Five reasons why English students enjoy life in Exeter

Exeter is often rated as one of the best places to live in the UK, with a vibrant population of 118,000 and a thriving student community. There are plenty of reasons why students enjoy living in Exeter, from the cafes, restaurants and shops of the city centre to the beautiful historic buildings. Here are just a few reasons why English students choose Devon’s capital for their studies.

Exeter has a number of excellent educational institutions for students to choose from, depending on what they want to learn. Language schools such as Skola provide an engaging and welcoming environment in which to study while Exeter University attracts students from all over the world every year. For international students who want to learn English, there’s no better place to do it.

There are plenty of great places to dine out and buy locally produced food across Exeter. Along with a variety of popular chain restaurants, there are many local independent eateries which will serve you well while you study.

Harry’s on Longbrook Street serve a great variety of dishes for reasonable prices while Michael Caine’s Abode restaurant in Cathedral Yard caters for big spenders. Whatever your taste, there will be a restaurant that fits the bill.

There’s plenty on offer for shopaholics in Exeter, including the recently-completed Princesshay Shopping Centre with plenty of mainstream brands and department stores.

Gandy Street, on the other hand, is full of independent boutique shops with fun, quirky personalities. In fact, Gandy Street is purported to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in J K Rowling’s Harry Potter books – something interesting to write home about.

Students in Exeter love the music scene and the Exeter Phoenix draws in some famous names for a night out. However, for the biggest concerts and sporting events, the Westpoint Arena is a short bus ride out of town and a great place to go with your new friends. The Cavern is better for unknown up-and-coming artists and is famous for bringing bands such as Coldplay and Muse to the stage.

As well as music venues, there are plenty of artistic exhibitions and film events on offer to students, which can help with English lessons. More information about studying English can be found online.

Nights out will never be far from the mind of any student in Exeter and there are lots of different pubs and clubs to explore. The Firehouse is an excellent restaurant/pub, serving legendary pizza late into the evening, while The Imperial is an enormous Wetherspoons which is very popular with students.

Timepiece is a club with varied music nights, while Mosaic is never short of a crowd – you can relax and relieve the stresses of study at any of these great venues.

There are numerous festivals throughout the year in Exeter so it’s worth keeping an eye on local listings. The Devon County show is a big draw for people across the city with local food, flower, arts and craft stalls. As well as this, the Exeter Summer Festival provides students with a place to have fun and listen to some great music, along with the Autumn Festival, Respect and Vibraphonic.

Everyday life in Exeter will be an integral part of your studies and there’s always lots on offer for English students. Enjoy your time in one of England’s most beautiful cities and make new friends while exploring the variety of exciting venues.