Manchester Student Self Storage 2025| Where are the best self storage units for Manchester’s Universities and Colleges?

Following our blog this week on self storage for students in Manchester, to help Manchester students find the best, cheapest self storage for them, we take look at each establishment individually, identifying term/semester dates where published to help identify summer storage periods, and where the closest Pink Storage container storage site is. To help, we’ve even included a bit about the universities and colleges for students coming to Manchester for the first time.

University of Manchester

The University of Manchester, a Russell Group university, is a World class university, based in Manchester city centre.

The University itself has more than 8,000 rooms in 19 halls of varying types, costs and locations. Most of their accommodation is near to the University. Unusually, international students meeting certain criteria are guaranteed accommodation for the entire duration of their studies.

However, there are around 14,500 international students among the 44,000+ students at the university, so international students are as likely as British ones to be in accommodation outside of halls. (Manchester is second only to University College London in the number of overseas students it hosts.)

Summer break dates: Summer graduation date is July 7, although the summer semester officially ends on June 6. Students are expected to start back on Monday, 29 September 2025, a week earlier for freshers.

Closest storage units: Whatever students need, or whyever they need the storage, both Pink Storage Manchester sites are fairly close to the University and its accommodation and welcome students who need storage over the summer and beyond.

Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)

Based in the centre of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University was named the 10th best university in the UK and 6th for course quality by Uni Compare (2025).

Of it’s just over 32 thousand students, almost one in five MMU students is an international student. The University does offer some accommodation and opened applications for it for next academic year in April of this year.

Summer break dates: Assessment weeks for this semester are almost done, and graduation ceremonies end Friday 25 July 2025. Teaching starts at the end of summer on September 29, with an induction week the week before (September 22).

Closest storage unit: For many students, the Pink Storage Gorton Road self-storage facility will be their closest with just a short estimated eight minute drive from the centre of the MMU campus.

University of Bolton/University of Bolton Manchester Campus

The University of Bolton is in close-by Bolton, but the University of Bolton Manchester Campus is located very close to Oxford Road, Manchester, which is often viewed as Manchester's student hub.

The University of Bolton is ranked among the top 30 UK universities and is rising in most rankings. It has around 11 thousand students in total, around 9% overseas students.

Summer break dates: The University uses terms not semesters, and is currently in term three, which ends on August 25th. The new academic year starts September 20.

Closest storage units: Pink Storage at Gorton Road is around a ten-minute drive from the university’s Manchester Base Building in Greenheys Lane, which is also less than five miles from out Old Trafford facility, a journey that will take around 20 minutes.

University of Salford

The University of Salford is just 2km outside of Manchester at three campuses: Peel Park, Frederick Road, and at MediaCity (alongside the BBC and ITV). Numerous courses rank in the top 10 league nationally.

It has a student population of around 25,000 in total, with around 4,500 being international students.  It was voted in the top 10 for international students last year (WhatUni 2024) although accommodation on campus is not guaranteed for all visiting students.

Summer break dates: Trimester three 2025 ends on June 2, with graduation on July 7. The next academic year starts on September 25, with a welcome week for new students in the week before.

Closest self storage units: The university is around 15 minutes’ drive from Pink Storage’s Old Trafford, Manchester, site.

Manchester School of Architecture

In the centre of Manchester, and home to just 1000 students, this school of architecture is a collaboration between MMMU and the University of Manchester, a collaboration that is currently paying off handsomely. The School is currently placed 5th in the world in the QS 2024 Architecture rankings. Courses are accredited by industry institutions which include the Architects Registration Board (ARB), Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) and The Landscape Institute.

In the centre of Manchester, this school is a collaboration between MMMU and the University of Manchester, a collaboration that is currently paying off handsomely. The School is currently placed 5th in the world in the QS 2024 Architecture rankings. Courses are accredited by industry institutions which include the Architects Registration Board (ARB), Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) and The Landscape Institute.

Around 1200 students study here, a large proportion from overseas – the teaching and research excellence is recognised globally.

Summer break dates: We believe that semester two ends after the graduation ceremonies (25 July 2025) and that the new academic year starts 29 September 2025, with an induction week the week before for new students.

Closest self storage units: The School of Architecture is based at the Manchester Technology Centre on the Oxford Road in Manchester, making it less than 2.5 miles to Pink Storage’s container storage facilities at Gorton Road.

RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music)

In 1973, the Royal Manchester College of Music and the Northern School of Music mergedto form the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). It is now home to more than 900 students from at least 60 countries. It's ranked fifth for music in the QS University World Rankings.

New students can choose to live in Sir Charles Groves Hall of Residence, right next door to the College.

Summer break dates: Semester 2 ends on July 6. Autumn term, the new year, starts 23 September.

Closest self storage units: It is less than 2.5 miles to Pink Storage’s container storage facilities at Gorton Road and just 3.5 to ink Storage Old Trafford.

UCEN Manchester

We’ve left the largest until last, because UCEN serves more than 80,000 students. UCEN Manchester is made up of UCEN Manchester and the Manchester College), a network of creatives with five or so Manchester-based campuses, and a recently opened City Campus.

UCEN Manchester is a higher Education Provider and  prides itself on its vocational nature, offering both practical and academic learning to meet specific skills needed for industry sectors.

Summer break dates: This semester teaching ends May 23, with assessment boards from June 2 – 27, and any reassessments from June 20 – July 25.  The next academic year begins Monday September 15.  However, with so many different schools and links with industry, students are well advised to check with their own schools.

The Arden School of Theatre and Performing Arts (The Northern School of Dramatic Arts) based in the thriving heart of Manchester, with degrees awarded by Sheffield Hallam University.  It is based at City Campus in Ducie St, Cheetham Hil It’s around 3.5 miles from the Pink Storage site at Old Trafford, and 2.5 miles from Gorton Road. (Both are less than 15 minutes drive from the school.)

The UCEN Manchester School of Counselling and Teacher Education is currently based at Shena Simon Campus. It prides itself on practical, work related skills. In September of this year, the school will be moving to a brand new building on the City Campus. So for student storers looking for something close to their school rather than their accommodation, we’d recommend the Pink Storage Gorton Road site, which is close to both school sites.

At the Openshaw Campus the following UCEN. schools can be found:

The UCEN Manchester School of Construction and Engineering is based on the Openshaw campus. Advanced construction and engineering techniques, construction management, small class sizes and the possibilities to study part time mark the school’s commitment to creating useful industry skills. And the campus is just 10 minutes away from a Pink Storage container storage site for storing away valuable tools and equipment securely.

The UCEN Manchester School of Sport, Health and Wellbeing prides itself on smaller class sizes and on being close to  the National Cycling Centre and the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

At City Campus the following UCEN. schools can be found:

(No student numbers are publicly available.  The campus is about 2.5 miles from Pink Storage Gorton Road, and around 3.5 miles from the Pink Storage site at Old Trafford.)

The UCEN Manchester School of Art, Media and Make Up is famed for its excellent industry connections. Overseas students cannot be accepted for regulatory reasons.

The UCEN Manchester Film School boasts students who have won awards from the Royal Television Society, British Universities Film & Video Council, and film festivals across the world.

The UCEN Manchester School of Business and Law prides itself on smaller class sizes and personal attention for students.

The UCEN Manchester School of Computing and Cyber Security similarly prides itself on smaller class sizes and industry links.

The Manchester College largely incorporates the above, and focuses on practical trades including automotive, construction and engineering, computing and digital, education and early years, creative and digital media, health and social care, hospitality and catering, music, performing arts, visual arts and sport. It dubs itself the Industry Excellence Academy and has various locations:

Manchester Student Self Storage 2025| Where are the best self storage units for Manchester’s Universities and Colleges?