Types of Student Accommodation

Here’s our quick guide to student accommodation to help make moving to uni a less confusing time:

Student halls

Halls of residents are owned by the university and are usually on campus, although for bigger universities their student halls might be spread across the town. Halls of accommodation are also usually reserved for first years and international students due to lack of space.

Most universities offer catered and self-catered accommodation and you might even get a choice between an en-suite or shared bathroom. Halls are a great way to make new friends and getting to know people.

From a practical point of view you won’t need to worry about bills or household maintenance and most halls have cleaners.

House sharing

Once the first year is over people usually move into shared housing with friends or people they know from their courses. House shares vary in terms of quality and price so start shopping around early and don’t get bullied into paying more than you can afford.

You might be able to haggle a lower price or get your bills included in your monthly rent.

Renting a room in a family home

If you like the thought of living with someone else’s family this might suit you, but be prepared to play by their rules and make sure you’re able to maintain your own privacy.

Private halls of residence

This is a relatively new form of student accommodation and still gives you all the benefits of living in halls, but is open to anyone. It might suit you if your partner isn’t a student but you would like to live together.

Remember to shop around and be prepared to pay more for private halls of residence than halls owned by your university. Examples of private halls of residence include Nido Student Living, Unite and Host.

Renting your own place

If you’re a mature student or you really like your own company this can seem like a good idea, but remember that you’ll be footing the bills entirely on your own. You might also find you feel like you’ve missed out on some key aspects of student life by living alone.