Student Life
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Liverpool student city guide

6th November 2020
Last updated 31st January 2025
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Liverpool is one of the UK’s brightest student hotspots offering a famous musical lineage, thriving nightlife and no fewer than four universities. Whether you’re planning on studying in the city for the first time next year, or you're returning for your remaining time at university, our guide to Liverpool student life will help you make the most of your experience. From Liverpool student nightlife to fun things to do in Liverpool for students, find out more in our guide.

Blog Liverpool student city guide

Things you need to know: Liverpool city guide

We’ll cover where to eat, drink and more below, but first a quick lesson on Liverpool. Located in Merseyside in the northwest of England, the city sits beside the River Mersey estuary and grew to be a major port during the Industrial Revolution. The river meets the Irish Sea, helping to explain Liverpool’s reputation as ‘Ireland’s second capital’; with up to half of its population believed to have Irish ancestry. Be ready to drink green beer and enjoy one of the UK’s biggest parades come St Patrick’s Day!

It’s a well-connected city, with major rail stations like Liverpool Central and Liverpool Lime Street making quick work of travelling across the country, while Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an ideal gateway if you're an international student looking to make your home here. Wherever you’re coming from, you may find yourself supporting one of the city’s two Premier League football teams: Liverpool FC or Everton FC. Or, if you're a fan of the underdog, maybe even League Two side Tranmere Rovers? Footie not your thing? Whatever you’re into, as a former European Capital of Culture in 2008, the city has a lot to offer – making it the perfect destination if you’re looking to discover Liverpool student life.

Liverpool Museum

Liverpool Museum

Things for students to do in Liverpool

While Liverpool student nightlife is a highlight (we'll get to that down below in our Liverpool city guide), there’s plenty of things for students to do in Liverpool during the day, too. Only London has more national museums and art galleries in the UK, so culture vultures are set. Open your eyes and mind in the Tate Liverpool and Walker Art Gallery, not forgetting the more niche exhibitions like the Merseyside Maritime Museum and British Music Experience. Liverpool Cathedral is also worth a visit; not only is it a stunning building, but it’s also home to eye-catching neon artwork from the notorious Tracey Emin.

If a shopping spree is in order, you’ll find all your favourites on the high street and in Liverpool ONE, a shopping centre that also offers mini-golf and a cinema. Liverpool ONE is one of the best places to visit if you're looking for fun things to do in Liverpool for students. Looking for something a little more independent? Trek over to Bold Street for vintage stores galore and to browse gems like Dig Vinyl and community bookshop News from Nowhere, easily spotted by the rainbow flag in the window. For your food shop, practise your best supermarket sweep in Aldi, Lidl or one of the various Tesco Express outlets.

For our Liverpool City guide, we asked our teams in Liverpool to connect with residents for day trip recommendations a little further afield and top of the list were: Aintree races, New Brighton in Wirral and checking out the spectacular Iron Men sculptures on Crosby Beach.

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