UK student accommodation comes in many different shapes and sizes with varying levels of comfort, practicality and cost. Here is a brief introduction to the most common types of student accommodation in the UK, with notes on how to make arrangements before arriving in the UK, paying the rent, arranging insurance and more.
The vast majority of overseas students travelling to the UK will have their accommodation arranged through the education institution they are studying at. Where this is the case, the school, college or university sends a form to the student, once they have accepted an offer of a place, which they must complete. Most institutions will offer a few different types of accommodation, so the students are usually asked to state which types they prefer, often by way of selecting first, second, third, etc. choices. This helps the institutions allocate their housing by knowing what type of accommodation a student prefers, even if their first choice is unavailable.
When researching an institution’s accommodation, students should consider all of the options available. They need to decide if they want their accommodation to provide meals or be self-catering, be very close to the main campus or be further away, have their own room or a shared room, have a private bathroom or shared bathroom. Other important considerations include;
Will students be allowed to stay in the accommodation during vacations?
Will the tenancy contract cover one full year or only cover the academic year, meaning they will have to leave during the long summer vacation?
Will the accommodation provide bed sheets, towels, kitchen utensils, etc?
What amenities are available (i.e. launderette, parking areas, sporting facilities, social club/bar, etc.)?
Does the accommodation have telephone and/or broadband internet access?
What is the cost of the accommodation and what is included in this price (i.e. management fees, cleaning fees, insurance, electricity, gas, water, etc.)?
Note that the earlier the student returns the completed accommodation form, the better chance they have of being allocated their first or second choice accommodation, although not all institutions work on this basis. At the very least, students should ensure they meet the deadline set by their institution or risk not being allocated any housing. A number of large colleges and universities will sometimes give preference to their overseas students by ensuring that they are housed either on-campus or very close to the main campus.
A number of small institutions in the UK may not have any of their own student accommodation. However, almost all of these institutions will still help their overseas students to arrange private accommodation before they arrive. Very few, if any institutions in the UK that regularly accept overseas students will not offer any assistance in this matter.
· Boarding school accommodation
Young students at UK prep schools are commonly accommodated in large rooms or dormitories of four to eight children. This style of accommodation is generally viewed as critical for young children to more easily adapt to boarding school life. Young boarding students need plenty of companionship, especially as many students will not be accustomed to living outside the familiarity and security of their family unit. Each student will have their own private space within the dormitory, including their own bed, wardrobe, locker and perhaps a desk and chair. Students are usually encouraged to bring additional home comforts such as photos, toys, games, etc. A large bathroom is normally shared amongst the students from a single dormitory room.
As boarding students get older, the number of students they share their bedroom with will reduce until students find themselves having just one or two room-mates. These rooms will be fully furnished, including plenty of storage space and individual study areas. Typically, by the time students enter the sixth-form (age 16+) they will have their own private, single room, often with an en-suite bathroom. This is seen as important preparation for living in a university’s hall of residence as it shows respect for student’s privacy as they reach closer to adulthood and need to spend more time studying on their own.
Students are expected to keep their rooms reasonably clean and tidy. In addition, boarding houses will have their own cleaning service, with larger boarding houses having their own cleaning staff.
Boarding houses typically have a “common room” for students to socialise in once all their school work is finished for the day. Most common rooms will have a pay phone, plenty of seating and a television, plus possibly other forms of entertainment, such as chess boards, table tennis tables, shared computers, etc. Well equipped kitchens might also be available for older students to use.
Although the quality of boarding houses and the level of facilities they provide varies from school to school, the vast majority of boarding schools in the UK offer very comfortable, convenient and, most importantly, safe accommodation to students of all ages. Most boarding houses have a “House Master/Mistress” that is responsible for the safety and general well-being of all the students from that building. Large boarding houses will commonly have several staff (“House Parents”) to supervise the students day and night. Their priority will be the children’s safety, first and foremost, but they will also ensure that every child is happy and content, that they are observing the rules of the boarding house and that they have someone close at hand to talk to whenever they have any problems.
For additional peace of mind for parents of boarding school children; boarding school’s student accommodation and student welfare is inspected by OFSTED, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, every three years. At inspections, schools must meet national minimum standards covering child welfare, health and policy issues appropriate for boarding schools. Inspectors will ask current students for their views and opinions and allow them to air any grievances they may have, such as cases of abuse from school or boarding staff or instances of bullying or racial discrimination, which in turn will be rigorously investigated.
Most universities and many large colleges will offer students accommodation in a “Hall of Residence”, also called “Halls”. These are typically large sites housing hundreds of students in one or more buildings. The larger institutions may have many halls of residence on and around their main campus. Many universities in the UK guarantee that all first-year students are offered a place in a hall of residence or other university managed accommodation and of those institutions that do not, many will guarantee a place in a hall of residence for all first-year overseas students. Hence halls are normally for first year students. After their first year, students typically arrange their own private accommodation, i.e. rent a house with friends.
The majority of halls of residence are owned by the school, college or university and managed either by the institution’s accommodation office or a private management company. Some halls, however, are privately owned and managed. These usually have an arrangement with a particular institution to accommodate their students. Some may have arrangements to accommodate students from two or more institutions.
Halls can be single sex or mixed. Some separate males and females by different floors. Some halls provide a daily breakfast and evening meal which is included in the price, others are self-catering, providing a kitchen which is typically shared by five to eight students.
Students will have their own bedroom or share with another student. Bathrooms and other facilities are usually shared with a number of other students. Some halls may have rooms with private bathrooms, called “en-suite” rooms. Naturally, en-suite rooms are more expensive.
All rooms are supplied furnished, which typically includes a bed (including mattress, pillow and duvet), wardrobe, desk and chair. Rooms in some halls might also have a wash basin and mirror plus other furniture items. Note that students typically need to provide their own bed sheets and towels. Public telephones are usually provided on each floor and it is becoming increasingly popular for halls to offer high-speed internet access in rooms, although many older buildings will not offer this.
Kitchens in self-catering halls typically provide a fridge and freezer, gas or electric cooker (stove, oven and grill), microwave, basic cooking and eating utensils (pots, pans, plates, bowls, knives, spoons, etc.), storage space, table and chairs. Students intending on cooking a lot may need to purchase additional kitchen utensils. Kitchens in catered halls will be shared by a larger number of people although usually come with less equipment as most students will not need to do much cooking.
Halls usually operate a cleaning service included in the price, whereby all communal areas are cleaned at regular intervals with students having the option to allow the cleaners into their bedrooms to vacuum the carpet, clean the windows, etc. Students should not expect the cleaners to tidy up their bedroom if it is messy; this is the student’s responsibility.
Electricity, gas and water are commonly included in the price so students in halls do not have to worry too much about high heating bills in the winter.
Halls of residence on large sites, housing hundreds of students will commonly have a number of amenities provided on-site, i.e. launderette, parking areas, sporting facilities, social club/bar, convenience store, internet café, outdoor recreational areas, etc. The smaller the site and the fewer students residing there, the less chance these amenities will be provided, although a launderette is usually standard.
Halls are typically rented by students for one full academic year, from September to June/July. Rather then being empty over the summer months, most institutions rent out single rooms in halls to the general public, usually for quite reasonable rates. Institutions that run courses over the summer, i.e. English language courses, will house students in their halls. Many private language schools, close to a university or college, will also commonly accommodate their students in halls, as summer is typically their busiest period of the year, with many running special “summer school” programmes for young students.
· Institution apartments and houses
Most large colleges and universities own apartments and houses in the local area, typically quite close to the main campus. Such accommodation is often reserved for first year students that cannot find a place in a hall of residence. Students in this type of accommodation will find life quite similar to being in a self-catering hall. Students will have their own bedrooms and share the bathroom, kitchen and communal area. However, unlike living in halls, they will not be part of such a large student community or have many of the convenient on-site amenities such as sporting facilities or a social club/bar. In addition they will not usually have a cleaning service provided and they might also have to pay their own utility bills.
· Private apartments and houses
Second and third year students typically rent apartments or houses from private landlords, with classmates and friends they have accumulated over their first year. Large colleges and universities will have an accommodation office where students can find private accommodation vacancies. Alternatively, students must go through an estate agent or look through classified advertisements on-line or in local newspapers or shops.
Many private landlords with properties close to large educational institutions will rent out their properties to students each year, meaning they are familiar with students’ accommodation needs. Such landlords will always supply furnished apartments and houses that are typically quite comfortable but basic, without too many luxury features, although the quantity and quality of the furniture and interior décor will vary considerably. Students should expect to have essential items provided, such as beds and wardrobes in bedrooms, fridge and freezer, gas or electric cooker (stove, oven and grill), storage space, table and chairs in the kitchen. Further furniture and equipment is provided at the landlord’s discretion. Naturally, this will all be reflected in the price of the accommodation. Many additional items can be purchased collectively by the group of students residing in a property. Some students may choose to rent large, expensive items such as televisions, rather then buying them outright.
All the students living in an apartment or house will be jointly responsible for the upkeep of the property and the payment of the rent plus all the utility bills. Note that sharing this responsibility with others can sometimes put a strain on friendships, but can also lead to students developing deep bonds with each other that last for many, many years. As a guide, it is recommended students choose their flat-mates carefully.
A bedsit is essentially a single room in a large house or building. The room is used to live, study, socialise and sleep in, hence bedists are commonly quite large rooms as they need to accommodate a sleeping and living area. There are usually several bedsits in a single building with a shared bathroom and kitchen. Note that bedsits are usually rented from private landlords and residents in other bedsits within the same building might not be other students.
Rooms typically come with basic furniture. Students will need to supply their own bed sheets, towels and some other items. Students will be responsible for cleaning their own room, with responsibility for keeping communal areas clean either belonging to the landlord or, more commonly, shared by the residents of each bedsit within the building. Utility bills are sometimes included in the rent, otherwise the payment of bills is shared amongst the residents and is their responsibility.
Bedsits can vary considerably in size and quality, but this will be reflected in the price. A bedsit can provide a lot of freedom and independence for those that prefer to have their own private space, but will generally work out more expensive than sharing an apartment or house with friends.
Home-stay is the common term used to describe renting a spare room in a private home. Most rooms are for single occupancy but larger rooms may be used to accommodate two students sharing. The landlord will typically live in the property with their family so the student will share with them the bathroom, kitchen and living areas of the home. It is a simple and popular way for families in the UK with large houses that have a spare bedroom not being utilised to create an additional income stream.
Students living in home-stays are not fully independent as they must fit-in with the host family’s lifestyle and observe any household rules and customs. This means they may be asked not to invite friends around, not stay out too late at night, keep their room clean, etc. On a positive note, it can give overseas students an interesting and often valuable insight into the daily life of a typical UK family.
Breakfast and an evening meal are usually provided, although some may offer self-catering options. Rooms will be fully furnished, typically with bed sheets and towels provided. Most homes will have a washing machine, telephone and internet connection all available to the guest student. Therefore home-stays can prove to be a very convenient and cost-effective accommodation option for many overseas students, especially those on short or medium term courses.
Private language schools, especially those not large enough to have their own student accommodation facilities, use home-stays to accommodate a large proportion of their students, most of whom are not on long term courses. In addition, other types of institutions including some independent schools, FE and HE colleges, use home stays to house a proportion of their overseas students.
All home-stays and host families provided by an institution will have been previously inspected to ensure that they meet the quality and safety standards set by that institution. Most will be further inspected at regular intervals with previous student guests asked to give reviews, to ensure that standards are being maintained and that students are enjoying and benefiting from their stay with their host families.
Some private language schools offer short term “home tuition” courses. This is where students are given private, one to one English language tuition by a teacher, whilst also living with the teacher and their family.
Hotels are naturally the most expensive option and should only be used as temporary accommodation or by students on very short term courses. For students who can afford to stay in a hotel, the UK has a huge number of hotels available all over the country with varying levels of quality, comfort and price, so finding a suitable hotel, reasonably close to the place of learning is not usually too hard.
Hostels are a cheaper option than hotels. Essentially, hostels are simply very basic hotels used by travellers and students for short term stays. The quality and cleanliness of hostels will vary greatly but students should not expect anything more than one might find in a one or two star hotel. Many hostels offer a range of accommodation options, including single, double, triple rooms and single sex dormitories. Some rooms will have an en-suite bathroom, some will not. Meals are not usually offered but it is common for hostels to have a basic kitchen area where guests can store and prepare there own food.
Hostels are most commonly found in the large cities, with London having the largest number and concentration. Due to the high prices of hotels in the UK, London in particular, hostels are a very popular choice for students and travellers on a limited budget. Consequently, many hostels get booked up well in advance, so it is advisable to book as early as possible. A deposit will normally be required to secure a booking.
· Contracts, deposits and rent
Students residing in halls of residence, boarding school accommodation, institution owned or privately owned apartments, houses or bedsits will be required to sign a tenancy contract. The tenancy contract is a legally binding document stating the responsibilities of both the tenant and the landlord, including the duration of the contract, amount of rent payable, acceptable methods of payment, deadlines for payment, deposit requirements, contract cancellation requirements and much more. Although these contracts can seem long and complicated, students should always read through them carefully and be satisfied with the terms of the agreement before signing. This is particularly true if renting from a private landlord rather than from an institution. If the student has queries with any clauses in the contract, they should ask the landlord or management agent to clarify or amend the particular clause prior to signing.
On signing a tenancy contract, a deposit is usually required to be paid by the tenant, which is held by the landlord. This deposit will then be returned to the tenant at the end of the contract, less the costs of any damages to the property or furnishings caused by the tenant during their stay, beyond what could be considered “normal wear and tear”.
Rent will almost always be payable in advance, meaning that tenants will need to pay some rent in addition to a deposit when they sign the tenancy contract. Depending on the type of accommodation, length of stay and if renting from a private landlord or an institution; rent will be payable either weekly, monthly or by school terms (three school terms in one academic year). Some students, especially those on short term courses, may be asked to pay the full cost of their rent for the entire duration of their course, in one lump-sum, in advance.
Most institutions will accept payment of rent in a variety of methods. Payment of rent by credit card will often have an additional fee, to cover the transaction costs. Private landlords commonly only accept payment via “standing orders”. A standing order is an agreement made by the tenant with their bank in the UK, to pay a set amount of money (the rent) to the landlord at regular intervals, i.e. on a certain day of each month. Some private landlords may be happy to collect rent in cash and/or cheques, while others will be less flexible.
Any student having difficulties funding their accommodation who cannot pay their rent on time should talk to someone at their institution as soon as they can. Most large institutions will have someone specially trained to assist students experiencing financial difficulties, who will be able to recommend the most suitable course of action.
Council tax is a tax on residential properties in the UK. It is set by and payable to the local authorities. Full-time students in the UK are exempt from paying council tax. So overseas students in the UK will not pay any council tax while they are studying, but will become liable to pay it if they leave full-time education and begin working in the UK.
Any property that only contains full-time students (i.e. hall of residence) will be completely exempt from council tax. However, council tax will be payable from any non-student residents of a property housing both students and non-students.
Students may wish to take out insurance to cover their personal belongings. This is commonly called “contents insurance”. Contents insurance policies general cover the cost of replacing items belonging to the policy holder in cases of burglary, fire, flood or accidental loss or damage. This may be suitable for students with a number of valuable possessions, i.e. computers, electronic equipment, jewelry, etc.
Note that some institution owned accommodation may include contents insurance in the rental costs. Alternatively, insurance can be obtained from a UK insurer, with some insurers offering policies designed especially for overseas students.
Note that Blue Sky Study can help students arrange all of their insurance requirements before they leave home.
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