Student Accommodation

Coventry

Coventry and Warwick University

If you’re living in Coventry with Prestige Student Living, you can study at either Coventry University or the University of Warwick. Both are well established and have a strong focus on helping students prepare for their careers.

Coventry University

Coventry University’s roots go back to the Coventry School of Design, which opened in 1843, and it became a university in 1992. It has two principal campuses, one in the centre of Coventry and one in Central London, and it also runs CU Coventry, CU Scarborough and CU London. The university emphasises practical learning and has strong links with employers, which helps students find work placements.

The Lanchester Library on the main Coventry campus is open 24 hours a day, every day, with individual and group study spaces, and a range of print and digital resources. The Employability Service gives personalised career support, including access to employers for networking and work placements.

The Students’ Union (CUSU) is based in The Hub, alongside a bar and nightclub, a food hall and student support services. It supports sports clubs, societies and volunteering opportunities, and runs events throughout the year.

University of Warwick

The University of Warwick was founded in 1965 and has a large campus on the southern outskirts of Coventry, around three miles from the city centre. It has frequent bus services into Coventry and Leamington Spa, running late into the evening. It’s known for its strong academic reputation and for helping students build employability through a mix of rigorous teaching, practical experience and advice from industry and subject specialists.

Students’ Union

Warwick Students’ Union is one of the biggest in the UK, with more than 300 student-run clubs and societies. Its venues include the 2,000-capacity Copper Rooms for club nights and live events, the Terrace Bar and the Dirty Duck, which hosts quizzes and karaoke. Warwick Arts Centre, also on campus, has theatres, a cinema, a gallery and a concert hall.

Delicious Food

Coventry has a growing independent food scene, with plenty of places to eat well without spending too much. Whether you want something quick before a lecture, a big breakfast the morning after a night out, or somewhere a bit special for a meal with new friends, you’ll find it here.

Cafés

The Pod Café on Far Gosford Street is a community-run vegan café serving freshly cooked, locally sourced plant-based food at affordable prices, with a weekly changing menu. Its opening hours are limited, so it’s worth checking before you go. Millie’s Kitchen is an Italian food stall in Coventry Market serving pizza and pasta. The Rising Café in Coventry Cathedral is a charity-run café serving light lunches, cakes and scones in a historic setting, with funds supporting people affected by addiction and homelessness. Sovrano Café in the West Orchards is a popular spot for a quick bite or a coffee.

Restaurants

Sultan Restaurant on Far Gosford Street is a Turkish restaurant with a wide menu of hot and cold starters, mains and vegetarian options. Blue Orchid on The Butts serves Thai and Indian dishes, with takeaway available as well. Yakii on Fairfax Street is a pan-Asian restaurant with conveyor-belt sushi, ramen, Korean bibimbap and Chinese stir-fries.

Other Places Worth Noting

Chi Bar on High Street is a popular spot for chicken katsu curry, and The Old Windmill on Spon Street is a traditional pub in a historic building. For a quick bite, Falafel Corner on Broadgate serves falafel wraps and plates with vegetarian and vegan options. At FarGo Village on Far Gosford Street, Gourmet Food Kitchen runs a supper club with a tasting menu served at a shared table, so it’s worth booking ahead.

A Good Night Out

Coventry has a lively nightlife scene for students at both the University of Warwick and Coventry University, with bars and clubs in the Students’ Unions and across the city centre. Plenty of places are good for a pre-night-out drink at student-friendly prices, including the city’s Wetherspoon pubs, Slug & Lettuce and The Phoenix on Gosford Street.

Clubs

Kasbah on Primrose Hill Street in Hillfields is one of the biggest nights out for Coventry students, and it also draws students from Warwick and Leamington Spa. It’s an independent venue spread over three floors and has a large outdoor drinking area with a barbecue, which is popular in warmer months. It hosts regular club nights, including Bubbleluv on Mondays, Kinky on Fridays and Tricky Disco on Saturdays, as well as live bands and DJs, and has a reputation for giving local acts a platform.

hmv Empire on Hertford Street is a live music and club venue with a capacity of around 900. It hosts touring artists, themed student club nights and Students’ Union events, with a main room, balcony and bars.

Popular Places

147 Nightclub on Far Gosford Street, known to generations of students as Scholars, has been a fixture of the city’s nightlife since 1995. It’s popular for its student nights and drinks deals and is close to Coventry University.

Coventry’s location is handy for bigger nights out, too. Birmingham is around 20 minutes away by train, so many students pre-drink in Coventry before heading there for a night in the bigger city, with trains available to get you back afterwards.

Sport Activities to Stay Fit

Coventry is a great city for getting involved in sport, whether as a participant or a spectator. It was named European City of Sport in 2019, and there are sports events throughout the year for all ages and abilities. As a new student, you can go running, play football or rugby as part of a team, swim, or try something completely new with friends.

Sport Facilities

There’s plenty of choice for taking part in sport at Coventry University. Sport Coventry, which is now run by the Students’ Union as Your Sport, has a gym, two sports halls, a studio, a strength and conditioning suite and a physiotherapy clinic at the Alison Gingell building. Westwood Sports Ground has 11 pitches and hosts many of the university’s clubs, with more than 30 sports clubs representing the university in total.

Coventry University Active is the university’s recreational sports programme, with weekly drop-in sessions for students, staff and the local community. It’s a relaxed, inexpensive way to try sports you may not have played before, whatever your ability.

Competitive Sport

If you want to compete, the university’s clubs take part in British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) competitions. Your Sport supports the clubs, and there’s a Social Sport programme for those who prefer recreational play.

Football

Coventry City play at the Coventry Building Society Arena, a 32,609-seat stadium in the north of the city that has been the club’s home since 2005. Football fans also have plenty of other clubs within reach. Birmingham is about 20 minutes away by train, with Aston Villa and Birmingham City, and West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and Northampton Town are all within roughly an hour.

Other Spectator Sports

There are plenty of other sports within about an hour’s travel, including Northampton Saints in rugby union and Warwickshire County Cricket Club at Edgbaston in Birmingham. London is around an hour away by train, with its wide range of teams and events.

Get Out and Explore!

As you settle into life in Coventry, one of the first things you’ll want to do is find the supermarkets and grocery shops for your weekly essentials. The city centre has a range of convenience stores and larger supermarkets, as well as Asian supermarkets where you can pick up specialist ingredients. If you’re based in Prestige Student Living accommodation, it’s worth checking where your nearest shops are on arrival. Larger supermarkets on the outskirts of the city are handy for a big shop if you or a friend has a car.

Shopping Centres

For high street brands, head to West Orchards Shopping Centre and the Upper and Lower Precincts in the city centre. Between them, you’ll find a wide range of well-known shops, cafés and restaurants, all within easy reach of each other.

Independent Stores

Coventry’s independent shops are well worth exploring. FarGo Village on Far Gosford Street is a creative quarter in a refurbished industrial space, with independent traders selling handmade crafts, vintage finds, collectables, art and more, alongside cafés and street food. It also hosts events such as markets and exhibitions.

Buying Clothes

There’s plenty to explore for clothes in Coventry. Kong in the Burges is a long-standing independent fashion shop, and Glad Rags Boutique on Shelton Square sells retro-inspired womenswear. Sgt Bilko’s Vintage Emporium at FarGo Village specialises in film, stage and television memorabilia, whilst Eastern Bazaar in Coventry Market sells abayas, thobes and cloaks.

Coventry Market itself is worth a visit. The circular building opened in 1958 and is Grade II listed, and it’s home to stalls selling fresh produce, fish, meat, clothes and much more.

Events and Attractions

Coventry has plenty going on throughout the year, from theatre and museums to festivals and music heritage. Here’s a look at some of what you can expect when you’re studying in the city.

Students’ Union

Coventry University’s Students’ Union, based in The Hub, runs events throughout the year, including welcome events for new students, sports and societies activities and club nights. Check the SU’s website and social channels for the current programme.

Entertainment

For theatre, the Belgrade Theatre in the city centre is a Grade II listed building and was the first civic theatre built in Britain after the Second World War. It has an 858-seat main auditorium for touring productions and a smaller second space seating 250 to 300. The Albany Theatre is an Art Deco building with a main house and studio, staging drama, dance, comedy and music. Coventry Transport Museum tells the story of the city’s motor and cycle industries, and is a good way to understand how Coventry’s industrial past shaped the city.

Festivals

The Godiva Festival is Coventry’s big annual music event. It’s held over three days in July at War Memorial Park, with live music across several stages and a family area. The city also runs other events and festivals throughout the year, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the Visit Coventry events listings.

Music Heritage

Coventry has a proud music history, most famously the 2-Tone era and bands such as The Specials and The Beat. The 2-Tone Village on Walsgrave Road celebrates this heritage and is home to the Coventry Music Museum, the 2-Tone Café and Simmer Down restaurant. The museum covers music from Coventry and Warwickshire, including The Specials, Hazel O’Connor and The Enemy, and goes well beyond 2-Tone.