the Jubilee campus.
Beyond the university, there is endless opportunity for outdoor adventure including visiting the home of legendary hero and outlaw Robin hood – Sherwood Forest.
Visit Nottingham is an excellent resource for planning outings in and around Sherwood Forest as well as popular attractions like Wollaton Hall & Deer Park and Rushcliffe Country Park Cycle Route.
For the sports fans
Sports fans rejoice! The city of Nottingham has a range of different sports centres including:
- Nottingham Climbing Centre
- National Ice Centre
- Nottingham Tennis Centre
For the footie fans, we have two football clubs, Nottingham Forest and Notts County Football Club and for the rugby crowd, the city is home to Nottingham Rugby Club.
Don’t worry cricket fanatics, we haven't forgotten about you. Nottingham is home to the famous Trent Bridge international cricket ground.
The National Water Sports Centre is the perfect hangout for adrenaline junkies. If you prefer something more relaxed, you can hire a canoe or rowing boat for a quiet day on the river Trent.
What our past international students have to say
We think the university and the city are fantastic (we may be a little biased), but what do some of our past international students have to say? We asked about their experience at the university and why they decided to study here.
The campus-style environment offered by the university really caught my heart. I have always wanted to study in a safe campus where everything is conveniently located in one site.
Hazel, Malaysia
LLB Law
I quickly realised that there’s more to the University than just a fun place to be. It’s got great career prospects, as it is one of the targets for top graduate recruiters, and also amazing careers services which will be there for you for life.
Frida, Indonesia
BSc Biology
The reason I chose to study at The University of Nottingham is mainly because it is part of the Russell Group.The fact that the campus is one of the greenest in the world and it is in harmony with nature also positively influenced my decision to study here.We have wildfowl around all three campuses, not to mention the mesmerizing lake where you can also spend your time studying on sunny days.
Ioana, Romania
BA French and Contemporary Chinese Studies
What I like the most about living in Nottingham is the fact that it is a student town and that nearly everything is designed around students.My favourite place is The Arboretum, it’s a very pretty park very close to the town centre where there is a beautiful lake and where you can go for nice walks and relax with your friends.
Rebecca, Italy
BA International Media and Communications Studies with beginners’ Spanish
For more information from our current and past students with insights into life at the university and in the city, follow us on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
