Accommodation: thinking ahead about where to live

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These are university provided student residences. Applications to them are managed by the University of Glasgow, but may be run by other businesses in partnership with the university.

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The available residence profiles can be found here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/accommodation/residenceprofiles/

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You can find video tours online. I highly recommend going through these before making your decisions.

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University halls are usually a great direct source of experience for student life - you are automatically involved, being able to socialise with flatmates and neighbouring students, having the option of attending social events, and finding people to spend your day-to-day with.

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This type of accommodation is outside of university management. There is no guarantee you will get a spot unless you keep an eye on their openings and apply as soon as you can. You take sole responsibility for the applications, deposits, registration etc.

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These accommodations open bookings from the winter of the previous year - so for September 2026, openings have been open since around November 2025 (slightly varies between different establishments). Sometimes, even if they are full it is worth joining the waitlist if you are really interested - students tend to drop out around July/August time in which case they may extend offers to those waitlisted.

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The plus side to this type of accommodation is that there is an abundance of choice. You can find lots nearer to the West End (where the main campus is) or others further into city centre (for e.g. if you are a dental school student or prefer living in the city centre).

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It is also important to note that this type is only open to registered students which might make some more comfortable. However, the students could be from any university (including Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian, and others).

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This is when you would either (1) find a flat to rent, either by yourself or with others (organised privately) OR (2) find a flatshare where individual rooms are being rented out (e.g. if someone has a spare room).

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The advantage of this is that you often have more control over who you live with. Either you find your own flatmates and rent together, or you view the flat and talk to the existing flatmates after which you can decide for yourself if you like it or not.

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As a first year, especially if you are new to Glasgow, this option is typically difficult as in-person viewings and finding flatmates aren't straightforward. However, it is not impossible. Plenty of people find spare rooms online, just be careful when searching!

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Watch here for some advice on private renting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHapXQjNv6w

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Keep an eye on deadlines! University-offered halls of residence are guaranteed (provided you meet the criteria) as long as you apply before the deadline (14 July).

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Deadlines for deposits are also important to remember, for both university halls and private residences.