Applying for student accommodation
So… you’ve had your university offers, you’re making your final choices, and your mind turns to that most practical of issues: where to live.
Heading to university is one of life’s biggest changes, and it's in no small part because most of you will be heading off to a new location and finding a new home to live in.
You’ll have all heard about halls of residence and student flats, but how does it all work in practice? What are your options and when do you need to apply for them?
If you have any of these sorts of questions on your mind right now, then read on…
Accommodation guarantees
First up, many universities will guarantee you a place in accommodation, provided you book by a certain date. This might be early summer, but could even be as late as the end of August at some universities. With such guarantees in place it generally makes no difference when you apply, provided you apply before they start fixing who gets which room.
Other universities may provide no guarantee at all, and while this is relatively rare, there may be some instances where there is a real advantage to applying for your accommodation early.
So, before you rush to make a decision because you are worried about accommodation, check exactly what the accommodation guarantee deadlines are for your potential choices.
Accommodation is important, but should not be the cause of a hurried decision on your choice of university!
Application process
The accommodation application process will depend on the type of accommodation you’re looking for.
Typically, for university owned accommodation you’ll apply once you’ve made a university your firm choice (and a handful will allow insurance offer holders to apply too). You may be asked to specify your accommodation preferences, but generally your actual room won’t be confirmed until after your place at the university is made unconditional. This will usually be after you get your exam results.
Some private providers offer their rooms for booking through the university accommodation services, and so the university will deal with these exactly as if it were university owned.
Other private providers will take direct bookings, and you can generally book whenever you want. They’ll simply expect you to pay a deposit to reserve your room. And remember they will be happy to fill their rooms with students who are in year 2, 3 and 4, who may be applying as early as January or February.
What to look out for
So what should you look out for as you make your choice of accommodation?
Cost vs. quality
While accommodation prices vary a lot across the country (with London being by far the most expensive), you still have a choice: You can go for expensive, high end, quality accommodation, which could be new, with large rooms, a decent size bed, and your own private bathroom; or you can go cheap, for a small, basic room with shared facilities.
For some of you, your budget limitations will make the decision for you, but for others you really will want to decide what is most important to you: a quality room, or money in your pocket for something else.
Location and transport
You’ll also want to consider the location. How close is it to your university, the classes and everything else the city has to offer. And how will you travel? Is it close enough to walk? Are the roads safe for cycling? Are there regular buses? And how much do they cost?
Catering vs. self-catering
Most private accommodation will be self-catered (so you’ll have to cook for yourself), but many university halls of residence come with catering either included, or as an optional package? Is this something you want? The food might be a bit institutional, but you’ll eat reasonably well and save a lot of hassle!
Halls vs. flats
Some universities use these terms interchangeably, but generally the term ‘flats’ refers to accommodation where the building is divided into separate flats of 6 to 8 people, with their own kitchen and living room, and an individual lockable front door.
‘Halls’, meanwhile, refers to large buildings with rooms arranged in longer, interconnected corridors, with kitchens and social areas interspersed throughout.
Accommodation providers
Once you have an idea of what you are looking for, you can start to look at the different providers.
University accommodation
Many universities own plenty of accommodation, and some lease it directly from private providers and act as the landlord.
The accommodation might be located right on campus (particularly if the university is an out of town campus site), it could be nearby to campus, or in many places, accommodation is located a mile or two away on its own separate site.
There will typically be a variety of new, old and refurbished accommodation. Occasionally there will be shared rooms, but normally you’ll get your own room (with or without your own bathroom).
The variation in quality will typically be reflected in a variation in the prices, but normally all bills are included (some even including insurance).
Some will be catered, some will be self-catered, and as mentioned previously some will offer a catering ‘package’ at extra cost.
And at most universities, priority will be given to first year students, and very often you’ll find yourself in accommodation exclusively for first years.
Private student accommodation
Many cities also have a whole bunch of large, private providers offering student flats.
These flats are generally fairly new, as this type of accommodation has really grown in the last 15 years. Almost all will have a private bathroom, and they’ll have a price to match.
They won’t be catered either, and are likely to have a mix of year groups, and in some cases, a mix of students from different universities.
You’ll need to check closely exactly what is included in terms of bills, as this will vary.
Private lets
Many cities also have lots of individual landlords offering flats and houses through local estate agents and campus letting services. You probably won’t want to do this in your first year unless you have to, but there can be the opportunity to pick up a bargain or find a room very late in the day.
These houses or flats may be older, and there is certainly less consistency when it comes to maintenance by the landlord. Always seek advice from your university accommodation services about what to look out for, and consider taking a parent with you to any viewings.
Living at home
Finally, of course, many of you will choose to live at home. The financial benefits are obvious, and you don’t need me to tell you anything at all about living in your own home.
Clearly, however, you will need to work with your parents to agree what (if any) financial contribution they expect from you, and how you will strike the balance of the new found independence that university study offers, with staying at home in your current environment.
Finding out more
The universities
Generally universities will offer accommodation tours as part of their applicant visits. Just be aware that the chances of being able to visit exactly the hall and room that you are hoping to book are slim. Also note that when you visit, they will currently be other people’s homes. They may treat them very differently to you, so don’t judge them on the basis of tidiness or choice of additional decor!
They will also have extensive information, including photos, prices, detailed room specifications and virtual tours on their websites.
Accommodation marketplaces
There are also a whole bunch of other student accommodation marketplaces that will pop up as sponsored links in Google the moment you search for university accommodation.
While I’m not in a position to endorse any specific site, they can be a useful place to look at the private accommodation options available in the city you are planning to go to.
Feel free to check these out as part of your research!
A final thought
Finding the right accommodation is all about finding the right balance; essentially making the compromises that work best for you.
Don’t jump into the first option you see; but don’t leave it too late either.
Don’t spend more than you can afford; but if you see something that is really cheap, remember there is probably a reason why.
And in terms of location, you don’t need to live right next door to your classes; but no-one wants a daily commute of more than an hour to get to university.
So take a little time to work out your priorities, and then go ahead and apply knowing that at the end of the day, most students are pretty happy with where they live.
And even if it's not all that great, it’s only a year, and you can move on after that!
This article was updated on 22nd Oct 2024 to remove reference to the now defunct UCAS accommodation marketplace.
