Thread for accommodation questions for 09/10 entry - READ &amp; POST HERE FIRST :o)

OP

laurie344

I'm thinking of putting Imperial as my firm and Edinburgh as my insurance, will this give me second choice accommodation at Edinburgh?

I'm only really worrying about this because I would really like to go to Edinburgh and in the back of my mind I don't think I will make the grades to get into Imperial.

Thanks

Accommodation isn't given out until you have an unconditional offer, which if you did end up coming here, would be at results day along with everyone who had edinburgh as their firm. The only people who get given a room before the English and Scottish results days are people who already hold an unconditional offer for various reasons. Everyone else waits until the end of August.

You would need to apply along with all of the firm applicants for your accommodation as normal and then if it came to it, you'd be allocated accommodation after results day along with everyone else.

When I applied, I recieved the details of where I was living a week before I moved to Edinburgh. It was my firm.

Reply 23

AllAboutMe

I think, correct me if I'm wrong, that you only get to chose accomodation at your 1st choice. If you don't get in I think you just get stuck with what's left at your 2nd.

Reply 24

nearlyheadlessian

15

AllAboutMe

I think, correct me if I'm wrong, that you only get to chose accomodation at your 1st choice. If you don't get in I think you just get stuck with what's left at your 2nd.

You're wrong. Oxymoronic is right :smile:

Reply 25

AllAboutMe

I think, correct me if I'm wrong, that you only get to chose accomodation at your 1st choice. If you don't get in I think you just get stuck with what's left at your 2nd.

Just to add to what Oxymoronic and nearlyheadlessian have said...

... If you don't apply for accommodation, you won't be allocated any. Whether you are putting Edinburgh as an insurance or firm choice, you need to apply for accommodation to get any, otherwise you will be left having to find private accommodation, or just wothout anywhere to live, etc. (So apply for the accommodation as soon as you've picked Edinburgh just so that you don't forget about it.)

Reply 26

ooze

13

oxymoronic

When I applied, I recieved the details of where I was living a week before I moved to Edinburgh. It was my firm.

Same

Reply 27

johnnytwobands

They have good parties =) and I do my laundry there! Haha.

Reply 28

nellied

6

I was wondering how isolated i would be if i chose private accomodation - either get a flat to myself or a 2 bed and advertise the spare room for another flatmate

Alhtough would be new to ed in 09, i'm 22 and entering as a grad on second degree.

We also start on 10th of Aug so will have to be temp in Pollock for 5 weeks before being booted out to our self catered accom if we choose uni accom which i don't really want to do, i'm also not sure that sharing with 5 people in a flat is really sutible for me, BUT i don't want to be cut off.... i was told by some that i would be ok as i will meet people on my course and also if i join socities etc.

Any thoughts? Thanks

ETA: i would be looking for a flat in the marchmont area as want to be close-ish to summerhall

Reply 29

nellied

ETA: i would be looking for a flat in the marchmont area as want to be close-ish to summerhall

Newington and Southside are closer to Summerhall (ie Summerhall is in Newington). But both Marchmont and Newington are the main (UoE) student areas of the city, so once you've met people you won't be far away from where the majority of them stay/smaller society socials at second year+ flats and where a fair amount of the University's own accommodation is. Not to mention, in Newington/Southside, rent prices are a little lower.

If you are comfortable moving into your own flat then, as you say, there are plenty of opportunities to meet people, after all, you could move into University accommodation and spend your whole time ignoring people. Besides, if you have the 5 weeks before normal freshers arrive then you'll already have made some friends and acquaintances and have a head start on your fellow freshers so you don't need the institution of flatmates to get you started in finding friends. I didn't pass my flatmates much after the first month or so, once everyone had got themselves sorted with courses and societies, flatmates were really just that - people that I lived with.

Reply 30

OP

Most of my friends are from societies or my course. I still live with 2 of my flatmates from 1st year (we're 3rd years now and will stay together in 4th yr) and the other 3 also still live together, but I think we are a rare case that we get on so well. A lot of people don't see their flatmates after they move out. But on the whole the majority of my friends are from societies. I'd advise you to get involved with society stuff and go to all of the social events and then you'll be fine. As you're a grad you'll have done the whole university thing before so you know how it all works!

The only thing I would say is that living on your own might be hard at the start when you'll only have your course to keep you occupied as societies won't start up until the university is back into the semester in september. Perhaps living with one other person might be good as otherwise it might feel quite isolated if you don't really know anyone in the city other than the ones on your course as the university will be deathly quite over the holidays too. There are always plenty of post grads/mature students/4th years who are looking to share with just one other person who you could share your flat with. Just make sure who ever you get to share with is a student as otherwise you'll end up paying council tax (well, they will, but you know what I mean) you don't pay water rates in Edinburgh if you don't pay council tax as the cost of the water is taken out of that.

Reply 31

nellied

6

Thank you oxymoronic & artorscience that is very helpful.

If i found a flat and advertised the spare rooms am i likely to be able to find someone if i advertised in august time or will everyone have got their accomodation sorted by then?

The way my course works is the new grads enter for 5 weeks and then we mostly join up with the 2nd years so i wouldn't really know much of the 1st yr people anyway so being aimed more in a second year area would be better i think...

Also i didn't know about the water rates - thanks

Reply 32

watermelon sugar

14

is it usual for someone doing a subject in the kings buildings(maths) to stop in accom by george square/new college? i'm not sure how the application for it works but would they try and get me to stop nearer the kings buildings? i don't really want to be with people on the same course as me because i'd like to meet a lot of different people and i'd meet them anyway, and i'd like to be closer to the center and unions.

Reply 33

watermelon sugar

is it usual for someone doing a subject in the kings buildings(maths) to stop in accom by george square/new college? i'm not sure how the application for it works but would they try and get me to stop nearer the kings buildings?

The University doesn't own accommodation that is particularly close to KB, you are likely to have a lot of your lectures in the central area during first year. And for when you need to get up to KB, there is a bus free to students. When you apply for accommodation, pick whatever locations you want, but be warned, you have very little control over where you end up and who your flatmates will be - it is best to be as unconcerned as possible and open to sharing with anyone.

Reply 34

watermelon sugar

14

artorscience?

The University doesn't own accommodation that is particularly close to KB, you are likely to have a lot of your lectures in the central area during first year. And for when you need to get up to KB, there is a bus free to students. When you apply for accommodation, pick whatever locations you want, but be warned, you have very little control over where you end up and who your flatmates will be - it is best to be as unconcerned as possible and open to sharing with anyone.

little control? is it unlikely i'll end up anywhere i've picked?
i'm open to anyone/anything, it's just kinda what i think i'd prefer. i've read everythinggg on the website about accom like a complete loser :o:

dankee

Reply 35

watermelon sugar

little control? is it unlikely i'll end up anywhere i've picked?
i'm open to anyone/anything, it's just kinda what i think i'd prefer. i've read everythinggg on the website about accom like a complete loser :o:

If you've read everything on this site about accommodation, you'll be aware that a significant number of students do not get their first choice (and in many cases, any of their chosen) accommodation - this isn't something to worry about as all the accommodations are very similar on the inside and their locations are all within a 15-minute-walk radius of George Square... so as a first year you can't go wrong location-wise. If you're open to anything, you'll be fine - you'll be given a decent room in a decent flat, your flatmates may or may not be from similar subject areas (some people end up with people from the same subject area whilst others end up with a spread - could be chance, could be something more contrived by accommodation services). But whatever your flatmates are like you'll be able to find people as similar or different from you as you like within your block.

Reply 36

OP

watermelon sugar

little control? is it unlikely i'll end up anywhere i've picked?
i'm open to anyone/anything, it's just kinda what i think i'd prefer. i've read everythinggg on the website about accom like a complete loser :o:

dankee

Just consider it to be that yes, you get to write down 3 s/c accommodation where you would like to be, but this is not a given and you might not get a room in any of your choices. Sort of like with UCAS!

Also, don't bother/get stressed about the whole big/medium/small room thing which the university now seem to opperate in the application process. It is just their way of making more money. Any room you get will be adequate, have the same furniture in and be big enough. They are all pretty much identical - The flat I was in for first year had 4 identical bedroom, and 1 which had literally 20cm more width as it was on the otherside of the flat. The person with the 20cm bigger room now has to pay like £10 more a week or something for that priviledge - that is how minimal the differences are.

I noticed on another thread that you've got friends who are hoping for offers - try not to apply for the same accomodation as chances are that will be more of a hinderance in the early weeks as you won't be as motivated to meet your new flatmates/neighbours if you've got a ready made set of friends from home downstairs. If you don't meet your neighbours in freshers week you never will.

Reply 37

nearlyheadlessian

15

oxymoronic

If you don't meet your neighbours in freshers week you never will.

Most of my neighbours were crap...

Reply 38

OP