University of Reading Accommodation

Hi everyone,

With all of us being through the accommodation process we can understand how difficult it can be to decide what you would like and where to find the information from. This is why we decided to create a mega thread to collect all the information together so it can aid you in making your decision about what accommodation to choose at reading uni.

Remember, if you firm Reading University by the 1st of August you will be guaranteed accommodation.
http://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/accommodation/accommodation-guarantee.aspx

Some perks of living in halls for myself have included the Home at Halls app which give you support including reporting faults etc (which get sorted really quickly), info on collecting parcels and provide feedback. I’ve also enjoyed the hall specific events on offer including formals etc.

Accommodation homepage:
https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/accommodation.aspx

Step by step guide on how to apply for accommodation
https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/accommodation/applying.aspx

Application information
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Hvik005k0

Private accommodation
https://www.accommodationforstudents.com/reading/student-halls
https://www.unitestudents.com/reading
https://www.student.com/en-gb/uk/reading
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/student-accommodation/Reading.html
https://www.padsforstudents.co.uk/student-accommodation/reading/

RUSU housing advice (includes info on private housing and houses)
https://www.rusu.co.uk/advice/housing/

Any questions please reach out,
Reading Team

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1

Gabi18

5

Are there car parks or any parking spaces near the any of the accommodations? Im thinking of bringing my car unless that's a bad idea.

OP

Original post by Gabi18

Are there car parks or any parking spaces near the any of the accommodations? Im thinking of bringing my car unless that's a bad idea.

Hi,

There is parking near halls, however, the University prides itself on being a green and sustainable campus, so permits for all car parks are only given if you have a requirement for a car. These may be due to medical needs because your commuting to study rather than staying onsite, and a select few other reasons.

The University campus is really well connected in terms of public transport, there is a 24/7 bus route specifically for the University which comes directly onto campus and takes you all around the town. Whether that's to the local supermarket or into town. Many students find they really don't need their car on campus and actually find that it saves them a lot of money.

I hope this helps, any other questions please don't hesitate to ask!

Ellen :smile:

Student Ambassador

OP

Hey guys,

I'm a current third-year pharmacy student who spent 2 years in Wantage Halls and really enjoyed it! I
It's picturesque, catered only accommodation which I found really convenient for myself! Every week you get money put onto your campus card which you can use at various cafes and restaurants around campus and within Wantage's own catering. For me, this was really convenient as sometimes I would stay later in the library studying etc so being able to grab dinner and stay later worked great for myself. It also meant that I didn't have to worry about waking up early to make lunches for the day etc.

In addition to the perks of catering at Wantage, we also had Wantage bar which was directly inside of Wantage. I really enjoyed this for chill nights with my friends. It allowed me to have a bit of a break from work with my friends without having to go too far. It also has Wantage's unique drink - a Sheepsdip!

I have so many fond memories of Wantage and met so many friends from there! If you would like to know more about Wantage Halls (or any of the other halls at Reading Uni) have a look here.

Hope this helps anyone currently thinking about what accommodation to chose at Reading Uni and if you have any questions feel free to let us know!😊
From,

Amina

Reply 4

Gabi18

5

Original post by UniofReading

Hi,

There is parking near halls, however, the University prides itself on being a green and sustainable campus, so permits for all car parks are only given if you have a requirement for a car. These may be due to medical needs because your commuting to study rather than staying onsite, and a select few other reasons.

The University campus is really well connected in terms of public transport, there is a 24/7 bus route specifically for the University which comes directly onto campus and takes you all around the town. Whether that's to the local supermarket or into town. Many students find they really don't need their car on campus and actually find that it saves them a lot of money.

I hope this helps, any other questions please don't hesitate to ask!

Ellen :smile:

Student Ambassador

Hi,

Thanks for your reply! I guess it would be a waste of money to bring my car. What about part time jobs are there many on campus?

OP

Original post by Gabi18

Hi,

Thanks for your reply! I guess it would be a waste of money to bring my car. What about part time jobs are there many on campus?

Hi there,

There are plenty of part time jobs on campus and we have a dedicated service for this. You can either opt for a campus job, ranging from Student Ambassador roles, helping with open days and student engagement to bars, library and shop staff. These are all flexible as Campus Jobs understands the student schedule and allows you to easy fit shifts around your studies. There are also plenty of part time opportunities off campus, and the service can help you with progressing with these applications.

Anything else, please let us know.
Delia
3rd Year Business Student

Reply 6

butterdawg28

5

Original post by Gabi18

Are there car parks or any parking spaces near the any of the accommodations? Im thinking of bringing my car unless that's a bad idea.

Hi

Where i am on london campus there is a parking space around 3/4 and there's also a carpark but there is a fee

Reply 7

Gabi18

5

Ill be on Whiteknights campus so thats probably too far to park my car at the london campus

OP

Original post by Gabi18

Ill be on Whiteknights campus so thats probably too far to park my car at the london campus

There is a car park on Whiteknights Campus as well as London Road Campus, but again most of it is permitted and there is a fee if you don't have a permit. I know a lot of my friends have struggled to find parking with a permit and they commute to campus. So I wouldn't recommend having your car permanently on campus unless you do have a permit because that can get pricey!

Hope this helps

Ellen :smile:

Student Ambassador

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

Hi! Does anyone know what bridges premium is like??
Also, if you do placements throughout your course can you take your car?

OP

Original post by Anonymous

Hi! Does anyone know what bridges premium is like??
Also, if you do placements throughout your course can you take your car?

Hey Anonymous,

My friend stayed in Bridges and they definitely were a bit nicer compared to mine (which were standard) but it's totally up to you whether you would like to spend the extra money on the nicer room. You can compare the rooms and the pictures of each here.

In terms of the car, the general rule of thumb is no, but there are a few exceptions to this. However, you will need to apply for a halls parking permit. Here is the factors for a driving permit criteria for a car permit. There is some suggestion about placements if they're out of hours and you can't access public transport but they will be decided on a case by case basis.

I hope this all makes sense and is useful! Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions.
From,

Amina 😊

Reply 11

stud£nt

9

Do we need a longer contract for certain courses?

OP

Original post by stud£nt

Do we need a longer contract for certain courses?

Hey @stud£nt,

So the majority of students are on a 40 week contract which allows them right until the end of summer in order to participate in events e.g. the summer ball. However, if students do want to save money they can be on a 38 week contract so they'll be in halls all the way until teaching and exams have finished. There are also 51 week contracts which allow you to stay during the Summer Vacation too. There is a slightly earlier contract required for Initial teacher training courses.

However, just to be on the safe side I would highly recommend confirming here as I'm not part of the accommodation team and want to make sure you get the right information!

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but feel free to let us know if you have any further questions!
From,

Amina 😊

Reply 13

Zstearns

3

Hello there,

I have received an offer for an MSc psychology conversion course!
I was wondering, as someone who has never lived in Reading, which accommodation would be best between town and campus? Budget-wise as well as a general lifestyle?
I am in Lancaster now and live in town, which I 100% prefer compared to campus life. Lancaster is quite a small city and the buses are quite easy to understand + only 15mns bus ride... So overall it makes it easy to get comfortable quite quickly, would it be the same for Reading?
Are there any postgrads who would be available to chat about their lifestyle?

OP

Original post by Zstearns

Hello there,

I have received an offer for an MSc psychology conversion course!
I was wondering, as someone who has never lived in Reading, which accommodation would be best between town and campus? Budget-wise as well as a general lifestyle?
I am in Lancaster now and live in town, which I 100% prefer compared to campus life. Lancaster is quite a small city and the buses are quite easy to understand + only 15mns bus ride... So overall it makes it easy to get comfortable quite quickly, would it be the same for Reading?
Are there any postgrads who would be available to chat about their lifestyle?

Hey @Zstearns,

Firstly, congratulations on receiving your offer!
If you prefer to live in the centre of town there is a lot of private accommodation on offer in town. The closest accommodation to town that is owned by the University of Reading is Kendrick Halls. In Reading, we do have a great bus network. There is the 21 that goes from the centre of campus to the Reading station. Personally, I stayed quite close to campus and I lived in Wantage Halls and now a house with my friends. I've really enjoyed it as I am only a short walk away from campus which means I can stay later to study in the library etc.

There is a post-graduate on The Student Room @UniofReadingPG who hopefully will be able to tell you what it is like to be a postgraduate at Reading Uni.

I hope this helps and feel free to let us know if you have any questions!
From,

Amina 😊
3rd year pharmacy student

Reply 15

stud£nt

9

@UniofReading
Hi, is there any support available to those who cannot cover their rent?

OP

Original post by stud£nt

@UniofReading
Hi, is there any support available to those who cannot cover their rent?

Hey @stud£nt,

Yes! The University of Reading has a financial support team who are really helpful and can provide support if you need it. They can give grants to those who are struggling financially to help pay for the costs of higher education.

There are also financial advisors who are available all week who can offer support on a wide range of things like fees, scholarships and loans. They run student financial support drop-in advice sessions which are every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during term time!

The university have been amazing at helping students who need financial assistance during the pandemic as well.

So yes, there is lots of support available for Reading students!

I hope this helps.

Daisy
2nd year Politics and International Relations Student

Reply 17

Anonymous #2

Original post by UniofReading

Hey @stud£nt,

Yes! The University of Reading has a financial support team who are really helpful and can provide support if you need it. They can give grants to those who are struggling financially to help pay for the costs of higher education.

There are also financial advisors who are available all week who can offer support on a wide range of things like fees, scholarships and loans. They run student financial support drop-in advice sessions which are every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during term time!

The university have been amazing at helping students who need financial assistance during the pandemic as well.

So yes, there is lots of support available for Reading students!

I hope this helps.

Daisy
2nd year Politics and International Relations Student

Thank you!
I've been looking at house sharing for the first year. Are there any contacts the uni could give ?

OP

Original post by Anonymous

Thank you!
I've been looking at house sharing for the first year. Are there any contacts the uni could give ?

Hey Anonymous,

RUSU has some specific housing advice that you might find useful to look at. There are often students looking to find others to enter contracts with. The main estate agents I know people go through here are Cintra, Adams, Space, Westgate and more. Additionally, you could look at the private accommodation websites listed above in the thread.

I hope this has given you a good starting point to build from and please feel free to let us know if there's anything else we can help with!
From,

Amina 😊
3rd year pharmacy student

Reply 19

Alex1859

1

Hi there!

I've just completed my accommodation application, and put Windsor Hall as my first choice as it seemed to tick the most boxes for me. I then thought afterwards I should have spoken to someone who has stayed there to see if it is actually decent!

Regardless, I thought I would now put something on here to see if anyone spent first year in this hall, and what that experience was like? (in terms of how sociable it is, the layout of the hall, and the quality of Park Eat and Park Bar?)

Thanks in advance for any help/information people can give on this :smile:

University of Reading Accommodation

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