Commuter students
Many of our students live at home and commute to university for their studies. If you're a local student thinking about travelling to uni, this page has all the information you need to help you decide.
Commuting to campus
Our campuses have great transport links. This makes getting to campus and getting around convenient, accessible, and safe. There's a range of travel options for you to choose from. From walking and cycling to public transport. There are lots of discounts on travel for students too.
Where possible, we do encourage more sustainable travel choices. This is part of our travel plan and commitment to reducing our carbon emissions.
Preston Campus
One of the easiest ways to get to campus is on the bus. Preston bus station provides reliable and extensive transport links in and around the city. The station is a 10-minute walk to the campus, but there are several bus stops on campus.
Burnley Campus
Burnley Campus is situated on major bus routes and buses to Preston, Blackburn and Manchester run regularly.
Discounted bus travel
Please check with individual providers for pricing at it is subject to change.
- Preston Bus offer discounted “UCLan term tickets”.
- The Preston UniRider bus pass provides unlimited travel on Stagecoach services in Lancashire at a great discount.
- Transdev offer student and under 19s discount on tickets between Burnley, Blackburn and Preston.
- Avoid the stress of city centre car parking with one of the two Preston Park and Ride options. There is one in Walton-le-Dale behind the Capitol Centre and another at Portway.
Preston Campus
Preston train station is a five to 10-minute walk away from our campus. Preston is an inter-change station. It's mainly served by Avanti West Coast, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express services.
There are direct trains to Blackpool, Lancaster, Blackburn, Burnley, Liverpool, and Manchester. There are also direct trains to London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
Burnley Campus
Victoria Mill is a five-minute walk from Manchester Road Station, the main station in Burnley. The station is served by services from Blackpool North or Preston to Leeds and York. There is also an hourly service to Manchester Victoria.
Princess Way is a two-minute walk from Burnley Central Station. Trains from Burnley Central train station run every hour to Colne, Preston and Blackpool South.
Discounted train tickets
Full-time students of any age, or part-time students under the age of 25 can buy a 16-25 Railcard. This will save 33% on all your train tickets – an average saving of over £190 per year.
If you're a part-time student aged between 26 to 30 you can apply for the 26-30 Railcard, which will save you a third off travel.
There is also a Disabled Persons Railcard available which will save 33% for both you and an adult companion.
Cycling is a great way to get to and around our campuses and we have excellent cycling facilities and schemes.
Preston Campus
At Preston, there is a range of cycle storage options to choose from including:
- Open bike racks outside most building entrances. Some are covered.
- Over 60 individual velo-safe cycle lockers, which are fully-enclosed and water resistant. These can be hired per semester or per year.
- There are secure bike compounds outside the Student Centre, Greenbank and Maudland buildings.
- We also have cycle equipment lockers available to use for the storage of cycle or motorcycle gear.
You can hire a range of bikes from our bike hub at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre.
Burnley Campus
Secure cycle lockers and cycle shelters are available at Burnley Princess Way. A secure cycle compound is also available at Victoria Mill. Both sites offer storage lockers and showers for cyclists.
We encourage you to use sustainable forms of transport – including cycling, walking and car sharing. Should you need to travel by a car, here are details of parking and parking permits.
Preston Campus
Preston Campus does have a lot of parking available but the car parks get full quickly during term-time. This means we will have a limited number of parking permits available each semester.
UCLan car park permits are only awarded to those that meet our eligibility criteria. This considers things such as blue badge holders, mobility, and childcare commitments. It also looks at where you live and any course placement obligations.
To reduce solo car commuting to campus we offer a 50% reduction in permit costs and provide dedicated car sharing bays on our car parks.
There are several pay-and-display car parks in the city centre. St. Mary’s Car Park and Walker Street Car Park are two of the nearest to the campus.
UCLan car parks are free of charge for all users between 6pm and 7am Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday. Occasionally car parks may be closed at these times for events and works. This will be clearly signed at the entrance to the relevant car parks.
Burnley Campus
If you are studying at our Victoria Mill and Princess Way buildings, you can apply for a parking permit.
Don’t worry if you’re not living on campus, you'll still have a great experience. Students living at home and commuting to uni have plenty of opportunities to get involved with student life outside the classroom.
View our frequently asked questions about commuting.
Places for you to relax on campus
Our social spaces are a great place to catch up with friends if you travel into campus from home. You can get involved in lots of activities in the SU building. Plus, the Oasis Faith and Spirituality Centre provides a calm, welcoming environment for everyone.
![image overlay](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width="600" height="460" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/%3E)
Hear from our students
Being a commuter student forces us to be productive - even if we’re still relaxing elsewhere like in the Student Centre or many of the social spaces dotted around campus.
Sometimes people who commute think they won’t have the same university experience as someone who’s living in halls, but this is absolutely not the case!
I have lived on and off campus, as well as travelling in using both public transport and my own car. Read my top tips for making your commute to university that bit easier.
Learn some new skills or catch up on studies
As well as the library, you have access to lots of learning opportunities. You could go to our Worldwise Centre to explore languages and connect with others. Or develop your business expertise for success at our Propeller Hub.
Become friends for life
Want to say hello to your future course mates before you join the University of Central Lancashire? Our closed Facebook groups give you the opportunity to get to know each other before you start.
Join your community group
Student life
Don’t worry if you’re not living on campus. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get involved with student life outside the classroom. Make friends for life, explore your potential and discover new passions.
Plus, if you're a local student from Preston or Burnley, you have the added bonus of being a tour guide for your new friends.
Join a society
Join a society to meet like-minded people, make friends, and explore social activities outside your course. Don't see a society you like? Societies are student-led so you can create your own with the help of the SU.
From trying new hobbies, sharing your nationality or expressing your creative passions. There is a society for everyone.
Recreational sport
Staying active is a mood booster and playing sport is a great way to meet new people. You'll enjoy a welcoming home-from-home feeling and form friendships for life.
If you're serious about sport, you could join a competitive team and represent us in many clubs.
Travelling to our campuses
ArticleGetting to Preston Campus
ArticleGetting to Burnley Campus
ArticleGetting to Westlakes Campus
Frequently asked questions
You're a commuter student if you live at your home address whilst attending classes. This could be with your family, partner, friends, or alone. Your 'home' and 'term-time' address will usually be the same.
Some students will live close to their university, whilst others come from different areas within the region. Some commuter students may even come from even further afield depending on how much time they need to spend on campus.
A home address is your permanent residence, so it might be your family home or where you live with your partner or friends.
A term-time address is where you stay if you're living in university or private accommodation when studying. For example, if you lived in our halls this would be classed as your term-time address.
For some students, their home and term-time address will be the same. This would usually mean you are a commuter student, as you'd likely travel into campus for your studies.
There are many benefits of commuting to university whilst living at home.
Saving money
It's likely that you will be able to save money on accommodation, especially if you are living at home with family. You might even be able to save money on food and other living expenses. You can also choose to live in an area that might be slightly cheaper than the city or town centre.
Support from family and friends
Having a good support network is really important when studying at university. It's an amazing experience, but it can be stressful at times. Living at home means you have that support network readily available to you.
Fewer distractions
Commuting to university means you'll be able to study in a distraction free environment. You'll be able to avoid lively university halls and you'll get a clear boundary between your academic and social life.
You're likely to know the best places to go
Being familiar with the local area can be helpful. You can share your knowledge about the best cafes, restaurants, and places to relax. You'll also be able to act as a tour guide to new friends who are not from the area.
The decision on whether to live on campus or commute will always depend on your own personal circumstances.
According to a report by HEPI published in 2018, over 20% of students in the UK are thought to live at home and commute to university. This number is thought to have increased since the Covid-19 pandemic.
You'll absolutely be able to get involved in university life whilst living at home. You can join societies and attend Students' Union events. You also have use of all the campus facilities and can socialise with friends. Plus, you can engage in online communities or set up your own.
Check out the information above for more ideas on how to get involved in student life.
Our campuses have excellent transport links, making it easy to commute to classes. You can view the information on commuting to campus for tips on getting the train, bus or cycling. If you want detailed information on how to get to each campus, visit the following pages:
Commuting as a student often results in significant cost savings compared to living on or near campus. If you're living at home, you might be living rent-free or paying very little rent. This means you may also be fortunate enough not to worry about utility bills, or other associated expenses. You could also be living outside of the city or town which may be cheaper than living closer to campus.
Commuting also allows you to have more control over your food expenses. You can prepare meals at home and may even be able to share meals with family or whoever you live with. How much you save will vary depending on your individual circumstances. However, being a commuter student can provide financial benefits and you might be able to manage your money more efficiently.