Zara – Nottingham Trent University – England
Semester 2, 2024 – Semester 1, 2025
Bachelor of Laws
I’m Zara, a QUT law student who swapped Gold Coast’s beaches for Nottingham Trent University’s buzzing city centre for a year. My main reason for choosing NTU? The nightlife and student culture. Nottingham isn’t just a uni town—it’s a student city, and it knows how to make you feel at home fast.
Sure, NTU has a solid law program, but honestly, I picked Nottingham for the experience outside the classroom. With two large universities in the city, everything is geared towards students—cheap eats, busy pubs, and an events calendar that never slows down.
The city centre is compact, walkable, and full of energy. My student flat was right in the middle of it all, meaning I could be in a lecture one minute and in a pub with mates 15 minutes later. Winter hit hard at first, with sunset at 4 pm being a shock, but the Christmas markets, mulled wine, and cosy pub sessions made it feel magical.
Studying law in England was challenging but rewarding. Tutorials encouraged debate, and the focus on case law was intense compared to back home. The lecturers were approachable, but you had to stay on top of deadlines—especially if you wanted to enjoy the full Nottingham social scene without stress.
I joined the Makeup Society, which was the perfect balance to my coursework. It was relaxed, creative, and full of friendly faces—plus, it was the ideal place to meet people outside my course. Many of our socials rolled straight into Ocean Wednesdays, NTU’s legendary midweek club night. Ocean was chaos in the best way—starting with a society pub crawl, often at Spoons first for cheap pitchers, and ending in a packed nightclub where the playlist was almost entirely throwback bangers.
Another unexpected favourite was student race days at Nottingham Racecourse. Hundreds of students would dress to the nines, place tiny bets, and soak up the sun. It was like the Melbourne Cup but with more questionable outfit choices.
Wetherspoons, or “Spoons,” quickly became a second home. It’s where plans were made, nights out started, and hangovers were cured. The pub culture in the UK is unbeatable—cosy in winter, beer gardens in summer, and always full of students.
Christmas away from Australia could have been tough, but I beat the homesickness by travelling for five weeks straight over the break. I spent Christmas in Prague, exploring the snow-covered Old Town and drinking hot chocolate at the markets. I then rang in the New Year under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, before continuing my travels through Copenhagen, the French Alps, and beyond. Travelling kept me busy, gave me incredible memories, and reminded me how much of Europe is right on your doorstep when you live in Nottingham.
For anyone considering Nottingham, here’s my advice: go to Ocean Wednesday at least once—you’ll understand why when you do. Book trains early because last-minute UK tickets can be painful. Join a society you genuinely enjoy; it’s the fastest way to make friends. Budget for nights out because the temptation in a student city is real. And if you’re away over Christmas, travel—it’s the best way to beat missing home.
Nottingham gave me the perfect mix of challenging academics, a packed social calendar, and the chance to see more of the UK and Europe than I ever thought possible. It’s a city that lives and breathes student culture, and if you throw yourself into it, you’ll leave with more stories than you can tell in one sitting.
Find out more on how you can apply: Student Exchange
