How to choose your university accommodation

Once you’ve settled on a university, it’s time to start thinking about making the big move! Universities usually have multiple halls of accommodation that will suit different people, so how can you figure out the right one for you?

1. Is it affordable?

Take your time working out which accommodation options work with your budget. The cost of university accommodation can vary greatly. As your student loan comes in at the start of each term, you’ll need to make sure you can budget your loan to pay your accommodation costs each month.

Luckily, most halls of residence have bills included in the price, so you won’t need to budget extra for those! You can find the cost of all our accommodation in our accommodation guide.

2. Where would you like to live?

What’s most important to you when it comes to location? Is it being able to roll out of bed and into a lecture? Or would you rather be closer to the buzz of the city centre?

Most universities will have multiple accommodation sites, so you can prioritise what’s important to you. Just make sure you can easily reach the campus you’re based at from your halls, either by foot or public transport.

3. Who would you like to live with?

Ready to be a social butterfly at uni? Or do you still need your own space? University accommodations are generally really social spaces and living with new people is all part of the university experience, but you can still choose how many people you’d like to share your flat with.

You can expect to share a kitchen, social space and in some flats, a bathroom. If the thought of sharing your shower with a stranger is too much, lots of halls offer en-suite options.

Halls of residence often have between 2 and 10 rooms, so think about how many people is the right number for you. Alternatively, some accommodations, like The Old Fire Station, offer studio flats if you fancy having your own private space.

4. Are there any extra perks?

Lots of halls of residence offer facilities that can make your life a lot easier. For example, study areas so you only have to pop downstairs to get away from your desk or social spaces so you can mingle with new people.

If a gym is important to you, then some accommodations, like University Locks and Bentley House, have these on-site - there’s no excuse to skip your workout when it takes you less than a minute to get to the gym! If you’re a music student, then University Locks also has music practice rooms.

5. Does it feel like the right fit?

If you can, take a tour of different accommodations at an Open Day. This is the best way to get a feel for the place and chat with students who have lived in student accommodation themselves.

If you can’t see them in person, spend some time looking through pictures and digital walkthroughs on the university’s website.