Student Life
Student life in York
York has been named the most popular city in the UK (YouGov 2026). It's no wonder it's such a great place to visit and to call home.
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York has a great food scene, streets full of quirky independent shops, and city walls steeped in history.
We are proud to be part of the history and community of this fantastic city. The years you spend with us are a great opportunity to take in all York has to offer. Explore York's Roman, Viking and Medieval past, find your new local in one of its many pubs, walk the city walls and dance the night away.
Explore everything the north of England has to offer from your base in York. With easy access to rolling countryside, bustling beach towns and cities like Leeds and Manchester, we are well connected for weekend adventures and big city action.
Learn more about what you can do in York and hear our students' experiences below.
Explore York on a budget
As a student in York you will have access to a range of discounts and reduced prices that help you soak up York's fantastic food, drink and retail scene without breaking the bank. Sign up to NUS Totum card, Student Beans and Unidays, and explore offers available through Visit York, to benefit from schemes designed to help you get the most out of student life.
Get out into nature
York has many beautiful green spaces for you to explore. Listen to York Minster’s bells in Dean’s Park, enjoy a picnic in York Museum Gardens, embark on a woodland walk at Rowntree Park, or stroll through St Nick’s Nature Reserve. These are free to access and are perfect for relaxing with friends and family.
Discover our history
Signs of York's Viking, Roman and Medieval history can be found at every turn. Learn more about York's unique past by visiting Yorkshire Museum and York Castle Museum, as well as sites such as Clifford's Tower and York Cold War Bunker. As a York St John University student, you can access the beautiful York Minster for free by showing your student ID card at the front desk, and benefit from reduced prices at other historical locations and museums.
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Enjoy the City of Festivals
York is known for its annual festivals! Visit living history encampments at the JORVIK Viking Festival, enjoy delicious treats at the Food and Drink Festival, and watch ground-breaking short films from independent filmmakers at the Aesthetica Film Festival. York St John University is proud to partner with the York Literature Festival and the York International Shakespeare Festival, bringing engaging author events, literary workshops, theatre productions and lectures to York.
Experience York’s gothic side
York is often said to be the most haunted city in Europe. It has ties to some of England’s most infamous historical figures, featuring the birthplace of Guy Fawkes and the final resting place of highwayman Dick Turpin. Many ghostly tales can be heard on one of York’s ghost tours, and mysterious occurrences and sighting have been reported in some of the city’s most popular pubs. If you love the supernatural, York is the city to go exploring in.
Keep active
York is a great place to stay active. The city is very flat, making it easy to cycle and walk around, and many people choose to get about this way. York St John also boasts state of the art sports facilities at our York St John University Sports Park on Haxby Road, including Padel and Tennis courts, 3G pitches, and a sprint track. The city itself is home to many yoga and Pilates studios, as well as rock climbing facilities.
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Stay connected
York has excellent public transport links that support city life, and can take you further afield to some of the UK's major cities. Easily visit Leeds, London and Edinburgh using the railway network, or venture out to the coast and explore the beauty of Yorkshire.
Learn more about the public transport offers available to students below.
York has lots of different bus services for different parts of the city and surrounding towns and villages. You can find details of all the bus routes and plan your journey on the iTravelYork website.
First Bus York and Arriva offer student discounts to York St John students.
The First Bus app and Arriva Bus UK app let you know when your next bus is arriving, see available capacity, and buy cheaper tickets in advance.
Railcards
All full time students are eligible for a 16 to 25 Railcard (including mature students) which can save you a third off travel. These can be bought on the National Rail website, but if you are over 25 you must have the mature student section of the railcard form completed by a member of staff at the Information Services Desk on York campus.
Additional discounts
UniDays and TOTUM sometimes offer discounted rail fares, so it is worth checking their website when booking tickets to see if you can get a deal.
Transpennine Express give 50% off train tickets with a 16 to 25 Railcard when you book in advance.
CrossCountry give an extra 10% off when using TOTUM card (on top of the 16 to 25 railcard discount).
Grand Central give an extra 25% off (on top of 16 to 25 Railcard discount).
Rail operators will sometimes run further additional discounts, and you can find information about these on the National Rail website. You might find it helpful to check this page every so often to see if there are any limited deals or promotions you might be able to benefit from.
Taking a taxi is much more expensive than taking the bus, train or cycling. Taxis in York can also be much more expensive than other parts of the country, so if you are planning to commute, you may wish to consider other travel options first.
If you travel to our York campus by taxi, or need to get a taxi once on campus, we have a dedicated taxi pick up spot opposite our Porters' Lodge.
For York based students Getaway Cars and Streamline both have a booking app and offer discounts for students.
Streamline also offer a student safety policy. If you are in a situation where you do not have any money after a night out, you can give them your student card and pay your fare the next day at their office.
Hear from our students
Getting to know York as a student
Primary Education student Scarlett explains the ways you can get to know York as a student. From the excitement of Freshers' Week events, to the different places to explore in the city. Discover why this is a great place to live when you're at university.
Things about York that surprised me
Morgan, a student voice ambassador, shares the unexpected things they discovered after moving to York for university. From navigating a new city and finding hidden independent shops to building confidence and becoming more independent, they reflect on the experiences that helped York feel like home.
Our guide to York
We have created a handy guide to help you make the most of our wonderful city.
