Things to Consider when Choosing your Student Accommodation

In this article, we have put together our tips to make sure you find the perfect place to live. Whether you are looking for student accommodation in Manchester, Glasgow or anywhere in between. These tips will help you.

Once you have accepted a place at university, the next big question you need to ask yourself is ‘where am I going to live?’ Finding the right student accommodation can be a tricky task, especially if you have chosen to study abroad. This is somewhere that you will be living, eating, and socialising so it is important that you choose the perfect place to suit you and your university experience. Whether you are looking for student accommodation in Manchester or student accommodation in Glasgow, and everywhere in between, we have put together our top tips to make sure you find the perfect place to live.

Location

Where your accommodation is located can have a big impact on your student experience. You might find the perfect student accommodation in Glasgow, only to find that you need to catch 3 buses to get to the university campus. Remember, you will be visiting the campus very frequently for studies and socialising, so you need to make sure that you are living close by (or somewhere that has extremely good transport links!) Imagine having an hour commute before a 9am lecture? Don’t jeopardise your studies for the sake of a cheaper room that is far away – make sure that you do your research properly to find the perfect location for your accommodation.

Type of Accommodation

You need to make sure that the space you choose works for you, and with so many options available it can be a daunting task! Do you want private student accommodation in Birmingham City Centre where you live alone, or do you want to be right in the thick of things and living on campus? Where you choose will have a great effect on your student experience, so make sure you choose wisely? Typical accommodations include:

1. Halls of residence – located on campus and usually include a private bedroom with communal bathroom and living area. Can be catered or self-catered.
2. Private sector halls of residence – very similar to halls of residence but you may be located off campus (still close by!) These are small flats where you have a private bedroom and share with a small number of other students.
3. Private accommodation – this is where you rent from a landlord and can either be studios (bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom all to yourself) or private bedrooms with shared living space.
4. House share – this is where you can rent a room with other students or professionals. You usually share the communal living spaces and bathrooms and have your own bathroom.

Stay connected

One of the most important things that you will need as a student is a good internet connection – especially when you are studying at home. You need to make sure that you choose somewhere with a strong internet connection that will allow you to watch TV, do research and stay connected with your friends and family. At Ocxee, we have 24/7 support so if something goes wrong, we are here to help.

Work life balance

Being a student in the UK is all about working hard and playing hard. Whilst studying is a priority, it is also important to have down time to let your brain and body recharge and refuel. You need to make sure that you do your research properly to find out the best spots in your university city to make sure that you are close to campus, student bars, restaurants, shops and cultural sights. For example, if you choose student accommodation in Birmingham City Centre you will be right in the heart of all the action, but if you choose somewhere on the outskirts, you might miss out on a lot of the student experience.

Learn about the UK Transport System to make sure you have a supple communication medium to resort to during the time of need.

Who will you be living with?

When you initially start university, you probably won’t know anyone, so it is important that you do your research before you make the big move. If you are choosing to live in halls of residence for your first year, you can specify if you would prefer to be in quiet halls or same gendered flat before they allocate spaces. If you choose to go straight into a shared house, you won’t have any control over who you live with. Halls of residence are aimed at first year students so they can make friends before committing to a year long lease with people that you don’t know. In your second year, you can choose who you live with once you have made friends with people who have the same priorities as you.

Budget

A large portion of your budget will go on accommodation, so you need to make sure you understand what is included with your rent. Halls of residence normally have all utility bills and insurance included so you don’t have to worry. They also offer a catered option, so you don’t even have to worry about budgeting for food. Once you move onto private accommodation, you need to make sure that you budget wisely for all living costs associated with renting. It would be no good to find the perfect student accommodation in Manchester that suits your budget, only to find that you have to pay enormous utility bills on top! Here at Ocxee, we offer a lot of options that include all your bills, so all you have to worry about is what to eat.

Security and Support

When you move to a foreign country, you want to make sure that you feel as safe and secure as possible. Firstly, you need to make sure that your accommodation is located in a safe area, and secondly check what security is included before you sign any contracts. We offer a wide range of accommodation that is fully staffed with security guards to make sure that you and your belongings stay safe. We also offer 24/7 support so that you feel safe and supported. Whether you are wanting to report something suspicious or a leaky tap, or you just need someone to talk to, we are on hand to make sure that your student experience is as smooth and positive as possible.

When to start looking

You need to make sure that you start looking for student accommodation well in advance as there are a lot of people that will need somewhere to live! We advise that you start looking as soon as you accept your place at university – you don’t want to miss out on your dream accommodation simply because you applied too late. You also need to start looking early for your second year as many of the popular private accommodations get taken early. Make sure that you are looking at the beginning of the year ready to move in over summer, as the gap closes very quickly!

Be Wary

You need to make sure that you understand fully what is included in the terms and conditions of your rental agreement before you sign. You don’t want to find out that you can’t have friends or family over to visit! Make sure you familiarise yourself with the length of contract and any cooling off periods if you decide that this accommodation is not for you. If you are in a shared house, you need to make sure you know what the penalties are for shared utility bills if someone doesn’t pay as you don’t want this responsibility to fall onto you.

Wherever you choose, the most important things are that you feel safe and comfortable. Browse our one stop shop now for some amazing student accommodation, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or queries.