Jose's top 5 favourite things about Preston city

Low cost of living and no need for transport

The cost of living was a big factor when I was choosing a university. Living in Preston is very cheap, with plenty of budget shops and many students offers on nights out. The lack of need for transport is a big plus, everything is a short walking distance from campus. Your weekly food shop is only a few mins away without needing to pay for taxis or buses if you don’t want to. 

Large parks and green spaces

Something that isn’t talked about a lot when it comes to Preston is the large parks and green spaces it has. Avenham and Miller Parks, which isn’t far from campus is the perfect destination for a walk or to relax on a sunny day. This is my personal favourite place to go as it’s such a large park and I love the Japanese garden it has too. Another highlight is the Guild Wheel which is a 21-mile circular route that can get explored on bike or on foot.

Great transport links

The bus and railway stations are both a short walk away from the centre of campus. Trains can take you to other cities such as Manchester and Liverpool in under an hour. This is convenient for days outs and when you want to explore further afield.

Shopping and eating out

Preston is home to two large shopping centres (St Georges and Fishergate Shopping Centres). This is where you’ll find all your high street favourites. Best of all, both shopping centres are within walking distance of the campus too (so never far to walk with shopping bags!). Preston also has a large variety of restaurants and takeaways from around the world, many of which are unique to the city itself.

Clubs and Societies

As a student at UCLan, I have enjoyed the many sports clubs and societies. I tried a lot of new sports and social activities such as kayaking and swimming. Yet, the best part of it was the people I’ve met and become friends with. I was very surprised at how easy it was to communicate with everyone and they even helped me to improve my English.