Accommodation for International Students
Accommodation for International Students Studying in the UK
As an international student, studying in the UK means you have to consider accommodation issues. Which type of accommodation to choose would depend on your budget, lifestyle and maybe how well you cook!
The cost of student accommodation in the UK varies a lot depending on the types of accommodation and most importantly, the location. Studying in London would inevitably mean a higher cost of living with accommodation cost being the highest fixed expenditure.
There are 4 main types of student accommodation in the UK:
(1) University dorms / student halls
Most universities offer guaranteed on-campus student accommodation for first year undergraduate students. These accommodations may be in the form of studios (self-contained with washroom and kitchen) or flats (shared kitchen, with or without private washroom). Some halls of residence are fully catered so students would not have to worry about cooking, though the quality of food varies. The cost of accommodation also varies a lot. For example, for the cheapest hall residence at London School of Economics, a triple room (3 sharers) costs £116/ week while a single studio can set you back for £395/ week. Outside London, student halls can go under £100/ week.
(2) Off-campus accommodation
On-campus accommodation are convenient but also under great demand so it is likely that you would not be offered a place throughout your entire study. Some university offers off-campus accommodation which are owned by the university but located outside the campus. There are also privately-run off-campus student accommodations that operate in a similar way as student halls, but generally of higher quality and that follows, higher rent. In this type of accommodation you may be living with students from other universities and broaden your social network.
(3) Private let
Some university runs an accommodation office which helps students locate private let accommodation. Otherwise you can search for private let properties on websites such as rightmove, zoopla or spareroom. Do try to visit the property yourself to ascertain the quality of the property as well as the neighborhood. Again, prices vary greatly depending on location and quality of the property. You may also have to take care of utilities bills yourself if this is not included in the rent. Living in a private let property can give you maximum independence but you would have to cook and take care of the household chores all by yourself!
(4) Host family
Living with a host family can maximize your exposure to local culture and having a home away from home can sometimes help with homesickness. However, getting adapt to the daily routine of another family may not be easy, especially for university students.
At TopCourses, we care for our students like our family so your dedicated education adviser would assist you in your search for student accommodation once you confirmed your acceptance of offer.
If you are interested in studying in the UK, do not hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation.
