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Study in Northampton

Located just an hour from London and Birmingham in the ‘Rose of the Shires’, Northampton offers the perfect mix of market town and countryside.

It's not too big, but big enough to have lots of opportunities to go outdoors and enjoy nature, or [for] shopping in the big shopping centre in town, that is surrounded by lots of cafes and restaurants. University halls, as well as private rental student houses, are very affordable. Buses to and from town are good, but it's easy to get around by foot as well. Both trains and coaches leave to other cities multiple times every hour. (Second year student, University of Northampton)

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  • Jacqui

    University of Northampton
    Bsc Psychology
    I am 50 years of age, originally from Glasgow in Scotland and left school in 1989, with 8 O' Grades (GCSE’s) and 5 Higher (A Levels). Desperate for a new adventure and to start working and earning, I applied for a job in Television Production in London. I successfully worked for an independent company in Soho, initially as a Production Runner, progressing finally to Production Manager. I returned to Glasgow for a year, to work for BBC Scotland as Production Manager, before taking time out to travel in 1999. I travelled throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and America for 2 years. On return, I moved to Brighton, East Sussex where I worked for American Express, a lifestyle magazine called Venus, and as a volunteer for the Brighton Unemployed Family project, between 2001 and 2012. Brighton is where I met my husband and went on to have two children, a girl, and a boy. Ava who is now 15 years old and Lochlan who is 13. 8 years ago, my Husbands job transferred to their other site near Leamington, bringing the family to the midlands. We now live in the village of Weedon, a half-hour drive, west of Northampton. Since living in Weedon I have completed 7 years working in primary education. I began working in Special Needs as a 1:1 and in my 5th year at Weedon Primary, I completed an HLTA course through Northampton University, qualifying me to teach years 1 to 6 in primary school. I have trained in Autism, Attachment Disorder, Dyslexia, Speech, and language among others. I ran nurture groups and introduced a kinaesthetic approach to a lot of my teaching, after researching its efficacy in primary schools. During my school career, I have been fascinated by how children learn. Some by doing, others by seeing. I have come to love the continual questions from children and the challenge and adventure of not always knowing the answers. Throughout my working life, I have loved interacting with people, obsessing over human behaviour and how the mind works and influences decisions. My favourite literature often tackles aspects of psychology and I find it an extremely exciting and alluring subject. Throughout the lockdown period, it became apparent that I was not fully satisfied with my career and felt I was ready to learn and take on a new challenge. My initial thought was to go into Educational Psychology but with more investigation, I decided it was time to move away from education and start something new. My next thought was counselling, which I am still very much keen on exploring and could see a possible future career. As a volunteer in Brighton Unemployed Centre Family Project, I assisted low-income families and homeless people, realising my ability to listen sensitively and offer solace. Completing a course for the British College of Journalism a few years ago, I gained skills in reporting and analysing as well as fuelling my curiosity in psychology. I wrote articles on social, biological, and cognitive psychology. From a piece on music and memory to another on psychology in pain management. Having completed a year of the single honours psychology course I now feel the career direction I want to go into is counselling psychology. I have recently secured a part-time job locally with the group of Northampton psychiatric hospitals (NHFT) and ideally, would love to complete my master's within the NHS but if not I will probably stay at the University of Northampton to complete my master's in counselling.

What Northampton's famous for...

Shoes and leather

Northampton's shoe-making legacy goes back over 900 years. The film Kinky Boots was based on a local factory that began making women’s boots for the transgender community.

Northampton nightlife, according to students

There are plenty of family-friendly pubs, and pubs that feature live music on certain days, outside of the centre. Since all of the clubs are situated in one location, you can move between [them] if you want. There is a local taxi rank nearby, which is great if your phone has died and you need to get home. Town is busy on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, but quiet on most other nights. (Third year student, University of Northampton)

Northampton nightlife, according to students

There are many clubs and pubs scattered throughout Northampton, but the primary area for nightlife is Bridge Street. The Students' Union’s own club, Platform, is a one-minute walk away – it also doubles as a cafe during the day. Wetherspoons is a short walk away, and there are various other pubs like The Optimist, all in a similar location. There are also plenty of fast food places nearby, including McDonalds. (Second year student, University of Northampton)

Student life in Northampton

Local gems, tips, and things to do, as recommended by students.
Low on cash
There are some nice places to explore, like the Racecourse which hosts a free firework display on Guy Fawkes Day, or the nearby lakes. (Second year student, University of Northampton)
Treat yourself
Cafe Marseille in town does an amazing breakfast and cocktails, or high tea. Great for birthdays. (University of Northampton student)
Friday night out
Bridge Street is the place to go on a Friday night [with] different nightclubs to choose from. Students start at 'Cordies' (The Cordwainer), followed by the short walk to Bridge Street. (Second year student, University of Northampton)
Sunday chilling
Beckett's Park on the outskirts of Waterside Campus has a really nice walk alongside the river. (University of Northampton student)
When family visit
If you have a sporty family, I would highly recommend a rugby match at Franklin’s Gardens. Nothing beats a Saturday afternoon in a 15,000-seat stadium, full of passionate supporters. (Second year student, University of Northampton)
Feeling cultural
Northampton is very lucky to have two theatres: The Deco, as well as the Northampton Filmhouse [Northampton Filmhouse]. Abington Park also has an excellent free museum. (Second year student, University of Northampton)
Catch up with mates
Good pubs include The Black Prince, The Lab, The Pomfret Arms, [and] The Mailcoach. All are relatively close to campus. (University of Northampton student)
Grab a bite
7Bone Burger Co. on St Giles' Street do a large variety of burgers and hot dogs – also, many veggie/vegan options. My go-to is the Giant Haystacks burger. (Third year student, University of Northampton)

Living in Northampton

Housing, travel, and budgeting tips.

Living in Northampton, according to students

Abington – I like living in this area. It's not too expensive, and not too far from Wellingborough Road, so [there are] many local food and drink places. A lot of student accommodation (and friends) nearby. Plenty of local mini-supermarkets and larger ones not too far away – about 25-minutes walk, with good bus links nearby. Campus is an easy walk away – roughly around 30 to 40 minutes. Only negative is that the town and other popular areas of Northampton (e.g. Sixfields) are quite a walk away. I have walked to town a few times – it took about 35 to 40-minutes. However, there are bus links to Sixfields too, so it is still accessible. (Third year student, University of Northampton)
Where you'll find students
  • Abington
  • Semilong
  • Kingsthorpe
Local transport
  • Weekly ticket: £15.10
  • Stagecoach Northampton 7 Day Megarider (Adult) ticket
  • Bus

Living in Northampton, according to students

Wellingborough Road – it is an affordable and really nice area to live in, and is close by to pretty much everything you need. It is within a ten-minute walk from a university bus stop, an 18-minute walk from the town centre, a 21-minute walk from Avenue Campus, and a 25-minute walk from Waterside Campus. I am a two-minute walk from a Sainsbury's Local and a six-minute walk from a Tesco Metro. I am near plenty of fast food shops, corner shops, and fresh fruit, veg and meat shops. I honestly don't think I could be situated in a more perfect area to live in. (Third year student, University of Northampton)

Student money tips

The local market outside the Grosvenor Centre is amazing for fresh fruit and vegetable. Really cheap, fresh, and lasts a long time. (University of Northampton student)

The cost of living as a student soon adds up, us our budget calculator to find out roughly how much you'll need each month.

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