If you’re flocking to the grand old capital of Scotland for your studies, then you’re in for a wee treat. Everybody falls in love with Edinburgh. It’s a city where history seeps out from every pore and is home to the world’s largest arts festival, Edinburgh Fringe. With three of the UK’s best universities, Edinburgh has a thriving student community. In fact, it has recently been named the second best student-city outside of London.
Living in Edinburgh is a unique experience. It has it’s more urban districts – where you can get the hustle and bustle of city life – and then there are quieter village-like areas. Choosing where to live is an important decision for any student which is why we’ve rounded up some of the best student areas to live to get you started.
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Student areas in Edinburgh
Student areas in South Edinburgh: Newington
Located in the South of Edinburgh, just 10 minutes from the city centre, is the cobbled streets and stunning old buildings of Newington. And being a stone’s throw away from the University of Edinburgh campus, Newington is a proper student village. It also has every shop you’ll ever need and an endless supply of restaurants and quirky coffee shops.
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South West Edinburgh: Tollcross
Popular amongst students of Napier University, Tollcross is one of Edinburgh’s busiest areas. From cosy pubs to bustling clubs, nice restaurants to classic picture houses, Tollcross is one of Edinburgh’s most popular student areas.
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It’s not too far from princes street either, so it’s handy for shopping (when the student loan lands in the bank!). You’ll find a range of different housing in Tollcross, from old tenement style flats to modern apartments.
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South West Edinburgh: Bruntsfield
Dubbed by the locals as “Bonnie Bruntsfield”, this lovely little area of Edinburgh has a nice balance of being quietly residential and a cultural hub, bursting with exciting things to do. Aside from all the trendy bars and coffee shops, most students enjoy the vast amount green space that Bruntsfield has to offer. The Bruntsfield links is a nice little stretch of parkland – home a golf course and one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs – that connects the area to the university.
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South Edinburgh: Marchmont
With it’s tall Victorian buildings and stunning Meadow’s park, Marchmont has become a haven for students in Edinburgh. Just an 8 minute (power) walk from the university, it is heavily populated with students so you’ll never be too far from your mates.
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East Edinburgh: Newtown
Located in the heart of the eastern side of Edinburgh, Newtown is the city’s Georgian district. With some townhouses valued at over 1 million pounds, it is one of Edinburgh’s most luxurious areas. However, it is also a popular area for students. It may not be the cheapest option but it is certainly the most visually pleasing and is only about a 25-minute walk to your lectures. And as the Edinburgh Tab put it “It’s the only place where you can bump into both the First Minister and the Archbishop of Canterbury on the way to the wine merchants – why be anywhere else?”
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Now you know Edinburgh’s top student areas, it’s time to decide: which one are you? Whether you’re a ‘bonnie Bruntsfielder or an ‘only-way-is-Newtowner ‘, you can find a range of student rooms of all shapes and prices listed on Roomgo.