Welcome to Southampton
We’re a thriving, diverse city on the south coast of England, less than an hour and a half away from London.
Southampton has a rich cultural identity that makes it unique – a blend of history and cultures that influences our food, music and community. There’s a place for everyone here, and we can’t wait for you to find yours.
Welcome to Southampton
We’re a thriving, diverse city on the south coast of England, less than an hour and a half away from London.
Southampton has a rich cultural identity that makes it unique – a blend of history and cultures that influences our food, music and community. There’s a place for everyone here, and we can’t wait for you to find yours.
Discover Southampton
Whether you’re looking for shopping heaven or a skateboarding collective, keen to dive into the local music scene, want to lose yourself in the crowd at Premiership football, or fancy a bit of climbing, Southampton has it all.
We’re a friendly city that’s easy to explore on foot. And with beautiful parks (perfect for people-watching) scattered across the city, you’re never far from green space. Add an eclectic mix of festivals, galleries, markets, events and live music venues to suit every taste, and you’ll get the gist of what our city is all about.
Think tiny Thai cafes with big flavours, a medieval jail turned art gallery, vegan eats to rival the best, free DJ sets in the middle of the day, kilo sales, board game cafes, ghost walks, record fairs, the lot. Whatever your vibe, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.
Discover Southampton
A diverse city
Southampton is a vibrant and diverse city, renowned for its rich cultural mix and welcoming atmosphere. Our city is for everyone, boasting a dynamic blend of communities and nationalities – and offering a fantastic choice of international cuisines, cultural festivals, and community events.
Cost of living
Managing your living costs is key to enjoying your university experience, and our guide is here to help. Southampton is affordable and student-friendly compared to a lot of larger UK cities – particularly in the south – but smart budgeting will definitely help you land on your feet.
Explore our detailed advice to make the most of your time in Southampton while keeping your expenses in check.
- 0thin the top 20 best student cities (StudentCrowd, 2023)
- 0stmost active city (Blacks Active City Index 2022)
- 0thUK uni for sustained employment (LEO 2022)
Reasons to love Southampton
We love our city – it’s a great place to live, study and work. Not convinced yet? We’ve brought the very best of Southampton together in one quick list, so dip in and find out why we love this special place.
Find out more
Want to see for yourself?
Our open days are the perfect way to discover Southampton, our communities, and Solent’s place at the heart of our city. We’d love to show you around! And if you live outside of the city boundary Council, or have travelled from outside of the UK, you can apply for an Amazon voucher to cover your travel costs. So what are you waiting for?
Book now
