Derby City Guide
Derby is a city located in the centre of England and is home to the University of Derby. Being located in the centre of England, it has easy access to anywhere in the United Kingdom, by bus, train or aeroplane. Close to the airports of Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham, it’s also an easy ticket out of the UK if you want to travel. It is a very safe and cheap city to live in, and you end up knowing a lot of people, so you’re never alone.
University
The University of Derby dates back to 1851, with its main campus in Derby and additional ones in Buxton and Chesterfield. It offers a wide range of courses which include practical experiences and strong links to industry through placements, internships, and work-based learning opportunities.
The university is ranked 47th in The Guardian University Guide 2024 and its best courses include Nursing and Healthcare, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Business and Management and Art and Design.
Student areas and accommodation
First year students resort usually to university accommodation. However, from second year on, a lot of students resort to private accommodation near Kedleston Road and Ashbourne Road, as it's cheaper due to being further away from the city centre, but it's also closer to the main university campus.
Getting around
The university offers free buses that go around the university sites and university accommodation, as well as going from the train station through the city centre and to the main campus. If you are more of a walking person, it is very easy to get everywhere, and the city centre is only 40 minutes walking. It is only 45 minutes from the East Midlands airport by bus, 1 hour from Birmingham airport and 1.5 hours from Manchester airport by train. Tickets are often affordable too.
Food and drink
Derby has a lot of places to go out to dinner and have a drink. There are restaurants and cafes such as Turtle Bay, Bear and Pieminister that have brunch for around £30, and some of them offer unlimited drinks. Students can often be found around the city in Wetherspoon, of course, The Greyhound, The Shakespeare and The Distillery. There’s a bit of everything for every taste!
Nightlife
Derby offers a lot of clubs to go during your nights out. Some of the most popular ones are Popworld, Moomoo’s, Mosh and Revolution de Cuba. Monday is the day that Mosh is most frequented, known as Mosh Mondays. Popworld is most popular on Wednesday, because it’s when the Student Union hosts Varsity Night. On Friday and Saturday, all clubs and pubs are open, and you can enjoy all the variety of choices. Popworld Wednesday is by far the most popular, followed by Moomoo’s and Mosh.
Study spots
Most students use the university to do their assignments and study for exams. The main hotspots are the main university building, in Kedleston, where they use the library and Basecamp, the café/restaurant at the university. Other places include the other university campus sites, such as Friar gate, which is located in the city centre. Costa Coffee in the city centre, and 200ºDegrees inside Derbion are also popular.
Local amenities
All supermarkets are very localised in the city centre, with Tesco Express in the main street and a Sainsbury’s Local inside Derbion. There’s also an Iceland inside Derbion, which is perfect for those cheap frozen foods. Just on the outskirts of the city centre, you can find two Lidl’s and one Aldi. If you are an international student and are missing food from your country, there’s a local supermarket called Super Sam, where you can find food from all over Europe, which is amazing! If you have a car, there’s a big Sainsbury’s just a few minutes’ drive from the city centre. There are also Sainsbury’s Locals located all over the city, and just down the road from most university accommodations.
If you are a gym rat, the two most popular ones are Puregym, and the university gym. The Puregym prices are the same as everywhere, and it has 3 whole floors. The university gym is located in the main campus, and it’s fully equipped with a basketball court, a gym, a climbing wall, paddle room, and also has classes like yoga and HITT. All this, for just £14/month.
In terms of jobs, there are a lot of opportunities for you. From working at the university to working in a restaurant, you’ll always have options. However, try to come as early as you can in the term as it will be easier for you to get a spot.
Insider tips
Make the most out of university events as you’ll get to meet a lot of people you can relate to. Join the societies you find interesting, and get as many loyalty cards from shops and supermarkets as you can, because this will save you a LOT of money!
