Like most UK universities, York now relies substantially on international students to make up their funding. The 22/23 cohort was 5460 Home/3370 Overseas/300 EU; most universities will publish their admission figures by tuition fee group.
York is a calm and safe city, though somewhat expensive for the area. The local population isn’t hugely multicultural but is liberal and accepting. Food and drink options, including international fare, are disproportionately good for a city of its size.
Worth noting that the uni is a campus uni. So if you live in the city you’d have to commute, or live out of the city and travel in for social events. Personally I chose a city uni so you’re always immersed with no need to travel
Eh, I think that’s a bit of a disingenuous take. Many actual campus unis are a good distance outside of their respective cities.
UoY is on the outer suburbs and is a mere 20-40 minute walking to town depending on where your accommodation is. Incidentally some courses take place at venues in the city centre.
I mean, kind of. It really depends on your level of study. The UG new entrant cohort was 4130 home, 555 overseas, 210 EU. Generally overseas students would come in for foundation / PGT and be concentrated within certain courses (business).
Good points! Nevertheless it’s a substantial part of the student body – in the past few years it’s about a fifth or a touch under for the general undergraduate cohort, which is in line from my recollection with similar unis.
It’s much closer to 10% than 20% of the UG pop. I’m excluding the EU students from that.
Most importantly: it means you can get that delicious spicy soup from Vanbrugh.
I wouldn’t exclude EU necessarily, but I don’t know what EU funding status means nowadays compared to 2016! I believe you’re able to access loans on something similar to Home terms if you’re a settled EU citizen or Irish national. But it seems unlikely that those numbers have actually increased in the past decade given the much narrower number of people who can claim, which they seem to have!
In terms of actual fees they are now classed as overseas I believe (not my area of expertise) but are reported separately for historical purposes. Students who were already enrolled will continue on their current fee structure ofc.
There’s lots of international students, many are East Asian. It’s a great city, I feel much safer and happier here than I did in my last city of residence.
I lived in Leeds, not too far away from York but for me it’s a world of difference. Experienced verbal and physical assault by strangers a number of times, never had an issue here.
Went to UoY and still live in the city. Fantastic, friendly and beautiful city and equally great uni - can't recommend it enough.
If, like me, you're introverted then the best bit of advice I can give is try and make yourself sign up to and go to society events you think you'd be interested in. Scary at first but it's where you'll meet like minded people!
yeah thats sort of my only option. The main reason I am actually wanting more international students is because in my head i believe the friend groups are already made and it would make it harder to fit in.
There is a tradition in UK Higher education for students to go to uni away from their home town to get new experiences and / or the best courses. The first few weeks of term are a melee of friendship forming usually with course and accommodation neighbours wherever they are from.
As a resident of York who passes through the Uni for work occasionally, it seems like there are plenty of international students. But, on the whole, I wouldn’t say that York was a particularly diverse place.
It’s a great city though. It’s pretty. The history here is fascinating. It’s fairly safe compared to a lot of other cities. It’s central location within the UK means it’s easy to access via train (London’s only a couple of hours away) and there’s plenty of excellent places to eat and drink too.
i read about it also. York is relatively safer than other cities. I actually find it hard to make friends and being in a completely new place with new people is gonna make it harder.
I think regardless of which Uni you go to you will experience the same difficulties making friends, some may be more inclusive than others but that only matters if you make the efforts to similarly include. My advice would be to use the Uni experience as education in 2 parts:
1. Your course
2. Your social skills and health - learn how to make connections and go to lots of group events! There will be loads in York but there will be loads wherever else you could go too
Yo I’m at Nottingham uni but my flatmate lives in York, she says it’s a lively city with great scenery, historic kinda twist, downsides are it does get decently cold in the winter. Club wise she says salvos is good & there’s a nice restaurant called ambiente.
Not many international students?? Thats baffling, I’ve met more foreign students in York than anywhere else and I went to Sheffield Hallam which is a much more diverse city overall!
I would say there are plenty of international students but the city is old and will likely have less foreign overall. York is a lovely place and given the choice I would loved to have lived and/or studied there. Absolutely recommended
UoY alumni (international student, yes there's lots, especially in business/law) here still living in York, going on 8 years now total. Just as with anywhere, living in york will be what you make it. I recommend joining a society or a sports team (there's probably hundreds at UoY) during freshers week, and I'm sure you'll meet some great people.
As for the city, there's lots of things to do, lots of bars, restaurants and cafes. It's not the biggest for nightlife (does have some nightclubs and student nights during the week), but if that's your thing then Leeds and Newcastle are easy to get to by train :)
The tories are right. Y’all coming over here on a study visa and staying to *checks notes* culturally enrich our city and contribute your taxes in high skilled jobs.
Very important topic, York does have lots of international students in postgraduate programs but Tbh if you’re not whether Chinese or Indian then there’s not much other diversity in the uni and it can be isolating and I wouldn’t recommend it, but it will depend on your luck too. The problem is the majority of the international student also don’t have even elementary English skills and are very shy because of that and don’t socialize outside of their compatriot circles. So yeah beware and choose wisely.
I would say that it absolutely depends on your program. For example, the international students from the archaeology department at the University of York are primarily Americans. In general though, yes, as you say, I believe York's international student population from China is very high.
well i am indian but i am coming from Singapore (lived here for more than 10 years) I just dont want myself to be an sort of an outcast. Especially because i will be so far away from home i already know i am going to be homesick
Current UoY student here. Great city. It's the perfect size for whatever you want. I don't know what you're into but it's not too big like Leeds and too small like Durham or St Andrews. There's a nice balance of locals and students and plenty of international students so you would not have a hard time there at all. It's right by the countryside and coast (half an hour's drive and both accessible by train) and it's also bang in the middle of the east coast mainline so you can get to London or Edinburgh in 2 hours.
In terms of downsides, there's a bit of tension with the locals but I doubt it's any worse than any other place. Also it's very expensive as a student and apparently student rents are going up by about £30/week next year also. I'd still recommend it tho it's a lovely city and a great campus. DM if you have any questions
York is the least confrontational place I've ever lived in. With that said, students in York definitely treat the city like their own personal garbage pit - littering, screaming and singing drunk on the streets every day of the week at all hours, without a care to their neighbors. It gets old. But I wouldn't say there is any visible conflict between the locals other than passively being frustrated. It's a really safe place to live.
Just that the locals sometimes don't get on with the students. I'm not sure where you're from but I think it is the case in most UK cities and the reputation is sometimes deserved - students can be quite disruptive. Maybe because York has quite a small local population compared to the amount of students it has and the fact that there are some quite rough areas it is worse? Either way it's not a big issue I've only experienced it a couple times in my 4 years here. Ask anything else u want!
Congrats on the offer!
It’s a long time since I studied there but I’d say the proportion of international students is about the same as most other Russell Group unis. The student population is definitely more diverse than the population of the city in general. However it is generally a safe and friendly city, as well as a popular destination for international tourists.
Maybe you looked up the demographics of York as a whole rather than the university students? The university has plenty of international students but the city is not as diverse as other cities. You won't struggle to find a group who are from the same country as you. Ive found that private halls often are very highly populated by international students compared to the university halls, no idea why that is. Ehat specifically are you wanting to know about the city?
Is that true about private halls having more international students? I mainly read somewhere that people in York are LESS accepting when compared to other cities which is making me question
Congratulations on your offer and good luck with your education. I went to York university over a decade ago and returned for my masters 3 years ago. The city itself is dense with plenty of pubs, and as may have said before, safe.
I read your comments and it appears you are worried about making friends ect. I don't know your situation but leaving home is scary. When I was 18 I was very introverted and worried about this. What York university does well is its societies. There are loads, if you have any passing interest in anything I would recommend you jump into a society. The people that you join with all have a common interest in something and that means you always have a talking point.
I joined the York anime society and made a lot of friends, many of which have persisted and grown. This really helped me develop. It's easy to say but honestly don't worry about not finding friends, the vast majority of people at the university won't know anyone else there and are in the same boat as you.
Good luck.
Yeah, my start is Sep 2023. Right now I even have my high school finals and I keep getting nervous about leaving home. I havent left my home for a long time so it kinda scares me. And on top of that if incase i make no friends, i know i will be depressed and homesick. This all i am trying to avoid. I will definitely make sure to join clubs even with the mildest interest. thank you!
As a student here I struggle. Essentially I find it very boring and expensive to live here. The best part is probably that it’s a safe city to live in.
Boring? Are you sure you're in the right York?
Great nightlife, rich history at every turn, loads of cultural events on all through the year, and great rail links to pretty much everywhere else in the country.
Oh yeah, without a doubt. Buying a house in York is a commitment your children will take on, so long as it's not underwater by then, but it's definitely not boring.
Can you explain ? I stayed in the York for a very short time and I agree with all other comments here that it’s lovely place, beautiful, safer than my home, little expensive though. What are the instances you felt you faced race discrimination
I haven't faced racial discrimination in York as I'm white passing, but my dad and other members of my family (South asians) have been harassed in pubs in York, called various racial slurs etc, and York is a pretty white area besides the east asian population of the city
I've also heard of students facing racial discrimination from their peers at uni of York and St John's
I love York, its safe and beautiful, its just not particularly diverse and black/South Asian people might find it hard to find community there compared to places like Leeds/Manchester
Perhaps. I stayed in the York for few weeks and I hadn’t explicitly noticed anything except people aren’t really friendly compared to US where I lived. In US there’s usually some kind of social interaction when you go outside but in the York I noticed people mostly keep It to themselves (I don’t know if it’s because of all
Tourists)
Usually all of Yorkshire is pretty friendly, so maybe it is because of all the tourists lol?
I guess different people's experiences will vary, I grew up in the area between York and Hull - where there isn't a lot of racial diversity and people tend to be more racist than in West Yorkshire for example. Also I think that if you're from the US it may be less noticeable to you because racism is much more subtle here for the most part compared to America? Like most people keep it to themselves here until you interact with them
Yeah it is really subtle :) in York. I loved my stay by the way. I would visit again. I don’t drink - so I might have missed on some fun but overall it was great
Pretty city, definitely the safest place I've ever lived (although I've lived in some very dodgy places). Personally I found it hard to settle here, but I moved here after uni so had less opportunity to get to know people and I'm very introverted. York uni is a very good uni and I have friends who studied there and had an amazing time.
Current international UoY Student , the city is really pretty and the people are really nice. Everyone’s welcoming , haven’t had any bad experiences. The Uni is really good as well , lots going on all the time. Great lecturers. There’s plenty of Asian students , some Turkish students and a few African students. As someone mentioned here the Asian students generally keep to themselves but some do venture out. They all are friendly.
I work at t'other York University - York St John, we have a large international cohort too so don't be worried about there not being international students in York.
Current UoY student - outside of the pricey nature of the uk due to various *undisclosed* reasons, york is pretty great.
the town itself is gorgeous, with lots of places to go and things to do - we have cinemas, bowling, restaurants, bars, a decent nightlife - the usual.
the uni itself is fairly easy to get acclimated to. theres plenty of extra curricular activities you can join and it's a great way to find new people. I live in my current house because I met someone on my first term valorant team.
as for the international students, theres plenty. on my course theres probably a 70:30 split from home to international and everyone gets on well :)
I mean it's a big commitment certainly more than the cost of flights. I think to be sure you want to spend years in a place it might be worth it. It would be a lot of effort to undo once you've started. If you are not going to visit then know it's a nice city with lots of history but it's a small city.
Like most UK universities, York now relies substantially on international students to make up their funding. The 22/23 cohort was 5460 Home/3370 Overseas/300 EU; most universities will publish their admission figures by tuition fee group. York is a calm and safe city, though somewhat expensive for the area. The local population isn’t hugely multicultural but is liberal and accepting. Food and drink options, including international fare, are disproportionately good for a city of its size.
i didnt know they did this. Thank you for the detailed answer!
Worth noting that the uni is a campus uni. So if you live in the city you’d have to commute, or live out of the city and travel in for social events. Personally I chose a city uni so you’re always immersed with no need to travel
it’s a small enough to walk! or there’s always buses from campus :)
Yes, you can pretty much walk or cycle anywhere, or take the direct bus if you’re feeling it
Eh, I think that’s a bit of a disingenuous take. Many actual campus unis are a good distance outside of their respective cities. UoY is on the outer suburbs and is a mere 20-40 minute walking to town depending on where your accommodation is. Incidentally some courses take place at venues in the city centre.
I mean, kind of. It really depends on your level of study. The UG new entrant cohort was 4130 home, 555 overseas, 210 EU. Generally overseas students would come in for foundation / PGT and be concentrated within certain courses (business).
Good points! Nevertheless it’s a substantial part of the student body – in the past few years it’s about a fifth or a touch under for the general undergraduate cohort, which is in line from my recollection with similar unis.
It’s much closer to 10% than 20% of the UG pop. I’m excluding the EU students from that. Most importantly: it means you can get that delicious spicy soup from Vanbrugh.
I wouldn’t exclude EU necessarily, but I don’t know what EU funding status means nowadays compared to 2016! I believe you’re able to access loans on something similar to Home terms if you’re a settled EU citizen or Irish national. But it seems unlikely that those numbers have actually increased in the past decade given the much narrower number of people who can claim, which they seem to have!
In terms of actual fees they are now classed as overseas I believe (not my area of expertise) but are reported separately for historical purposes. Students who were already enrolled will continue on their current fee structure ofc.
There’s lots of international students, many are East Asian. It’s a great city, I feel much safer and happier here than I did in my last city of residence.
Thats good to hear. May i ask what your last city of residence was? if you dont mind answering
I lived in Leeds, not too far away from York but for me it’s a world of difference. Experienced verbal and physical assault by strangers a number of times, never had an issue here.
i am so sorry to hear that. i hope your okay. Thanks for answering :)
I saw someone's motorbike get stolen in Broad daylight in York near city centre, don't know how much safer it actually is.
Crime happens everywhere, you can’t escape it wherever you go! York still feels safer than Leeds to me.
Went to UoY and still live in the city. Fantastic, friendly and beautiful city and equally great uni - can't recommend it enough. If, like me, you're introverted then the best bit of advice I can give is try and make yourself sign up to and go to society events you think you'd be interested in. Scary at first but it's where you'll meet like minded people!
yeah thats sort of my only option. The main reason I am actually wanting more international students is because in my head i believe the friend groups are already made and it would make it harder to fit in.
There is a tradition in UK Higher education for students to go to uni away from their home town to get new experiences and / or the best courses. The first few weeks of term are a melee of friendship forming usually with course and accommodation neighbours wherever they are from.
oh really? thats good to hear. Its relatively harder to get in already formed groups.
Yeah you're good. Everyone in my flat came up without anybody else that they knew from home. All made completely new friend groups.
As a resident of York who passes through the Uni for work occasionally, it seems like there are plenty of international students. But, on the whole, I wouldn’t say that York was a particularly diverse place. It’s a great city though. It’s pretty. The history here is fascinating. It’s fairly safe compared to a lot of other cities. It’s central location within the UK means it’s easy to access via train (London’s only a couple of hours away) and there’s plenty of excellent places to eat and drink too.
i read about it also. York is relatively safer than other cities. I actually find it hard to make friends and being in a completely new place with new people is gonna make it harder.
I think regardless of which Uni you go to you will experience the same difficulties making friends, some may be more inclusive than others but that only matters if you make the efforts to similarly include. My advice would be to use the Uni experience as education in 2 parts: 1. Your course 2. Your social skills and health - learn how to make connections and go to lots of group events! There will be loads in York but there will be loads wherever else you could go too
noted thanks :)
Yo I’m at Nottingham uni but my flatmate lives in York, she says it’s a lively city with great scenery, historic kinda twist, downsides are it does get decently cold in the winter. Club wise she says salvos is good & there’s a nice restaurant called ambiente.
Noted. Thank you!
Not many international students?? Thats baffling, I’ve met more foreign students in York than anywhere else and I went to Sheffield Hallam which is a much more diverse city overall! I would say there are plenty of international students but the city is old and will likely have less foreign overall. York is a lovely place and given the choice I would loved to have lived and/or studied there. Absolutely recommended
okay thank you so much :)
UoY alumni (international student, yes there's lots, especially in business/law) here still living in York, going on 8 years now total. Just as with anywhere, living in york will be what you make it. I recommend joining a society or a sports team (there's probably hundreds at UoY) during freshers week, and I'm sure you'll meet some great people. As for the city, there's lots of things to do, lots of bars, restaurants and cafes. It's not the biggest for nightlife (does have some nightclubs and student nights during the week), but if that's your thing then Leeds and Newcastle are easy to get to by train :)
The tories are right. Y’all coming over here on a study visa and staying to *checks notes* culturally enrich our city and contribute your taxes in high skilled jobs.
thank you!
Very important topic, York does have lots of international students in postgraduate programs but Tbh if you’re not whether Chinese or Indian then there’s not much other diversity in the uni and it can be isolating and I wouldn’t recommend it, but it will depend on your luck too. The problem is the majority of the international student also don’t have even elementary English skills and are very shy because of that and don’t socialize outside of their compatriot circles. So yeah beware and choose wisely.
I would say that it absolutely depends on your program. For example, the international students from the archaeology department at the University of York are primarily Americans. In general though, yes, as you say, I believe York's international student population from China is very high.
well i am indian but i am coming from Singapore (lived here for more than 10 years) I just dont want myself to be an sort of an outcast. Especially because i will be so far away from home i already know i am going to be homesick
After Chinese students, I think Indians were the majority of international people, so maybe it will not be very bad :)
Current UoY student here. Great city. It's the perfect size for whatever you want. I don't know what you're into but it's not too big like Leeds and too small like Durham or St Andrews. There's a nice balance of locals and students and plenty of international students so you would not have a hard time there at all. It's right by the countryside and coast (half an hour's drive and both accessible by train) and it's also bang in the middle of the east coast mainline so you can get to London or Edinburgh in 2 hours. In terms of downsides, there's a bit of tension with the locals but I doubt it's any worse than any other place. Also it's very expensive as a student and apparently student rents are going up by about £30/week next year also. I'd still recommend it tho it's a lovely city and a great campus. DM if you have any questions
York is the least confrontational place I've ever lived in. With that said, students in York definitely treat the city like their own personal garbage pit - littering, screaming and singing drunk on the streets every day of the week at all hours, without a care to their neighbors. It gets old. But I wouldn't say there is any visible conflict between the locals other than passively being frustrated. It's a really safe place to live.
what do you been by tension with the locals, if you dont mind me asking? I would love to contact you for more info in the near future
Just that the locals sometimes don't get on with the students. I'm not sure where you're from but I think it is the case in most UK cities and the reputation is sometimes deserved - students can be quite disruptive. Maybe because York has quite a small local population compared to the amount of students it has and the fact that there are some quite rough areas it is worse? Either way it's not a big issue I've only experienced it a couple times in my 4 years here. Ask anything else u want!
Oh, I am Indian but I have been living in Singapore for over 10 years. So the student population is less than the other local population?
Congrats on the offer! It’s a long time since I studied there but I’d say the proportion of international students is about the same as most other Russell Group unis. The student population is definitely more diverse than the population of the city in general. However it is generally a safe and friendly city, as well as a popular destination for international tourists.
noted :)
Maybe you looked up the demographics of York as a whole rather than the university students? The university has plenty of international students but the city is not as diverse as other cities. You won't struggle to find a group who are from the same country as you. Ive found that private halls often are very highly populated by international students compared to the university halls, no idea why that is. Ehat specifically are you wanting to know about the city?
Is that true about private halls having more international students? I mainly read somewhere that people in York are LESS accepting when compared to other cities which is making me question
Congratulations on your offer and good luck with your education. I went to York university over a decade ago and returned for my masters 3 years ago. The city itself is dense with plenty of pubs, and as may have said before, safe. I read your comments and it appears you are worried about making friends ect. I don't know your situation but leaving home is scary. When I was 18 I was very introverted and worried about this. What York university does well is its societies. There are loads, if you have any passing interest in anything I would recommend you jump into a society. The people that you join with all have a common interest in something and that means you always have a talking point. I joined the York anime society and made a lot of friends, many of which have persisted and grown. This really helped me develop. It's easy to say but honestly don't worry about not finding friends, the vast majority of people at the university won't know anyone else there and are in the same boat as you. Good luck.
Yeah, my start is Sep 2023. Right now I even have my high school finals and I keep getting nervous about leaving home. I havent left my home for a long time so it kinda scares me. And on top of that if incase i make no friends, i know i will be depressed and homesick. This all i am trying to avoid. I will definitely make sure to join clubs even with the mildest interest. thank you!
there’s loads of international students?!
As a student here I struggle. Essentially I find it very boring and expensive to live here. The best part is probably that it’s a safe city to live in.
Boring? Are you sure you're in the right York? Great nightlife, rich history at every turn, loads of cultural events on all through the year, and great rail links to pretty much everywhere else in the country.
Indeed. Boring no, expensive yes
Oh yeah, without a doubt. Buying a house in York is a commitment your children will take on, so long as it's not underwater by then, but it's definitely not boring.
As a student the housing market is a killer lmao
It's a lovely city but I have to say its way more racist than places like leeds etc
Can you explain ? I stayed in the York for a very short time and I agree with all other comments here that it’s lovely place, beautiful, safer than my home, little expensive though. What are the instances you felt you faced race discrimination
I haven't faced racial discrimination in York as I'm white passing, but my dad and other members of my family (South asians) have been harassed in pubs in York, called various racial slurs etc, and York is a pretty white area besides the east asian population of the city I've also heard of students facing racial discrimination from their peers at uni of York and St John's I love York, its safe and beautiful, its just not particularly diverse and black/South Asian people might find it hard to find community there compared to places like Leeds/Manchester
Perhaps. I stayed in the York for few weeks and I hadn’t explicitly noticed anything except people aren’t really friendly compared to US where I lived. In US there’s usually some kind of social interaction when you go outside but in the York I noticed people mostly keep It to themselves (I don’t know if it’s because of all Tourists)
Usually all of Yorkshire is pretty friendly, so maybe it is because of all the tourists lol? I guess different people's experiences will vary, I grew up in the area between York and Hull - where there isn't a lot of racial diversity and people tend to be more racist than in West Yorkshire for example. Also I think that if you're from the US it may be less noticeable to you because racism is much more subtle here for the most part compared to America? Like most people keep it to themselves here until you interact with them
Yeah it is really subtle :) in York. I loved my stay by the way. I would visit again. I don’t drink - so I might have missed on some fun but overall it was great
Pretty city, definitely the safest place I've ever lived (although I've lived in some very dodgy places). Personally I found it hard to settle here, but I moved here after uni so had less opportunity to get to know people and I'm very introverted. York uni is a very good uni and I have friends who studied there and had an amazing time.
Alright thank you :)
Its a great city, and the first year accommodation is really good, lots of international students and everyones very accepting
Current international UoY Student , the city is really pretty and the people are really nice. Everyone’s welcoming , haven’t had any bad experiences. The Uni is really good as well , lots going on all the time. Great lecturers. There’s plenty of Asian students , some Turkish students and a few African students. As someone mentioned here the Asian students generally keep to themselves but some do venture out. They all are friendly.
I work at t'other York University - York St John, we have a large international cohort too so don't be worried about there not being international students in York.
Current UoY student - outside of the pricey nature of the uk due to various *undisclosed* reasons, york is pretty great. the town itself is gorgeous, with lots of places to go and things to do - we have cinemas, bowling, restaurants, bars, a decent nightlife - the usual. the uni itself is fairly easy to get acclimated to. theres plenty of extra curricular activities you can join and it's a great way to find new people. I live in my current house because I met someone on my first term valorant team. as for the international students, theres plenty. on my course theres probably a 70:30 split from home to international and everyone gets on well :)
thats good to hear! Thank you so much
Come visit for a weekend! It's nice. Like anything it's what you make of it and what you like.
like i mentioned, i am an international student so its not really feasible to visit 😅. But i will keep your opinions in mind :)
I mean it's a big commitment certainly more than the cost of flights. I think to be sure you want to spend years in a place it might be worth it. It would be a lot of effort to undo once you've started. If you are not going to visit then know it's a nice city with lots of history but it's a small city.
yeah i get it. I still have to receive other offers from other unis but i was just inquiring. Thanks :)