Studying In Lincoln
Lincoln is one of the UK’s most overlooked and historical cities. Lively and cultural, it’s actually one of Britain’s best kept secrets. If you feel as though the universities here have got something you quite fancy, and if you want to throw your mates a curve-ball by studying in “Lincoln of all places”, let’s take a look at what living in this fantastic city is all about.
There are two universities in Lincoln:
The University of Lincoln
The University of Lincoln doesn’t have much of a history, as it was only opened as recently as 1996. It was indeed the first new uni to be built in this country for over forty years. So what you get is a very contemporary learning environment that has benefited from over £200m of recent investments. It’s currently ranked 56th in the latest league tables, scores very highly for student satisfaction, and 87% of students go onto complete their degrees.
There are three campuses:
- Lincoln
- Riselholme
- Holbeach
The main campus is situated next to the picturesque waterfront, and is just a 5 minute walk from the train station – which is perfect if you’re thinking of popping by for an open day any time soon. Some courses require grades no higher than GCSE level, while in general the uni accepts a wide number of different types of qualifications.
Bishop Grosseteste University
Bishop Grosseteste is Lincoln’s oldest university, and was first established way back in 1862 when it was known as a training college. It only became a fully-fledged university college in 2013, making it technically even younger than the youthful University of Lincoln.
There is just one campus, which is based right in the centre of the city. All of the major facilities you will need to use are all within walking distance, while entry requirements are really dependent on the course you’re thinking of applying for.
The University currently sits 102nd in the latest league table rankings, but is 5th when it comes to graduate employment levels. It scores really well for student satisfaction, while 90% of students go onto complete their degree. Accommodation has recently been improved, while facilities include a psychology lab, a cinema, a gym, and a theatre.
Fee’s, Living Aspects & Student Finance
Budgeting is something you’ll probably have to get to grips with for the first time when you go to university. Setting out a sensible budget is something well worth doing, as it will ensure that after a few weeks you’ve still got enough money to eat and drink. Many students underestimate how far their loan will stretch, and while some are just about able to get by on the back of a maintenance loan, a hefty overdraft and some begging, others living in Lincoln prefer to get themselves a part-time job in order to supplement their shaky income.
Lincoln is actually a really expensive city to study and live in for students, and is indeed the third most expensive when it comes to accommodation. First-year students usually prefer to live in a halls of residence because it gives them the opportunity to make new friends and enjoy the safety of 24/7 security, though private house shares are an option if you want to spend a bit less on accommodation. For students that want to study at the University of Lincoln you can live in halls of residence either on-campus or off-campus. If you want to live on-campus (popular for first year students) the biggest and cheapest halls of residence is Lincoln Courts. At £4,285 a year you can live in an en-suite bedroom with bills included. What’s more, you can literally roll out of bed and be in your lectures within 5 minutes!
Bishop Grosseteste students can also live on or off campus, with the cheapest accommodation being the shared facilities option at Constance Stewart Hall on-campus. For the year this costs around £3,320 making it considerably cheap compared to some halls of residences in the area.
Some students decide that they don’t want to live in the halls of residence, and instead choose to live in private student accommodation. Below is some of the most popular private residences in Lincoln:
- Park Court – £96.00 per week
- Brayford Quay – £102.00 per week
- Danesgate House – £103.00 per week
General Info About Lincoln
Contemporary Lincoln is a buzzing hive that effortlessly merges culture with entertainment. It’s really benefited from a recent regeneration of its Brayford Waterfront and Cultural Quarter, and can now offer students as much to do as any city.
Situated 150 miles from London, Lincoln has good connections if you ever want to pop home for the weekend. Its central railway station is located just a few minutes away from the University of Lincoln, and services most of the UK’s major cities. Moreover, airports are easy to access to, such as nearby Doncaster Sheffield and East Midlands. There is a shuttle bus that runs in the city, which offers student discounts on fares.
Lincoln has its own student publication called The Linc, which is available both in print and online. The city is home to a professional football team, though Lincoln City did drop out of the football league five years ago. Lincoln is twinned with Port Lincoln in Australia, as well as Nanchang in China. Nice one.
Events, Venues & Points Of Interest
Lincoln is actually a really old city with a history that the proud townspeople are always celebrating. If you choose to study and live here for at least three years as you work towards a degree, you’ll never be short of things to do and see during a time-out from all that studying/drinking.
Lincoln Cathedral is something everyone needs to see. Lofty and thrilling, it’s undergone recent restoration work that has restored it to its former glory. The building is so sumptuous that it was even used in Hollywood movie The Da Vinci Code as a double for Westminster Abbey. It sits on the top of a hill where you will also find the castle ramparts that afford a marvellous view of the county. If your mum lives in the Midlands, you could probably wave to her and say hi!
Not too far from the cathedral is the Bishop’s Palace, a medieval garden that is actually under the prestigious Contemporary Heritage scheme. Here, you will find sprawling trees, vines and roses that offer a soothing delight when you just want to relax on one of those lazy Sundays when Netflix and chill just isn’t doing it for you.
On days when you just want to explore the city and aren’t feeling too hungover, Steep Hill is essentially what it says on the tin: A cobbled street that is steep as heck, and which is dotted with history, quaint old buildings – and plenty of sweaty people! Other points of interest in Lincoln include the Magna Carta, Lincoln’s Ghost Walk which starts at 7PM most nights of the week and gives you more nightmares than calculus, and Hartsholme Country Park, an ideal retreat for when you just want to get away from things.
During Christmas, meanwhile, Lincoln gets its very own Christmas market which is always charming and includes well over 250 stalls.
Live music venues include the Trebles and Liquor, Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, and Lincoln Drill Hall, the latter of which also double up as theatres (Lincoln Theatre Royal is another awesome theatre), while cinema lovers get to choose from an Odeon and The Ritz, which is for the more discerning film aficionados. The Ritz also plays host to live bands, too.
Nightlife
If there is one thing that a student knows inside out, it’s a city’s nightlife. Lincoln isn’t known for being the most happening city in the UK when it comes to partying, but it’s still got the odd few nights that keep young revellers happy.
Monday’s tend to be spent at LoveDough, a club that plays the latest in dance and RnB, while Skint is good for Tuesday nights. Skint blasts out your typical bog-standard chart music, while the drinks are cheap and there is also the chance of free food if you can handle it.
Wednesday nights in Lincoln tend to be a bit dead, which means that Quack, a club night at student bar Engine Shed, is pretty much your only option. It isn’t the best club around, but after a few drinks no one will care if the DJ is playing Barbie Girl for the third time. Entourage has got you covered on Thursday, which you should be able to afford if you went to Skint on Tuesday (as opposed to a high-class cocktail bar), while SuperBull nicely rounds things off on a Friday night with sticky floors, generous drink prices – and a £5 entry fee. Boo!
Lincoln, though, is a quaint old city with quaint old bars, so it’d be remiss of us to talk about sticky dance floors and Barbie Girl without mentioning some of the best pubs in town. You’ll find lots of real ale pubs kicking their heels in Lincoln, with most of them offering an inviting and friendly atmosphere. Top city centre pubs include The Horse & Groom, The Strugglers Inn, The Dog and Bone, and the Magna Carta.
So There It Is
Lincoln is a quaint old English city that is ace to live in if you want to merge history and culture with lashings of entertainment and quality night’s out. Lincoln might be seen as an alternative choice for lots of students, but it’s still a very good one. Start your search for courses available in Lincoln now…