Living in another college's accommodation

Hey guys, my name is Laz. I will be studying in a MPhil programme at the university of Cambridge. With full respect to my given college, I would like to know if its possible to live in another's college's accommodation.

My arguments are 1) Financial reasons and 2) Distance to my department.

I am a scholarship recipient. My financial condition throughout my study will highly rely on the given stipend. After calculations of the main expenses (assigned accommodation fee, meal, etc), I found out that my monthly expense will reach very very close to my monthly allowance. It does not allow me to save for emergency and unexpected cases. I fear that it will not be sustainable throughout the year, and may cause financial problems in the future.

Additionally, I feel that the distance from my currently assigned accommodation to my department is just too far. According to google maps, it will be a one hour walk.

For these reasons, is it possible to live in another college's accommodation? thank you all for your time.

Reply 1

Claree

17

Original post by Lazpujilaksono

Hey guys, my name is Laz. I will be studying in a MPhil programme at the university of Cambridge. With full respect to my given college, I would like to know if its possible to live in another's college's accommodation.

My arguments are 1) Financial reasons and 2) Distance to my department.

I am a scholarship recipient. My financial condition throughout my study will highly rely on the given stipend. After calculations of the main expenses (assigned accommodation fee, meal, etc), I found out that my monthly expense will reach very very close to my monthly allowance. It does not allow me to save for emergency and unexpected cases. I fear that it will not be sustainable throughout the year, and may cause financial problems in the future.

Additionally, I feel that the distance from my currently assigned accommodation to my department is just too far. According to google maps, it will be a one hour walk.

For these reasons, is it possible to live in another college's accommodation? thank you all for your time.

For MPhil, as a grad student, I assume you don't have to live in your own college's accommodation if you don't want to. Some colleges let grad students at other colleges live in their grad accommodation. Sometimes they say so on their website. Or you could try emailing the accommodation office at other colleges to ask if they have any accommodation available for students at other colleges.

You could also try looking for private accommodation (a lot is advertised on the internet).

Have you looked into getting a bike, or looking at the bus routes, if 1 hour is too far to walk?

You could also try asking your own college if they have anything cheaper/closer available, if you haven't already.

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Reply 2

username2940192

6

Original post by Claree

For MPhil, as a grad student, I assume you don't have to live in your own college's accommodation if you don't want to. Some colleges let grad students at other colleges live in their grad accommodation. Sometimes they say so on their website. Or you could try emailing the accommodation office at other colleges to ask if they have any accommodation available for students at other colleges.

It's worth keeping in mind that all colleges accommodation allocation is tight at the start of term as it tends to be unclear exactly who is arriving. Consequently it could well be tough to get accommodation in another college at this time of year, and accommodation officers may not have the time or inclination to engage with students from other colleges. Later on things tend to ease up and on the whole colleges prefer to have rooms occupied, but your college may not release you from your room agreement.

As has been noted you can rent privately, make sure you compare rents carefully as college rents are either inclusive or have cheap fixed utilities. Moreover colleges tend to be better landlords.

It's generally assumed that all students have access to a bike, and the University bus links most sites. If you have a disability that will limit your radius of action you should talk to your college now. Unless you are at Girton I am struggling to think of college accommodation and a department which are an hours walk apart.

Reply 3

sweeneyrod

15

Original post by jkjkjka

Unless you are at Girton I am struggling to think of college accommodation and a department which are an hours walk apart.

Homerton and West Cambridge.

Reply 4

username2940192

6

Original post by sweeneyrod

Homerton and West Cambridge.

Ah, yes - and since they rerouted the "U" bus to the busway from Hills Road its a bit of a pain on public transport.

Original post by Lazpujilaksono

...........

No you can't. They are independent institutions. I've never heard of any arrangement where anyone lived in another College's rooms, it would take a unique set of circumstances and in fact, would be much easier to change College, which is nigh on impossible in itself.

Learn to cycle and learn the shortcuts?

Reply 6

Claree

17

Original post by threeportdrift

No you can't. They are independent institutions. I've never heard of any arrangement where anyone lived in another College's rooms, it would take a unique set of circumstances and in fact, would be much easier to change College, which is nigh on impossible in itself.

Learn to cycle and learn the shortcuts?

Colleges do sometimes have grad students from other colleges living in their grad accommodation e.g. Swirles court Girton (I think they just require a certain proportion of each flat to be Girton students, and the rest can be from other colleges, or something like that). If they have spare grad accommodation, some colleges will rent it out outside of their college.

Other times, there are contractual agreements where a college will use some grad accommodation from another college (e.g. St Edmund's college using part of Girton's Swirles court).

I assume a few other colleges also allow it. I've heard similar from friends at Oxford re grad accommodation at some colleges.

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Reply 7

username2940192

6

Original post by threeportdrift

No you can't.

I think you may be thinking of undergraduates , with graduates it does happen. Graduate room occupation is more uncertain. For one reason funding uncertainty means graduate 'no shows' do happen. This typically leads to the situation where room availability looks tight in late September but opens up in November. Bursars hate empty rooms earning no money....

So, it does happen but not in a way which would be useful to an incoming student.

Living in another college's accommodation

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