Student Accommodations in the United Kingdom

There are many interesting options for housing. Whether you're a social butterfly or someone who likes to keep to themselves, there's definitely a place for you. In this lesson, we'll go through the different common types of residence accommodations as well as those outside of campus living.

On-Campus Residence

When you get accepted into your college or university of choice, there will definitely be someone getting in contact with you regarding on-campus housing. Every school has some sort of residence hall(s) which can be arranged for students to live in. This is a great option since they are usually right on campus, making it easy to walk to class and get everywhere you need to go, very quickly.

Places are often limited however, so you're most likely to have a better chance of getting into residence if you're an undergraduate. Some schools provide residence for all of your years of study, but most provide the option within your first year and then once you're settled, you can go out and find a place off-campus.

You will need to submit a residence application to your school in order to be included in the residence housing choice system. Be sure to look into the deadlines to make sure you don't miss your spot.

Residence life provides a great atmosphere to meet students just like you. Mostly the people you will be living with will be around your age and may even have the same interests as well as academic programs. Most people who live in residence find that they get very close with their roommates and floormates and create lifelong friendships.

What is living there like?

Live in residence really depends on the school. But usually there are single and double room occupancies as well as suite style which is more like an apartment. The single room accommodations give you the opportunity to have a little more privacy, and if you like it quieter, this option might be a better choice for you. The double person occupancy rooms are usually more spacious and you will find that you have sufficient room for your belongings and personal things. Double room floors, because so much is shared, tend to get very close. You'll find that you meet more people having a double room than a single since there's double the people and you share a little bit more. They can be a little louder, but if you like the social scene but still need to study, there's always numerous study spaces and libraries available to you around campus.

Off Campus Residences

Shared Student Homes

There are other options besides on-campus housing. One of these options is within a shared student house, or what's called in the UK a "flat". For more campus, the proximity around the school grounds is student housing. You'll find a number of these houses have just students living in them, sharing the houses.

How this works is that you'll live in the surrounding area to the school and will be living with other students your age. What's important is to see the place and make sure that it's a good spot for you.

Are the roommates decent? Do they clean up the house? It is a good idea to do some serious house hunting, which can actually be done quit easily nowadays online. Before you even coming to the UK, search the web and request photos of the accommodations. You can chat with the roommates you may be having before you arrive just to sort things out.

Living in an off-campus house gives you a little more independence and can be a little cheaper than choosing the on-campus option.

Being a Lodger, or a Subletter

You may not want to live in a house with just students. If you are a bit more mature, you could look into being a lodger within someone's home. This could be a young professional, a graduate, a couple, a family or someone who's retired.

As you can see, this isn't your typical landlord, however the accommodations can be pretty advantageous.

1. Being a lodger can be slightly cheaper than living in a student home
2. You're living with others who care about the upkeep of the home so it's kept clean mostly
3. You will get a cultural immersion into the UK experience, living with people who grew up here, you can learn quite a lot

Although it also comes with some disadvantages of not being able to bring lots of people over because of the excessive noise, you may feel obligated to do chores or contribute to the well-being of the home. If you find you don't get along with your landlord at some point, it may be a bit awkward to leave or stay.

Host Families

Sort of like a lodger you would be staying with a family in your area of the UK. This can be a total cultural experience for you, to be included within a family setting. If you find you get homesick, this may be a good option for you because it's like you're part of a family, just in another place.

The whole idea behind host families is that they often have children and they offer accommodation including meals and the opportunity to be part of their family. In London especially, host families are very welcoming and this option can do wonders for your English language abilities.

You would need to get involved with a special agent who could help you with the process of setting you up with a suitable family. Plus, the stays aren't usually very long, so if you'd like you can try it out and see how it does type thing.

Studio Flats and Apartments

These are a more pricey option than living in student housing. You'll find you're living with more young professionals and the cost of living is a little bit more expensive. However, if you are mature and would like to get a place of your own, this is a great option for you.

Studio flats are usually very open and airy and provide a great deal of sunlight through large windows. Sometimes these places are so big that you can share them with a significant other. Apartments are usually situated in the city core or outside, however if you are afraid of heights, this may not be your best option.

There are many opportunities and different styles of accommodations that you'll find when you move to the UK. Which option you pick will be all up to your personal preferences, budget and the amount of time you wish to live here.