Coventry ranked as best student city in the Midlands

Coventry has been ranked the best student city in the Midlands and the fourth best in England according to the QS Best Student Cities 2025 rankings.

The city, which is home to tens of thousands of students, finished above Birmingham and Nottingham in the rankings.

The top four in England were named as London, Manchester, Newcastle and Coventry. 
The rankings are based on a range of indicators grouped into six key categories: university rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability and student view.

Coventry has also scored well in the affordability indicator which looks at tuition costs and the cost of living for students in the city, coming eighth in England.

Coventry has a strong rating from graduate employers – this is attributed to the reputation of its universities as well as the city’s long history of leadership in manufacturing and design. The QS rankings state that: “This legacy is reflected in the fact that Coventry University is one of only a few institutions to offer a course dedicated to automotive design.” 

The university’s Automotive and Transport Design course celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. 

When asked to name the best thing about studying in Coventry, one respondent to the QS student survey described it as “a very friendly and multicultural city” and that the city “feels safe with low crime rates and great affordability”. 

To be considered in the rankings, each city must have a population of more than 250,000 and be home to at least two universities featured in the most recent QS World University Rankings. 

Find out more about QS Best Student Cities.