The best and worst universities for accommodation ranked by students
Bangor was top in Wales at 12th - but one Welsh university ranked 95th
Student accommodation in Bangor has been ranked the best in Wales
(Image: Bangor University )
The best universities for accommodation have been ranked from student reviews. With students paying an average £139 to £341 a week and far more in London it's a major consideration when applying or preparing to go to university.
Last week Cardiff University Vice Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner told a Senedd committee the number one reason students give for not choosing her institution is accommodation. On the latest Uni Compare rankings, out this week, Cardiff comes 95th out of 100 universities compared on accommodation and no Welsh university was in the top 10.
Bangor takes the crown for best university accommodation in Wales and 12th out of 100 in the UK. Bangor is followed by Cardiff Met and Swansea comes third.
Uni Compare based the rankings on what is says are 28,430 verified student reviews. Rankings were based on considerations such ash modern facilities, good locations, and strong campus communities.
The reviews listing is based on reviews of student halls and off-site accommodation.
Here we look at how UK universities for student accommodation in 2026, according to Uni Compare's latest student-led review rankings.
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Best university for accommodation in Wales
Figures have the UK rank and comparison to last year in brackets. Wrexham is not included in the list
Bangor (12 = +17 places) Cardiff Metropolitan (28= +8 places) Swansea University (33 = -6 places) Aberystwyth (52= +16 places) University of Wales Trinity St David (55 =+39 places) University of South Wales (69 +17 places) Royal; Welsh College of Music and Drama (79=+54 places) Cardiff (95 = -43 places)
UK's Top 10 Universities For Accommodation 2026 according to Uni Compare
Edge Hill University Liverpool John Moores University Newcastle University University of Liverrpool; University of Lincoln Middlesex University University of Derby University of Salford University of Sheffield University of Surrey
Uni Compare said: "The 2026 rankings represent the culmination of 28,430 verified student reviews and ratings collected across 209 universities.
"Since the platform's inception, Uni Compare has amassed 151,805 reviews and ratings, creating one of the UK's largest student-led review databases focused solely on the university experience.
"Uni Compare's methodology combines student feedback collected through their website and mobile app with verification processes, including CAPTCHA checks and IP monitoring to maintain authenticity.
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"The platform uses a hybrid scoring system that weighs both average ratings and review volume, giving greater statistical reliability to institutions with larger sample sizes."
The full listing can be seen here.
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