East Anglia (UEA) - Student Life

Housing: Guaranteed on campus for all first years and international students; mostly single rooms (some ensuite). Private sector, much of it in Golden Triangle between campus and city.

Eats: £2-£3 for meal on campus; sandwiches and snacks in shops and bars. In town, some vegetarian, hundreds of cheap Indians (meal around £5), Chinese, Mexican, Italian; also some upmarket restaurants and usual fast foods outlets. Loads of takeaways in Golden Triangle and on Prince of Wales, near the clubs and bars; many deliver.

Drink: Loads of pubs in Golden Triangle, reasonable prices (£2 a pint) and student nights eg Mad Moose, Rose Tavern, Garden House. Union bar cheapest, £1.60 a pint.

Nightlife: Riverside development with restaurants, trendy bars and Time (huge nightclub); in town another 8 clubs, all the chain bars and some nice independents. Union LCR and Waterfront between them have all types of events for all genres, including weekly indie/alternative night. 2 multiplex cinemas, independent for art films and films shown on campus.

Locals: Extremely tolerant and welcoming. Feel safe walking the streets and very low crime.

Sports: Big on rugby, hockey and football but huge range of other sports (incl ultimate frisbee and korfball) all with teams funded by the SU. Athletics and hockey centre next to campus; state-of-the-art gym, swimming pool, climbing wall, studios etc.

Travel: 2 hours to London, 4 to Newcastle by car or train. SU travel shop gives best deals. Jobs: Available on and off campus, help from SU employment agency, EmployAbility. Bar work at SU best paid (£4.80 per hour).

Financial help: Access funds, VC loans and other hardship funds and scholarships. Help available from SU advice centre and Dean of Students Office (also gives interest-free loans).

Annual living costs: The minimum amount students say you need to live on each year (covering all living expenses but excluding tuition fees) is £3000-£4000 (in uni accommodation), £3500-£4500 (in private accommodation).

Informal name: UEA.

Best features: Events, gigs, balls, film showing, nice accommodation, very safe.

And worst: Travel to other parts of country (usually have to go through London on train). The concrete buildings in wintertime (in summer you don't notice it!).

More info: Student handbook (also student newspaper and union newsletter) from SU on Tel: 01603 592504 or email: su.comms(at)uea.ac.uk. Check website: www.stu.uea.ac.uk

Past students: Johnathan Powell (BBC), Selina Scott (TV presenter), Jenny Abramski (Radio 4), Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ruth Rendell (authors), Noelle Walsh (Editor, Good Housekeeping), Vanessa Evans (Editor, Country Homes and Interiors), Tim Bentinck, David Vann (actors), Andy Ripley (rugby), Dennis Callopy (MD of E6 Music Group), Clive Sinclair, Paul Whitehouse (comedian).