Postgraduate student

Hello! I’m going to be attending Oxford Brooke’s in September 2026 as a postgrad student but I am not sure on if it is better to live on campus in student accommodation or to just rent a room somewhere. Just looking for others opinions

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Hi there,

I think deciding whether to live in halls or find somewhere to rent depends on your budget and how far either option would be from your campus! If it's being surrounded by undergraduates that you're concerned about, then I wouldn't worry at all as Oxford Brookes has halls dedicated for postgraduate students!

My advice would be to take a look at private rented flats/apartments and see how much the rent would be, and try to work out what the cost of bills would be as well. Compare what these costs would be to how much each postgrad accom would be charging you. Keep in mind that for student halls, the bills are almost always included, so the entire cost would be the weekly/monthly rent amount they advertise.

You can look at the Oxford Brookes accommodation options here: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/prospective-students/halls

As well, most halls will be en suite so you would have a private bathroom, so the only shared facilities would be kitchen/living areas. Trying to think positively, if everyone in your flat is a postgrad then there hopefully wouldn't be any problems with being messy/loud etc but you never know, so that would be worth thinking about as well. I believe Oxford Brookes does offer studio apartments for postgrad students as well, so it might be helpful to compare the cost of a studio apartment to how much one would be to rent separately from the uni for a year!

Finally, the last thing worth thinking about is the social aspect. Would you enjoy having a chat with flatmates whenever you end up in the kitchen at the same time, and meeting people from other apartments/making friends with people in your block or are you happy being by yourself? Obviously there would be lots of opportunities to make friends and be social both on your course and by joining societies etc, but would you want to have a relationship with flatmates or prefer to be independent/alone?

I hope that helps a little and gives you somewhere to start?
Jorja (LJMU Student Rep)

Reply 2

OxfordBrookesDan

Official Rep

Original post

by EmIlyflynn

Hi!

I hope you’re doing well. For Brookes' Postgraduate accommodations, there are several great options! That said, the three I would initially consider are Clive Booth Postgraduate Centre, Sinnet Court, and Paul Kent. All of the options are listed on the Brookes website, and I’d say an important criterion is contract length - this could be 38 weeks or 50, depending on the PG course. The non-Brookes managed ones that PG students may use are often managed by Unite Students (Dorest and Beech House are the two main ones) or a similar company. They are typically the more expensive options and work separately from the university accommodations, and I have not experienced this personally (so I can’t comment on it).

I’ve stayed in Paul Kent Halls for a semester, so I’ve also asked my friend for their input on the other two PG options I'll mention. Below is a side‑by‑side comparison of the three main Postgraduate accommodation options at Oxford Brookes that I think are worth considering.

1. Clive Booth Postgraduate Centre (https://www.brookes.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/clive-booth-postgraduate-centre) is currently a mid-priced option (£199.99 per week for a 50-week contract), but my friend and his friends who stayed there have said that you get what you pay for. You’re in mature student and Postgrad-only accommodation, my friend says it’s the nicest rooms, Clive Booth is in the largest student village (so you get access to the facilities that come along with that), and it is Brookes-managed. Hence, you get a high level of care, and the route from campus is CCTV-monitored and patrolled by security 24/7. It is the mid-priced option, but it has got everything at a significantly lower price than the Unite Student accommodations I would compare it to. If the cost per week is budgetable, Clive Booth PG centre is a great option.

2. Paul Kent Halls ( https://www.brookes.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/paul-kent-hall/) is the most expensive I’ll talk about ( £204.96 per week) and primarily a 38-week contract, although there are 47-52-week contract options too. The location is roughly 1.5 miles from the campus, which makes it easier to access things like an Aldi and Templars Square (both of which are within walking distance). At Paul Kent Halls, you’ll primarily have undergrad flatmates, and the distance from campus means relying on the bus. For the price, when compared to Clive Booth PG centre, I think Clive Booth has nicer rooms, communal spaces, and the location is much better. If the distance from campus is not a concern, and/or you are interested in an alternative, I would consider Crescent halls (https://www.brookes.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/crescent-hall). My experience of Paul Kent Hall was positive, but the distance from the Oxford City Centre and the campus was noticeable, as I like to socialise in town with uni and non-uni friends.

3. Sinnet Court ( https://www.brookes.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/sinnet-court/). This is the accommodation I would consider alongside Clive Booth PG centre. It’s £184.85 a week and a 50‑week contract option only, 0.6 miles from the Headington campus, and is primarily for postgraduate students (Master’s and PhD students). You may get the occasional returning student from a nursing programme placement, but it’s not like undergraduate halls. I’d say the location, just off Cowley Road, is helpful because you are closer to some shops, but the downside is having to walk uphill to uni, and the route isn't CCTV-monitored like the walk to Clive Booth PG centre is. The cost being cheaper than Clive Booth PG centre makes it a great option, you can still easily get to the city centre, and the rooms are not too different - the big difference is in communal areas like the kitchens. It is managed by A2Dominion and is a solid option worth considering, providing a strong option slightly cheaper and away from campus.

I hope this is helpful! There are online viewings of the rooms available via the links I have included, and they will be showcased at the upcoming open days (the link to these is here: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/open-days). Please let me know if you have any questions!