Welcome to Worcester!
To help you get started, check out our 'Welcome to Worcester' page to find out what you need to do before starting your course.
You'll also find more information about what to expect from our Welcome festival, which is a great opportunity for you to meet your lecturers, your peers and find your way around the campus and the city. It's also a chance to link up with other commuter students and potentially find a travel buddy or someone to car share with.
Socialising as a commuter student
Networks and socities
Being a commuter student doesn’t mean compromising on the social side of university life. You might be interested in getting involved with our Commuter Student Network to connect with other commuter students, but you can also join any of our networks and societies, and events hosted at The Hangar.
There will be both daytime and evening activities you can engage with such as Varisty, and themed events for weeks like Go Green Week which you can get as involved with as you'd like.
Campus cafes
You can also take advantage of the many cafes across campus to catch-up with classmates and discuss your course with a drink and a snack. Or you could pop along to ‘Fancy-a-Cuppa' and enjoy a drink and a chat with fellow students and members of the student wellbeing team.
If you’re ever worried about missing the last train home, we have on-site accommodation available, so you’ll always have a safe place to sleep.
How to book short-term accommodation
If you need a late-night study session on campus or want to attend an event that finishes late, you don’t need to worry about missing your ride home or driving back late.
For just £31.76 per night*, we have on-campus accommodation you can book through the accommodation portal. You can collect your keys from St. Johns main reception and check in from 2pm. Check out will be by 10am on your booked departure date.
*Rates accurate for academic year 2024/25 and subject to change.
Ways to get to campus
However you're planning on commuting to campus, we have recommended routes and advice on how to save money when using public transport as a student.
Travelling by bus
First Bus serves the Worcestershire area and both the 31 and 31A buses can get you to St. Johns campus, but the 31 will drop you off outside of the campus gates, and the 31a will drop you off outside of the SU on the campus itself.
Both buses leave from the main bus station in the city centre. Route 30 takes 10 minutes and route 31a takes 10 minutes to the University Gates and 20 minutes to the SU on St. Johns campus.
To find out how to get to a specific campus, see our Campus locations page.
Travelling by train
There are two main train companies which can get you to Worcester, and two stations to choose from in the city centre.
West Midlands trains offers students half-price tickets, and with a railcard you could also save on Great Western Railway trains.
The two main stations are Worcester Foregate Street which is in the city centre, and Worcester Shrub Hill station which is a 10-minute walk from the city centre. Trains often run between the two and the journey takes roughly 3 minutes.
To find out how to get to a specific campus, see our Campus locations page.
Travelling by car
Worcester is served by the M5 motorway and is accessible from Junctions 6 and 7. Under normal traffic conditions all university campuses can be reached in 15-20 minutes from Junction 7. The University is clearly signposted once you come off at Junction 7.
There are several car parks across our campuses and all are monitored. You can apply for a parking permit or use the Pay & Display machines. You could also use the Welcome Festival to find a fellow student you could lift share to share the cost of petrol and parking.
To find out how to get to a specific campus, see our Campus locations page.
Travelling by bike
There are plenty of spaces to park your bike across the campuses, and we have on-site free bike repair facilities on St. Johns campus. Worcester also has a bike share scheme in place with Beryl Bikes. These can be found all over the city as well as the City, Severn and St. Johns campuses.
To find out how to get to a specific campus, see our Campus locations page.
Support for commuting students
Once you’ve figured out your travel plan, you may wish to familiarise yourself with what to expect as you start your course, to ease your transition into university. Our Starting at University guide will help you prepare for lectures and independent study.
You could also look at our Study Skills portal to find out what to expect from independent study and how to access support.
We also recommend familiarising yourself with the services we have available on campus, such as the Disability and Dyslexia service, the Counselling and Mental Health service and Money Advice so you can either reach out and ensure you have the support you need in place ready for you, or so you know where to access support when you need it.
Financial support
If you have any concerns about the cost of university, we have a Fees and Finance webpage dedicated to laying out the course costs and what support is available.
We also have our Budgeting and Boosting Your Income webpage, with helpful tips on how to make your money go further.
There’s also the option to Earn as you learn, by becoming a Student Ambassador. This is a great way to earn some extra money and gain work experience, with the flexibility of tailoring what shifts you take on to fit your study and personal commitments.
You may also be eligible to receive:
If you’d like to speak to someone about any financial concerns our Money Advice team is there to help.