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University of Edinburgh Accommodation Thread for Entry 2014/15

PART 1: OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH ACCOMMODATION THREAD

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. Apply now for accommodation, even if Edinburgh is only your insurance. Apply here.

If you have already applied for accommodation but something has gone wrong or you want to change your preferences, call Allocations on +44 (0)131 651 2042, or you can tweet general queries to them: @UoEliving

Please note that parts of this thread remain out of date and are based on threads from past years. Please check facts with other sources or post questions in thread for clarification.

Please do not post room numbers in this thread. It is visible to anyone, whether they are a member or not. Please consider before posting that people may be able to identify you elsewhere (Facebook etc) from details you post here!

If you are a new or current student looking for private accommodation in Edinburgh, please see post #2. For links to other threads discussing accommodation in Edinburgh see post #3.

Before posting questions in this thread please read through post #1, post #2 and post #3 to ensure your query has not already been answered! There is also a ‘Search This Thread’ tool at the top of the thread which may well help find your answer.

Towards the start of the academic year, there will be Facebook groups available for each residence. These can be found on Facebook.

The University of Edinburgh owns a vast array of accommodation throughout the city. All properties are managed by Accommodation Services. They are based in the Reception Centre at Pollock Halls, and can be visited in person as well as contacted in a number of ways. See here for contact details.

You can view various maps to see where this official accommodation is located throughout the city here.

You can download the university’s official undergraduate accommodation guides for September 2014/January 2015 entry here. (Postgraduate guide available here). You can search the accommodation database for details, specs, prices, etc. here.

Is accommodation guaranteed?

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I’m a Postgraduate - is my accommodation guaranteed?

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So does the guarantee work?
[spoiler] The accommodation guarantee has caused some issues during for entry in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012 due to the vast popularity of the university amongst applicants and the generous almost-universal guarantee of accommodation. Some measures have been taken to address this, including but not limited to the increase in entry requirements to the university. In the past instances accommodation was vastly oversubscribed and the university struggled to arrange housing for everybody. The good news is that Accommodation Services appear never to have compromised on their promise: they have ensured that an offer of accommodation is made to every applicant who is eligible even in oversubscribed years. Despite the increase in fees to RUK students, applications to Edinburgh have continued to rise year-on-year and accommodation under more pressure than ever before.

Spoiler

What does this mean in practical terms if you are applying for entry in 2014? You are guaranteed a room if you meet the eligibility criteria, but it may well not be the room you want. If you have selected Edinburgh as your insurance choice you may well be considered a lower priority when allocation is taking place (although unlike other universities, you should still be guaranteed something). Likewise, allocation is liable to take longer if there are more students who need to be accommodated. And you will only be made ONE offer. If you turn down your offer you will not receive another.

How do I apply?

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Accepting an offer of accommodation

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Room Sizes

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Internet and Phone

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Residence Life

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Leaving at the end of your tenancy

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Catered or Self-Catered?

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Twin Rooms in Pollock Halls

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Food at Pollock Halls (Thanks to fwapper for this)

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Pricing

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Payment

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Insurance

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Car Parking

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What does the accommodation look like?

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Council Tax

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University accommodation after first year

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See post #2 for details on private accommodation in Edinburgh. See post #3 for handy links to other threads about accommodation in Edinburgh.

Disclaimer:

This post does not represent the views of the University of Edinburgh or Accommodation Services in any capacity whatsoever. The thread is intended to offer information and advice in an informal and personal capacity. Any advice given in this thread by me (or any other poster) is not given in any official capacity as a representative of the University or Accommodation Services. If anything is ever in doubt it is always recommended that you check with Accommodation Services.

(edited 10 years ago)

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Reply 1

nearlyheadlessian

PART 2: PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION IN EDINBURGH

Living in university managed accommodation may not suit you, or there may be issues with the supply of accommodation once again this year. So do remember that you do not have to accept the offer of accommodation if you do not want to and there are plenty of alternatives - Edinburgh has a lot of very good flats on offer to students. The following advice is also fully relevant if you are a continuing student looking for new accommodation.

The university’s Accommodation Services offers a fairly handy overview and guide to private student accommodation in Edinburgh here.

EUSA also provide some advice on their webpage, along with a flatfinder. EUSA’s Advice Place is also happy to offer impartial advice on accommodation in Edinburgh.

What do I need to do first?

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I want to join an existing flat

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I want to live in private halls of residence

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Landlords and Letting Agencies

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Finding a flat

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Where should I live?

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Pricing

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Payment

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Council Tax

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Insurance

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Car Parking

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What are the properties like?

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See post #3 for handy links to other threads on Edinburgh accommodation.

University of Edinburgh

Reply 2

nearlyheadlessian

PART 3: Conclusion and Useful Links

Conclusion

So there you have it, hopefully the full and comprehensive guide to accommodation, both university owned and private in Edinburgh, that you were looking for. It is quite possible that some important points have been missed out from these posts, so if there is anything that has been forgotten or skimped on, then please go ahead and ask a question below. Edinburgh students past and present will be more than happy to try and answer as best as they can, and share their experiences of living and renting in Edinburgh with you. Many thanks to oxymoronic for her original accommodation thread for entry in September ’09, which is linked to below.

And remember, to discuss anything relating to application/entry to the University of Edinburgh in September 2014 apart from accommodation, head over to our stickified and officialised discussion thread.

Here are some handy links that we’ve compiled over the years to other threads - if your question isn’t answered in this thread then maybe it’s in one of these:

Official accommodation thread for entry 13/14

Official accommodation thread for entry 12/13

Official accommodation thread for entry 11/12

Official accommodation thread for entry 10/11

Official accommodation thread for entry 09/10

Official accommodation thread for entry 08/09

Why did you apply for your accommodation/where did you apply 08/09

Where is the best place to live in Edinburgh?

Price of accommodation, artorscience's post in particular

UNITE at Edinburgh

Where to live/prices for after first year

Edinburgh is my insurance choice, do I still apply?

Self catered accommodation = single sex (in general)

Last year’s postgraduate accommodation discussion thread

Detailed stuff:

Pollock meal times

Mini fridge? What to and what not to bring!

Should I bring a TV?

Should I bring my bike?

Where can I buy a bike in Edinburgh?

Can I bring my dog to Edinburgh?

Are there mirrors in the rooms?

To access university account when not on university network - ie from home or private accommodation

Internet and gaming in university accommodation

Postgrad accommodation thread 2010/11

Does accommodation allow dogs?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 3

nearlyheadlessian

Reserved for future use.

Reply 4

nearlyheadlessian

Reserved for future use 2.

Reply 5

potato_jam

Hi! I'm going to be doing student exchange in January 2014 for a semester and have been looking at accommodation. I've specifically been looking at Portsburgh Court, Chalmers Street and Blackfriars, but I've heard some pretty mixed reviews about them. I'm just wondering what people's opinions are of them?

I'll be doing Graphic Design at the Edinburgh College of Art, so I'd prefer to be somewhere close by. I'll also be doing 3rd year, so I'm a little worried that I won't fit in if my flatmates are all freshers, as I'll be a couple of years older than them. Are there any places that tend to have more students around 21 y/o?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 6

auden1996

Does anyone know, if you put Edinburgh as your insurance choice, do you only get guaranteed a room that you have to share? Just because someone told me this is what usually happens?

Reply 7

Ambry

You are not guaranteed *any* accomodation unless it is your firm choice-

Information here- http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/accommodation-services/new-prospective/undergraduate/guarantee

Reply 8

auden1996

Original post by Ambry

You are not guaranteed *any* accomodation unless it is your firm choice-

Information here- http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/accommodation-services/new-prospective/undergraduate/guarantee

So if edinburgh's your insurance choice, you're unlikely to get any accomodation?

Reply 9

Ambry

Original post by auden1996

So if edinburgh's your insurance choice, you're unlikely to get any accomodation?

I'm not sure. Basically, you are only definitely going to get it if you firm the university. Which is fair, to be honest. I don't know how unlikely it is that you would get it if it was your insurance choice but considering how many people would firm Edinburgh, I wouldn't say it would be too likely you'd get accomodation if it was your insurance choice.

Reply 10

Strangey

Original post by Ambry

You are not guaranteed *any* accomodation unless it is your firm choice-

Information here- http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/accommodation-services/new-prospective/undergraduate/guarantee

Original post by auden1996

Does anyone know, if you put Edinburgh as your insurance choice, do you only get guaranteed a room that you have to share? Just because someone told me this is what usually happens?

That's not what the link says at all, it says you're guaranteed a place if you make Edinburgh your unconditional firm by 30th August - after your results. Basically, if you go to Edinburgh, live alone, and confirm your choice in good time, then you get accommodation.

Reply 11

nearlyheadlessian

Original post by Ambry

You are not guaranteed *any* accomodation unless it is your firm choice-

Information here- http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/accommodation-services/new-prospective/undergraduate/guarantee

As Strangey points out, you've got the wrong end of the stick. Any applicant with Edinburgh as their insurance choice who is coming to Edinburgh (having missed their firm choice) will have turned UF by August 30th. Unofficially, Accommodation Services now prioritise applicants who firmed Edinburgh originally. Therefore, to respond to the OP's question, it's possible you'll end up in a shared room. But you're guaranteed accommodation, which is more than many institutions offer.

Reply 12

nearlyheadlessian

Original post by danataher

I can't decide between Chancellors Court or John Burnett! Help :frown:

First world problems :wink:

For what it's worth, I think the rooms in JB are a shade better than CC, but the major difference is size. JB is ~150 residents, CC is ~600 - the sense of community is very different in each.

Reply 13

euphrosyne

Original post by nearlyheadlessian

First world problems :wink:

For what it's worth, I think the rooms in JB are a shade better than CC, but the major difference is size. JB is ~150 residents, CC is ~600 - the sense of community is very different in each.

Definitely a first world problem haha!

Oh god, that makes things even worse.. I mean JB looks much nicer, is bigger in room size, but costs £600 more if you compare both large sized rooms (or £1400 if you compare the large to the superior). However, as you've mentioned, CC is better socially - in the sense of community!

What do I do? :frown:

Reply 14

nearlyheadlessian

Original post by danataher

However, as you've mentioned, CC is better socially - in the sense of community!

What do I do? :frown:

I didn't say CC was better, just that they are different socially. Personally, I wouldn't bother with either - the prices are a rip off. When I lived in JB it was expensive even with my discount for being an RA.

Reply 15

euphrosyne

Original post by nearlyheadlessian

Sorry, that was what I inferred seeing as there are more students living there, thus a larger chance of socialising with more people. Yeah fair enough, but seeing as I'm going to be living a year away from home (far away from home), I'd like to be as comfortable as I can, which I feel that JB offers.

Reply 16

sophielaur

I'm getting a bit confused so i hope someone can help... so when do you apply for accomidation? my UCAS is getting sent off within the next two weeks so obvs dont have any offers yet but i dont want to end up in minging accomidation with no freshers people :frown:

Reply 17

Collegiate Accommodation

Official Rep

Original post by potato_jam

Hey, Gateway Apartments have a limited number of rooms available form January. For more information visit the website http://www.collegiate-ac.com/student-accommodation/edinburgh/gateway-apartments and for any questions, please email [email protected]

Gateway Apartments is targeted to 2nd, 3rd and postgrad students.

Hope this helps!
Laura

Reply 18

eilidhkegg

I'm starting uni at Edinburgh in September this year and need to figure out which accommodation il be living in. It's really important for me to get it right as after all it will be my home for at least the next year. Iv been looking at the Unite accommodation, Portsburgh court and Chalmers street in particular as they are close to the uni, shops and night life. They both offer en suites which I would want aswell and look relatively new and nice. I want to be close to George square as that's where I will be studying. So does anyone here stay in either of they accommodations? and would you be able to give me a bit of info on them such as what are the people like there, are there a lot of first year UGs, are they good value for money? Also, what other accommodation is there around that area which offer en suites and are very close to the uni and also relatively new. Thanks for your help

Reply 19

eilidhkegg

I'm starting the university of Edinburgh in September and want to know about these accommodations. are they good value for money, are the kitchens big, are there a lot of first year UGs for UOE staying there, are they close to the shops and nightlife, are the people friendly, do they hold a lot of social events, what are the standard en suite rooms like, are there any smoking areas and are they generally good place to stay in the first year? if you can answer any of these questions that would be great! also, is there any accommodation like them with en suites and generally new near them? il be studying in George square so I want to be very close to there. thanks for your help