Advice for commuting students

Across the country, more students than ever before are choosing to study closer to home and commute to university.

We wan you to know that you'll be receive the same support at opportunities at UCA regardless of if you live on campus, in private accommodation or travel from home. Your living situation doesn't stop you from being a pivotal part of our creative community.

We know that some students who are planning to commute to university may have some concerns about travelling in for teaching, how they'll make friends and what they can do if their timetable creates gaps in their day.

Travelling to UCA

Walking

Canterbury is a very compact and walkable city, so getting around is very easy.  Our Canterbury campus is located on the edge of the historic city with much of the city centre pedestrianised. 

Cycling

There are cycle racks and bookable cycle lockers on campus for you to store your bike and many cycle routes that you can use on your way to UCA.
View a map of Canterbury cycle routes

If you find yourself needing any bike parts or repairs whilst you're at uni, there's a bike shop called Cycles UK just a few minutes walk from campus.

Bus

Stagecoach runs buses across Canterbury that connect with local towns such as Whitstable, Herne Bay and Faversham. As a student, you can also get big discounts on local season tickets.

Train

Canterbury is served by two major train stations, both of which are around ten minutes’ walk to campus. Check out the National Rail website for timetables and to see if you’re eligible for discounted fares with a railcard.

Car

Parking on campus is limited, which means we aren't able to offer on-campus parking. Exceptions can be made for blue badge holders.

We recommend that you use the Park and Ride car park on New Dover Road (postcode CT1 3EJ). The bus journey to the campus is about 5 minutes. There are also public car parks in the city and limited on-street parking near to campus, but make sure to check street signage for restrictions including time-limits and whether payment is required.

Cycling

There are cycle racks on campus for you to store your bike and many cycle routes that you can use on your way to UCA.
View a map of Epsom cycle routes

If you find yourself needing any bike parts or repairs whilst you're at uni, there's a Halfords store just a mile away from our Epsom campus.

Train

Epsom station is a five-minute walk to the campus, and you can get there from London Waterloo or London Victoria. Visit the National Rail website for times and prices.

Bus

The following bus routes travel through Epsom at least once an hour during the week:

Car

Parking on campus is limited, which means we aren't able to offer on-campus parking. Exceptions can be made for blue badge holders. To arrange this please contact the Farnham campus directly on +44 (0)1372 728 811.

The nearest car parks to the campus are Depot Road (postcode KT17 4RJ) or at the Ashley Centre (postcode KT18 5AL), both are about a five-minute walk away.

For details of public car parks nearby please visit the Epsom and Ewell Borough Council website.

Cycling

There are cycle racks and bookable cycle lockers on campus for you to store your bike. 
View a map of Farnham cycle routes

If you find yourself needing any bike parts or repairs whilst you're at uni, there's a Halfords store just a mile away from our Farnham campus.

Train

Services to Farnham run from London Waterloo (via Woking). The station is less than a 15-minute walk to the University. Visit the National Rail website for times and prices.

Bus

The following Stagecoach bus routes travel through Farnham:

Car

Parking on campus is limited, which means we aren't able to offer on-campus parking. Exceptions can be made for blue badge holders. To arrange this please contact the Farnham campus directly on +44 (0)1252 722 441.

We recommend that most students use the two pay and display car parks next to the campus - the Upper and Lower Hart car parks (postcode GU9 7HA).

Student travel discounts

There is a wide range of travel discount options for UCA students. These include:

  • 16-25 Railcard: Gives a 33% discount off of most national rail fares. These are also available to students over 25-years-old with evidence of eligibility.
  • Stagecoach buses: Stagecoach offer a discount on bus travel to students on production of a valid university ID card.
  • Surrey LINK bus card: This free bus card is for people aged 20 and under who live in Surrey. It gives the user 50% off the adult fare on any single or return bus journey that starts and/or finishes in Surrey
  • 18+ Student Oyster card: Students who need to travel through London show consider purchasing a student Oyster card that gives a 30% discount on adult rate travel cards.

Student running a stall at the Freshers Fair

Students' Union

UCASU is the Students' Union at UCA. As well as representing you they host events throughout the year and run a range of special interest clubs and societies where you can meet like-minded students.

Students' Union website View clubs & societies

What to do on campus

Have a spare hour or two before your next lecture? Here's a few things you could do:

Grab a coffee from the canteen

Take a break or catch-up with friends with a coffee and a snack. There's also a wide range of hot and cold foods available at lunch time. If you've brought lunch with you you'll be able to warm them up in the microwaves provided.

Explore the galleries across the campus

Immerse yourself in creativity by visiting our on-campus galleries. They’re perfect for inspiration and discovering new work.

Head to the library

Find a quiet space to study or borrow resources for your projects. With computers as well as resources such as books, archives, films and journals, our libraries are stacked with everything you need.

Immerse yourself in our facilities

The creative facilities across our campuses are open to all students. Technicians run workshops throughout the year for students across all courses, not just the subject the facility is most related to.

Explore the town

Take a stroll and see what’s nearby. With a range of cafés and local shops in Canterbury, Epsom and Farnham, there's plenty of spots to relax or grab a bite.