Now that you have decided to study in Surrey, book your student accommodation in Guildford with Student.com and make this beautiful county town your home.

Guildford is the only town in the county, and one of around 70 in the UK to be given the prestigious Purple Flag title. This means there is a lot to experience in the countryside town which lends to fantastic student living.

We offer shared and private student rooms that feature exceptional amenities. To learn more about the student accommodation in Guildford, we offer, simply give us a call, or message us on our website’s live chat.

Guildford at a glance

Guildford is a town in West Surrey, about 27 miles (43 kilometres) southwest of central London, United Kingdom. It is the first choice for thousands of students across the UK, and it is not hard to see why.

Guildford provides its 16,000-plus student population with the perfect balance between rural and city life, making it ideal for those who want a mixture of both.

With a wealth of attractions, picturesque, quaint cobbled streets, a perfect location, a warm community vibe, and natural gems in every corner, the countryside town makes residents, students, and visitors at peace. Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index ranked Guildford the 20th happiest place to live in Great Britain in 2021.

Natural beauty

The relatively compact county town possesses outstanding natural beauty. It has conserved much of its green land spaces and parks over the years.

Located on the edge of the town’s centre, Stoke Park has a beautiful lake that is perfect for a tour on a sunny day.

Enjoy a day of outdoor activities with your pals around the Surrey Hills, a popular natural area that offers amazing views.

For those who crave the excitement of a good adventure, trek the moderately challenging 14-mile (23-kilometre) point-to-point trail ridge of chalk hills of the North Downs and enjoy spectacular views along the way.

A rich history

Established during the 5th Century, Guildford’s impressive historical attractions are also worth visiting.

Head to the top of the Great Tower at Guildford Castle for a 360-degree panoramic view of the city and its beautiful surrounding countryside. The gorgeous fortress ruin dates back to 1086. Its grounds are a Green Flag award winner and are free to enter.

At the edge of the Castle grounds is the Guildford Museum, where you can get an educational lesson on the unique history of the town. Housed in a beautiful Grade II listed building, Guildford’s main museum, which is free to visit, is home to a permanent collection of artefacts, a variety of changing exhibitions, and displays from prehistory through Roman, Saxon, and medieval times to present day.

To explore another historic gem, visit the imposing Guildford Cathedral. Perched high on Stag Hill, the cathedral and its golden angel weather-vane dominate the town’s landscape. The stunning 20th-century red-brick cathedral offers a range of attractions and activities for people of all ages.

Student living in Guildford

Thanks to its relatively large student population, great educational institutions, and a variety of cultural and social experiences, Guildford is an ideal place for a wonderful student life.

Over 20 percent of Guildford’s population of 77,000 are students, which gives it a strong student vibe. Guildford might be a relatively small countryside town with a firm grip on its long past, but there is plenty to grab and keep the attention of students.

A Purple Flag town since 2014, Guildford has met the requirements of the prestigious award thanks to its diverse mix of entertainment, dining, and culture. Purple Flag towns must provide a safe, vibrant, and varied night out, and this countryside town does just that.

Nightlife

There are some nice bars and pubs on the cobbled streets of the town centre. Enjoy student nights with drinks deals at cocktail booths, and a variety of themed music at the Casino Nightclub, one of Guildford’s best-known clubs.

If you want to dance and sing along to the 1990s and 2000s pop classics and party anthems, Popworld is the place to be. Located in the centre of Guildford on the main “strip” of late-night venues, the “happening” nightclub blasts out the biggest party tracks four days a week and offers some of the best drinks deals in town in a modern and stylish setting.

You won’t get a nightclub with as many top DJs in Surrey as Thirty3Hz. The intimate venue offers a selection of resident and special guest DJs that play all music genres throughout the week and on weekends. It offers a club, a bar, and a terrace where you can escape the frenzied dance floor to relax, chill and talk with friends.

For something more “bougie” head to Komo and enjoy a cocktail party. The popular high-end cocktail bar serves up possibly the best cocktails in Guildford, as well as regular live music and fine food.

Entertainment in Guildford

Aside from the year-round attractions and the exciting nightlife, there is also plenty of entertainment in Guildford.

Theatres, live music, and comedy nights provide year-round entertainment to locals and tourists alike. Make sure to catch a gig or show at one of the popular entertainment venues or theatres.

G Live, Guildford’s premier state-of-the-art entertainment venue, is an arts centre that hosts live entertainment including comedy, live music, and theatre.

If you want to see future music stars rock it live, enter The Boileroom. The venue regularly hosts some of the most diverse and talented artists across all genres of contemporary music.

For an eclectic programme of musicals, dance, drama, and poetry, on the banks of the River Wey, head to The Electric Theatre, Guildford’s friendly and vibrant arts venue in the heart of the city.

Eating and drinking in Guildford

Whether you want to go for some cocktails with friends, enjoy dinner on a special occasion, make a stop for some quick coffee, grab a sandwich on the go, or spend an afternoon watching sports, you’ll find the ideal venue for your eating and drinking needs in Guildford. The town’s food scene offers restaurants and eateries for all tastes.

The University of Surrey’s Stag Hill campus has a variety of cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy a quick meal with your friends.

The budget-friendly Wetherspoons, located in the century-old Rodboro factory building, is a student favourite for its range of real ales, craft beers, and freshly ground Lavazza coffee.

Spanish restaurant La Casita is highly recommended by students for its vegetarian dishes and takeaways.

If you love Asian cuisine, Jeita has the best Lebanese menu in town. The best British pub food menu is found at The King’s Head. Guildford’s oldest and most haunted pub is home to outstanding beer & cider, fantastic wines, mouth-watering fresh food, and exceptional service.

If you’re someone who loves knowing where your food comes from, you can purchase fresh local produce at the general food market on North Street, and at the Farmers’ Market on the High Street every first Tuesday of each month.

Shopping in Guildford

Just because you’ll be living in a smaller countryside town, instead of a big metropolis, it doesn’t mean you’ll have to do without your favourite name brands.

With a tempting selection of luxury retail shops, high-end stores, and boutiques, quirky independent outlets, state-of-the-art covered shopping centres, and bustling farmers’ markets set around beautiful cobbled streets and historic buildings, Guildford offers a fabulous shopping experience.

From cool designer lines to unique independent brands, there’s something for all ages, styles, and budgets in Guildford. Find some of the best fashion boutiques and cosmetic shops in the southeast on the town centre’s cobbled High Street.

The Friary Guildford is the largest shopping centre in town and one of the best shopping centres in Surrey.

Guildford has an ideal location

Situated on the banks of the River Wey, Guildford provides excellent transport links.

Within easy reach of Heathrow Airport, and Gatwick Airport, Guildford is the perfect location from which to explore the whole of Southeast England. A 30-minute train ride will get you to London’s Waterloo station, right in the city centre. Some wonderful beaches on the south coast of England are less than an hour’s drive away.

Where to study in Guildford?

University of Surrey

With roots dating back to the founding of the Battersea Polytechnic Institute in 1891, the University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford. It gained university status and its current name in 1966.

Today the institution remains committed to providing its student population with practical learning through exceptional teaching and high-level research that inspires and equips them for personal and professional success.

The university’s three faculties (Arts and Social Sciences; Engineering and Physical Sciences; and Health and Medical Sciences) are spread across three Guildford-based campuses - Stag Hill, Hazel Farm, and Manor Park, which boasts the £36 million Surrey Sports Park.

The University of Surrey is renowned in the UK and across the world for its outstanding teaching and research. It received the prestigious Gold Award in the first-ever Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2017.

Ranked 201st and 305th respectively in the 2023 Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings, Surrey is considered a top 25 university in the UK.

The university’s impressive rankings are testimony to its progress as one of the UK’s more prestigious institutions of higher learning. It was The Sunday Times University of the Year in 2016 and was again nominated in 2023. Surrey was also The Sunday Times University of the Year for Graduate Employment in 2022.

A recipient of three Queen’s Anniversary Prizes, Surrey is a major centre for satellite and mobile communications research. It was ranked 33rd in the UK for overall research quality in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) with 41 percent of its research outputs classified as “world-leading.”

The university provides facilities for over 110 companies engaged in research at its Surrey Research Park.

Guildford College

The largest further and higher education college in Guildford, Guildford College offers hundreds of courses in a wide range of subjects at all levels, from foundation to degree.

Just over a third of its 10,000 student population study full-time courses. The majority of full-time students are aged between 16 and 18 years old, while adults make up the vast majority of those who are part-time.

Frequently asked questions about student rooms in Guildford

How do I apply for private student housing in Guildford on Student.com?

You can book private student housing in Guildford on Student.com with just a few clicks. After selecting the student residence you want to book, click ‘View rooms’ to go to the property page.

On the property page you can choose the room you want and then click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now’. One of our booking consultants will contact you shortly after to answer any questions you may have or to help you complete the booking.

What are the different types of student rooms you offer?

We offer three different types of student rooms:

1) Shared Room – you get a bedroom that is shared with a roommate. Other living spaces on the property are also shared. 

2) Private Room – this only accommodates one person, so you’ll have a private bedroom. Depending on the property and the exact room you choose, your bathroom may be either private or shared. Other living spaces are shared with other tenants.

3) Entire Place - a fully self-contained studio property with fully private facilities. You’ll have your own bedroom, bathroom and a kitchenette for cooking your own meals.

Are bills included in the rent?

For most of the student accommodations we offer, bills are included in the rent. Make sure if this is the case with the property you’re interested in before you book though, as some properties might have only some bills included, or none at all. 

Are the apartments fully furnished?

Most of the apartments we list in Guildford are rented fully furnished. As with the bills, make sure if this is the case with the property you like before booking it. You can see if the property is fully furnished or not on the property page.

What is a guarantor and will I need one?

Many of the properties we list require a guarantor. This is a person who will be responsible for paying your rent in case you are unable to do so. A guarantor is usually a family member, but it can be anyone who will agree to be a guarantor for you.

Our booking consultants will be able to give you more information about which properties require a guarantor and how the guarantor process works.