There are a lot of decisions to make when you are deciding which university you want to study at, and where you live is often top of the list.
University living can shape your entire student experience.
Edge Hill University’s residential campus model has won multiple awards for its accommodation and living experience, providing students with the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in university life, with everything you need on your doorstep, surrounded by a beautiful landscape and industry led facilities.
Our residential campus provides a smooth transition for students to settle in, form friendships and feel safe and supported. We have all the tools available for students to make the most of their exciting new adventure.
A new HEPI report, Moving Away? The past and future of student accommodation, confirms just how important that is.
The report shows that where students live is closely linked to their sense of belonging, participation in university life, wellbeing and academic outcomes.
Importantly, it finds that the residential model that Edge Hill University has still matters for many full-time undergraduates who leave their family home for the first time.
Edge Hill University – a residential community that makes it possible
For current Edge Hill students, this will resonate with them. Our accommodation is at the heart of our vibrant and diverse campus community.
The Ormskirk-based campus is designed as a secure and fulfilling location where students can not only prosper in their studies but socialise and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Living on campus can help students settle into university life more quickly as they navigate a significant life change, while meeting people going through the same experiences from day one.
They are the key ingredients the HEPI report links to better outcomes.
UK first-year undergraduate students who make Edge Hill their Firm choice are guaranteed a room in the University’s halls of residence from the start of the 2026 academic year.
There are more than 2,000 rooms available across our Ormskirk campus and students have a genuine choice of accommodation to suit different needs, lifestyles and budgets.
From our brand-new Central Halls at the heart of campus to peaceful accommodation overlooking the lake, students can choose the environment that’s right for them. They are all within walking distance of teaching spaces, support services and the Students’ Union.
There is no doubt starting university is a big step, but living on campus does make that transition easier by placing everything in one place, from accommodation, fitness facilities, entertainment, catering and wider student support, which is available 24/7.
In addition, you are in proximity to Ormskirk town centre, alongside two of the major cities in the UK, Manchester and Liverpool.
Edge Hill is a living, breathing thriving community, not just a collection of lecture theatres, echoing the HEPI report’s argument that universities work best as places as well as ideas.
National recognition for making halls feel like home
The student voice is central to the HEPI report, which shows that most students who live away from home are satisfied with their accommodation and feel it contributes positively to their university experience.
Edge Hill University results mirror and exceed that picture.
Edge Hill University’s accommodation has been ranked the best in the UK by Uni Compare, with top-spot results in the accommodation rankings confirmed for multiple years, including the latest 2027 table. The university has also been recognised for creating the Best Student Home and for offering the Best Moving‑In Experience, reflecting feedback from thousands of student reviews.
For students, that recognition reflects the care, planning and investment that goes into making halls feel like home, from 24‑hour campus support and wellbeing services to social events and the everyday details that help new students feel they belong.
Affordability, support and the reality of student finance
The HEPI report is clear that the UK’s commitment to students moving away from home has created real financial pressures. Across the country, maintenance support no longer covers the full cost of living for many students and rents in some areas exceed the maximum support available.
As a result, more students are taking on term-time work, often for long hours, which reduces the time and energy they can devote to studying and wider university life, which can have a detrimental effect.
Edge Hill University recognises these pressures and designs its accommodation with affordability in mind. There are options to fit every budget, with student experience and welfare at the core of our new five-year strategy, Our Connected Futures.
Utility bills are included and free Wi‑Fi provided in all halls of residence. As a campus university, Edge Hill University also helps keep other costs down from transport to access to fitness facilities and social spaces by having everything students need in one place.
This helps address the national ‘affordability gap’ highlighted in the HEPI report, where students elsewhere are increasingly forced to work more hours in term time just to pay their rent.
Residence, belonging and the bigger purpose of university
The report makes a wider, powerful point. University life is not just about formal learning.
There are multiple other points such as the relationships, confidence and independence students build outside the lecture theatre.
The report argues that how students live is every bit as important as what they learn and that residence can help create a strong sense of belonging while supporting both academic success and personal development.
Edge Hill’s residential campus embodies that vision. Living in campus accommodation means students can join societies, take part in sporting activities, attend extracurricular events and access pastoral support right on their doorstep.
When universities support students’ academic and social development alongside their need for personal space and engaging surroundings, they achieve better outcomes and stronger communities. That is exactly what Edge Hill University’s accommodation model is designed to deliver.
At Edge Hill, it is where students find support, make friends, grow in confidence and feel at home while they study on campus, making it possible not just to get a degree but to experience the full lifechanging potential of university.
To find out more about Edge Hill University, please click here.
July 13, 2026
