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The following accommodation options will usually be available to you:
1. University/College-owned Accommodation:
1.1 Halls of Residence
1.2 University-owned flats/houses
2. Private Sector (or "off-campus"):
2.1 Sharing a flat/house with friends
2.2 Taking a room or rooms in a shared/flat
2.3 Renting a room in a family home
2.4 Living with Parents
This is usually the preferred option for first year students. Normally, most people will opt for halls at first and then move out into the private sector for the rest of their university career. Only the strong willed (and often those with a passion for freshers) will survive in halls for more than a year. Having said that, it can be common place, at some universities, to return to halls in the final year.
Most people opting for halls will do so in order to meet people. Freshers activities tend to revolve around them, and not being part of one can make it difficult to make friends.
Standards of accommodation will vary dramatically both within and between universities. Typically you will either end up with an institution-type set up (long corridors with rooms off each side) or a flat set up where you will share a bathroom and a kitchen with 4-6 others. The norm is to get a room to yourself but, in some cases, you may be forced to share.
You will usually have to choose between self-catering and catered halls. Catered halls will save you hassle but be prepared for some pretty mediocre food. Self-Catering gives you the freedom to eat when you want and can save money, but be prepared for some pretty mediocre food(?!).
Each hall will typically have an identity based on the type of people it attracts (e.g. sports fanatics, moshers, yahs etc). Alternative prospectuses (or prospecti? - my latin fails me) will usually provide a good indication of the halls identity and standard of accommodation. Failing that try reading between the lines in the main prospectus.
Be warned, you may not have the option of being able to keep your room over the Christmas and Easter Holidays. This can be a major headache, particularly if you live far away and don't have a car.
Getting a place - Most universities try to guarantee all first years a place in halls and will frequently send you the relevant documentation automatically (but not always). If you gain a place through clearing you may miss the boat so get in touch with the accommodation office at the earliest opportunity. Always make sure that you confirm your place as soon as you know which university you are going to.
These are frequently reserved for mature and/or foreign students. They can present quite a cheap option and be in good locations, but as usual there will be exceptions. You will not have to find others to fill the flat as your institution should take on this responsibility (you will also have the added advantage of not being held responsible, should one of your flat-"mates" leave part the way through the year).
This may also be your favoured option if you are looking for somewhere for a short course (a few months or half a year). (If you are looking for a short term let, your accommodation office should be your first port of call)
Getting a place - Contact your accommodation office
This remains the most common option for non-first year students. You select a few of the gullible mugs that you have met whilst serving your halls sentence and take on the responsibility of a flat for a year. You will have to start worrying about things like bills and contracts but at least you won't have to go to a toga party every night. It may not quite equate to civilisation but it certainly will be closer to it than most of the other options outlined here.
You will find heaps of information about finding and living in a shared flat on this site, so for once I will not add too much detail here.
Getting a place – Through letting agents, visiting your accommodation office, looking at college notice boards, local newspapers and online property listings.
This is similar to the above except that you have not had the chance to meet the gullible mugs to share with. If you are in this situation, some of the really good accommodation offices (e.g. Bristol) will periodically organise events to help you meet people with the specific intention of getting a group together to get a flat. Other ways of finding flat mates include college/uni intranets and notice boards. Once you have found some flat mates see 2.1, otherwise read on.
Getting a place - Notice boards in all sorts of funny places will be advertising rooms (try Union, Intranets and Accommodation offices). You can also use our room finder.
Living with a family suits those that either miss out on halls or can't face the prospect of them. Post-graduates are also quite keen on this option. The primary advantage is that invariably you will be living somewhere comfortable and the cooking (if offered) tends to be better than your alternatives. The disadvantage is that the families timetable will be different to yours. They won't appreciate you coming in at 3.00 a.m and you won't appreciate the screaming kids at 6.00 a.m.
Getting a place - Your accommodation office is, once again, your best starting point. Local newspapers and notice boards are also good. Vacancies are also sometimes advertised on our room finder.
It's cheap, it's clean (usually), the food is good and your washing gets done. Sometimes I wonder why I ever decided to leave home. The downside to this option is it is likely to make meeting new people, having booze-ups at home, romantic evenings in, and all that "finding yourself" stuff, just that much more difficult.
Getting a place - volunteering to do the washing up occasionally and periodically bringing up the issue of parental obligations.
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