By Katie Bryant, BA Business Management
Choosing where to study your undergraduate degree is a difficult decision. You’ll be spending the next three (or more) years at this university and in this city, so you want to make sure that it’s a choice that is right for you. Here’s what helped me to make my decision.
The Students’ Union
The University of Sheffield has the best Students’ Union in the UK! We’ve been ranked number 1 in the UK for the past 10 years in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey.
Why is it so good? The Students’ Union is known for it’s nightlife, and has its own night club called Foundry which holds club nights six nights a week. The favourites include The Tuesday Club, which is very popular for fans of drum and base, Roar which is where all the sports teams go after their Wednesday matches and Poptarts which is amazing night full of everyone’s favourite cheesy pop hits.
The SU is home to some amazing cafes, restaurants and bars such as Bar One (famous for their burgers), Grill and Go, a Pizza counter and a vegan and vegetarian cafe. There’s something for everyone, and it’s not too expensive. There is also a shop, and even a small cinema!
Accommodation
The first-year accommodation is amazing. I lived in Endcliffe in my first year, however all of the accommodation sites are really great and welcoming.
The Endcliffe/Ranmoore site has an onsite gym, bar, restaurant, canteen and shop. It has everything you need and it has a lovely student 
community feel. There is 24/7 security so you always feel safe, and every flat is assigned a residence life mentor that visits your flat each week to ensure everyone is settling in well and that any problems are looked after quickly.
Student City
As there are two universities in Sheffield, it is a very student-orientated city. The cost of living in Sheffield is low compared to other cities, which was something that was important to me. The city has everything you could possibly want as a student; great shops, markets, cinemas, theatres and places to eat.
As a student, you’re always on a budget, and there are loads of free activities to do around the city, including exploring the vast array of parks and museums Sheffield has to offer. The Peak District is on your doorstep in Sheffield and the city buses take you there for £1.20 with your NUS card. There is breath-taking scenery, fantastic walks and traditional pubs for you to explore in the peaks.
Alumni
The University of Sheffield has amazing alumni. Some of the most famous names include:
- David Blunkett – former MP for Sheffield Brightside
- Stephen Daldry CBE – director of films Billy Elliott, The Hours, and The Reader. Artistic Director of Royal Court Theatre (1992–1998).
- Jessica Ennis Hill – Olympic Heptathlon Champion, London 2012. European Heptathlon Champion, Barcelona 2010. World Heptathlon Champion, Berlin 2009
- Eddie Izzard – comedian and actor
- Amy Johnson – pioneering aviator of the 1930s
- Sir Harry Kroto – Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1996
- Lee Child – best-selling author of the Jack Reacher novel series
- Hilary Mantel CBE, FRSL – author and winner of the Man Booker Prize 2009
- Helen Sharman OBE – Britain’s first astronaut
Societies
At the University of Sheffield there are over 300 societies and committees to choose from. If you can’t find a society you want to join, you can even make your own! Societies are a great way to begin a new hobby or continue an 
existing interest, make friends and have some fun. From a list that includes beekeeping, horror, Quidditch and cooking, you’re sure to find something that will interest you! As well as special interest societies there are volunteering and fundraising societies too, which allow you to help a good cause and look great on your CV.
Sports
Sport is available at any level – whether you haven’t played in 10 years, or you play competitively, there is a place for everyone to fit in. Give It a Go sessions are run by Residence Life, where you can try out social sports for fun. This initiative is great, as it allows you to try out new things that you might end up loving. Intramural is a higher level where courses compete against each other. There is intramural football, netball and hockey. Finally, there are BUCS teams, which represent the University and compete against other Universities in a very high level of sport.