What to expect: International students living at Keele University

Forget those stories of international students stuck in their dormitory rooms, surviving on instant noodles and only seeing the library. Those days of higher studies are long gone.

Keele University is where the real student experience happens. Their enormous campus is filled with prestigious academic departments, student life adventures, and a whole lot of social life to enjoy.

Let's be logical, travelling to a new country as a student can be daunting. Keele University can help you with that. The university characteristics are not just about lectures and exams but also about building a community, a home away from home, giving you a proper student life experience that is rare to get these days.

You'll meet people from every corner of the world, share stories, and food, and maybe even learn a few new phrases brace for some for some hilarious miscommunications – it's all part of the fun!

And let's talk about support.  Keele isn't going to throw you in the deep end and hope you survive. They've got a network of support services, from academic advisors and career counsellors to international student support teams.

Need help with your visa?  Struggling to adjust to the UK?  They're there to lend a hand.

Exploring Keele and beyond

Questions may occur in your mind about the things you can do other than study at Keele University. Well, this is not the kind of your typical city university. The campus is adjacent to the rural town of Keele.

‘Believe me or not! Every student has a hidden traveller charm inside them and every corner of the UK is travel-worthy’.

The institution and its surrounding areas offer a wide variety of activities in which you can participate. And explore various attractions surrounding the small town of Keele.

A campus filled with extracurricular activities

Thinking of playing football with your friends? or do laps in the swimming pool to fulfil your daily cardio?  Keele has it all. 

If you are a sports enthusiast, consider joining the sports clubs, hitting the gym, or challenging your friends to a game of tennis. The university’s large spacious campus has multiple tennis courts, cricket grounds, football fields, basketball courts, volleyball courts and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. 

If you are attracted to arts and culture more, then try participating in various cultural events and art societies. Whether you're strumming a guitar, painting a masterpiece, or performing in a play, Keele's arts societies are the perfect stage for your talents.

More social activities

Fancy yourself being a gamer, debater, or environmental fighter? Keele's got a society for that! Join the Film Society for movie nights under the stars, or the Environmental Club to save the planet one recycling bin at a time. 

Plus, the International Student Society is your ticket to meeting amazing people from around the world—hello, global friendships!

Festivals at Keele

Hosting several events and festivals every year, Keele University never fails to entertain its students. On campus, you will be able to experience Green Week, A week-long event focused on climate change and sustainability. 

Keele Fresher’s Week, Halloween Night, Bonfire Night and Keele Summer Ball are some of the exciting events that you will be attending right after joining the september intake. 

If you are fond of multicultural food, dance, tradition and music, then World Festival Week (organised by University and student unions) is the one to keep an eye on.  This event celebrates cultural diversity with various cultural events.

Attractions of Keele

Here are the list of attractive and famous places that you could visit while studying in the UK

• Keele Hall - A historic building with a stunning architectural design.
• Keele Observatory - offering a glimpse into the wonders of the night sky.
• Keele Campus Grounds - green fields, scenic walking paths, and tranquil lakes inside the campus area to explore.
• Nearby Woodlands - surrounding woodlands and countryside, ideal for hiking, cycling, and outdoor adventures.
• Trentham Monkey Forest - learn about free-roaming Barbary macaques in a beautiful woodland setting.
• Keele's High-Tech Gaming Laboratory - A global platform for Esports enthusiasts.

Towns and cities close to Keele

The closest two cities near Keele Village are Stroke-On-Trent and Newcastle Under-Lyme, just a short 15-25 min bus ride. Students from Keele University travel to these cities to experience a busy lifestyle, do shopping, and explore heritage sites. Events such as Festival Parks, local markets and fairs are being organised every year attracting thousands of students.  

Students can hop onto an inter-city bus such as National Express or Mega bus and travel to the bigger cities. It takes just 45 min by train to reach Manchester, 50 min to Birmingham and 1 hour 30 min to reach London Central Zone. 

How much to spend at Keele?

International Students are expected to pay around £16,600 to £24,900 per year as tuition fees for undergraduate programmes, depending on the course and facilities they may require. It takes 3 to 4 years to complete a bachelor's degree. There are over 170 Bachelor's programmes offered at Keele University. 

Postgraduate Taught Course fees range from £16,600 to £28,900 per year, depending on the course. But these fees are subject to change, so it's always a good idea to check Keele University's official website for the most up-to-date information.

‘Living as a student in Keele is more affordable compared to London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Edinburgh’

The university welcomes international and domestic students to its on-campus accommodation halls and residences, consisting of over 27000 bedrooms. There are multiple types of rooms, such as en-suite rooms, shared flats with shared kitchens, studio flats etc. 

The price for on-campus student housing starts from:

• £122.08 per week for standard shared halls
• £143.71 per week for standard plus
• £154.14 per week for standard shared flats
• £221.41 per week for En-suite Rooms
• £232.05 per week for Superior En-suite Rooms

These prices include utility bills, such as Laundry service, bicycle parking, gas, electricity, internet and water. Along with all the necessary furniture required for a student. 

But you must remember that obtaining a placement to study at Keele University does not guarantee you accommodation. The quicker you can book an on-campus room to stay, the better chances and options you will have.

Off-campus housing cost

• Private Housing starts from £98.49 (including bills)
• University-affiliated housing starts from £80 to £115 per week
• Requires guarantor letter for rent contracts over 6 months.

International students can manage their expenditures on food, transportation, personal expenses and utility bills within £400-£600 per month maintaining a quality standard. But if you are clever enough, there are other ways you can save and benefit financially.

Access to part-time jobs

All international students enrolled in full-time study at Keele University get a 20-hour weekly allowance to do part-time jobs. The university’s career Hub sections can provide a list of ongoing job vacancies for part-time work such as student representatives, student ambassadors, assistant librarians, research assistants, event volunteers, etc.

You might ask about the job opportunities at Keele Village and its surrounding places. There are plenty of part-time job opportunities for students at Keele University and nearby areas like Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent. 

The minimum wage rate for 2025 in UK is

• £12.21 per hour for ages 21 years and over,
• £10.00 per hour for ages 18 - 20 years

Here are the list of roles you can apply for as a part-timer

• Bakery worker
• Retail Assistant
• Sales Executive/li>
• Prep Cook
• Crowd Control
• Warehouse operatives
• Waiter/Waitress
• Native language teacher
• Bartender
• Barista
• Cleaner
• Charity worker

International students can work full-time on holidays, yearly vacations, session breaks and during Christmas holidays for up to 40 hours a week. This can help them cover a major part of their living expenses and pocket money. Many students are able to maintain study and work simultaneously and even cover a portion of their yearly tuition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What is the living cost at Keele and how much less in comparison to living in London?

Ans. The living cost for students at Keele University is approximately £9,000 to £10,000 per year. In comparison, living in London can cost around £13,762 to £15,008 per year for students. This means living in Keele can be £4,000 to £5,000 cheaper per year than in London

Q. Can you work part-time while studying at Keele University?

Ans. Yes, you can work part-time while studying at Keele University! The university's Careers and Employability Service offers a job database called CareerHub, where you can find part-time and casual roles

Q. What kinds of part-time jobs can you do at Keele?

Ans.Some common part-time jobs for students at Keele include roles like student ambassador, library assistant, barista, retail assistant, and administrative support helping you gain valuable experience, develop new skills, and earn some extra income.