Russell Group

University of Sheffield — can you afford it?

Sheffield · 29,000 students · Est. 1905

£151.41/wk
Cheapest halls
+£247/mo
After halls
4 hrs/wk
Work to break even
91%
Graduate employment
26
Affordability score

The monthly maths

Maintenance loan (max — outside London)+£903
Cheapest halls (£151.41/wk × 4.33)−£656
After halls+£247
Transport (city avg)−£60
Food (estimate)−£200
Monthly balance-£183

Work hours to break even: 4 hrs/week at £12.21/hr

Annual shortfall: -£2,196

Over 3 years: -£6,588

Typical (median) room: -£369/mo if not in the cheapest option

Based on maximum loan. Calculate your actual loan →

Halls vs private in Sheffield

🏠 Sheffield halls

Cheapest£151.41/wk (£656/mo)
Median£194.32/wk (£842/mo)
Most expensive£240.38/wk (£1,042/mo)
BillsIncluded ✓
Contract40–51 weeks
Monthly surplus£247per month

🏢 Private rental in Sheffield

Average rent£580/month
Bills estimate+£87/mo
Total housing cost£667/mo
Contract12 months (summer risk)
BillsExtra ✗
Monthly surplus£236per month

Sheffield by the numbers

Total students29,000
Undergraduates20,000
International students28%
Student:staff ratio14.2:1
Graduate employment91%
Average graduate salary£26,500
TypeRussell Group
Founded1905

Student numbers: HESA 2024/25. Graduate salary: SalaryDex data for Sheffield. Graduate salaries in Sheffield →

Notable Sheffield alumni

J
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Olympic gold medallist, heptathlon
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/jessica-ennis-hill
J
Joe Cocker
Rock musician, With a Little Help from My Friends
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/joe-cocker

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Compare Sheffield with others

Bristol vs Sheffield
£65/month better off at Sheffield
Compare now →
Leeds vs Sheffield
£127/month better off at Sheffield
Compare now →
Manchester vs Sheffield
£100/month better off at Sheffield
Compare now →
Or compare any two universities →

What happens after Sheffield?

Newly qualified Software engineer in Sheffield
Entry gross: £35,000 · Take-home after rent: +£1,753/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Nurse (Band 5) in Sheffield
Entry gross: £30,959 · Take-home after rent: +£1,395/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Teacher in Sheffield
Entry gross: £31,650 · Take-home after rent: +£1,420/mo
Full salary breakdown →

Take-home estimates based on 2025/26 PAYE rates including student loan Plan 5 repayments.

Accommodation data source

Accommodation costs verified 2026-05-21 from University of Sheffield official accommodation page. Monthly costs use the formula: weekly rate × 42 contract weeks ÷ 9 academic months. Bills included in all quoted rates.

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