How to find the right student accommodation for you
This is it. Life is good. You’re going to uni. Is it going to be the party paradise of on-campus halls, or a flat-share right in the middle of town? Maybe the cost of rent will decide, what supports on hand, or whether there’s a bus stop nearby. There’s lots to consider, so let’s break it down and make the decision easier.
Many first years will find themselves living in halls of residence, the classic uni experience – and each uni will let you know whether that’s guaranteed, or just an option. From the second year, you’ll probably have gathered a group of mates and found a house together. Sometimes this works the other way around, but what is always the case is that what you need is personal to you. You should take time to really understand what’s available, the pros and cons of each option and how that fits with how you live.
‘Halls promotes independence – you’re going it alone, but you’re surrounded by people you get on well with.’ First year student
Things you can do to help you find the right student accommodation:
- Check your university website: Nobody wants to move into a room they haven’t seen, so have a stalk through the photos and find one that fits. You’ll also find answers to those all-important questions, like ‘will I have my own bathroom?’ or ‘how far is the walk to lectures?’
- Consider private accommodation too: Private accommodation is usually owned and run by a separate company – although some may have partnerships with unis. Many are purpose-built blocks with lots of facilities. They’ll often take students from multiple universities, so if you want diversity and to meet a totally different set of people, then this is a great choice.
- Read the boring stuff: You’re probably renting for the first time, and student accommodation providers can be pretty strict. Make sure you read the small print, and find out whether you’re allowed to bring your pet lizard, or your 1991 VW Golf, or if you can stick your Lizzo canvas to the wall.
- Check the bills situation: Most halls will include water and electricity in your rent, but make sure you check. You might need to pay more for things like faster internet, and you’ll need to get insurance and a TV licence. Don’t get stung by added extras.
- What’s included: You’ll have a big shopping list (or you’ll have made one for somebody else…) of things like cutlery, kettles, lamps, and boujee posters. You can order all your room essentials online and get them delivered to your new accommodation. Now you don’t have to worry about where to find a supermarket big enough to have all those items. Student Essentials is a student focused brand and provides all your room essentials like bedding,barhroom,kitchen items and a lot more, with student prices and free delivery – best of both worlds! But check what’s already in the room and shared areas so you’re not buying things that are already there.
- See for yourself: We all know that photos can be misleading, so try to get a real sense of where you might be living by asking current students.
- Protect your deposit: You’ll need to hand over a deposit at the start of term, and any damages/fixes will get deducted at the end. Apart from making the decision not to smash up your room, you should also make sure your money is safe and protected. What are my student accommodation options?
Halls of residence
Normally situated on/near campus, they’re run by the uni and designed to be convenient and sociable. Generally, the rooms can be smaller but the kitchens are big, and bathrooms are often shared. There’ll be lots of you living together, mostly first years, so parties are going to break out pretty often.
Expect to make friends easily, but while you’re washing up your cereal bowl that somebody else has used. Again.
Halls of residence are popular. Check when registration opens and get your name down early. Your chosen uni will be on top of this – so you’ll be asked to provide your top three choices, and you’ll be able to choose between different halls based on location, price, facilities etc.
‘I’m from a small town – halls has really helped me get my social life up and running in London.’ First year student
Private halls of residence
There are also plenty of halls which aren’t necessarily run by your uni, but are still designed exclusively for students and offer a lot of variety. There are some big players, but also regionally based companies too – it’s definitely worth checking them out. They’re often in town, as they can be open to students from any university – so it’s a great way to make even more friends. You’ll get all the services you’d expect with uni halls, plus potentially more – as well as a great location.
Most private accommodation includes all heating, WiFi, and electricity in the price of your rent – so you know exactly where you stand.
If you’re looking for central, convenient living with a diverse group of students, then private halls could be the way.
Shared house/flat
If the idea of sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers, or being woken up by that same dubstep track for the third night in a row isn’t your thing, then a house might be better.
You can rent by yourself, but most people find other students to share with. Your uni can often help with this, or there are plenty of websites to connect you to houses or flat-shares.
Like private halls, you could find yourself living with students from other universities, or those in their second or third years. Most students move into houses with their mates after the first year anyway, so consider yourself a trendsetter if you follow this route.
Is student accommodation first come first serve?
Universities and colleges usually have a wide range of accommodation options. In most cases it’s worth applying for a place to live as soon as you can. There’s a lot on offer – and most students are able to live in one of their preferred kinds of accommodation.
How does student accommodation work?
You can usually apply for uni accommodation once you’ve accepted an offer to study. Accommodation isn’t allocated on a first come, first serve basis, but it is worth applying as soon as you can.
You can look for places to live at uni or college. These show the different kinds of accommodation, as well as giving you links to further info and a clearer idea of when to apply and what’s still available.
1. When do I apply?
While you’re usually able to apply after you’ve accepted an offer to study, some universities and colleges don’t accept accommodation applications until after a specific date.
2. Are there any deadlines?
It’s worth checking this with your uni and college choices so you don’t miss out.
They’ll often say on their websites that you’ll be guaranteed a place to live if you apply by their accommodation deadline – which (as an example) could be sometime in summer for courses starting in September.
It’s definitely worth applying as soon as you can and before the deadline. Though if you’re late, get in touch with your uni or college – they may still have availability, or they can often recommend private accommodation as an alternative.
3. What if my offer is conditional on school results – will I be too late to get accommodation?
Don’t worry, you can still apply for accommodation once you’ve accepted your offer but before you get your results. A lot of post-16 applicants are waiting on their results, so you’ll all be in the same boat.
Universities and colleges have an idea of how many students join them each year, so they’ll know roughly how much accommodation they’ll need. There’s usually a lot available!
4. Keep in touch with your uni or college
They’ll be able to let you know what accommodation is left and which kind of accommodation they’re able to offer you. Feel free to contact them with any questions.
Even if you can’t get your first choice, all university and college accommodation has to meet minimum standards. So wherever you end up you’ll still have a great time, and you can live in a different kind of place the following year if you’d like to change it up!
Accommodation and maintenance loans: How does it all work?
What are student accommodation and maintenance loans and how do they work? From applying to paying it back, here’s all the information you need.
Accommodation and maintenance loans are often known simply as student loans, and they are just a fact of student life. They are supposed to help towards your rent and bills, keep you fed, and cover all your other living expenses while you’re in university.
All that can add up to many thousands – or tens of thousands – of pounds, so it’s important you know all about them. Here’s a run-down of the most common questions about student loans.
How much am I entitled to?
The amount you’re entitled to borrow depends on two factors:
- Whether you’re living in London.
- How much your household (parents’) income is.
Students living in London can get bigger loans to reflect the higher living costs in the city.
Household – or parental income – is a factor that affects every student. The amount you can borrow is means-tested, so the more money your parents earn, the less you can claim. The principle is that better-off parents should support their children financially through their education, whereas children of lower-income parents should be given more help.
There are a number of bands you can fall into, starting at £25,000 (combined income), and rising by £5,000 up to the cut off of £62,215.
The amount you can apply for depends on which income band your parents fall into. So, for example:
- Children of parents earning £25,000 can claim £8,944 per year, whereas
- Those of parents earning £50,000 can only claim £5,735.
If you’re living at home during your time as a student, you can claim a maximum of £7,529. These figures change from time to time – sometimes up, sometimes down.
How do I apply?
You can apply on GOV.UK. Make sure you’ve got all your personal details to hand. Your parents will probably need to be with you when you apply.
When do I have to pay it back?
You have to start paying back your maintenance loan the April after you finish your course. You only have to start paying once you earn £25,725 per year.
How much do I pay back every month?
The amount you pay back depends on how much you’re earning.
It’s calculated at 9% of everything you earn over the threshold (£25,725). So, what does this look like in practice?
- If you earn £26,725 before tax, for example, you will be £1,000 over the threshold. This means you’ll have to pay back £90 in that year (£7.50 a month).
- If you earn £30,725, you’ll be £5,000 over the threshold, so you’ll pay back £450 a year (£37.50 a month).
What do I need to do to pay back my loan?
The loan will be automatically taken out of your pay, just like tax, once you’re in employment.
If you become self-employed, you’ll have to declare your student loan when you fill in your tax return every year, and you’ll have to pay back the amount you owe.
Clearly, the more you earn, the more you’ll have to pay, and the quicker you’ll have the complete loan paid off. If you change jobs and your income changes, so will the amount you have to pay back. It is taken month by month, so you should only ever have to pay more when you are earning more.
What if I never earn enough?
If you leave university and never earn enough to meet the threshold, your loan will be written off after 30 years. Remember that the threshold does change from time to time (it was exactly £25,000 until recently), so you need to keep an eye on these changes if you are paying a loan back.
Do I have to pay interest?
Just like any loan, your student loan will accrue interest.
So how much interest will you pay? Well, thankfully, interest on student loans is usually set at a lower rate than normal commercial loans, but the rate you pay can change if government policy changes.
The amount you’re charged in interest is based on the loan amount you still owe, and it’s added to the total amount. That means your debt will keep rising if you do not meet the repayment threshold.
But, every time you make a payment, your balance will reduce, so the amount of interest added to your account each month will also fall.
Basically, the quicker you pay off your loan, the less you will pay in total, as there will be less time to earn interest.
You can opt to pay off your entire balance at any time – you don’t have to pay it back gradually. If you start earning good money or get an inheritance, it might be an option. It will save you money in the long run as you will have built up less interest.
However, if you have other loans, credit card debts or hire purchase agreements, they will almost certainly have higher interest rates than your student loan, so you would probably be better off clearing those debts first.
What if I leave my course early?
If you quit your course, you will still have to pay back your student loan. However, you must inform the university and the Student Loan Company, as their payments to you will stop. It’s possible to pause your course (for example, if you get ill or need to look after someone) and restart it again when you resume studies.
Support you can get in student accommodation
Studying a subject at university level and living in student accommodation might be two brand new experiences for you. Here’s an idea of the support that will be available in your student halls or shared house.
Are you worried about where you’ll be living at uni?
Totally understandable – until you’re all moved in, it’s hard to imagine what it’ll be like. Don’t worry though, most people feel nervous, and you’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other and settle in.
In case there’s anything in particular you’re thinking about, here’s a run through some of the support you can get while you’re living in student accommodation.
1. Can’t afford student accommodation?
You could speak to your university’s money advice team. They’ll be able to let you know if there’s any funding or finance you might be eligible for – whether short term while you’re waiting for student finance or to start a part-time job, or perhaps a bursary to help you pay your tuition and accommodation fees.
2. Accommodation teams
Most universities have an accommodation team that runs the various student halls and lodgings – you’ll be able to contact them if you have questions about where you’re living. Or if you’re in a private shared house, they’ll probably still be able to offer advice if you need it.
If you’re in student halls, you might have a residential assistant – usually a final-year student or recent graduate. They’ll remember what it was like to move into student accommodation and be able to answer any questions you have. They might also be responsible for checking your kitchen and halls are in a decent condition (so if anyone’s a lazy cleaner, your residential assistant might be able to encourage them to get on with it!).
3. Maintenance and security
If you’re on campus or in student halls, there’s probably a security team on site and CCTV. You’ll be able to contact them if you notice anything untoward. You’ll also have a way to report any maintenance issues you might encounter in your accommodation – most universities have a facilities team that’s responsible for fixing any wear and tear.
If you’re in a private shared house, you should have decent locks on the exterior doors – and you should be in a safe enough area if your university has an approved private accommodation list. These lists include houses that meet minimum standards, so should be nice places to live. If there are any maintenance issues, you’ll be able to get in touch with your landlord for support.
4. Wellbeing and mental health support
If you’d like some support in general or specifically with living in accommodation, unis have support teams to help. Whether you can speak to people you live with or spend time with them to help you settle in – or whether you’d like to speak to someone outside of your accommodation, there’s always someone you can talk to:
- Wellbeing and mental health teams
- Faith and spirituality spaces
- Student reps and residential assistants
- Your Students’ Union
- Your housemates or students on your course
- Your personal tutor or lecturers
5. Disabled students’ allowance
If you have a learning difficulty, health problem or disability, you could be eligible for financial support. This can be used to help you adjust to university life and cover some study-related costs – and could help you to pay for accessible accommodation.
It’s worth getting in touch with your university in advance if you think you’ll need them to make some adjustments, or support your learning, or be mindful of your individual requirements.
6. Connections outside of your accommodation
If it’s taking a bit of time to get settled into your student accommodation, you could always focus on making connections elsewhere. Spend time with people from your course, or in the societies or sports teams you might join. Your Students’ Union could offer some advice too if you’d like to speak to student reps who know what it’s like to live in uni accommodation.
Of course if you’d like to hear some familiar voices while you’re settling into your student accommodation, give your family and friends a call. Set up a catch up or visit your friends at their unis. In time you’ll get used to your new surroundings, but a bit of home can be nice here and there too.