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Posted April 2, 2025

What do postgraduate students do in their free time?

What do postgraduate students do in their free time

Studying a postgraduate program takes up a lot of time – and even if you are studying one of the masters degrees with fewer contact hours, the amount of time you will be expected to spend on self-directed study is likely to bring your overall study time to between 35-40 hours per week.

However, it is important to make time to relax and enjoy yourself in your downtime, to ensure you have a good study-life balance. So, what do postgraduate students do in their free time?

1. Attend networking events and conferences

Although it’s not as relaxing and work-life balance creating as some of the other activities you could choose, it is a good idea to sign up for networking events and conferences relevant to your area of study interest. These events are a great way to meet like-minded people and develop new relationships that could help enhance both your studies and future career. 

2. Get out in the fresh air

Exploring your local area as a postgrad is a great way to become properly acquainted with your local surroundings, as well as to get some much-needed exercise. Are you studying your postgraduate program in a big city like Belfast or Birmingham? Sign up for a free walking tour and find out more about your new home. Opted for a more rural or out-of-town campus location? Head for the hills in your downtime. The countryside is a great place to embrace some fresh air and let off steam, and it is in easy reach of many world-class UK universities, for example Cardiff University or the University of Leeds. Get out and explore the Peak District, hike in the Lake District, walk the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path… the UK has so many areas of outstanding natural beauty for you to head to in your spare time and at the weekends.

3. Visit museums and galleries

One of the great things about being a postgraduate student in the UK is that so many of the art galleries and museums are free of charge or just request a minimum donation – this is ideal for cash-strapped students. London’s V&A, Natural History Museum and Tate Modern are among many places offering free entry – and other major UK cities including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester all have great cultural venues with free exhibitions to enjoy and spark your imagination.

4. Go to theatres and cinemas

If you do have a bit of spare cash, head to the cinema or the theatre for some non-academic stimulation. There’s nothing like immersing yourself in a fictitious world to alleviate the stress of postgraduate study for a few hours. Many cinemas offer student-priced tickets, and some UK chains, for example Picturehouse, have a free under-25s membership scheme that provides members with reduced tickets.

5. Join a sports club or society

University sports clubs and societies are a great way to keep fit and stimulated as well as make new friends and meet people from different postgraduate courses and all walks of life. Playing sport and exercising is a great way to keep fit and boost your mood, and it can even help with concentration. UK universities offer a diverse range of student societies, for example the University of Nottingham offers societies for those interested in anything from A Capella to Quidditch – and everything in between! Head to your Students’ Union and find out what societies are on offer – there may be an activity that you’ve never considered before, that’s the perfect way for you to unwind.

6. Have a laugh

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and heading to a comedy night is a great way to unwind, relax and de-stress. The benefits of laughter are plentiful – it relaxes your whole body, relieving tension and stress, and it is thought that laughter can even help boost your immune system. Plus, it releases endorphins to promote an overall sense of wellbeing. In fact, one study in Norway found that laughter may even help you to live longer! So, grab a friend and head to a local comedy night – it’s the perfect way for postgraduates to spend their downtime.

7. Host a dinner party

Inviting a few fellow students round for a dinner party is a great way to get to know your classmates better and to have some fun. The ritual of cooking a meal can be fulfilling and providing for others can give you a great sense of achievement – and bringing together some of your peers can make for a really enjoyable way to spend an evening.

8. Play a game

Games nights are a great way to use your brain in a completely different way to your postgrad studies and also to help you bond with your fellow classmates. Many towns and cities have games cafes if you want to play games whilst being out and about. For a cheaper option, club together with your housemates or fellow halls of residence corridor dwellers, and invest in Trivial Pursuit, Risk, Scrabble, or any other game that appeals – for some guaranteed evenings of fun.

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University Societies, Clubs & Sports

Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries

 

2 comments

Joy April 9, 2025, 4:31 p.m.

Hello. Good afternoon. Please can I reapply for the bursary again after unsuccessful attempts. I am not enrolled in any university yet.

Charlotte King April 23, 2025, 12:45 p.m.

Hi Joy – you need to have an offer of a place to study a postgraduate program at a university to be eligible to apply for one of our bursaries >
https://www.postgrad.com/psuk_study_bursaries_apply/
Good luck!

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