Exeter has a strong and varied private student accommodation scene, with options spread across the city centre and the residential areas closest to campus. Whether you want to be within walking distance of lectures or prefer to be based in the city with easy bus links out to university, there’s something here to suit most preferences and budgets.
For some of the most affordable en-suite rooms currently listed, Northernhay House and Picturehouse Apartments are worth an early look. Exeter One on Cowley Bridge Road offers en-suite rooms and studios a short walk from the Streatham Campus, making it a practical choice for students who want to keep commuting time to a minimum. Central Living is another well-located option, sitting roughly halfway between St Luke’s and the city centre with good bus links to Streatham.
In the city centre and Newtown area, Trust House and The Northfield both offer modern rooms with easy access to shops, restaurants, and transport. The Kingfisher on Western Way offers self-contained studios only, with no shared kitchens, making it a good fit for students who prefer full independence. Study Inn Walnut Gardens stands out for its on-site facilities, including a wellness spa, gym, cinema room, and complimentary bike hire. Queen Street Studios is a centrally located studio option close to Exeter’s main shopping and cultural venues.
Further options include Renslade House and Clifford House, both offering en-suite rooms in well-connected locations, and Hill View Place for students looking for something a little different.
Exeter is home to the University of Exeter, one of the UK’s leading Russell Group universities, along with Exeter College, the University of Law, and INTO Exeter, making it a genuinely student-shaped city. The student population makes up a significant proportion of the city, which means the social scene, the shops, and the transport links are all well-geared towards student life.
The city’s history goes back to Roman occupation, and the evidence is still visible, literally, beneath your feet. The Exeter Underground Passages are a network of medieval tunnels built in the 14th century to carry fresh water into the city, and guided tours run regularly. Above ground, Exeter Cathedral dominates the city centre, with its twin Norman towers, a remarkable 15th-century astronomical clock, and the longest unbroken Gothic nave ceiling in the world. The Cathedral Green in front of it is one of the nicest spots in the city to sit out on a sunny afternoon.
Gandy Street, a short pedestrianised lane just off the High Street, is the kind of place you either find immediately or spend your first term looking for. Independent coffee shops, vintage clothing, and small restaurants make it the most characterful stretch of the city centre, and it gets busy on weekday lunchtimes with students and locals alike. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum on Queen Street is free to enter and has an impressive range of collections across natural history, world cultures, and fine art.
For live music, film, and arts events, Exeter Phoenix on Gandy Street is the city’s main independent arts centre, with a cinema, gallery, and regular gigs. The nightlife, while not on the scale of Bristol or Manchester, is well established for a city of this size. Timepiece on Little Castle Street is the most iconic student venue, with multiple floors and regular student nights. The Old Firehouse near the cathedral is the go-to for real ale and live music in a genuinely historic pub. For something more festival-style, The Cavern on Queen Street is a live music venue popular with students.
Outside the city, the access to the natural world is genuinely exceptional. Dartmoor National Park is reachable by bus in around 30 minutes, the Exe Estuary Trail for cycling and walking starts from the city, and Exmouth Beach is around 40 minutes by train. The Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is within day-trip range, as are Plymouth and the South Hams.
Exeter is a compact city and easy to navigate, with buses covering most of the routes students need. The city also has good cycling infrastructure and is manageable on foot for journeys between the main student areas and campuses.
By bus
Stagecoach and First Bus both operate routes across Exeter, with regular services connecting the city centre to the Streatham Campus and to most of the main student neighbourhoods. The University of Exeter also runs a dedicated shuttle service between Exeter St David’s railway station and the Streatham Campus, available to students and staff. Day passes and student travel cards are available from both operators and can significantly reduce the cost of regular journeys.
By train
Exeter has two main railway stations. Exeter St David’s is the larger of the two and sits on the main intercity lines, with direct services to London Paddington in around two hours, as well as connections to Bristol, Plymouth, and beyond. Exeter Central is a few minutes’ walk from the High Street and is more convenient for city centre access, though it handles fewer long-distance services. Neither station is ideal for getting around within the city itself, but both are well placed for travel in and out of Exeter on weekends or during holidays.
By bike
Cycling is a practical and popular way to get around Exeter, particularly between the city centre and the Streatham Campus. The city has a growing network of cycling paths, and most student accommodation in Exeter includes secure bike storage. The Exe Estuary Trail is a flat, traffic-free cycling route that runs south from the city towards Exmouth and makes for a good weekend ride when you need a break from studying.
City centre
A significant number of students choose to live in or close to Exeter city centre, particularly those studying at St Luke’s Campus, Exeter College, or the University of Law, all of which are within easy reach. City centre living puts you close to Gandy Street, the Princesshay shopping centre, Exeter Phoenix, and the main bus and train connections. Several of the properties listed on Mystudenthalls.com are based here, including Queen Street Studios, Trust House, The Northfield, and Northernhay House.
Pennsylvania is the most popular area for students wanting to live close to the Streatham Campus, with some streets falling within comfortable walking distance of the university’s main entrance. It is a largely residential neighbourhood with a strong student community, and while the local amenities are fairly quiet, the city centre is a short bus ride away. Pennsylvania Road and the surrounding streets are particularly popular with second and third year students.
Newtown sits between the city centre and the Streatham Campus, making it a useful middle ground for students who want reasonable access to both. The area around Western Way has seen a number of student accommodation developments in recent years, including The Kingfisher. Independent shops and cafes are within easy walking distance, and the Sidwell Street area just to the north offers a good range of everyday amenities.
St James and neighbouring Mount Pleasant are established student areas a short walk east of the city centre, popular for their mix of private rentals and managed student rooms. Both areas are well served by buses and sit within reasonable cycling distance of both the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses.
Heavitree to the east of the city centre is one of the more affordable options for students looking for house shares, and it has a good local high street with supermarkets, cafes, and independent shops. Bus routes from Heavitville into the city and out to campus are regular and reliable.
For university-managed accommodation, the University of Exeter typically opens applications in April for the following academic year, with a guarantee deadline in July for eligible first-year students. For private student accommodation in Exeter, the market moves quickly and many students begin searching from October or November, particularly those going into their second year. That said, rooms remain available throughout the year, and if you are searching after Clearing or later in the cycle, it is still worth browsing what is currently listed.
Exeter consistently ranks among the most popular university cities in the UK for quality of student life. The combination of a genuinely historic and attractive city, outstanding access to coastline and countryside, a well-regarded Russell Group university, and a compact, walkable centre makes it an appealing place to spend three or more years. The student population is large enough to sustain a lively social scene without the city ever feeling overwhelming.
The most popular areas for student accommodation in Exeter are Pennsylvania, which sits closest to the Streatham Campus, Newtown, which offers good access to both campus and the city centre, and the city centre itself, which suits students at St Luke’s, Exeter College, or those who prefer the convenience of being in the middle of everything. St James, Mount Pleasant, and Heavitree are also well-established student areas with good transport links.
The University of Exeter has two campuses in the city. The Streatham Campus is the main campus, set on a hillside to the north of the city centre with a mix of historic and modern buildings, green spaces, and the main university facilities. The St Luke’s Campus sits in the St James area of the city and is primarily home to the medical school and education programmes. Students can travel between them by bus, bike, or on foot. The university also has two campuses in Cornwall at Penryn and Truro, which are separate from the Exeter-based sites.
Exeter sits towards the higher end of the cost scale compared to some UK university cities, partly due to demand and the desirability of the area. Student accommodation costs vary considerably depending on the type of room and how central you want to be, with en-suite rooms in shared flats generally being more affordable than self-contained studios. Day-to-day living costs are manageable, and there are good supermarkets, a strong independent food scene around Gandy Street, and plenty of free or low-cost things to do, from walking the city walls to exploring the cathedral and the underground passages.
Most private student accommodation listed on Mystudenthalls.com offers online viewings, which you can identify by the eye icon on the listing. Many properties also offer in-person viewings on request, and some participate in open days linked to University of Exeter offer holder events. Virtual 360-degree tours are increasingly common too, which is particularly useful for international students or those based outside the southwest.
Most private student accommodation providers in Exeter will ask for a UK-based guarantor as part of the booking process, typically a parent or guardian who agrees to cover the rent if needed. If you do not have a UK guarantor, a number of providers accept rent paid in advance as an alternative, and services such as Housing Hand offer guarantor support for eligible students. It is always worth asking the provider directly about their guarantor policy before you apply.
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