No one is ever going to argue that this small midlands town is a buzzing metropolis. Nestled between Leicester and Nottingham, it doesn’t offer huge shopping centres and a massive concert arena. Instead, its student population love it for being leafy green, safe and very friendly.
The university is perhaps best known for its contribution to sport and sport science. Loughborough University is considered to be the world’s number one university for sports. Just don’t ask a student which sport they play, as there’s a full range of courses available! These range from Aeronautical Engineering to User Centred Design (and everything in between)!
While the students won’t like you assuming they all learn about sports, they’ll love telling you how much they love studying at the university. It scores very highly for student satisfaction, being voted as one of the best in the UK at the WhatUni student choice awards.
The University makes sure that the large student population is entertained. The Student Union makes up for the lack of action in the town with a full line up of events. Plus, there’s the legendary Papa Simon’s (Papa Si’s) fast food joint, which has supplied late night sustenance for generations of ‘lufbra’ students.
The town itself, has a range of recognisable, high street chains. Ok, it’s not Bluewater in Kent, but the town’s Carillon Court shopping centre has a good range of places to shop.
There’s also a vibrant market every Thursday and Saturday, complimented with specialist vintage and farmers markets on other days.
One of the benefits of Loughborough being so leafy is that there’s lots of countryside to explore. Be sure to bring a bike, so you can explore the old train route to Cloud Quarry. This flat, traffic-free route then goes on to Derby, for more serious cyclists.
For the gin-lovers amongst us, Loughborough offers the perfect experience. Both 45 Gin School and Burleigh’s Gin are nearby and offer tours and the opportunity to craft your own gin. Perfect for those who are passionate about their botanicals.
If you want to expend some energy and learn a new skill, the town’s indoor climbing wall is a big favourite with locals and students, alike.
If you’re looking for a university that’s all about being a close, friendly community, then Loughborough’s the perfect place to study.