Exeter Student Guide
The city of Exeter can be found in the county of Devon in the south west of England. The city has one university: Exeter University, which is home to over 15,000 students.
Nightlife
Exeter is a vibrant city with a number of options for a night out. The Firehouse is a popular watering hole in the centre of the city and positions itself midway between a pub and a restaurant. The pub regularly hosts live music evenings and serves excellent pizza late into the evening. The old Exeter Quay is a busy area in the evenings; there are a number of restaurants, pubs and clubs in the area, which makes it great for bar hopping. Arena is one of the more popular nightclubs in the city, particularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays and offers student discounts and cheap drinks (don’t forget your student ID card, otherwise be prepared to be turned away). Arena plays a mixture of R&B, chart topping hits and club classics.
Shopping
Exeter offers many opportunities for shopaholics and caters for a range of tastes. The Princesshay area of the city has recently undergone a revamp and offers a mix of high street names like Debenhams and Reiss. The Guildhall Shopping Centre is where you can find day-to-day shops like WH Smith and Marks and Spencer. Gandy Street is a popular destination for shoppers; the area provides a great range of small, independent designer boutiques as well as wine bars and restaurants.
Top Things to Do
Exeter is a great city in the summer and the canal provides opportunities for a number of activities. Bikes and canoes can be hired and there are a number of cycle paths and routes, which are a great way to see the city. The picturesque towns and villages of Topsham, Lympstone and Exmouth can all be reached by bike and make for a fun day out, especially if combined with a pint or two along the way.
Where Can I Study?
Exeter is home to one university: the University of Exeter. The university provides places of study to over 15,000 students every year and is a public research university. The university is split across three campuses: Streatham and St Luke’s are both in Exeter while Tremough is in Cornwall.
Streatham is the largest campus and is home to the majority of the universities students. The campus sits on a hillside and is known for its excellent views over Exeter city centre. Facilities at the campus include a medical centre, counselling service, halls of residence and several galleries. In 2005, Streatham campus opened the Xfi Centre, and the centre provides facilities for finance and investment students.
St Luke’s Campus is home to the Graduate School of Education, the largest of the universities academic schools. The Peninsula Medical School and the School of Sport are also housed within the campus. Facilities at St Luke’s include a restaurant, bookshop, swimming pool and an advanced conditioning studio.
The University of Exeter has a good reputation for academic excellence and consistently ranks within the top universities in the UK. In 2012, The Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed Durham 156th out of the top 400 universities in the world.
Should I Study in Exeter?
A student’s honest opinion:
“Exeter is small enough so you don’t get (too) lost, but also big enough that there’s everything that you would need. And don’t be fooled by the size- the nightlife is still buzzing! I would recommend the Old Firehouse pub to start a night off quietly then the Phoenix and Carvern for a bit of loud rock music!
The Exeter campus is really green and has a great atmosphere which makes it really welcoming. It sits on top of a hill and overlooks the city and makes for some great photos. One downside is the said hill- climbing up that hill for lectures can be a bit of a struggle!
Overall, my years spend here have been a very enjoyable time and I would recommend Exeter to anyone.” Elle, 20