Leeds City College officially opens its University Centre

Leeds City College, one of the largest FE institutions in the country, has officially opened its University Centre.

Based at the former College House on Park Lane, a ribbon cutting ceremony took place in the presence of the West Yorkshire Lieutenancy’s Major Stan Hardy, the college’s principal Colin Booth OBE and the University Centre’s Dean of Higher Education, Janet Faulkner.

The first intake of higher education (HE) students at the newly refurbished building have been enjoying a relaxed, supportive and adult learning environment, away from the main body of college students.

Janet Faulkner said: “After months of planning and construction work, we’re thrilled to see the finished product and formally open its doors to the students.

“The University Centre will provide excellent tutor support, generous bursary schemes and lower tuition fees. Strong partnerships with employers and extensive work experience opportunities will also be available.”

Due to the increase in Leeds City College’s degree level provision, the University Centre was designed so that HE students can benefit from a university type experience. The Centre’s courses are flexible to suit individuals from a variety of backgrounds, providing options which can fit around existing work and life commitments.

The University Centre’s industry relevant qualifications have been written in consultation with employers, key industry partners and its validating body, The Open University. For more information, visit www.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/university-centre/

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Students in Leeds Learn to Love Living in the City

Leeds has always been a popular student city, with approximately 65,000 university students at its universities, and for the last 20 years or so, many have made Headingley their home.

Indeed when you ask anyone in Leeds about Headingley, 99% of them will say ‘cricket and students because students in Leeds have been at the heart of life in Headingley for such a long time. Things are changing!

Increasingly, students now want to live as close as possible to the city centre.  And, if they can’t afford or don’t want to live right in the city centre, many are opting to live closer to the campus, in Hyde Park or Woodhouse, which means these suburbs are very much on the up.

There are differing opinions as to what has caused this sea-change and academics struggle to understand the precise factors at play.  It seems the growth of campus living is a major factor which serves not only to provide homes for thousands of first years – and increasingly returning students too – but also creates a much more vibrant lifestyle hub, which students want to be close to.  Just as the tidal wave of student demand has pushed all the way out to West Park over the last 20 years, it is now receding at a similar pace.

Developers are creating homes that specifically appeal to the next generation of students and a number of purpose built developments have established enclaves, particularly around Burley Road, the University Campus and Woodhouse and this clustering draws students further towards the city.

The numbers of young professionals and families choosing to rent in Headingley has in turn increased significantly with the majority of clients at our North Leeds office now consisting of couples and professionals who are renting homes for between £500 and £850 per month.

There will always be a core of students in Leeds who want to live in Headingley and that’s great. It is a vibrant and friendly place where families, young professionals and students can live happily side by side, as they do in many other areas.

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Leeds is undoubtedly one of the best cities for students and young professionals in the UK and with such a huge youth population it’s not hard to find someone if you are in need of finding a new flatmate.

Most first year students coming to Leeds will go straight into halls and take up house shares with friends during their second and third years studying. For those unfortunate enough to have a housemate drop out it can be a worrying experience. Although most estate agents will let you source a replacement you don’t want to get stuck having to cover the rent of the missing member.

You never truly know what someone is like to live with until you actually take the plunge, but more often than not it’s a wise choice to interview or talk to anyone interested in moving in to make sure you are all going to get on. Here’s a few things to keep in mind if you find yourself on the lookout for a new housemate.

Are they a student? Or do they work full time?

This is normally the first question you should ask and one of the most important things to highlight in your ad. If you and the rest of your housemates are students then would you be comfortable with living with someone who works full time? Likewise, if you work full time would you want to live with students?

Do you pay your bills on time?

If you house share in popular student areas like Hyde Park, Headingley or Horsforth that are dominated by the larger local agents like Parklane Properties and City Red that offer all-inclusive rent this is not so much of a problem. However, if you pay your bills separately you have to make sure that your new housemate is going to keep up with their share of the bills.

To protect your own interests and to avoid any arguments, select a date during the month that all bills must be paid by and ask them to set up a direct debit or standing order.

Do you smoke?

If you or your current flat mates don’t smoke and you don’t want anyone to do so make it very clear from the beginning. Agree this in advance with any other flatmates and make it plain in your ad too.

Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend?

If you’re single, it would be understandable if you don’t wish to share your living space with a couple, no one likes being the third-wheel!

This question is also really important if you live in a small property. Having that extra person around for even a few days a week can take up a lot of valuable space in your home and can add a lot to your monthly energy bill.

How’s their social life?

You should get this out in the open as soon as you meet a prospective housemate. If you’re working full time or are on a particularly intensive course a housemate with a particularly active social life might not be the person for you.

If you think the person’s social life will clash with you, choose someone else to move in, it will save you both a lot of frustration and arguments

Do you mind cleaning?

If you have a cleaning rota in place, you should agree on who cleans what and when. If they’re not very keen on the idea of cleaning or can’t do it, ask them if they would consider paying for a cleaner instead.

George Webb

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Why Study in Leeds?

So you’re a prospective  student looking for the perfect city? The main things to consider should be the nightlife, the activities, the events on offer and the accessibility of the city. With Leeds, you get a thriving city, offering everything you need and loads more. From student hubs to cultural hotspots, from easy-to-use transport services to huge nightclubs – Leeds is the city that you’re searching for.

Leeds City Centre

We understand that the nights out are an important part of student life and Leeds offers every type of night out. Headingley, the student capital of Leeds, boasts a fantastic selection of modern bars and pubs while the City Centre offers just about everything you could want for a big night out. With a range of lively nightclubs, fantastic drinking and dining destinations and just about everything in-between at budget prices. Aside from being a fantastic night out, Leeds City Centre is a world-class shopping destination with high street shops, such as Harvey Nichols, and glamorous shopping malls, such as the Trinity Leeds and The Merrion Centre to mention a few. It’s worth noting that most shops, bars and restaurants will offer suitable student discounts too!

The Student Lock in at Trinity Leeds!

Leeds is a passionate sporting city with popular football, cricket and rugby teams. As a result of this, there are chances to watch lots of sport! However, more importantly, there are opportunities to play sport! With hundreds of amateur football, cricket and rugby sides, a wide variety of surprisingly affordable gyms to join and several sport centres just waiting for you to use them, it is easy for you to stay active while at university. You can see other ways here.

Don’t worry, though. Leeds isn’t just a good night out, a bit of sport and a nice day shopping. It’s a fabulous city of culture with dozens of places to visit including museums, galleries and theatres  – plenty free of charge! The Leeds Art Gallery showcases stunning collections and constantly changing exhibitions while the Royal Armouries Museum is Britain’s national museum of arms and armour! You can see more cultural attractions here and you can see what’s on at the theatre through December here.

With this much going on in Leeds, you’d expect it to be hard to get to each of them. The truth couldn’t be any further away! With buses, trains and various taxi services available all year round, it is easy to get from A to B at affordable prices. Plus most of the action is in the City Centre which is only a ten minute walk from the main universities!

You can find much more about Leeds on this website.

Why Live in Leeds?

Leeds is also a great place for students to live as the city has some fantastic properties available for students.You can find more details on where to live on our property page.

Where to study in Leeds?

Leeds University –

Leeds University

Leeds University boasts a student population of 33,500 students and, as a member of the prestigious Russell Group Universities, is considered one of the best universities in the country. The University is located near the centre, right in the heart of the city centre and  You can see their prospectus here or check out their website here.

Leeds Beckett University –

Leeds Beckett University

Formerly Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Beckett University offers fantastic facilities  and teaching for all courses. It is ranked as one of the top universities for any sports-related course and came second in The Times’ University of the Year competition in 2006. With over 25,000 students, the university is popular all over the country. You can check out their website here.

Leeds Trinity –

Leeds Trinity has nearly 3000 students and specialises in specific subjects such as media, journalism, marketing and education. The university offer a professional, relevant work placement with every degree and due to this, 93% of all students are in further education or in employment within 6 months of graduating. Leeds Trinity is also famous for it’s fantastic postgraduates courses in journalism and teacher training. You can check out their website here.

For higher/further education, there are some fantastic colleges and sixth forms such as:

Notre Dam: They offer over 34 A Level Subjects to study and are ranked in the top 10% of sixth form colleges in the country. You can see their website here.

Leeds City College: Leeds City College cater to over 40,000 students and operate out of six main campuses and have dozens of provisions over the region. You can check out their website here.

Leeds College of Art

Leeds Art College: The College of Art offer a range of courses which range from BAs to smaller qualifications. It’s a great opportunity to study in a close-knit community with a creative possibility. See their website here.

Leeds Music College: Leeds Music College also offer a range of short courses and BAs. With an acclaimed music scene and a vibrant student population, it is a great place to be for any young musician. See their website here.

Leeds College of Building: The Leeds College Of Building offers something for everyone with a range of course awarding various different certificates on a variety of topics. See their website here.

The post Why Leeds is the Right Choice appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.

Behind The Scenes of Student Life: How do they really spend their money?

• Student spending priorities revealed as groceries, eating out and utility bills (Natwest Student Living Index)
• Collegiate AC accommodation offers inclusive billing and luxury communal facilities to ease budgeting (Collegiate AC)
• Students spend on average 28 hours a week studying compared with only 12.5 hours socialising (Natwest Student Living Index)

For a student leaving home for the first time, one of the key lessons they will quickly learn is how to budget, with this an often treacherous minefield that can be especially worrying for parents miles away at home, concerned about their son or daughter’s spending habits. In line with this, Natwest, in partnership with an independent research company, have produced the Student Living Index report to unearth the true realities of student expenditure, from what is considered essential spending, to the real financial impact of socialising and the true cost of students’ hobbies and interests.

Based on data from 25 UK universities, the enlightening research reveals that students spend more per week on groceries than anything else, with eating out and utility bills ranking second and third as financial drains.

Heriberto Cuanalo, CEO of the leading provider of luxury student accommodation in the UK, Collegiate AC, explains the importance of budgeting and how a modern student property can benefit,

A key aspect of planning for university life is understanding your finances and creating a budget by which to stick to on a week to week basis. Every student budget will vary depending on individual circumstances and it is always advisable to create your own to include personal requirements, estimating weekly expenses as you go.

“Whilst an important skill to learn, financial planning when you have left home for the first time can be challenging and this is where modern student accommodation can help. At Collegiate AC, not only are our properties close to university ensuring that money is saved on travel, we also provide extra amenities included in our billing. This can help day-to-day expenses reduce, whilst enhancing the living and studying experience: this is the future of university living.”

Monthly utility bills can fluctuate and allowing for this within a weekly student budget can become difficult, especially when unexpected costs occur. In order to eradicate this monetary concern for residents, Collegiate AC properties have utility bills and unlimited Wi-Fi included in the rental price as standard, meaning that students know where they stand with their finances in advance.

As Cuanalo indicates, alongside inclusive billing, Collegiate AC properties also boast a variety of additional facilities that are available to residents at no additional cost, again assisting with budgeting and in turn reassuring parents and guardians from afar.

With eating out taking second place in student spending, Collegiate AC’s 333 Bath Street in Glasgow benefits from a private dining room that allows residents to throw their very own impressive dinner parties, eliminating the need to eat out so often.

Southampton’s premier student residences, Brunswick Apartments, also boasts an array of excellent inclusive facilities. These range from an on-site cinema to provide the ultimate in home entertainment, to the on-site private gym, exclusive to residents and stocked with the latest exercise equipment to allow students to save on expensive gym memberships. With the Natwest Student Living Index showing that students spend more on gym membership than any other sport or fitness activity, having free access to this facility is a key advantage when calculating a weekly budget.

With the report also highlighting that, contrary to popular belief, the majority of students’ time is spent studying – approximately 28 hours a week compared to just 12.5 hours spent socialising – Collegiate AC understand the importance of effective study areas in their properties. With reading and work rooms available for individual study or in a group, Collegiate AC’s high-specification and beautifully designed Hope Street Apartments, set in the heart of Liverpool, are equipped with seminar and common rooms, ideal for just this purpose.

The post Behind The Scenes of Student Life appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.

Leeds’ leading property group, Parklane Properties, has officially opened the doors to Leeds’ most luxurious student accommodation brand, IconInc, on 15th September, which has changed the face of student living as we know it.

The development, worth an estimated 15m, comes after Parklane recognised a demand for more superior quality student living space, and so was born the first IconInc development, The Edge, providing boutique hotel-like living 365 days of the year.

Its 131 apartments come in three sizes; Smart, Elegance and Grande, the highest-spec Grande apartment having the option for couples to rent. The luxury apartments boast all-inclusive bills, superfast 100MB broadband, flat screen TVs and king size beds.

The Edge has paved the way for more IconInc developments in Leeds and nationwide, all to include unrivalled facilities; on-site cinema, games room, gym with personal trainers, study rooms and complimentary daily breakfast to name a few.

Nav Ahmed, Managing Director of Parklane Properties said; “IconInc redefines what it means to ‘live like a student’ and promotes ‘living like an icon’. Leeds has three different universities, so there has always been huge demand for student housing in the city, with a particular demand in recent years for a superior standard of accommodation, noticeable amongst international students. The opening of The Edge offers students ultimate luxury living and revolutionises student living in our city. It’s 7 star student accommodation and we believe there’s nothing like this in the country!”

Amongst the first cohort of tenants will be Aru Patel, who was crowned Leeds Student Icon 2015 in a competition voted for by Leeds residents earlier this year, and has been awarded a free year’s tenancy in a luxury apartment at The Edge.

For more information, or to enquire about availability, please visit www.iconinc.co.uk.

The post Leeds Finest Student Accommodation Opens Its Doors appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.

One remarkable Leeds student has won the prestigious accolade of Leeds Student Icon 2015 and has been awarded with every student’s dream prize.

Leeds’ students entered in their hundreds to be in with a chance of winning the once in a lifetime prize, a year’s free tenancy in IconInc’s luxurious apartment, worth £7,000, in the brand new IconInc, including complimentary daily breakfast and all inclusive utility bills.

Arundhati Patel, an international student from America studying at the University of Leeds, went head to head with four other Leeds students in the final to be crowned the winner of this inspiring competition.

Leeds Student Icon 2015 Aru’s creative flare, hard work and dedication made her stand out from the crowd. From design to dance, Aru loves to use her creativity in all aspects of her life, even her entry form to the competition was a fascinating piece of art.

Aru is multilingual and can speak an extraordinary 6 different languages. She believes her cultural background has allowed her to relate and connect with a wide range of people in Leeds. Aru joined the National Hindu Students Forum and Leeds South Asian Society where she is responsible for producing all promotional material and she is also part of the Japanese and Korean society.

On top of that Aru has been course representative for the School of Design since 2012 and part of the International Youth Scholars Volunteers where she mentored students one-on-one to help them achieve their aspirations. Aru dances competitively at Leeds Dancesport, specialising in ballroom and Latin, and recently was a background dancer in a Bollywood film that was shooting in Leeds.

Leeds Student Icon 2015 winner Arundhati Patel, explains;

“I’m absolutely over the moon to win Leeds Student Icon 2015. It will give me the opportunity and time to continue my work with charities and societies while studying. Meeting new people from different cultures and helping communities achieve their aspirations gives me great pleasure and this competition prize will allow me to save money to visit new countries after I graduate and do just that.”

Naveen Ahmed, Managing Director of Parklane Group of Companies who runs IconInc, explains;

“We launched the Leeds Student Icon competition, which is in its first year, to shine a spotlight on the remarkable and inspiring young people studying in our city. All too often the student community is recognised for the wrong reasons, and we wanted to celebrate the great and good of Leeds students and reward somebody special with the prize of a lifetime.

“The judges were extremely impressed with Leeds Student Icon 2015 Aru’s hard work, determination and compassion, as were the Leeds public who came forward in their masses to vote for Aru. We hope she enjoys her year’s free tenancy with IconInc, and look forward to uncovering even more inspiring students in 2016.”

The prize is a year’s tenancy from IconInc in a luxury apartment at the newly built accomodation, which offers the luxury, modern design and cutting edge technology of a boutique hotel – 365 days of the year. The lavish and beautifully furnished apartments include en-suite bathroom, plush double or king sized bed, flat screen TV, high-speed Wi-Fi and utility bills. The “all-inclusive” facilities at IconInc include an on-site gym with available personal trainers, a cinema room, games zone, complimentary daily breakfast, study rooms, self-service pantry and 24 hour concierge.

Visit the IconInc Website Here.

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ICONINC COMPETITION RECOGNISES LEEDS’ MOST INSPIRING STUDENTS


Five Remarkable Leeds Students Announced as Finalists in Leeds’ Student Icon 2015 Competition

Five inspiring Leeds’ students have been announced as finalists in the Leeds’ Student Icon 2015 competition, handpicked from hundreds of students vying for an opportunity to win a once in a lifetime opportunity to live in luxury at the new IconInc development in Leeds.

Leeds’ students entered in their hundreds to shout about why they deserve to be crowned Leeds’ Student Icon 2015 and win a year’s tenancy including utility bills with IconInc in a luxury apartment in the brand new The Edge, worth £7,000.

The worthy finalists were picked after much deliberation by a panel of judges, including Made in Leeds TV Presenter Beth Krysta Wilson, Izzie Thomas from Leeds Student Radio, former Leeds student and GB Hockey Olympic Bronze Medallist Ashleigh Ball, and Naveen Ahmed, Managing Director of Parklane Group, the company that manages IconInc.

Amongst the finalists are:

•    Actor, musician and activist, Cris Haris, an ambitious Leeds University student, who has starred in over 30 films, TV series, commercials and plays.
•    Passionate Leeds Beckett journalism student, Natasha Pilling, who is taking the student voice to the masses and whose charity work and fundraising stood out from the crowd.
•    Aru Patel, the creative butterfly of the competition. As well as a flair for design and dancing competitively, Aru speaks an extraordinary 6 languages.
•    The fourth finalist, Abdi Hassan, is Leeds’ answer to Bond’s Q. Abdi, a computing wiz and a fantastic representative for his course, he was awarded Course Representative of the Year.
•    Last but not least is Joel Murphy – proof that nothing is impossible if you put your heart and soul into it. Joel uses his exceptional teaching skills to help others learn, including underprivileged children. He aims to be influential in the field of education. He also supports charities, running marathons for his chosen charity, AMMF.

Ashleigh Ball, former Leeds student and GB Hockey Olympic Bronze Medallist and competition judge, explains; “Picking just five finalists has been a real challenge as we received such a high standard of entries, from charity workers and fundraisers to those proactive in university clubs and societies. It’s been an absolute pleasure to uncover and recognise so many remarkable individuals, doing worthwhile and selfless things and showing extraordinary ambition and determination.

“It is sad to say, but the student community unfortunately isn’t always portrayed in the best light, and it’s wonderful to be able to celebrate the great and good amongst Leeds’ students. Now it is in the hands of Leeds’ residents to choose their Student Icon, and we hope many people will vote for who they feel is the most deserving winner!”

Follow us on Twitter @iconinc_uk and use the hashtag #LeedsStudentIcon to find out about our icons-in-the-running and share suggestions on who you think deserves to be crowned Leeds Student Icon. To vote, please visit http://www.iconinc.co.uk/vote-now/ and find out more about the finalists.

The post Vote for Leeds’ Student Icon! appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.

COULD YOU BE LEEDS’ MOST ICONIC STUDENT?

Leeds’ student communities have been taken by storm this month as the search for Leeds’ Student Icon spreads across the city. Students have just one week left to enter the competition which will see one lucky Leeds’ student win a year’s tenancy, worth £7,000, in the most luxurious student accommodation in Leeds.

The indulgence of free daily breakfast, a cinema room, free on-site gym, games zone, wide screen TV and all inclusive utility bills, has seen students embarking on the weird and the wonderful to capture the attention of judges and be crowned Leeds’ Student Icon 2015.

Beth Krysta Wilson, Made in Leeds TV Presenter and competition judge, explains: “You can feel the buzz on university campuses when the Leeds Student Icon team are around. From billboards to megaphones and flyers galore, the competition is drumming up great excitement amongst students over the prospect of living like an icon for a year.

“This has seen entries from a variety of hopefuls from musicians and actors to volunteers, sports players and club captains, getting creative and imaginative with head to head student dance battles in the street, outrageous party tricks and remarkable stories of the inspiring things Leeds’ students are doing. There’s one week to go until I help to choose 5 worthy finalists, so get your entries in now!”

Led by luxury student accommodation brand IconInc, the Leeds Student Icon competition is searching for students doing the great and the good in Leeds to submit an entry outlining why they deserve to win – entries are accepted in any form, from a simple email to a video.

The competition will close for entries on 31st March 2015, following which a panel of judges, including Made in Leeds TV Presenter Beth Krysta Wilson, Izzie Thomas from Leeds Student Radio, former Leeds student and GB Hockey Olympic Bronze Medallist Ashleigh Ball, and the Managing Director of IconInc, will shortlist 5 worthy student icons to go through to the final.

To enter, email [email protected]  or submit a postal entry to:

IconInc, Parklane, 25-27 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3AA.

The competition closes for entries on 31st March 2015, following which a panel of judges will shortlist 5 worthy Student Icons to go through to the final.

In the final, you will appeal for votes from Leeds’ residents and your family and friends, nominating you as Student Icon of the Year 2015 as you take to the streets, social media or university clubs to prove exactly why you deserve the acclaimed title of ‘Leeds Student Icon!’

– Terms and Conditions Apply

The Student Icon with the most votes will win a year’s tenancy in a luxury apartment at the newly built The Edge, situated on Westfield Road in Leeds, which offers the luxury, modern design and cutting edge technology of a boutique hotel – 365 days of the year. The lavish and beautifully furnished apartments include en-suite bathroom, plush double bed, flat screen TV, high-speed Wi-Fi and utility bills. The “all-inclusive” facilities at The Edge include an on-site gym with available personal trainers, a cinema room, games zone, complimentary daily breakfast, study rooms, self-service pantry and 24 hour concierge.

The competition is open to Leeds students, prospective and existing, enrolled in study from September 2015.

Follow them on Twitter @iconinc_uk and use the hashtag #LeedsStudentIcon to find out about their icons-in-the-running and share suggestions and inspiration on who you think deserves to be crowned Leeds Student Icon.

Good luck – let the greatest Icon win!

The post Win a Year’s Rent with IconInc! appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.

The Pavilion, St Michael’s Lane, Headingley

Eddisons Residential have launched their new development entitled ‘The Pavilion’, offering a new experience for student living.

The Pavilion is a contemporary, state-of-the-art, new development providing 44 studio apartments with the benefit of communal areas including a social room, fitness gym and rooftop garden – specially designed to meet the needs of students looking for independent living.

The Pavilion studio apartments offer superior quality contemporary living.  The interior will command a high specification throughout.  The kitchen will feature striking high gloss cabinets as will the bedroom space.  The shower room will include high quality fixtures and fittings.  The furniture will be cool and contemporary.

If you are looking for bespoke, brand new apartment accommodation, close to the main Leeds educational hub, yet providing more independent living than the typical student accommodation in the area, look no further than The Pavilion.

Available from September 2015.

If you are looking to rent at The Pavilion please contact the Eddisons Residential team on 0113 261 7400.
You can check out their website at http://www.thepavilionheadingley.com/.

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