A Campus Set in Nature
University of York’s campus spans 500 acres of parkland where lakes, wetlands, and landscaped gardens create spaces away from urban density. Wildlife regularly appears—ducks, geese, swans, herons, hares, water voles, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, and occasionally otters move through the grounds, adding natural rhythms to daily routines that students encounter between classes and residence halls.
Campus Accommodation
On-campus housing puts students within walking distance of their courses while surrounding them with greenery. Various accommodation options suit different budgets, from standard rooms to more equipped spaces. Living here means waking to birdsong rather than traffic, which many find helps establish routines that balance study demands with moments of relative quiet.
Sustainability
The university holds Green Flag campus status since 2013, meeting national standards for public parks and green spaces. It ranks 4th in the UK for UN Sustainable Development Goal 11. The YORCUP cup lending program has kept over 1 million disposable cups from landfills, while the Environmental Sustainability Academy offers students platforms to engage with sustainability questions and contribute to practices that reduce campus waste.
Connection with Nature
Beyond the campus itself, York contains numerous green spaces—York Museum Gardens, York Minster Gardens, and the historic Treasury House Gardens among them. These areas offer students places to study outdoors or temporarily step away from coursework. Combined with the university’s parkland setting, wildlife presence, and sustainability work, they create an environment where natural surroundings support rather than distract from academic focus.
