Students can expect most universities to offer a high level of safety and security throughout their campuses

The compiled statistics of the Complete University Guide (CUG) Survey come from the official data publicized by the Police Departments of England and Wales moreover by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK. It is an aggregation of the three most common student crimes (Burglary, Robbery, and Violence and Sex Crimes) per 1000 residents (including both student and non-student bodies) occupying a three-mile radius area from the university campus. This data, however, does not include crime encountered by short-stay visitors and commuters.

University Locations That Are Student Crime Hotspots

The following rankings hint at higher crime rates around universities in big cities. According to the data, students enrolled at universities in the North West, Yorkshire, and Humberside (had to face) the highest number of criminal activities.

1. University of Bradford 
2. Teesside University
3. Southampton Solent University
4. Lincoln University
5. Leeds Arts University
6. University of Manchester
7. University of Leeds
8. Royal Northern College of Music   
9. University of Northampton
10. Leeds Beckett University

Universities with the Safest Study Locations

On the other hand, universities that are located in rural cities or towns had remained at the least risk of occurrence of student crimes as signified by the rankings that follow:

1. Harper Adams University   
2. Falmouth University    
3. Royal Agricultural University    
4. University of York    
5. University of Buckingham    
6. University of Bath
7. Royal Holloway, University of London    
8. University of Warwick
9. University of Surrey
10. Oxford Brookes University

How do universities in London ranked on the Crime Rate Table?

Since London single-handedly contributes to a significant proportion of the student crimes in England so particularly, its criminality statistics are discussed in segregation.

The top five London universities with the lowest crime rates include;

1. Rose Bruford College
2. St Mary's University, Twickenham
3. St George's, University of London
4. Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
5. Kingston University

The top five London universities with the highest crime rates include;

1. Courtauld Institute of Art
   
2. London School of Economics
3. UCL (University College London)
4. King's College London
5. SOAS University of London

How to Stay Safe On- and Off-Campus?

On-and off-campus security is one of the prime importance for both students and the institution. Albeit university locations with low crime rates tend to be of higher preference from the perspective of international students; in addition to the fact that they are still at potential risk of criminal events nonetheless persists. Also, just because a university is located in an area highly susceptible to the student crimes doesn’t mean one should completely rule it out from their list of options. This is where the art of staying safe barges in.

Here are quick tips to follow during your educational stay on-/off-campus:

Know your on-campus security options

Knowing your on-campus security options is vital. Make sure you know which taxi services can help you commute on the weekend, whether there are escorts to help you walk across campus at night, and foremost thing is to get the campus emergency helpline number. Make sure you know your ways in, out and within the campus, and in case you don’t, always take a friend or two along.

Lock up adequately: apartment doors, car doors, dorm doors

Ensure that your place of stay is securely locked, no windows are left open, blinds and curtains are drawn, your valuables are in a safe place, and let no outsiders in unless you are sure about their arrival or you recognize them. Remember, you can always request your university management to install additional safety measures such as padlocks, extra locks, laptop locks, or contact sensors to exposed valuables.

Ensure night safety

When off-campus during dark hours, make sure you know where you’re heading, learn your routes, and always park at a well-lit area. Avoid walking alone, request university-run night transport for safe commute, or avail free night bus services from college events arranged by student unions.

Stay social media alert

Social media can be a leading doorway to student crimes. Hackers, scammers, and stalkers can gain possible information concerning your whereabouts while you are checking in at a five-star eatery. To avoid this, customize your post privacy, turn off your phone’s location services, always keep your social media accounts logged out when not in use, and avoid publicly announcing your residential check-outs.

References

1.     Best and worst university locations for crime - The Uni Guide

2.     Crime rates in university towns and cities (thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk)

3.     9 Ways to Keep Safe on Your College Campus | SafeWise

4.     10 Ways to Stay Safe on Campus in 2021 | Safety.com®

5.     Safety on Campus - University Language Services