Our main campus is the real hub of University of Reading life. Set in 130 hectares of stunning parkland, it offers plenty of places to eat, shop, study and socialise. The campus is a thriving community and features the students’ union, the Library, fantastic study areas, two on-site museums, shops and a nightclub run by the students’ union.
Our facilities
The facilities on campus include a students’ union shop selling branded university wear, a bookshop, Korean food store, hairdresser, bubble tea bar, printing service and cash machine. There is also an online campus jobs site where you can explore part-time work options, the SportsPark which features a refurbished fitness studio, and a film theatre which shows a range of independent and arthouse films.
The University Library recently underwent a major £40m refurbishment and now features extra study space and greater accessibility. Library facilities are open 24 hours a day (except Saturday night) during term time, and offer access to more than one million books, plus a fully equipped computer suite with online access to thousands of e-journals, academic e-books and databases.
Students’ union
Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU) is an independent organisation, run by students, for students. It aims to help you make the most of your student experience and, while at Reading, you’re automatically a member. RUSU provides facilities, entertainment and opportunities for students, and works to create positive change. For example, RUSU and the student LGBT+ society won ‘LGBT Event of the Year' at this year's National Union of Students LGBT+ Conference.
Reading town
Looking outside of our campuses, Reading has a thriving town centre with a range of places to meet up with friends, grab a drink and a bite to eat, or just hang out and relax. In addition to the usual cafe chains, there are also some alternative and pop-up options. A year-round shopping destination, The Oracle shopping centre and nearby Broad Street feature the big names in retail. There are also independent shops around town, from vintage fashion to cult record shops.
There are several venues for theatre and the arts, as well as historical buildings such as the recently restored Reading Abbey. Parks and gardens abound, such as Forbury Gardens, which hosts food and craft beer markets, fairs and concerts.
Reading is on the tour trail for many bands and comedy acts, not to mention the home-grown talent in a number of theatre, live music venues and dance companies.
Football can be watched at Reading FC, while Reading Hockey Club is well regarded in both the men’s and women’s sport.
Reading Festival
For thousands of people, Reading is best known for one event: Reading Festival. This annual music festival will be within walking distance from your halls and presents a unique opportunity for Reading students. For several years, the University has worked with the Festival to allow groups of students the chance of a lifetime to report live from backstage at the festival, interviewing festival-goers and artists.
Central location
From the main Whiteknights campus, it takes around 20 minutes by bus or ten minutes by bike to reach the town centre. Reading is well equipped with cycle parking areas and there is a reliable bus service around the town.
