SETTLING IN
Accommodation
It’s always best to arrange accommodation in
the UK before you leave home, but if for any
reason you haven’t been able to do this, here
is some practical advice.
Think carefully about your needs. For example,
how close is the accommodation to your
place of study? Is there good public transport?
How much will it cost? Are you near shops and
facilities? How big is your room? How secure
is it? Will you have enough quiet and privacy
for study? And so on.
Then start by going to the accommodation
office at your place of study, where they will
be able to advise you on all of this and more.
To have the best chance of securing
accommodation at your place of study
you must:
Apply as soon as you can.
Fully complete any accommodation forms
and return them before the deadline date.
Confirm your accommodation
arrangements with the accommodation
office at your place of study before you
arrive in the UK.
Be prepared to have to pay for
accommodation in advance, if necessary.
Not bring any family with you unless you
have booked accommodation for them
in advance.
Where it is not possible to book accommodation
in advance, you will be asked to meet the
accommodation officer at your place of
study, who should be able to help you find
permanent accommodation.
University/college accommodation
Most universities and colleges have their own
accommodation office and this should be the
first place you go to ask about accommodation.
Most institutions provide accommodation
for single and unaccompanied married
international students in a hall of residence
(either full-board or self-catering) or a self-
catering shared house or flat. Space is usually
limited, so applications for such accommodation
should be made as soon as you have been
accepted on your course and certainly before
the required deadline.
Private accommodation
The accommodation office at your institution
may be able to help with this too. The office
may keep lists of private accommodation
available in the area, and some offices may
even help you arrange a booking.
The most usual type of private accommodation
is a room in a house, sharing facilities.
Renting a furnished house or a flat is likely
to be expensive, especially in city centres,
and quite difficult to find. A good way of
making this affordable is to share with other
students. If you do this, make sure you agree
beforehand on how you will share costs.
You will have to do your own cooking and
cleaning, and in some cases, will need to
provide your own bed linen and cooking
equipment. Ask the landlord or landlady
about these things.
You may decide to stay in lodgings, as part
of a family. This will give you the opportunity
to speak English on a regular basis. But be
sure to discuss any ‘house rules’ with your
hosts first.
Whatever type of private accommodation
you decide on, you will need to meet the
owner of the property so that you can see
it for yourself, and discuss the rent.
Do not sign any accommodation contract
you do not understand, as contracts are
legally binding. If you are unsure, take a
copy of the agreement to your college
accommodation officer or student welfare
officer for his or her advice.
If you decide to move in, ask for a tenancy
agreement that both you and the owner
will sign. This will set out the agreement
between you.
You will probably be asked to pay a deposit
before you can move in (usually equivalent
to one month’s rent). This will be given back
to you when you leave, provided all the bills
have been paid and there is no damage to
the property or its contents. Make sure you
get a receipt for this.
If you rent a property from a private landlord
or property management agent and you pay
a deposit, they must protect your deposit in
a government-authorised scheme.
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