5 stars for amazing facilities! I'm part of the first years to go through Birley on my pgce and te…read morefacilities are just 2nd to none! I can only speak for the music department, but we've had first play on everything from state of the art jamhubs, ukulele classes, African drumming with brand new djembes- not to mention the large work stations with new touch screen computers! The tutors are fantastic and are always on hand for advice and a shoulder to cry on when lessons go wrong! The cafe is fab if a little expensive, the canteen serves amazing street food, soups, main meals, breakfasts, sandwiches, drinks and cakes! Though the one downside to it is that it's too small! Every lunchtime there is a crush to pay and choose food- only bad point!

Wow I was quite surprised at this campus. It is modern and contemporary with friendly students and…read morestaff. Have to drop one star off from being amazing because it is situated in God knows where. One of the best university building in Manchester in my opinion.

I did a photography course here and it is a good place to learn something new. The canteen is very…read moregood but also check out the smaller canteen on the 2nd floor as it is much cheaper although the range of food on offer isn't as great. The teaching staff were very good and friendly. There is a very large library with free internet access and computer use, although you have to pay for printing. There is lots of support from staff and fellow students and I would recommend the college to anyone in the area

Stockport College, located on the main A6 in Stockport is a great place for further and higher…read moreeducation in the Northwest. They run hundreds of courses every year in many different subjects over there 2 campuses - Stockport and Heaton Moor, varying from an hour a week diplomas to full time BTEC/HNDs. The college is a vast but friendly place, with a very cheap and cheerful Students Union bar. You can also book yourself in for a discounted hair or beauty treatment at the college salon on the 3rd floor at the Stockport campus.

As you might have guessed from my Salford review, I'm something of a Salford University fan. And…read morewhile Manchester Metropolitan is still a great university, there's one word that comes to mind when I think about it. 'Fragmented'. I could be completely wrong, after all, it was a post-grad course I did here and they tend to be sectioned off somewhat from the rest of the crowd... hang on, I tell a lie. One of my best friends is currently doing her Masters at Salford and she feels part of the machine, so it goes to show, there can be differences. The fact that Manchester Met has so many campuses has a great deal to do with it, I think. The main campus is set across Oxford Road, which as we all know is one of Manchester's main party streets. Bars, clubs, pubs aplenty are dotted along the street, so your student accommodation would only be a stone's throw from someone being sick via too much sambuca. Depending on what kind of student you are, this can be a good thing or a bad thing. But there's more. While Oxford Road has a sense of community, some students are chucked far, far away on a campus entitled Crewe and Alsager. Have you ever passed Crewe on a train from Manchester to God-knows-where? I have. Many times. It takes a very long time. And I visited the Crewe campus. There is NOTHING there. Similarly campuses are scattered around Didsbury as well as other parts of Manchester... perhaps I feel like I've been spoiled with Salford and the fact that everything's within walking distance - in fact I know I have. I do admire Man Met's student union building, as it even has a rock club in it, and the Humanities department has a great mix of teachers. I adored my supervisors during my Masters, they were fabulous. However one of my best friends did make the mistake about talking about Man Met's 'not so great reputation' (the rumour that they'll let anyone in regardless of grades) on The Weakest Link, to which Anne Robinson raised an eyebrow and the Man Met head honchos chastised him greatly. So my conclusion would be, don't get drawn in by its central location and party atmosphere. Go there because you like the tutors and find a course that suits you. If you do, you have the potential to make good use of Manchester's student Mecca. Enjoy! (Just don't get stuck in Crewe, for the love of God. Unless you're into suburbs and trumpets.)

mmu = mickey mouse university…read more the happiest place on earth! This area includes All Saints, The New Business School, Hollings Faculty, Mabel Tylecote, School of Art and Geoffrey Manton to name a few. On the other side of Oxford road are delicious cheap takeouts and easy-going cheap pubs. Lovely place to go for a pint when you have had enough of seminars and lectures.

A cute cafe located on the University of Manchester campus! They offer a variety of teas and…read morecoffees, as well as baked goods and lunch options that start after 11 am. The decor is very eclectic, with tables and chairs, group tables, wall bar and stool, as well as sofa's and tables. They also have a selection of books to read whilst you enjoy your drink. The area is also friendly for students who want to study a bit as well. The prices are average, and they have allergen labels on their freshly baked goods as well. It's a nice place to meet, relax, and chat!

Really nice place! Good staff and great atmosphere. Serves a variety of breakfast and drinks.read more

This cafe is located next to the withington library. There is also internet access available in the…read morecafe and its free when you take their coffee. The cafe sells sandwiches are soups which is very good and tasty. So lunch is sorted when you work nearby to the homes 4 u cafe. They also sell jacket potatoes with various choices of fillings. I love the chillicorne carley and beans and cheese. They also have home selling agents of homes 4 u inside the cafe. Everything under one roof. Overall its a great cafe with internet access.

Trinity is an awesome place to live. Spent my second and third year at uni here and was very happy…read more The flats themselves are great with a variety of options regarding number of rooms per flat and double and single rooms etc. there are also family rooms available. All rooms come with en-suite facilities which are great and the kitchen also comes fully equipped with facilities including a dishwasher. The staff here are extremely friendly and helpful, especially the student staff and the security staff who are always on hand to make sure that the residents are kept safe especially late at night. Its in a great location close to both the university and the town centre so everything you need is within walking distance really. The only downside is probably the laundry facilities which can be expensive, in addition to this there aren't many washers and driers available so it can be quite a hassle doing your washing.

The Burlington Bar is a University of Manchester bar for postgraduate students. Perhaps…read moresurprisingly since the university makes little provision for mature students in other areas, its got much more character than the other bars more geared towards undergraduates. Its location is excellent for hard working postgrads, just outside the John Rylands library. Its got some interesting décor including some old American-style neon bar signs. The prices are great, with Carlsberg for under £2 and grim creamflow bitter for even less. They also do some bar snacks, but not food. There's a little room with some books in it just next door as well, which also has a kettle and microwave, and postgraduates can use this for free. Tea and coffee is also free for members. Its also a decent work space and some of the books are worth reading. They have events including a good quiz night, which tends to be on a Thursday but you should check the website for upcoming events because they do change from time to time and can be irregular. Sometimes the bar is closed for long periods but the building is still open. Its got sporadic opening hours, and often has a board in the street at the front advertising the bar, when its actually closed. Still if you are passing, its worth popping in to have a look.

The Burlington Bar feels a bit like I would imagine a student's union would look thirty years ago…read morebut in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse. It's as if Regan saw red in '84 and the bombs really fell. Forgotten and withered, students shiver in tattered old university sweatshirts sipping pints of warm lager. Stacks of old books that nobody knows how to read anymore; board games nobody can remember how to play; the pool table used as an arena for ritualistic human sacrifice. Maybe a bit far. I actually quite like it here. The beer is cheap (if a bit flat) and, at £5 a bottle, the wine is very cheap (if vinegary.) They have a decent selection of bar snacks which always goes down well with me. As Alfie reports it is conveniently located close to the library for those post-study session sessions and, unlike the Solem Bar at the student's union proper, won't make you feel like a disorientated old fart if you happen to be over the age of twenty-two.

To do this review I suppose I have to think what makes a good workspace. For me it's good lighting,…read moresuper fast internet and coffee. I am happy to say this place had two out of three but because of its central location I can overlook the coffee options. The staff here are super friendly and cont do enough for you making this this is a nice space to be productive, creative or what ever you need it for.

MadLab or Manchester's Digital Laboratory if we're being specific, is a unique business building in…read morethe heart of the Northern Quarter. It is a place for those looking for large office/open community space to get their creative juices following in a laid back but professional environment. If you need somewhere to conduct a presentation, this is the place. If you need somewhere to hold a hackathon, this is the place. Basically it's for anyone who is looking for the room and freedom to do something they can't usually do with their colleague in the office/at home/work space that they have. It's a fantastic concept and something I feel more cities are in desperate need of! Today we had a training session and were involved in a Google Hangout meeting in the upstairs room. The room itself is vast with a large conference table and chairs, projector and small table in the corner with refreshments. Yes it's simple but that is the beauty of it. It's quiet, you won't get any interruptions or distractions, you can be focused and you really feel like your head is in the games when you're there! Sadly I can't help you out with the information in regards to reserving the areas/costs at this time but I'll make sure I update my review the next time I stop by!