Introducing you to life

at university

University halls are one of the most popular types of accommodation for first-year students. They’re a great place to meet new friends as well as often being one of the cheapest options.

If you plan on going home outside of term time, then university halls could be ideal because the average contract length is 41 weeks, meaning that you won’t be paying for the time you’re not there. 

You could save money on travel too, because lots of university halls are either on or close to your campus.Make sure you find out where your halls would be and work out how much travelling you’d need to do so you can budget for travel cards or taxi fares.

The average rent at private halls (also known as ‘student villages’) can be slightly higher than university-owned halls, but bills are normally included.

Catering and cleaning aren't usually included, so if you want a bit more independence, but still crave being in that student environment, private halls could be perfect for you. 

Though they shouldn’t be too far away from the university campus, you’ll probably need to factor in travelling time and costs. Again, it’s a good idea to work out your route to and from university so you can factor any travel expenses into your budgeting.

The average contract length is 46 weeks, so it’s another good option if you expect to come home for certain periods of the year.

If you know people you want to live with already, you could look at renting a shared house together although it does mean a bit of extra organisation and self-reliance on your part.

You’ll need to take care of everything that goes with living independently including rent & bills, cooking, cleaning and putting the rubbish out. If something isn’t right with your property, like damp or a broken boiler, it’s up to you to make sure your landlord gets on the case. 

The cost of rent and contract length will vary from one place to the next, so make sure you compare plenty of options and find out the cost of travel too. Asking your university for a list of approved landlords and student friendly letting agents is a good place to start.

Choosing a shared house will mean arranging your own insurance to make sure your belongings are covered, you can find out more in our student guide to insurance below.