Living in Student Accommodation
by Faith, from Kenya, studying Innovation Technology and the Law (LLM), 1st year (PG)
Finding accommodation in a new city is by far one of the most challenging and confusing tasks for a student (at least it was for me). The challenge comes in when you have various options but are not sure which one to settle for, especially if you choose them while in a different city or country.
While some students prefer living in private accommodation across the city, I chose to stay in the university’s student accommodation. I found it easier to navigate through the options offered by the school rather than individually look for private housing, considering I was still in my country.
Types of student accommodation
There are two types of accommodation, a catered accommodation where meals are provided to residents and a self-catered accommodation, where residents cook their meals. Also, there is an option for an en-suite room or one where you share a bathroom with some flatmates. However, note that the rooms are individual and not shared, just the bathroom.
Choosing student accommodation
Generally, the choice of student accommodation depends on three major factors: 1. Your preference. 2. Convenience. 3. Budget.
Pro Tip: These three factors helped me zone in on the particular accommodation I wanted to live in. In addition to consulting the university’s Accommodation Team and seeing their options, I also used Google to get to know the exact locations of the options I had, which helped me make an informed decision.
My experience
I live in self-catered postgraduate student accommodation in an en-suite room. I have nine flatmates with whom we share the kitchen and get to cook our meals. The accommodation is a walking distance from the school and is within the Edinburgh City Centre. It is near the Law School Campus (15-20mins) and the university’s Main Library making it fairly convenient for me to navigate. Additionally, it is located near various supermarkets in the city.
What informed my preference for student accommodation?
The most exciting thing about student accommodation is interacting with people from other countries and interacting with different cultures. This aspect was vital for me when choosing to live in student accommodation. In my accommodation, I have interacted with various cultures. My flatmates are all from different countries, which has made me learn how their countries are, tried different foods, games and even learnt some new languages. In addition, the experience has created lifelong friendships and an international community that has been quite supportive throughout the year.
All in all, remember that everything ultimately boils down to preference, convenience, and budget. For more informed advice and guidance on student accommodation, I recommend looking at the different options provided by the university here https://www.accom.ed.ac.uk/ and consulting with the university’s Accommodation Team when choosing the accommodation.
This blog was originally published on the ‘Chat to our students’ site here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/student-life/student-chat
