UCL v Intercollegiate accommodation

Mode1976

I have a confirmed placed at UCL in Sept 2017. I am looking at both UCL and Intercollegiate accommodation. I would ideally prefer more modern which points to the intercollegiate halls but then have been advised by someone who is already at UCL that they are less social than UCL and I would feel less integrated in UCL life. Please could anyone in either UCL or intercollegiate halls (particularly the ones in Bloomsbury) advice on this. I really like the look of Garden Halls although these may be out of my price range! Thanks in advance

Reply 1

randj

10

Original post by Mode1976

I have a confirmed placed at UCL in Sept 2017. I am looking at both UCL and Intercollegiate accommodation. I would ideally prefer more modern which points to the intercollegiate halls but then have been advised by someone who is already at UCL that they are less social than UCL and I would feel less integrated in UCL life. Please could anyone in either UCL or intercollegiate halls (particularly the ones in Bloomsbury) advice on this. I really like the look of Garden Halls although these may be out of my price range! Thanks in advance

I have the same question

Based on what I have found Garden Halls looks great, and at least you can request it

The UCL halls are just assigned to you, so you might be given something far away

From what I have seen on YT some of the IC halls seem very social, like Connaught

Anyway, there are the societies to socialise in as well

There is a UCL accommodation thread already with some folks applying

Reply 2

Mode1976

OP

Thanks for your reply. I would ideally like to be in UCL accommodation as attending UCL but went round Ramsay last year and the social area was empty and a bit run down. I would be happy to go self-catering and purchase a meal plan when needed which they do for the Intercollegiate halls but again, unsure if they do this at UCL?

As a few of the IC halls are in bloomsbury, I was wondering whether they would be predominantly full of UCL students?

I think accommodation applications open soon but don't have an exact date yet?

Could you send me any relevant threads on this. I have searched but can't find many recent threads on this topic! Thank you.

Reply 3

randj

10

Original post by Mode1976

Thanks for your reply. I would ideally like to be in UCL accommodation as attending UCL but went round Ramsay last year and the social area was empty and a bit run down. I would be happy to go self-catering and purchase a meal plan when needed which they do for the Intercollegiate halls but again, unsure if they do this at UCL?

As a few of the IC halls are in bloomsbury, I was wondering whether they would be predominantly full of UCL students?

I think accommodation applications open soon but don't have an exact date yet?

Could you send me any relevant threads on this. I have searched but can't find many recent threads on this topic! Thank you.

Once you have firmed UCL I assume you get an ID and can log on to the UCL website to apply for accommodation. I intend to firm soon, will update then

This is the other TSR thread
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4222690&p=69620164&page=6&highlight=#post69620164

There are older ones that still seem relevant

Most of the best IC halls seem pretty close to UCL but also seem popular with LSE and others. Not a problem as I am doing Econ. I think each uni reserves a certain number of spaces across the ICs, so there will be a mix, not just UCL students. These are other websites I have used to check them out:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/lifeAtLSE/accommodation/forStudents/residentialHalls/residentialHomepage.aspx

http://halls.london.ac.uk

And Connaught has a few YT videos, seems good.

The various websites set out how it works catering vs non catering. TBH I want the least work, so catered was one of the reasons I liked the ICs, plus they are more likely to have ensuites available. More expensive, but it's only one year, and a bit more on top of an already massive debt is not going to make much difference.

Reply 4

banana222

1

has the accommodation site opened yet? it still says 2016-2017 i need 2017-2018

Reply 5

Mode1976

OP

I don't think the application process is open yet is it? I think I have decided on intercollegiate but I assume as I can only put down two intercollegiate choices on my application through UCL that I may end up with UCL catered such as Ramsay because I can't specify which Halls I would like? Not sure what to put in the way of most important features to try and secure an offer from an intercollegiate hall such as Garden Halls?

Reply 6

randj

10

You are allowed one priority, so I suggest you say proximity. This is in addition to specifying catered accommodation which allows you to nominate 2 inter collegiate halls by name (edit- for 2017/8 it has changed to 5 choices)

There are by far the most rooms just under the £248 level at your preferred so I assume you increase your chance of getting in by entering that as the level you are willing to pay (edit - for 2017/8 you choose the max you want, and the choices are in bands e.g. From lower down then Up to e.g. £240 and up to £270 and so on)

Alternatively you could make your priority an ensuite, as Ramsey only has 1, out of some 500

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 7

amehlia

8

depends how much you want to spend - i live in max rayne in camden town (cheapest one). the building is old, it's shared facilities, and it's the furthest out but it's definitely one of the more sociable halls :smile:

i have a couple of course friends in garden halls, and it's almost 100% ucl students there anyway! the halls are brand new and really nice, just awkward security and the flats have about 17 people in i think!

a way around the system of not being able to choose - i read up on all the halls/houses and matched my criteria to max rayne (cause that's where i wanted to be). if you put "low price" as your priority you will almost 100% be put in max rayne/ifor evans, not sure about the other ones tho

Reply 8

banana222

1

when does the application open though ?

Reply 9

Mode1976

OP

The application process opens end of February according to UCL.

Thanks for all the advice above. Do any of the catered halls at UCL have ensuites? Presumably if not and I put ensuite as the preference, I should be allocated one of the two intercollegiate halls I name?

Hopefully the intercollegiates are as sociable as going in straight UCL halls!

Reply 10

amehlia

8

Original post by Mode1976

The application process opens end of February according to UCL.

Thanks for all the advice above. Do any of the catered halls at UCL have ensuites? Presumably if not and I put ensuite as the preference, I should be allocated one of the two intercollegiate halls I name?

Hopefully the intercollegiates are as sociable as going in straight UCL halls!

check the ucl page on accommodation to see which/if any catered have ensuites, they list all the facilities that each halls/houses have :smile:

Reply 11

brumtown0121

3

Anyone applied for UCL accommodation, what do you put for the start and end dates for accommodation???? Is it like the day you start your course, or a few weeks before? Also how about the end date???

Reply 12

randj

10

Original post by brumtown0121

Anyone applied for UCL accommodation, what do you put for the start and end dates for accommodation???? Is it like the day you start your course, or a few weeks before? Also how about the end date???

Yes. When applying, it defaults to 23/9 to 23/6 which starts the weekend before term starts and finishes around 10 days after term ends. So I just used that default

Reply 13

brumtown0121

3

Original post by randj

Yes. When applying, it defaults to 23/9 to 23/6 which starts the weekend before term starts and finishes around 10 days after term ends. So I just used that default

Does that mean you'll only have the weekend to move all your stuff in?? And also on ucas my start date says September 01, so i'm not sure what to do? My course is Chemical Engineering btw, im not sure if they say 1st september just for the sake of it

Reply 14

randj

10

Brumtown0121

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/staff/term-dates

The accommodation starts 23/9 while the term starts 26/9, so we seem to get a few nights to move in. I doubt it will take long to move in, given how small the rooms are......

If you wanted to move in earlier then you could contact them, as they may rent it to you if you tell them you need to arrive a week or 2 earlier, it's likely going to be empty anyway. But you pay by the week, so I will just be arriving that weekend

I doubt if your start date is really 1/9, but best check with them

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 15

MIndlessjoker

2

Original post by amehlia

depends how much you want to spend - i live in max rayne in camden town (cheapest one). the building is old, it's shared facilities, and it's the furthest out but it's definitely one of the more sociable halls :smile:

i have a couple of course friends in garden halls, and it's almost 100% ucl students there anyway! the halls are brand new and really nice, just awkward security and the flats have about 17 people in i think!

a way around the system of not being able to choose - i read up on all the halls/houses and matched my criteria to max rayne (cause that's where i wanted to be). if you put "low price" as your priority you will almost 100% be put in max rayne/ifor evans, not sure about the other ones tho

Hey! I will be joining UCL for the EEE course this fall. I'm going through accommodation now. How is max rayne like? i heard it has a really bad cockroach infestation. is that true? ohh and if you know would you mind sharing how the residence halls are like? thanks!!

Reply 16

MIndlessjoker

2

Hey! I will be going to UCL in fall 2017 to study EEE. I'm looking through the accomodation options. How is max rayne like? I heard it has a really bad cockroach infestation. Is that true?