Postgrad Accommodation- University of Cambridge- International Student

Hello! I am an incoming postgrad student from the US studying architecture. I am seeking advice on housing.
I am constantly looking for private accommodation, but the market has proved to be difficult and slippery. Murray Edwards (my college) has limited post grad accommodation and they have notified me that they have all been allocated, but I am 7th on the waiting list for an opening. I registered with the university accommodation service a while ago and have yet to receive a property offer.
University accommodation would be my ideal situation, then college accommodation, then private. Has anyone had any experience yet with the university accommodation waiting list? What are my chances there? Also- any additional advice for the housing search? As an international student i was really hoping to secure housing before i arrived (Mid-early Sept), but I am seeing this to be less and less likely. Any words of encouragement would also be appreciated, I am worried about my chances of finding a nice/safe place at all! Lol

Reply 1

Anonymous #2

Hi, you might benefit from looking into private student accommodation. This is similar to halls of residence but managed privately, rather than through the university/college. They are a great option used by many students. Here's some options to look at in Cambridge, there may well be others too:

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https://www.studentcastle.co.uk/locations/cambridge-student-accommodation/

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https://apartostudent.com/locations/cambridge/the-cam-foundry

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https://www.therailyard.co.uk/student-accommodation/cambridge/the-railyard/

Hope this helps, and enjoy your time here in the UK!

Reply 2

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

20

Original post

by Anonymous

Hello! I am an incoming postgrad student from the US studying architecture. I am seeking advice on housing.
I am constantly looking for private accommodation, but the market has proved to be difficult and slippery. Murray Edwards (my college) has limited post grad accommodation and they have notified me that they have all been allocated, but I am 7th on the waiting list for an opening. I registered with the university accommodation service a while ago and have yet to receive a property offer.
University accommodation would be my ideal situation, then college accommodation, then private. Has anyone had any experience yet with the university accommodation waiting list? What are my chances there? Also- any additional advice for the housing search? As an international student i was really hoping to secure housing before i arrived (Mid-early Sept), but I am seeing this to be less and less likely. Any words of encouragement would also be appreciated, I am worried about my chances of finding a nice/safe place at all! Lol

Pretty much everywhere is safe in Cambridge, compared with larger urban areas. It's a very difficult situation, but if you can hang on, with your name on as many College waiting lists as you can, then something may come through.

The first check point is late next week. A level results come out next week, so Colleges will know exactly how many undergrads they are taking and have to accommodate. That may create a few spare rooms. So ask around on Friday, first with your College, and then with others.

Then through Aug/Sep there will be folks not getting the required remarks, not passing resits etc and not progressing from UG to PG, or not making PG offers, so a handful more rooms might become available per College.

Keep asking the University Accommodation service - my impression was that you had to chase them, rather than wait for them to come to you - but I'm not sure.

If you can, I'd avoid the commercial student hostel providers as mentioned above. They are all about profit and nothing about experience, and their contracts will be very inflexible.

I appreciate it's nail-biting, especially when you are arriving from overseas.

Postgrad Accommodation- University of Cambridge- International Student

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