Managing your own anxieties about your child leaving home while encouraging them to grow and pursue their passions isn’t easy.

One thing many parents struggle with is knowing whether their child is moving to a place where they’ll be supported, happy and safe. 

In this blog, we’ve broken down some of the student benefits that Newcastle offers, as well as some facts all about Newcastle. From our diverse city to our budget-friendly living costs, deep-dive into why your child may want to call our city home. 

Contents:

1. Newcastle University is safe

2. Newcastle is an affordable city

3. Newcastle is a prime location for students

4. Newcastle is easy to navigate 

5. Newcastle is equipped to support your child’s mental health

1. Newcastle University is safe

Newcastle University campus is nestled in the heart of the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Our compact city and its surrounding areas are connected by easy-to-use transport links and busy streets. Not to mention a huge portion of the population of Newcastle is made up of students.

In fact, 1 in 6 people in Newcastle is a student, and Newcastle is ranked Top 10 in the UK and Top 50 in the World by QS Best Student Cities 2023, so, you can rest assured your child will be surrounded by like-minded people who are similar in age. 

We work hard to make sure our campus is a safe space for all. We have cross-campus CCTV, security staff across campus at all times, and a SafeZone app for students to instantly alert first aiders, security, or support staff should they need to.

2. Newcastle is an affordable city

Newcastle ranks in the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK. With a budget-friendly transportation system (an unlimited Metro day pass can start from as little as £3.60), student-friendly haunts with plenty of food and drink deals, free galleries and museums, striking hiking routes, and gusty coastlines to explore, you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy student life in Newcastle. 

However, should your child need a helping hand financially during their studies, our Student Finance team is there to support them. With extra funding opportunities, short-term loans, scholarships, and financial advice, your child will always have a direct line to experts if they’re in need.

3. Newcastle is a prime location for students

Newcastle offers all the perks of city life - culture, diversity, convenience. It's also steeped in tradition and a trailblazer in fields such as sustainability, the arts, engineering, and much more.

As a result, Newcastle is where your child will not only learn from leading academics, it's also a place where they'll be happy, and where they could one day build a career. 

Many students describe Newcastle as their perfect first step to independence because of its size, friendly local people, and simple transportation system.

In fact, you can walk across Newcastle's city centre within 20 minutes. But that’s not to say Newcastle compromises on anything that you’d expect from a major UK city. Discover the top places to explore in Newcastle.

We understand that seeing your child fly the nest is a difficult time, but moving to a city with an easy transportation system - and plenty of students in the same situation as they are - can certainly help to soften the blow. 

5. Newcastle is equipped to support your child’s mental health

Should your child need some time away from the hustle and bustle to decompress, Newcastle offers plenty of spacious, grounding spaces; from a Town Moor - an expanse of green that’s bigger than London's Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath combined - to the seven iconic bridges that arc over the rippling waters of the River Tyne.

And that's not to mention the scenery that's just a short Metro journey from the city centre - the North East's coastline boasts some of the most stunning scenery the UK has to offer, while the world heritage site of Hadrian’s Wall draws in visitors from across the globe.

Plus, while they're studying with us we do everything we can to give students the best experience possible. If they need someone to talk to, our in-house counselling and mental health services offer 1-2-1 sessions and referrals to specialist resources. Read how universities support students.

Although we use the terms parent/child in this blog for simplicity, it is intended for anyone fulfilling a parenting role.