Bristol Uni Accommodation Info MKII (Please post all questions here)

''I really don't want to be broke'' Expensive accommodation is part of the University there's not really much way to avoid it. 2nd/3rd year can be cheaper if you get enough people together to house share with. Private halls are even more expensive (although you get what you pay for). I have to work 15-25 a hours a week to cover rent and give myself enough money to live comfortable on. The size of the maintenance loan is hilarious . I'm sure you'll find a way to manage though. Choose Wills, Churchill is a place to go if you can't make it into Wills as a first preference etc. Unless you're activity seeking a quite life, ignore the student houses and go live in a hall.

I think I'll have to get a job too! Wouldn't mind for 2nd year, wanted to avoid that for first year, but hey ho! I'm a mature student and have some outgoings that I'll have to account for :/

Lol I know, idk whether to laugh or cry about the maintenance loan. My siblings went to Oxbridge and they managed to SAVE money instead of dipping into savings and working with much nicer digs, so it's a little annoying/frustrating. I shouldn't complain - didn't realise when I applied that they might give you accommodation that's more expensive than the one you choose, although I found out via this thread through a post made after I applied. The uni doesn't make finding this info easy!

So, apply to Wills as my second choice, you mean? If I don't get into either Goldney or Wills, they might offer Churchill as back up, but not vice versa if I choose Churchill over Wills?**

Also, are there many jobs available given the huge student population?

Thanks btw!*

Yes plenty of jobs. Plenty of students to fill those jobs, but students tend to have quite high turnaround so there's always positions opening up. If you look they are there! I don't like to admit it but I'm I'm 21 and still in halls :0. Having been in halls for three years I get to see first hand what the rent increases are like. When I first came to Bristol two years ago my rent was just above £4000.. now it's £6500 for a room in Hiatt Baker. My biggest complaint with the University is that it can sometimes feel like a cash grab. What with the expensive halls, low contact hours and (sometimes) questionable teaching quality. Maybe it's because the University has a captive audience of people willing and able to pay ridiculous money for things. £3600 maintenance loan doesn't help either I mean choose Wills as a second preference, when I applied this year my application system was different because it was the 'returner' one not the normal one freshers use. So I don't know what your third options were. If you put Wills as your second choice and don't get it, then they'll move you to your third preference (which is normally student houses and city centre only (which is unlikely you should at least get your second preference unless there's a rerun of the 2014 fiasco)) Goldney/Wills/Churchill all very nice halls though that I think will suit you.

Thanks - I remember someone asked if there's a lot of contact hours at the law offer holders day and there was a bit of an awkward silence. I can't remember the answer though.

Wow, that's quite a hike in two years! Were you able to apply for a maintenance loan that was adjusted upwards to account for that?

Yeah, I feel like the price for halls might have been justifiable if they weren't mostly sub-par and were a bit more modernised.

Third options - we had self-catered, non-catered, the 3rd option accoms that most people don't want, city centre and clifton, that hilly part of the town, and I think price and/or en-suite. I put down catered just to narrow my chances of getting Churchill as a third option as I also wrote in my 'about me' that I don't want to live in a flat/townhouse set up, but idk if that actually makes a difference :/

Thanks - I remember someone asked if there's a lot of contact hours at the law offer holders day and there was a bit of an awkward silence. I can't remember the answer though.

Which halls have most posh people in them?

How do you think this affects their uni experience? Do they party more/study more/etc or is it just that they live in more expensive halls? Do they have nicer rooms?

Do you socialise with people in your halls or in your course more?

As a mature student, I quite like 7-8 hours of solid sleep per night; it's starting to dawn on me that I've probably made a huge mistake by opting to live in halls...

Which halls did you apply for?

I think you'll be alright, depending on where you're living. I would guess the kids will be over excited for a while, but I can't imagine it will be that bad. You can always wear ear plug while you sleep!

I hope so! I don't do well on little sleep and end up being quite... blunt. I've applied for Manor Hall, The Rackhay and Favell House.

Is it me or are the self catered rooms in Stoke Bishop much nicer than the catered ones?

I see it like this - I'll be living in halls for a year and it's where most of my friendships and social experiences will form. It sets the foundation for 2nd and 3rd year when you live out and can catch up on sleep then!

This is how I see it too, but it seems to be a bit of a catch 22 for me; if I don't get enough sleep I will get moody, not make friends and have nobody to live with in the second and third years.
Think I'm just going to bring a sack of soporific sweeties and hope for the best!

Earplugs! I use earplugs anyway as any kind of ambient noise (conversations, cars in the background, people outside) distracts me and disrupts my sleep and it works a treat. I've used sleeping pills before (it was one of the side effects) & they do work, but they make me sedated and drowsy for the entire day even when I'm supposed to take the next one... :/ I wouldn't advise it for that.