How to choose student accommodation for first year
by Hannah, from West Yorkshire, UK, studying Architecture (MA)
Looking for student accommodation for first year can be a daunting task, so here are some top tips to narrow your search.
1. Halls
Some students may be guaranteed halls accommodation, so this is a good place to start looking. The accommodation website explains the guarantee, lists all of them, and tells you a bit about them. When you apply, you tend to list five choices you would be happy with, and the allocations team will try and get you one of them.
2. Catered vs self-catered
A big choice to make is if you want to make your own meals and have a kitchen in your flat (self catering) or have meals provided in a canteen (catering). This can depend on budget, self catering is cheaper, love (or not!) of cooking, and desired location- all catered halls are in Pollock Halls, slightly out of the city centre.
3. Ensuite or shared bathroom
Quite a self explanatory issue, but it is with considering if you would prefer your own ensuite bathroom, or if you would be happy to share. Shared bathroom options are cheaper, but both are available at a range of price points
4. Location
A great thing about the university halls is that they are dotted all around the city, so if you have a location you would like to live in, or a campus you would like to be close to, you will have the opportunity to. Do you want to be in the hustle and bustle of Cowgate? Or perhaps the quieter suburbs of Beaverbank or Bruntsfield? There are options in all
5. Other places to look
If uni halls aren’t for you, you can look into private halls, like unite students, vita, or iQ. They are generally modern and very comfortable, but can be expensive. Alternatively, you can try the general rental market, using sites like Zoopla and Rightmove can help you narrow your search and get in touch with agents, though the market is changeable and can be busy in the run up to September. The Students’ Association Advice Place is also available to help with this.
Happy house hunting, we can’t wait to have you in Edinburgh!
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