QS Best Student Cities ranking: 103rd
Known as the ‘Steel City’ for its strong industrial heritage, Sheffield, located in South Yorkshire in England, is a new entry in this year’s Best Student Cities index at 103rd.
Sheffield is known for the numerous technological innovations and inventions brought on during the Industrial Revolution, and is still considered a city of innovation today. Its economy went through a decline in the latter half of the 20th century, but is now going through a strong revival, with Sheffield crowned the best UK city for startups in 2019 by Paymentsense.
Sheffield gets its best score in the Student Mix indicator of the Best Student Cities index, with 22 percent of its 53,600 students coming from outside the UK. It’s a hugely student-friendly city, with a welcoming atmosphere and a cost of living that’s well below the national average, particularly in terms of rent. Students also love Sheffield for the vibrant mix of entertainment and nightlife options, from club nights to gigs, theater and sport events, and festivals such as the annual Tramlines music festival.
Fans of the great outdoors will be pleased to learn that Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in the UK, with the Peak District making up more than a third of the city’s boundaries – only one other UK city can claim to have a national park within its borders.
Interested in studying in Sheffield? Tell us why.
Internationally ranked universities in Sheffield
More about Sheffield
Number of universities ranked by QS |
2 |
Highest-ranked institution |
University of Sheffield (joint 78th in the world) |
Population (inc. urban area) |
1,569,000 |
Average international fees (at ranked unis) |
US$26,800 |
Desirability rank |
92nd |
Employer Activity rank |
88th |
Affordability rank |
137th |
Student View rank |
132nd |
To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.