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Accommodation cost

Hello. I am interested in coming in uk for my studies next year and i wanted to ask whether living in a university hall is more or less costly than finding an apartment/house or any place by yourself? Which one is more affordable and better in general?
I think it possibly depends on where you are staying in the country. It certainly might be easier for your first year to stay in halls and also hopefully provide you with a place to meet and socialise with lots of other students which is important (I think) when family and friends far away.

Perhaps it is a little more but might be just what you need for your first year. Good luck!
Original post by Ro98
Hello. I am interested in coming in uk for my studies next year and i wanted to ask whether living in a university hall is more or less costly than finding an apartment/house or any place by yourself? Which one is more affordable and better in general?


If you are coming as an undergrad, then i'd suggest halls for the first year.

1. Get to meet and socialise with a large group of students. So a better potential social life. You cna move out with friends in the second year.
2. Reliable landlord with accommodation of a reasonable standard.
3. Normally well situated for the uni.
4. Easier to be self sufficient student as you can keep to yourself if you wish.

It may be more expensive as it can be all inclusive , which means all bills and meals. Meals cna be variable and its not good if you dont like what they provide. But meals are also a good time to socialise.

Finding a house on your own cna be a lonely business. You dont know landlords and you dont know who you will be living with.

Houses are more intimate so if you fall out or dont get on with just one person, then it creates difficulties, whereas in Hall it doesnt matter as there are hundreds of others.

If you are with friends then houses can be great and you have more freedom and independence. You cook for yourself. People tend for houses in 2nd and 3rd years when they have friends.

Its probably a bit cheaper, but it depends.

If you wnat self catering then Unis and many private businesses offer halls which are self catering, which offer a halfway house between Full incl Halls and a house in the private sector.
Original post by Ro98
Hello. I am interested in coming in uk for my studies next year and i wanted to ask whether living in a university hall is more or less costly than finding an apartment/house or any place by yourself? Which one is more affordable and better in general?


Like for like, a room in a shared flat in halls is usually a bit more expensive than a room in a house share. Although this can vary depending on where in the country you are. However as 999 tigger argues, it is worth that extra cost. As well as the points they make which I agree with, you also have the more crucial point that you can agree to a contract without having seen the room as you can trust university accomodation departments not to scam or mislead you. Otherwise you'd need to come to the UK to house hunt first, as there are stories of rogue landlords exploiting those overseas by letting out houses that don't exist or providing false photos or exaggerating about the condition of the house. And no need to get your head around bills, the meal side of things is irrelevant if you go for a self catered hall.
Thats a point Jelly said that needs emphasising. If you are coming from abroad and you wnat to rent privately, then you should come early so you cna house hunt and see where the accommodation is and what its like in an actual viewing. I would be less worried by uni accommodation or large scale private halls. You cna research and get feedback on them, but individual house hunting would be a difficult choice with a chance of it going wrong. Wrong room, LL or house. You would also need to enter into a 1 year contract rather than just a term time one. Less per week, but youd need to do the sums both sides to compare.

I would choose between all inclusive halls and self careing accommodation owned by the uni. Private halls are another option.
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Indeed i am coming abroad so I was pretty stressed about that.but things seem more clear now. Choosing uni hall for the first year must be far better for all those reasons that i couldnt even consider. It would be a good chance to meet people in the uk mainly. Thanks a lot for your advice, it was very heplful!
Original post by Ro98
Indeed i am coming abroad so I was pretty stressed about that.but things seem more clear now. Choosing uni hall for the first year must be far better for all those reasons that i couldnt even consider. It would be a good chance to meet people in the uk mainly. Thanks a lot for your advice, it was very heplful!


Its the smart move imo.
It gets you friends, trustworthy LL, decent location. Once you are here then you cna get used to the area and make friends to move out with.

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