5 Tips For International Students Finding Accommodation In The UK

Written by a Guest Contributor

Tips for Finding Accommodation In The UK

Moving to a different country to study can be a daunting experience for anybody, most of all for those that have never lived away from home.

Finding a good place to live while studying abroad is paramount to making sure your studies are successful.

These tips are designed to help make it as easy as possible to find somewhere that you are comfortable with.

A student hall of residence in the UK (credit)

1. Decide on a budget.

There’s nothing worse than finding out you have a place to live but no money to do anything else.

You need to work out what you can afford to spend on each aspect of your student life and assign what is left over to your accommodation.

Once you have done that, you can work out what level of student housing you can aim at – private student halls, all the way down to a shared room in a shared house.

2. Be wary of who you give your money to

Not all landlords and student accommodation providers are created equal – some are out to rip you off, take your money and not provide you with anything.

You should check your university’s website for a list of approved accommodation providers and look to contact those first. These will be landlords and private halls that the University has received positive feedback about.

If you are still in doubt, you should contact your university’s accommodation department.

3. Consider a fully-managed private student hall

If you have the budget, this type of accommodation can be the easiest solution for most.

They can provide you with an all-inclusive system, where you do not have to fork out separately for electricity and gas, internet access or satellite TV.

You also get a security team to keep you and your possessions safe.

They can cost considerable amounts of money, however, with some London student accommodation costing up to £300 (GBP) per week.

4. Don’t be afraid to change

It’s very possible that you can plan ahead and get something booked, but then on arrival realise you’re really not going to fit in.

Perhaps you have a room-mate who is partying continually while you need to study. Maybe your accommodation is falling apart. If this is the case – don’t put up with it.

If you’re in University owned accommodation, talk to them immediately and explain the problem – they will help you find an alternative.

If your accommodation is privately owned, there are ways of sorting things out. Talk to your landlord as a start.

In the UK, you can talk to organisations like Shelter so you know your rights.

5. Don’t just follow the crowd

Just because everyone else on your course or from your country has chosen a certain accommodation doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you.

Yes, it’s nice to stay with those you know, but they may have all gone for a particular place because it was part of a certain program they are part of – it might not be the cheapest or best option for you.

The advice is always shop around – read reviews, find out what others think of the accommodation before you stay there and make a decision based on that.

Author bio:
Nathan Amery wrote in from Falkirk council area of Scotland. He is an Online Marketing Manager with Beattie Communications Ltd in the United Kingdom.

Article first submitted to www.StudyAndScholarships.com on 9th May 2013. Republished 16th March 2015.