York St John University

What's it like as a place to live? York itself is a beautiful and historic place to live. It's not too big to get lost and it's not too small to get bored. There is plenty to do both in and around the City and its only 2 hours on a train to London.

How's the student accommodation? There have been 2 new developments of luxury student accommodation recently, which offer student accommodation to a very high standard. Along with this, private housing ranges from a little 2-bedroomed flat just situated off the city walls to a Victorian 4/5-bedroomed house just 10 minutes' walk to both the university and the City centre. Most accommodation to students is reasonable but it can get pricey if you want it to.

What's the student population like? We only have a population of 5500 students it is a very cosy, family orientated student body with people from all cultures and backgrounds. At York St John we are very proud of our close knit community and feel that this is a substantial element to make the student experience here one of the best in the country.

How do students and locals get on? York as a city and its inhabitants are generally very welcoming and friendly. This may be down to the fact the city's population is 20% students as well as taking into consideration that it's a tourist city means locals welcome the business that students and tourists bring to York. Being a small city allows students to build relationships with local partners therefore creating a community 'buzz' between students and locals.

What's it like as a place to study? York St John has the rare mix of been a campus university in the heart of the city. We have several new purpose-built buildings. But as you might expect, being a smaller institution, our facilities can be limited with specialist areas at a premium but are still are of a high quality. The university is working towards a more stable timetable helping students to plan their days in advance.

What are the teaching staff like? Being a smaller institution, there is a real sense of community and collaboration between staff and students. You are more than just a number here and this helps the lecturers engage with you and support you in whatever way suits you best. We are not a highly intensive research university (although our portfolio is growing) and so the student experience and excellence in teaching is key here and is delivered by a highly qualified vibrant staff.

What are student societies like? We have over 1000 students involved in sports and societies and over 400 people involved in various volunteering groups which collates to around 25% of our students being actively involved in their student experience. Societies range from Art, Musical Production Society and Dance to more diverse societies such as Sci-fi and fantasy, Mature and Gospel Choir, plus many more. We are also committed to ensuring that if there isn’t a group that suits you and you can find 10 names or more that would like to found a society, there is a very simple application process to make this happen.

What’s a typical night out? Our campus is situated right on the City walls and because we have a small campus, we are able to make substantial deals with the local venues and nightclubs in the centre to make our student nights the best they possibly can. A typical night begins in the Students’ Union for some great entertainment and drinks offers running throughout the night and varying day to day. By around half 11, the students move on for a 3 minute walk into the city centre where there are over 365 pubs and venues for them to choose from. Our relationships with the nightclubs means we are able to ensure students a quality and value for money night out for all tastes.

And how much does it cost? On average a night out in York through the week alongside the drinks offers you are looking at around £25 for the night and if you know where to go that will include a kebab and taxi home! Obviously this varies on how much alcohol an individual consumes.

How can you get home safely? York is one of the safest cities in England. There are over 12 taxi ranks with student discount running throughout the night, which means there is always a safe way to get home. If students decide to walk back towards their accommodation, there are plenty of main roads and well lit areas for students to follow. And once York St John students make their way to the residential area, where streets are slightly narrower and less lit, we have Security Licenced Authority (SLA) night Marshals patrolling the streets with a mobile number which all students can phone and be escorted home.

Is it an expensive place to live? Unfortunately the downfall of living in York is that it's one of the most expensive places to live outside of London in Britain. Fortunately, because students make up almost 20% of the York population there are student discounts all year round.

Average price of a pint? £2.20−£2.40

And the price of a takeaway? A burger can range from £2.50−£6 depending on how hungry you are.

What's the part-time work situation? The Students' Union staff is 80% student staff. There is also a number of jobs within the university for students to apply for and, because York attracts around 4 million tourists a year, there are lots of potential job opportunities in the centre to fit most needs. If you are coming from a sporting/personal training background there are also over 6 gyms within a 15 minute drive from campus.

What’s the best feature about the place? The 19^th century buildings complemented by the state-of-the-art modern facilities through other developments on campus.

And the worst? Expensive to live

And to sum it all up? High priority on student experience and their employability after finishing university, in a small close knit community right in the heart of York.

Geoff Cooke (rugby player). 

Contact the SU on 01904 629 816 or visit website www.ysjsu.com