Keele University - Student Life

Housing: Most students on campus (£53-£83 per week); off-campus rents low (£45 pw); university and SU have lists.

Eats: Meal £2.50-ish on campus. Bar meals, fast food in SU. Sandwiches and jacket potatoes in Harvey's. Off campus: pizza, curries and kebabs delivered until the early hours!

Drink: 6 cheap SU bars, 3 student-run hall bars, 2 university bars (more expensive). Close by are Golfers Arms (SU-owned, excellent food and beers), Sneyd Arms (trad pub in Keele village).

Nightlife: SU ents (discos, club dance nights, gigs, comedy, club tours and balls). Theatres, gig venues, gay venues and many big clubs (Void, Place, Creation, Fluid, etc) in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley (city-centre).

Locals: Friendly; will call you 'duck'.

Sports: Very good facilities on campus (used by many premiership football clubs), huge sports centre, multi-gym, tennis courts, squash courts, flood-lit astro-turf, extensive playing fields. Local swimming pool in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Travel: Travel office in SU. Two bus routes onto campus (every 15 mins); taxis are cheap and efficient. Car parks for each hall (registration essential, small fee).

Financial help: Various funds available. Limited loans from the SU and university for those in exceptional financial trouble. Free professional and confidential advice from the independent advice unit in SU.

Jobs: SU jobs in catering, bars and security; some in university. Local work relatively easy to find; SU has a jobshop.

Buzz words: Duck (what locals call everyone).

Best features: Community atmosphere, green campus.

And worst: Random weather patterns. Good news: SU working on expansion projects. New medical school.

More info: Contact SU President, Paul McCaffrey - Tel: 01782 583701 or visit website: www.kusu.net

Past students: John Golding, David Pownall, Jack Straw MP, Gerry Northam. Sue Robbie, Alan Michael, Ian Taylor, Bernard Lloyd, Claire Short MP, Michael Mansfield OC, David Chell and Slash from Guns n' Roses.